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Data processing system and method for facilitating transactions in diamonds

  • US 5,950,178 A
  • Filed: 07/29/1997
  • Issued: 09/07/1999
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/29/1997
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A system for listing and facilitating transactions involving stones categorized by weight and at least one other characteristic relating to the gem comprising:

  • a host processor having a first data structure storing for each stone offered for sale data of stone weight, the characteristic, offer price and seller identification data, said processor including (i) means for arranging said data into a data matrix array wherein stone data for like weights and like characteristics is assigned to a designated category position in the array and (ii) means to compare the price to determine the lowest offer price for a stone offered for the category position and, for said lowest determined offered price, assigning said stone data to a primary offer position in the array category;

    a plurality of remote terminals each including a display;

    a data link between said terminals to said host processor by which a seller and a buyer may initiate communication with the host processor, said processor in response to initiation of communication adapted to issue signals to the terminal to display a matrix corresponding to said data matrix array and for each category the price from the stone data assigned to the primary position;

    means for a seller of a stone to open communication with the host processor from a terminal and to input stone data for a stone to be offered for sale;

    means for a buyer of a stone to open communication with the host processor from a terminal;

    means to select a category position from the matrix at the display, said host processor in response to said selection displaying at least the stone data of weight and said characteristic for the stone data assigned to the primary position;

    means for the buyer to communicate a bid to the host processor for at least the stone whose data is assigned to said primary position of the selected category; and

    said host processor including means to compare a bid with said displayed offer price, (i) if said bid matches the offer price said processor including means to communicate over said link to the identified seller and buyer of the stone that a sale has been made and means for removing said stone data for the sold stone from the data matrix, said comparing means comparing the prices of the remaining stone data of said category to determine the lowest price for the remaining stones and assign the lowest priced remaining stone to the primary position and (ii) if the bid is lower than the displayed offer price said processor including means to store said bid in the array category and compare said bid with other stored bids to determine the highest bid for the category, said determined highest bid assigned to a primary bid position at the array category.

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