System for Anonymous Negotiated Sale of Information and Property

• US 20130080336A1
• Filed: 09/28/2011
• Published: 03/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Rat Out Your Friends, LLC
• Original Assignee: Rat Out Your Friends, LLC
• Inventors: Van Wie, David, Van Wie, Elizabeth
• Application Number:
  US13/247,681
• Publication Number:
  US 20130080336A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/80
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A system for executing a sale of information between a buyer and an anonymous seller. The buyer transmits a request for information to a website hosted by a server. A seller who has information transmits a response to the website indicating that the seller has relevant information to sell. The buyer and the seller negotiate anonymously through the server using unique, anonymous identifiers to agree to the price and content of the information.

Upon agreement, the buyer deposits the payment in an escrow account. The seller is instructed to disclose information to the buyer through the anonymous relay system. The buyer reviews the information and, if satisfactory, transmits acceptance of it to the server. The server then instructs the escrow account to release the funds to the seller. If the information is not satisfactory, a third-party arbitrator decides whether the funds are released to the seller.

Claims

1. A method for anonymously negotiating the sale of information comprising:

a. receiving a request for information from a buyer wherein the buyer is using an anonymous buyer unique identifier;

b. displaying the request from the buyer;

c. receiving a response from a seller to the request for information, wherein the seller is using an anonymous seller unique identifier;

d. relaying one or more emails between the buyer and seller, identifying the buyer and seller using only the buyer unique identifier and seller unique identifier;

e. receiving an indication that the buyer and seller have agreed to a price;

f. receiving an indication from a monetary escrow account that funds in an amount equivalent to the agreed-to price are in the monetary escrow account;

g. transmitting the information to the buyer; and

h. instructing the escrow account to release the funds to the seller in an amount equivalent to agreed-to price.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the buyer choosing its anonymous buyer unique identifier and the seller choosing its anonymous seller unique identifier.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

a. rendering the buyer anonymous by generating the anonymous buyer unique identifier and providing it to the buyer; and

b. rendering the seller anonymous by generating the anonymous seller unique identifier and providing it to the seller.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising instructing the buyer to deposit funds in an amount equivalent to the agreed-to price into a monetary escrow account.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving an indication from the buyer that the information is satisfactory.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

a. receiving an indication from the buyer that the information is not satisfactory;

b. instructing the buyer to submit an explanation of why the information is not satisfactory and the seller to submit an explanation of why it was satisfactory; and

c. rendering a decision that the funds in the monetary escrow account are to be released to the seller.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a third unique identifier to the seller to be used to claim the funds.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the information is physical property.

9. A method for anonymously negotiating the sale of information comprising:

a. a victim, using an input device, transmitting to a server a request for information about a crime, wherein the victim transmits the request using an anonymous victim unique identifier;

b. the server displaying on a website the request from the victim along with the victim unique identifier;

c. a seller, using an input device, transmitting a response to the request for information to the server, wherein the seller transmits the request using an anonymous seller unique identifier;

d. the server relaying one or more emails between the victim and seller, identifying the buyer and seller using only the buyer unique identifier and seller unique identifier;

e. the server receiving an indication that the victim and seller have agreed to a price of the information;

f. the server receiving an indication from an escrow account that funds in an amount equivalent to the agreed-to price have been deposited in the escrow account;

g. the server transmitting the disclosed information to the victim; and

h. the server instructing the escrow account to release the funds in an amount equivalent to agreed-to price to the seller.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

a. the server rendering the victim anonymous by generating the anonymous victim unique identifier and providing it to the victim; and

b. the server rendering the seller anonymous by generating the anonymous seller unique identifier and providing it to the seller.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising instructing the buyer to deposit funds in an amount equivalent to the agreed-to price into a monetary escrow account.

12. The method of claim 9 further comprising receiving an indication from the buyer that the information is satisfactory.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

a. receiving an indication from the buyer that the information is not satisfactory;

b. instructing the buyer to submit an explanation of why the information is not satisfactory and the seller to submit an explanation of why it was satisfactory; and

c. rendering a decision that the funds in the monetary escrow account are released to the seller.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the information is physical property.

15. A method for anonymously negotiating the sale of information comprising:

a. a server receiving a description of information for sale from a seller using an anonymous seller unique identifier;

b. the server displaying the description of information on a website;

c. the server receiving a response to the description of information for sale from a buyer using an anonymous buyer unique identifier;

d. the server relaying one or more emails between the buyer and seller, identifying the buyer and seller using only the buyer unique identifier and seller unique identifier;

e. the server receiving an indication that the buyer and seller have agreed to a price of the information;

f. the server receiving an indication from an escrow account that funds in an amount equivalent to the agreed-to price are in the escrow account for the seller;

g. the server instructing the seller to transmit the information to the server;

h. the server transmitting the disclosed information to the buyer;

i. the server receiving an indication that the information is satisfactory; and

j. the server instructing the escrow account to release the funds in an amount equivalent to the agreed-to price.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the server instructing the buyer to deposit funds in an amount equivalent to the agreed-to price into a monetary escrow account.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the information is physical property.

18. A method for anonymously negotiating the sale of property comprising:

a. receiving a request for physical property from a buyer wherein the buyer transmits the request using an anonymous buyer unique identifier;

b. displaying the request from the buyer;

c. receiving a response from a seller to the request for physical property, wherein the seller transmits the request using an anonymous seller unique identifier;

d. relaying one or more emails between the buyer and seller, identifying the buyer and seller using only the buyer unique identifier and seller unique identifier;

e. receiving an indication that the buyer and seller have agreed to a price;

f. instructing the buyer to deposit funds in an amount equivalent to the agreed-to price into a monetary escrow account;

g. receiving an indication from the monetary escrow account that funds in an amount equivalent to the agreed-to price are in the monetary escrow account;

h. instructing the seller to deliver the property to a property escrow agent;

i. notifying the buyer that the property is ready to be delivered and requesting a delivery address;

j. delivering the property to the buyer;

k. receiving an indication from the buyer that the property is satisfactory; and

l. instructing the monetary escrow account to release the funds to the seller in an amount equivalent to agreed-to price.