Web-based prediction marketplace

• US 6,260,019 B1
• Filed: 03/05/1999
• Issued: 07/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GWIN Incorporated, Renchol, Inc., VSX, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Predict It Corporation
• Inventors: Courts, Thomas Craig
• Primary Examiner(s): Voeltz, Emanuel Todd
• Assistant Examiner(s): SOUGH, HYUNG SUB
• Application Number:
  US09/263,206
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/10, 705/12, 463/41, 263/139, 263/269
• US Class Current: 705/7.31
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0639 Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0202 Market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/34 Betting or bookmaking, e.g. Internet betting
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3288 Betting, e.g. on live events, bookmaking

Abstract

A method and apparatus for facilitating electronic commerce between suppliers of predictions and consumers of predictions. Suppliers provide their predictions on the outcomes of future events in one or more categories, and each supplier'"'"'s accuracy is tracked. Consumers interested in obtaining predictions for one of more of those categories are allowed to selectively choose which suppliers'"'"' predictions they wish to view. The suppliers are compensated based on the number of consumers who view their predictions. In one embodiment, the consumers pay for the predictions that they view while the suppliers are paid a portion of the revenue obtained from the consumers. In another embodiment the consumers are not charged and all revenue is derived from advertisers. The system in accordance with the present invention includes a controller which automatically credits each supplier'"'"'s account, aggregates earnings for that supplier, and automatically sends an electronic pay order to the Federal Reserve'"'"'s automated clearinghouse to thereby facilitate payment.

Claims

1. A method of providing an electronic marketplace of predictions over a communications network, the method comprising:

electronically receiving and storing at least one prediction of at least one supplier for at least one event whose outcome has not yet been determined;

displaying a first screen requesting identifying information from a first consumer, determining at least one performance metric reflective of the accuracy of said at least one prediction, after the outcome of the event has been determined;

displaying a second screen showing said performance metric, upon request by said first consumer;

displaying a first supplier'"'"'s prediction for a first upcoming event to said first consumer, upon request by that consumer to view said first supplier'"'"'s prediction;

debiting an account of said first consumer for requesting said first supplier'"'"'s prediction; and

crediting an account of said first supplier, whose prediction for the first upcoming event has been displayed upon the request of said first consumer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein one of a prepaid account of the first consumer, a bank account of the first consumer, and a credit card account of the first consumer is debited for requesting said first supplier'"'"'s prediction.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of displaying said second screen comprises displaying performance metrics for each member of a group comprising a plurality of suppliers, membership in said group having been previously selected by said consumer.

4. A method of providing an electronic marketplace of predictions over a communications network, the method comprising:

electronically receiving and storing at least one prediction of at least one supplier for at least one event whose outcome has not yet been determined;

displaying a first screen requesting identifying information from a first consumer;

determining at least one performance metric reflective of the accuracy of said at least one prediction, after the outcome of the event has been determined;

displaying a second screen showing said performance metric, upon request by said first consumer;

displaying a first supplier'"'"'s prediction for a first upcoming event to said first consumer, upon a current request by that consumer to view said first supplier'"'"'s prediction;

determining whether said first consumer has previously viewed a credited prediction of said first supplier; and

crediting an account of said first supplier, whose prediction for the first upcoming event has been displayed in response to the current request of said first consumer.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the account of the first supplier is credited only if the first consumer has not previously viewed a credited prediction of said first supplier.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the credited prediction of said first supplier is the same as the prediction for the first upcoming event.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the credited prediction of said first supplier was previously viewed on the same day that the current request is being made.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the credited prediction of said first supplier is in a same category as said first upcoming event.

9. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of displaying at least one advertisement to said first consumer, and wherein said first consumer is not charged for requesting said first supplier'"'"'s prediction.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of displaying said second screen entails displaying performance metrics for each member of a group comprising a plurality of suppliers, membership in said group having been previously selected by said consumer.

