Method and apparatus for facilitating peer-to-peer electronic commerce

• US 20080126174A1
• Filed: 11/29/2006
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Inventors: Bickerstaff, Ryan M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,209,235 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for determining a list of providers of a commodity. During operation, the system receives a description of the commodity from a customer at a server. Then, the system uses the description to identify a list of providers of the commodity. Next, the system receives a specification of a set of desired provider-traits from the customer. The system then filters the list of providers of the commodity based on the desired provider-traits to obtain a filtered list of providers of the commodity. Finally, the system presents the filtered list of providers to the customer.

Claims

1. A method for determining a list of providers of a commodity, the method comprising:

receiving a description of the commodity from a customer at a server;

using the description to identify a list of providers of the commodity;

receiving a specification of a set of desired provider-traits from the customer;

filtering the list of providers of the commodity based on the desired provider-traits to obtain a filtered list of providers of the commodity; and

presenting the filtered list of providers to the customer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the commodity can include:

a physical item;

a piece of software; and

a service.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the provider-traits for a given provider can include:

a group affiliation of the given provider;

a hobby of the given provider;

a degree of association with the customer; and

a number of prior interactions with the customer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the desired provider-traits can include:

required provider-traits, which the customer requires of a provider of the commodity; and

preferred provider-traits, which the customer desires of the provider of the commodity, but does not require.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein filtering the list of providers of the commodity involves:

adding each provider who has the required provider-traits to the filtered list of providers; and

sorting the filtered list of providers based on the preferred provider-traits associated with each provider.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving from the customer at the server a set of customer-traits associated with the customer.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein filtering the list of providers of the commodity involves:

determining the set of customer-traits associated with the customer; and

for each provider;

determining a set of desired customer-traits, which the provider desires for customers who purchase the commodity,

determining if the set of desired customer-traits matches the set of customer-traits, and

if not, removing the provider from the list of providers of the commodity.

8. A method for selecting a customer of a commodity, the method comprising:

receiving at a server a set of preferred customer-traits from a provider of a commodity, wherein the set of preferred customer-traits are traits the provider desires of the customer of the commodity, but does not require;

retrieving customer-traits for potential customers of the commodity;

ranking the potential customers by comparing the customer-traits with the set of preferred customer-traits to obtain a ranked list of potential customers; and

presenting the ranked list to the provider.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising selecting a customer of the commodity from the ranked list based on the customer-traits and the set of preferred customer-traits.

10. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for determining a list of providers of a commodity, the method comprising:

receiving a description of the commodity from a customer at a server;

using the description to identify a list of providers of the commodity;

receiving a specification of a set of desired provider-traits from the customer;

filtering the list of providers of the commodity based on the desired provider-traits to obtain a filtered list of providers of the commodity; and

presenting the filtered list of providers to the customer.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the commodity can include:

a physical item;

a piece of software; and

a service.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the provider-traits for a given provider can include:

a group affiliation of the given provider;

a hobby of the given provider;

a degree of association with the customer; and

a number of prior interactions with the customer.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the desired provider-traits can include:

required provider-traits, which the customer requires of a provider of the commodity; and

preferred provider-traits, which the customer desires of the provider of the commodity, but does not require.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein filtering the list of providers of the commodity involves:

adding each provider who has the required provider-traits to the filtered list of providers; and

sorting the filtered list of providers based on the preferred provider-traits associated with each provider.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, the method further comprising receiving from the customer at the server a set of customer-traits associated with the customer.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein filtering the list of providers of the commodity involves:

determining the set of customer-traits associated with the customer; and

for each provider;

determining a set of desired customer-traits, which the provider desires for customers who purchase the commodity,

determining if the set of desired customer-traits matches the set of customer-traits, and

if not, removing the provider from the list of providers of the commodity.

17. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for selecting a customer of a commodity, the method comprising:

receiving at a server a set of preferred customer-traits from a provider of a commodity, wherein the set of preferred customer-traits are traits the provider desires of the customer of the commodity, but does not require;

retrieving customer-traits for potential customers of the commodity;

ranking the potential customers by comparing the customer-traits with the set of preferred customer-traits to obtain a ranked list of potential customers; and

presenting the ranked list to the provider.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, the method further comprising selecting a customer of the commodity from the ranked list based on the customer-traits and the set of preferred customer-traits.

19. An apparatus that determines a list of providers of a commodity, comprising:

a receiving mechanism configured to receive a description of the commodity from a customer at a server;

an identification mechanism configured to use the description to identify a list of providers of the commodity;

wherein the receiving mechanism is further configured to receive a specification of a set of desired provider-traits from the customer;

a filtering mechanism configured to filter the list of providers of the commodity based on the desired provider-traits to obtain a filtered list of providers of the commodity; and

a presentation mechanism configured to present the filtered list of providers to the customer.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

an inclusion mechanism configured to add each provider who has a set of customer-specified required provider-traits to the filtered list of providers; and

a sorting mechanism configured to sort the filtered list of providers based on a set of customer-specified preferred provider-traits associated with each provider.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a receiving mechanism configured to receive from the customer at the server a set of customer-traits associated with the customer.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the filtering mechanism further comprises:

a determination mechanism configured to determine the set of customer-traits associated with the customer;

wherein the determining mechanism is further configured to determine a set of desired customer-traits, which each provider desires for customers who purchase the commodity;

wherein the determining mechanism is further configured to determine if the set of desired customer-traits matches the set of customer-traits; and

a removal mechanism configured to remove the provider from the list of providers of the commodity.

23. An apparatus that selects a customer of a commodity, comprising:

a receiving mechanism configured to receive at a server a set of preferred customer-traits from a provider of a commodity, wherein the set of preferred customer-traits are traits the provider desires of the customer of the commodity, but does not require;

a retrieving mechanism configured to retrieve customer-traits for potential customers of the commodity;

a ranking mechanism configured to rank the potential customers by comparing the customer-traits with the set of preferred customer-traits to obtain a ranked list of potential customers; and

a presenting mechanism configured to present the ranked list to the provider.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a selection mechanism configured to select a customer of the commodity from the ranked list based on the customer-traits and the set of preferred customer-traits.