User-Initiated Buyer-Vendor Match Search
First Claim
1. A method for a user-initiated vendor search, the method comprising:
- receiving, from one or more buyers of a plurality of buyers, one or more purchase solicitations, and storing the one or more purchase solicitations in a storage;
receiving, from one or more sellers of a plurality of sellers, one or more sale solicitations, and storing the one or more sale solicitations in the storage;
for a particular purchase solicitation of the one or more purchase solicitations;
in response to determining that a first sale solicitation of the one or more sale solicitations, submitted by a first seller, matches the particular purchase solicitation submitted by a particular buyer, providing the first sale solicitations to the particular buyer;
after providing the first sale solicitations to the particular buyer, sending the particular purchase solicitation to the one or more sellers;
in response to receiving, from a second seller of the one or more sellers, a second sale solicitation;
storing the second sale solicitation in the storage;
providing the second sale solicitation to the particular buyer;
for a particular sale solicitation of the one or more sale solicitations;
in response to determining that a first purchase solicitation of the one or more purchase solicitations, submitted by a first buyer, matches the particular sale solicitation submitted by a particular seller, providing the first purchase solicitation to the particular buyer;
after providing the first purchase solicitation to the particular buyer, sending the first sale solicitation to the one or more buyers;
in response to receiving, from a second buyer of the one or more buyers, a second purchase solicitation;
storing the second purchase sale solicitation in the storage;
providing the second purchase solicitation to the particular seller.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and a system for a user-initiated vendor search are described. In one aspect, the system includes a mechanism for collecting purchase solicitations from the buyers and sale solicitations from the sellers. The purchase solicitations include information about the products/services sought by the buyers, while the sale solicitations include information about the products/services offered by the sellers to the buyers. In one aspect, upon receiving a purchase solicitation from a buyer, the system attempts to accommodate the request by matching the request for the products/services with the offers of the products/services offered by the sellers. Similarly, upon receiving a sale solicitation from a seller, the system provides the matching offers of the products/services the products/services sought by the buyers. The solicitations and the matches are advertised to the sellers and to the buyers using various schemes and schedules.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for a user-initiated vendor search, the method comprising:
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receiving, from one or more buyers of a plurality of buyers, one or more purchase solicitations, and storing the one or more purchase solicitations in a storage; receiving, from one or more sellers of a plurality of sellers, one or more sale solicitations, and storing the one or more sale solicitations in the storage; for a particular purchase solicitation of the one or more purchase solicitations; in response to determining that a first sale solicitation of the one or more sale solicitations, submitted by a first seller, matches the particular purchase solicitation submitted by a particular buyer, providing the first sale solicitations to the particular buyer; after providing the first sale solicitations to the particular buyer, sending the particular purchase solicitation to the one or more sellers; in response to receiving, from a second seller of the one or more sellers, a second sale solicitation; storing the second sale solicitation in the storage; providing the second sale solicitation to the particular buyer; for a particular sale solicitation of the one or more sale solicitations; in response to determining that a first purchase solicitation of the one or more purchase solicitations, submitted by a first buyer, matches the particular sale solicitation submitted by a particular seller, providing the first purchase solicitation to the particular buyer; after providing the first purchase solicitation to the particular buyer, sending the first sale solicitation to the one or more buyers; in response to receiving, from a second buyer of the one or more buyers, a second purchase solicitation; storing the second purchase sale solicitation in the storage; providing the second purchase solicitation to the particular seller. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for a user-initiated vendor search, the method comprising:
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sending, to a broker, one or more requests; for a particular request of the one or more requests; receiving, from the broker, a first answer that matches the particular request; wherein the first answer was submitted to the broker by a first solicitor of one or more solicitors before the particular request was received by the broker; in response to determining that the first answer is acceptable, initiating purchase negotiations, via the broker, with the first solicitor; after receiving the first answer, receiving, from the broker, a second answer that matches the particular request; wherein the second answer was submitted to the broker by a second solicitor of the one or more solicitors after the particular request was received by the broker; in response to determining that the second answer is acceptable, initiating purchase negotiations, via the broker, with the second solicitor. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification