SHARING TRANSACTION INFORMATION IN A COMMERCE NETWORK

• US 20100100492A1
• Filed: 10/16/2008
• Published: 04/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Ho, Yuan Der, Okubo, Trisha Lee, Skyberg, Rolf, Chong, Choon, Law, Philip
• Application Number:
  US12/252,663
• Publication Number:
  US 20100100492A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/319
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

A computerized method and system for creating and maintaining a commerce network data structure are provided. Example embodiments may include receiving transaction information related to a business relationship between a first user and a business entity. The business relationship between the first user and the business entity may be verified using the transaction information. A commerce network data structure may be created. The commerce network data structure may include a link between a first node and a second node. The first node may represent the first user, the second node may represent the business entity, and the link may represent the business relationship. A communication including a request for the transaction information related to the business relationship may be received from the second user. Responsive to the receiving of the communication, the commerce network data structure may be accessed to automatically provide the second user with the transaction information.

Claims

1. A computerized method, said computerized method comprising:

receiving transaction information related to a business relationship between a first user and a business entity;

verifying the business relationship between the first user and the business entity using the transaction information;

creating a commerce network data structure including creating a link between a first node and a second node, the first node representing the first user, the second node representing the business entity, and the link representing the business relationship;

receiving from a second user a communication including a request for the transaction information related to the business relationship; and

responsive to the receiving of the communication, accessing the commerce network data structure to automatically provide the second user with the transaction information.

2. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the creating of the link is performed responsive to the verifying of the business relationship.

3. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the verifying of the business relationship is performed using the commerce network data structure.

4. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the verifying of the business relationship includes receiving a confirmation of the business relationship from the business entity.

5. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the verifying of the business relationship includes receiving a second communication from the first user, the second communication including evidence confirming the business relationship.

6. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the first user and the second user are members of a social network.

7. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the first user is a hub of the commerce network data structure.

8. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the second user is a hub of a separate commerce network data structure.

9. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the commerce network data structure includes a plurality of nodes representing a plurality of business entities that are linked to at least one of the first or the second user.

10. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the creating of the commerce network data structure includes identifying a plurality of business entities linked to the at least one of the first or the second user and collecting data related to the at least one business relationship.

11. The computerized method of claim 1, said computerized method further comprising:

automatically detecting an attribute of the business relationship using the transaction information related to the business relationship.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the attribute of the business relationship includes at least one of a strength, a frequency, or a feedback.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the business relationship includes at least one of a business transaction, an affiliation, or an affinity.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the transaction information includes at least one of a price, a name of the business entity, a product, a service, an address or a feedback.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the second user uses the transaction information in a business transaction with the business entity.

16. A system, said system comprising:

a user interface to receive transaction information related to a business relationship between a first user and a business entity;

a verification module to verify the business relationship between the first user and the business entity using the transaction information;

a creation module to create a commerce network data structure including creating a link between a first node and a second node, the first node representing the first user, the second node representing the business entity, and the link representing the business relationship;

a communication module to receive from a second user a communication including a request for the transaction information related to the business relationship; and

a retrieving module to access the commerce network data structure, responsive to the receiving of the communication, to automatically provide the second user with the transaction information.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the creation module is to create the link responsive to a verification by the verification module of the business relationship.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the verification module is to verify the business relationship using the commerce network data structure.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the verification module is to verify the business relationship including using a confirmation of the business relationship received from the business entity.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the verifying of the business relationship includes receiving a communication from the first user, the communication including evidence confirming the business relationship.

21. The system of claim 16, said system further comprising:

a business entities module to identify a plurality of business entities linked to the at least one of the first or the second user and to collect data related to the at least one business relationship.

22. The system of claim 16, said system further comprising:

a relationship module to detect an attribute of the business relationship using the transaction information related to the business relationship, wherein the attribute of the business relationship includes at least one of a strength, a frequency, or a feedback.

23. A system, said system comprising:

means for receiving transaction information related to a business relationship between a first user and a business entity;

means for verifying the business relationship between the first user and the business entity using the transaction information;

means for creating a commerce network data structure including creating a link between a first node and a second node, the first node representing the first user, the second node representing the business entity, and the link representing the business relationship;

means for receiving from a second user a communication including a request for the transaction information related to the business relationship; and

means for accessing the commerce network data structure, responsive to the receiving of the communication, to automatically provide the second user with the transaction information.

24. A machine-readable medium comprising instructions, which when implemented by one or more processors perform the following operations:

receiving transaction information related to a business relationship between a first user and a business entity;

verifying the business relationship between the first user and the business entity using the transaction information;

creating a commerce network data structure including creating a link between a first node and a second node, the first node representing the first user, the second node representing the business entity, and the link representing the business relationship;

receiving from a second user a communication including a request for the transaction information related to the business relationship; and

responsive to the receiving of the communication, accessing the commerce network data structure to automatically provide the second user with the transaction information.

25. The machine-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the verifying of the business relationship includes at least one of:

using the commerce network data structure;

receiving a confirmation of the business relationship from the business entity;

receiving a communication from the first user, the communication including evidence confirming the business relationship; and

the machine-readable medium further includes automatically detecting an attribute of the business relationship using the transaction information related to the business relationship.