Method, System, and Apparatus for Facilitating Transactions Between Sellers and Buyers for Travel Related Services
First Claim
1. A method for facilitating transactions between sellers and buyers for travel related services, comprising:
- (a) providing a database that stores data associated with a plurality of sellers, the data representing, for each respective seller, i) at least one geographical reference and ii) travel-related services offered by the respective seller at the at least one geographical reference;
(b) providing a server that is capable of interaction with buyers over a communication network, the server operably coupled to the database;
(c) a buyer interacting with the server to define and submit a request, the request specifying at least one geographical reference and at least one travel related service;
(d) in response to submission of said request, initiating an automatic process on the server that analyzes said database to select a set of sellers that match said request; and
(e) automatically communicating a message from the server to at least one seller of the set of sellers selected in (d), the message including an invitation for submission of at least one offer corresponding to said request.
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Abstract
A method and system for facilitating transactions between sellers and buyers for travel related services. The system includes a database which stores data associated with a plurality of sellers, and a server operably coupled to the database. A buyer interacts with the server to define and submit a request for one or more travel related services. The system uses matching logic to analyze the database to select a set of sellers whose services and other associated data best match the request, and invites the set of sellers to submit offers corresponding to the request. The system communicates offers received by the set of sellers to the buyer and facilitates communications and transactions between the sellers and the buyer.
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Citations
57 Claims
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1. A method for facilitating transactions between sellers and buyers for travel related services, comprising:
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(a) providing a database that stores data associated with a plurality of sellers, the data representing, for each respective seller, i) at least one geographical reference and ii) travel-related services offered by the respective seller at the at least one geographical reference; (b) providing a server that is capable of interaction with buyers over a communication network, the server operably coupled to the database; (c) a buyer interacting with the server to define and submit a request, the request specifying at least one geographical reference and at least one travel related service; (d) in response to submission of said request, initiating an automatic process on the server that analyzes said database to select a set of sellers that match said request; and (e) automatically communicating a message from the server to at least one seller of the set of sellers selected in (d), the message including an invitation for submission of at least one offer corresponding to said request. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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48. An apparatus for facilitating transactions between sellers and buyers for travel related services, the transactions related to a request, the apparatus comprising:
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a database that stores data associated with a number of sellers, the data representing, for each respective seller, i) at least one geographical reference and ii) travel-related services offered by the respective seller at the at least one geographical reference; means for interacting with a buyer over a communication network to specify said request and store data related to said request in said database; logic that performs an automated process for selecting a set of sellers that match said request from said number of sellers stored in said database; means for communicating with said set of sellers and inviting said set of sellers to submit offers corresponding to said request; and means for receiving offers from said set of sellers corresponding to said request and storing said offers in said database; - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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Specification