System for intelligent search agent to access data in a distributed network

• US 20090106165A1
• Filed: 09/12/2008
• Published: 04/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Solomon Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Solomon Research LLC
• Inventors: Solomon, Neal
• Granted Patent: US 8,478,677 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/80
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation

Abstract

A commercial search agent (CSA) is used to access data in a distributed communications system. An initial search request constitutes a buyer'"'"'s first search query at sellers'"'"' commercial database network. Analytical agents and seller promotions are used to inform the CSA, while negotiation commences after the initial RFQ. CSA'"'"'s may be informed by analytical agents.

Claims

1. A system for searching data in a distributed computing network of sellers'"'"' commercial databases, the system comprising:

a distributed computing network comprising a plurality of sellers'"'"' commercial databases, said seller'"'"'s commercial databases commonly related to an industry, at least one buyer'"'"'s node adapted to translate a buyer'"'"'s first query, a commercial search agent adapted to receive the buyer'"'"'s first query regarding a selected item, said item one of a product or service, said commercial search agent in communication with said plurality of sellers'"'"' commercial databases, and said commercial search agent further adapted to search said plurality of sellers'"'"' commercial databases for information related to said selected item; and

at least one intelligent negotiation agent in communication with said commercial agent, said intelligent negotiation agent for receiving configured to receive said information related to said selected item and for engaging to engage in a negotiation for procurement of said selected item.

2. The system for searching data in a distributed computing network of claim 1, wherein:

said commercial search agent comprises an intelligent agent.

3. The system for searching data in a distributed computing network of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one of a plurality of analytical agents for mining data related to said selected item from said plurality of sellers'"'"' databases, said analytical agent also for generating a report on said data that most closely meets a goal, said analytical agent in communication with said commercial search agent for transmission thereto of said report.

4. The system for searching data in a distributed computing network of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one of said plurality of sellers'"'"' databases includes at least one promotion module.

5. The system for searching data in a distributed computing network of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one of said plurality of sellers'"'"' databases includes at least one risk management option module.

6. The system for searching data of claim 1, wherein:

said distributed computing network comprises a cooperative communications network having a plurality of sellers'"'"' commercial databases, said cooperative communications network related to said selected item.

7. A method for searching data in a distributed computing network of sellers'"'"' commercial databases, the method comprising:

receiving a buyer'"'"'s first query regarding a selected item, said item one of a product or service, performing an automated search on a distributed computing network for information related to said selected item, said distributed computing network comprising a plurality of sellers'"'"' commercial databases, said plurality of sellers'"'"' commercial databases commonly related to an industry; and

receiving from at least one of said plurality of sellers'"'"' commercial databases a risk management option comprising at least one contract contingency authorizing a seller to pay a buyer a penalty if said seller elects in response to an election by the seller to sell said selected item to another buyer.

8. The method for searching data in a distributed computing network of claim 7, wherein:

said performing an automated search is accomplished by invoking an intelligent commercial search agent.

9. The method for searching data in a distributed computing network of claim 7, further comprising:

mining data from said plurality of sellers'"'"' commercial databases, receiving a goal, analyzing said data for generating a report thereon that most closely satisfies said goal, transmitting said report to said commercial search agent.

10. The method for searching data in a distributed computing network of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving from at least one of said plurality of sellers'"'"' commercial databases a promotion.

11. A system for procurement that communicates over a distributed network, the system comprising:

one or more memories for storing a list of individual product items and individual service items, an intelligent commercial search agent in communication with said one or more memories, and one or more seller showcase databases in communication with said commercial search agent, wherein, when one or more of said seller showcase databases receives from said commercial search agent a request to receive bids to sell a selected item specified from said list, said one or more seller showcase databases submits that bid to said commercial search'"'"' agent; and

an intelligent analytical agent for mining configured to mine data related to a selected item from said list, said mining from at least one of a plurality of market databases, said analytical agent for generating configured to generate a subset of data that most closely conforms to a set of preprogrammed item parameters, and said analytical agent in communication with said commercial search agent for providing and configured to provide thereto said subset of data.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

said request for bids including a set of item parameters, said set including quality, and receiving from at least one of a plurality of seller'"'"'s intelligent agents registered with a cooperative communications network an automated bid to sell said selected item, said bid responsive to said request.

13. The system of claims 11, further comprising:

said request for bids including a set of item parameters, said set including price.

14. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

said request for bids including a set of item parameters, said set including item features.

15. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

said buyer'"'"'s intelligent agent comprises an intelligent commercial search agent for searching said plurality of seller'"'"'s intelligent agents for bids conforming to a set of preprogrammed item parameters.