METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR SEARCHING FOR GOODS AND SERVICES

• US 20110099091A1
• Filed: 12/23/2010
• Published: 04/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Woolston, Thomas G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,341,028 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/27.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

A method and apparatus for creating a computerized market for used and collectible goods by use of a plurality of low cost posting terminals and a market maker computer in a legal framework that establishes a bailee relationship and consignment contract with a purchaser of a good at the market maker computer that allows the purchaser to change the price of the good once the purchaser has purchased the good thereby to allow the purchaser to speculate on the price of collectibles in an electronic market for used goods while assuring the safe and trusted physical possession of a good with a vetted bailee.

Claims

20-1. The method of claim 20, wherein the information received from the database is information from a data record associated with the good or service, the data record selected and retrieved from the database using an identification code associated with the bar code with which the good or service is associated, the database storing data records associated with a plurality of goods or services being offered via a plurality of stores independently accessible via the Internet.

21-2. The method of claim 20, wherein the information received from the database facilitates establishing a network connection via the communications interface with a computer-based store from which the good or service can be purchased.

34. A computer comprising:

a database server to provide access to a database of data records corresponding with goods or services offered via websites, each data record including a field to store an identification code by which the data record can be retrieved, the identification code corresponding with a bar code associated with an offered good or service; and

a communications interface to i) receive from a client device an identification code, and ii) communicate to the client device information from a data record retrieved from the database using the identification code received from the client device.

35. The computer of claim 34, wherein each data record of the database of data records includes a field to store a store identification indicating a website at which a good or service corresponding with a respective data record can be purchased.

36. The computer of claim 35, wherein the store identification is presented at the client device via a user interface that enables a user to provide payment information to conclude a transaction for a good or service.

37. The computer of claim 34, wherein the communications interface includes a network card by which the computer is connected over a network to the client device from which the identification code is received.

38. The computer of claim 37, wherein the network is the Internet.

39. The computer of claim 34, further comprising a web server for serving web pages, wherein the client device includes a web browser and the information from the data record is to be communicated to the client device in a web page.

40. The computer of claim 34, wherein the information communicated to the client device enables a user of the client device to complete a purchase transaction for the good or service.

41. The computer of claim 34, wherein the client device is a portable computing device.

42. The computer of claim 34, wherein the information from the data record retrieved from the database using the identification code includes information that enables the client device to establish a network connection with a website from which a good or service can be purchased.

43. The computer of claim 34, wherein the information from the data record retrieved from the database using the identification code includes information that enables the client device to establish a network connection with a computer hosting a database storing information about a good or service.

44. The computer of claim 34, wherein the client device from which the identification code is received is a portable computing device with a scanner.

45. The computer of claim 34, wherein the client device from which the identification code is received is a portable computing device with a bar code scanner.

46. The computer of claim 34, wherein the client device from which the identification code is received is a portable computing device with an image capture component.

47. A computer-implemented method comprising:

at a database server, receiving from a client device an identification code corresponding with a bar code associated with an offered good or service, the database server having access to a database with a plurality of data records corresponding with goods or services offered via websites, each data record including a field to store an identification code by which the data record can be retrieved;

searching the plurality of data records to identify and retrieve a data record including the received identification code; and

communicating to the client device information from the data record retrieved from the database using the identification code received from the client device.

48. The computer-implemented method of claim 47, wherein each of the plurality of data records of the database includes a field to store a store identification indicating a website at which a good or service corresponding with a respective data record can be purchased.

49. The computer-implemented method of claim 47, wherein the receiving of the identification code and the communicating of the information to the client device occur over a public network.

50. The computer-implemented method of claim 47, wherein the public network is the Internet.

51. The computer-implemented method of claim 47, wherein the receiving of the identification code and the communicating of the information to the client device are facilitated with a web server.

52. The computer-implemented method of claim 47, wherein the information communicated to the client device enables a user of the client device to complete a purchase transaction for the good or service.

53. The computer-implemented method of claim 47, wherein the information communicated to the client device includes information that enables the client device to establish a network connection with a website from which a good or service can be purchased.

54. The computer-implemented method of claim 47, wherein the information communicated to the client device includes information that enables the client device to establish a network connection with a computer hosting a database storing information about a good or service.