METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR EVALUATING EQUIPMENT LEASES

• US 20080215572A1
• Filed: 02/07/2008
• Published: 09/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bernard Boettigheimer, John Boettigheimer
• Original Assignee: Bernard Boettigheimer, John Boettigheimer
• Inventors: Boettigheimer, Bernard, Boettigheimer, John
• Application Number:
  US12/027,397
• Publication Number:
  US 20080215572A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/10 Tax strategies

Abstract

A lease information processing system provides subscribers, such as funding sources and lease brokers, with information indicating whether a proposed lease may have an enhanced chance of premature termination, based on prior leases and concurrent leases by the vendor and lessee, along with reports of suspicious activity reported by other subscribers.

Claims

1. A system for evaluating equipment leases using a processing device, comprising:

an input interface for receiving inquiries from a plurality of subscribers concerning prospective leases of equipment from vendors to a prospective lessees and for receiving information regarding terminated leases;

a database for storing the inquiries and information regarding terminated leases; and

an output interface for providing information about a specified prospective lessee and a specified vendor including prior inquiries for equipment leases involving the specified prospective lessee, prior inquiries for equipment leases involving equipment provided by the specified vendor, prior equipment leases terminated by the specified prospective lessee and terminated equipment leases of equipment provided by the specified vendor.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the input interface further receives warnings from subscribers about unusual activity by vendors or prospective lessees.

3. The system claim 1 and further comprising a search engine for filtering information in the database responsive to an inquiry.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the search engine determines other records of lessees that may be affiliated with the specified lessee.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein the output interface provides ratings for vendors based on information in the database.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the ratings for each vendor are based at least in part on the number of inquiries for the vendor, the number of terminated leases involving equipment supplied by the vendor, and warnings about the vendor.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the output interface further provides information regarding the percentage of completion for each terminated lease of equipment by the specified vendor.

8. A method of evaluating equipment leases using a processing device, comprising:

providing an input interface for receiving inquiries from a plurality of subscribers concerning prospective leases of equipment from vendors to a prospective lessees and for receiving information regarding terminated leases;

storing the inquiries and information regarding terminated leases in a database; and

providing an output interface for providing information about a specified prospective lessee and a specified vendor including prior inquiries for equipment leases involving the specified prospective lessee, prior inquiries for equipment leases involving equipment provided by the specified vendor, prior equipment leases terminated by the specified prospective lessee and terminated equipment leases of equipment provided by the specified vendor.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of providing an input interface includes the step of receiving warnings from subscribers about unusual activity by vendors or prospective lessees.

10. The method claim 8 and further comprising the step of filtering information in the database responsive to an inquiry using a search engine.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the filtering step includes the step of determining other records of lessees that may be affiliated with the specified lessee.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of providing an output interface includes the step of providing ratings for vendors based on information in the database.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of providing ratings for each vendor comprises the step of calculating ratings based at least in part on the number of inquiries for the vendor, the number of terminated leases involving equipment supplied by the vendor, and warnings about the vendor.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of providing an output engine further includes the step of providing information regarding the percentage of completion for each terminated lease of equipment by the specified vendor.