Framework for negotiation and tracking of sale of goods
DCFirst Claim
1. A computer implemented system for negotiation and tracking of sale of goods, comprising:
- a computer system having a processor and memory, the computer system executing a software application that provides a negotiation engine;
the negotiation engine operating to store data representing a current state of a negotiation between a seller and a buyer;
the negotiation engine storing the data within a framework for representing aspects of the negotiation between the seller and a buyer, the framework including;
a request object, a promise object and an acceptance object that can store a current description of a contract;
wherein the request object represents a request from a buyer that initiates negotiation, the promise object represents a promise to sell from seller in response to the request, and the acceptance object represents the buyer'"'"'s acceptance of the promise;
wherein the current state of negotiations is determined by means of state transitions between the request object, promise object, and acceptance object, said state transitions having at least three tiers;
a set of one or more delivery deals determined by the contract, each delivery deal including a delivery request object, a delivery promise object, and a delivery acceptance object that can store associated item deals and time periods for delivery of item deals; and
the item deals, each item deal including an item request object, an item promise object and an item acceptance object that can store individual sales-order line-items;
such that the negotiation engine allows a user to monitor the current state of the negotiation over a range of prices, a range of dates, ranges of quantities of a set of goods, and a range of configurations of the goods in the set.
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Abstract
A computer implemented system and process are provided for negotiation and tracking of sale of goods. In this system and process, a negotiation engine (16) operates to store data representing a current state (18) of a negotiation between a seller and buyer. The negotiation engine (16) stores the data within a framework for representing aspects of the negotiation between the seller and buyer. The framework includes a request object, a promise object and an acceptance object that can store a current description of a contract. The framework also includes a set of one or more delivery deals determined by the contract. Each delivery deal can have a delivery request object, a delivery promise object, and a delivery acceptance object that can store associated item deals and time periods for delivery of item deals. Each item deal can have an item request object, an item promise object and an item acceptance object that can store individual sales-order line-items. The negotiation engine (16) thereby allows a user to monitor the current state of the negotiation over a range of prices, a range of dates, ranges of quantities of a set of goods, and a range of configurations of the goods in the set.
417 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A computer implemented system for negotiation and tracking of sale of goods, comprising:
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a computer system having a processor and memory, the computer system executing a software application that provides a negotiation engine; the negotiation engine operating to store data representing a current state of a negotiation between a seller and a buyer; the negotiation engine storing the data within a framework for representing aspects of the negotiation between the seller and a buyer, the framework including; a request object, a promise object and an acceptance object that can store a current description of a contract; wherein the request object represents a request from a buyer that initiates negotiation, the promise object represents a promise to sell from seller in response to the request, and the acceptance object represents the buyer'"'"'s acceptance of the promise; wherein the current state of negotiations is determined by means of state transitions between the request object, promise object, and acceptance object, said state transitions having at least three tiers; a set of one or more delivery deals determined by the contract, each delivery deal including a delivery request object, a delivery promise object, and a delivery acceptance object that can store associated item deals and time periods for delivery of item deals; and the item deals, each item deal including an item request object, an item promise object and an item acceptance object that can store individual sales-order line-items; such that the negotiation engine allows a user to monitor the current state of the negotiation over a range of prices, a range of dates, ranges of quantities of a set of goods, and a range of configurations of the goods in the set. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A computer implemented process providing a framework for negotiation and tracking of sale of goods, comprising:
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establishing a relationship between a plurality of negotiation states, the plurality of negotiation states including a no request state, a requested state, a promised state, a countered state, a queued state, and an accepted state; identifying an action by a negotiating party as being an action selected from a group consisting of a request action, a promise action, a queue request action, a delete action and an acceptance action; wherein the request action represents a request from a buyer that initiates negotiation, the promise action represents a promise to sell from seller in response to the request, and the acceptance action represents the buyer'"'"'s acceptance of the promise; moving between the plurality of negotiation states responsive to the action selected from the group; and storing data representing a current state of the negotiation;
wherein the current state of negotiation is determined by means of state transitions between the request action, promise action, and acceptance action, said state transitions having at least three tiers.
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Specification