11. A computer storage medium comprising:

code for electronically receiving and storing at least one prediction of at least one supplier for at least one event whose outcome has not yet been determined;

code for displaying a first screen requesting identifying information from a first consumer;

code for determining at least one performance metric reflective of the accuracy of said at least one prediction, after the outcome of the event has been determined;

code for displaying a second screen showing said performance metric, upon request by said first consumer,

code for displaying a first supplier'"'"'s prediction for a first upcoming event to said first consumer, upon a current request by that consumer to view said first supplier'"'"'s prediction;

code for determining whether said first consumer has previously viewed a credited prediction of said first supplier; and

code for crediting an account of said first supplier, whose prediction for the first upcoming event has been displayed in response to the current request of said first consumer.

12. The computer storage medium of claim 11, wherein the code for crediting an account of said first supplier includes code to credit that account only if the first consumer has not previously viewed a credited prediction of said first supplier.

13. The computer storage medium of claim 11, wherein the code for displaying said second screen includes code for displaying performance metrics for each member of a group comprising a plurality of suppliers, membership in said group having been previously selected by said consumer.

14. A computer programmed to:

electronically receive and store at least one prediction of at least one supplier for at least one event whose outcome has not yet been determined;

display a first screen requesting identifying information from a first consumer;

determine at least one performance metric reflective of the accuracy of said at least one prediction, after the outcome of the event has been determined;

display a second screen showing said performance metric, upon request by said first consumer;

display a first supplier'"'"'s prediction for a first upcoming event to said first consumer, upon a current request by that consumer to view said first supplier'"'"'s prediction;

determine whether said first consumer has previously viewed a credited prediction of said first supplier; and

credit an account of said first supplier, whose prediction for the first upcoming event has been displayed in response to the current request of said first consumer.

15. The computer of claim 14, wherein the computer is further programmed to credit said account of said first supplier, only if the first consumer has not previously viewed a credited prediction of said first supplier.

16. The computer of claim 14, wherein the computer is further programmed to display performance metrics for each member of a group comprising a plurality of suppliers, membership in said group having been previously selected by said consumer.

17. A method of providing an electronic marketplace for predictions, the method comprising:

receiving at least one prediction from each of a plurality of prediction suppliers;

calculating performance information reflective of the accuracy of said predictions made by each of said plurality of prediction suppliers;

transmitting said performance information to a prediction consumer;

receiving a request from said prediction consumer to purchase a new prediction from a prediction supplier selected by said prediction consumer;

transmitting said new prediction to said prediction consumer; and

crediting an account of the prediction supplier selected by the prediction consumer.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said new prediction pertains to at least one of the group consisting of stocks, mutual funds, treasury yields, oil futures and currency exchange rates.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said new prediction pertains to an individual stock.

20. The method of claim 17, comprising transmitting performance information for prediction suppliers having the best performance records.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising

transmitting instructions on how to submit predictions; and

transmitting instructions on how to purchase predictions.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein said new prediction pertains to sporting events.

23. A computer storage medium comprising:

code for receiving at least one prediction from each of a plurality of prediction suppliers;

code for calculating performance information reflective of the accuracy of predictions made by each of said plurality of prediction suppliers;

code for transmitting said performance information to a prediction consumer;

code for receiving a request from said prediction consumer to purchase a new prediction from a prediction supplier selected by said prediction consumer;

code for transmitting said new prediction to said prediction consumer; and

code for crediting an account of the prediction supplier selected by the prediction consumer.

24. A computer programmed to:

receive at least one prediction from each of a plurality of prediction suppliers;

calculate performance information reflective of the accuracy of predictions made by each of said plurality of prediction suppliers;

transmit said performance information to a prediction consumer;

receive a request from said prediction consumer to purchase a new prediction from a selected prediction supplier;

transmit said new prediction to said prediction consumer; and

credit an account of the selected prediction supplier.

25. A method of obtaining prediction information, the method comprising:

viewing performance information reflective of the outcome of at least one past prediction made by at least one prediction supplier;

viewing which prediction information is available from at least one prediction supplier,

electing to purchase prediction information from a selected prediction supplier;

viewing said purchased prediction information; and

crediting an account of the selected prediction supplier.