Managing negotiations between users of a computer network by automatically engaging in proposed activity using parameters of counterproposal of other user
First Claim
1. A computer-implement method of facilitating interactions between users of a computer network, the method comprising:
- transmitting a first user'"'"'s proposal for an activity to another user;
the proposal comprising one or more parameters descriptive of the proposed activity;
receiving a response from the other user, the response comprising a counterproposal having one or more parameters descriptive of the proposed activity, with at least one of the parameters of the counterproposal differing from a corresponding parameter of the proposal; and
automatically engaging in the proposed activity using the parameters included in the counterproposal upon acceptance of the counterproposal by the first user.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Interactions between users of a computer network are facilitated by transmitting a first user'"'"'s proposal for an activity to another user, with the proposal including one or more parameters descriptive of the proposed activity. A response received from the other user may include a counterproposal having one or more parameters descriptive of the proposed activity, with at least one of the parameters of the counterproposal differing from a corresponding parameter of the proposal. The users automatically engage in the proposed activity using the parameters included in the counterproposal upon acceptance of the counterproposal by the first user.
-
Citations
55 Claims
-
1. A computer-implement method of facilitating interactions between users of a computer network, the method comprising:
-
transmitting a first user'"'"'s proposal for an activity to another user;
the proposal comprising one or more parameters descriptive of the proposed activity;
receiving a response from the other user, the response comprising a counterproposal having one or more parameters descriptive of the proposed activity, with at least one of the parameters of the counterproposal differing from a corresponding parameter of the proposal; and
automatically engaging in the proposed activity using the parameters included in the counterproposal upon acceptance of the counterproposal by the first user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
-
-
29. A computer-implemented method of producing an optimal environment for an online activity involving two or more computer network users, the method comprising:
-
allowing a first user to send a proposal for an online activity to one or more other users, the proposal specifying parameters associated with the proposed online activity; and
enabling the first user and one or more other users to negotiate the parameters of the proposal using counterproposals that specify parameters associated with the proposed online activity, with at least one of the counterproposal parameters differing from the parameters of the proposal, until an agreement is reached. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
exchanging voice messages, playing an online game, finding a route from one client computer to another, transferring files, direct instant messaging, exchanging avatars, or participating in a chat room.
-
-
33. The method of claim 29, wherein the online activity comprises e-commerce.
-
34. The method of claim 29, wherein the online activity comprises a collaborative effort on a project.
-
35. A negotiation protocol for facilitating interactions between users on a computer network, the protocol comprising:
-
a proposal message type including parameters descriptive of a proposed activity;
an acceptance message type indicating agreement with all parameters of a proposal;
a rejection message type indicating disagreement with at least one of a proposal'"'"'s parameters; and
a cancel message type for withdrawing a proposal issued in a previous proposal message. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
-
-
43. A computer-based system for facilitating interactions among users of a computer-network, the system comprising:
-
two or more client computers having software that allows different users to interact with each other; and
a negotiation protocol, supported by each of the client computers, that allows users to negotiate parameters of an online activity using counterproposals that modify parameters of the online activity. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
a proposal message type including parameters descriptive of a proposed activity;
an acceptance message type indicating agreement with all parameters of a proposal;
a rejection message type indicating disagreement with at least one of a proposal'"'"'s parameters; and
a cancel message type for withdrawing a proposal issued in a previous proposal message.
-
-
47. The system of claim 46 in which negotiation protocol messages are exchanged among users until mutually agreeable parameters of an online activity are established.
-
48. The system of claim 43 further comprising a software-implemented mechanism for registering displeasure with a user'"'"'s behavior during a negotiation session.
-
49. The system of claim 48 wherein the mechanism for registering displeasure enables a user to affect another user'"'"'s ability to access system resources.
-
50. A computer protocol process for conducting a negotiation between two or more online computer users, including a first user and a second user, with the objective of engaging in a mutually desirable online activity in an environment having specified characteristics, the process comprising:
-
(a) issuing a proposal message from the first user to the second user, the proposal message specifying the particular environmental characteristics desired by the first user;
(b) issuing a first response from the second user to the first user, the response comprising an accept message indicating agreement with the proposal, a reject message indicating disagreement with at least one aspect of the proposal, or a counterproposal offering to change one or more aspects of the proposal;
(c) if the second user issues a counterproposal, issuing a second response from the first user to the second user, the second response comprising an accept message indicating agreement with the counterproposal, a reject message indicating disagreement with at least one aspect of the counterproposal, or another counterproposal offering to change one or more aspects of the counterproposal; and
(d) repeating steps (b) and (c) until acceptance, rejection or cancellation occur, cancellation representing a withdrawal of a proposal or counterproposal.
-
-
51. A computer-implemented method of facilitating e-commerce transactions between users of a computer network, the method comprising:
-
transmitting to another user a first user'"'"'s proposal for an e-commerce transaction;
the proposal comprising one or more parameters descriptive of the proposed transaction;
receiving a response from the other user, the response comprising a counterproposal having one or more parameters descriptive of the proposed transaction, with at least one of the parameters of the counterproposal differing from the corresponding parameters of the proposal; and
automatically completing the proposed transaction using the parameters included in the counterproposal upon acceptance of the counterproposal by the first user. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54)
-
-
55. Computer software, tangibly embodied in a computer-readable medium or propagated carrier signal, for facilitating interaction among users of a computer network, the software comprising instructions for causing a computer system to perform the following operations:
-
allow a first user to send a proposal for an online activity to one or more other users, the proposal specifying parameters associated with the proposed online activity; and
enable the first user and one or more other users to negotiate the parameters of the proposal using counterproposals that specify parameters associated with the proposed online activity, with at least one of the counterproposal parameters differing from the parameters of the proposal, until an agreement is reached.
-
Specification