Method and apparatus for post-transaction pricing system

• US 6,578,014 B1
• Filed: 04/13/2000
• Issued: 06/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rateze Remote Mgmt. L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Thomas Murcko Jr
• Inventors: Murcko, Thomas Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bartuska, F. J.
• Application Number:
  US09/548,151
• Time in Patent Office: 1,153 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27
• US Class Current: 705/80
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation

Abstract

The present invention is a method and apparatus for effectuating post-transaction-priced transactions of information, goods, and services in exchange for money or its equivalent (such as credits). The invention allows prospective sellers of information, goods and services to offer those items globally to potential buyers, for buyers to make item requests of sellers, for sellers and buyers conveniently to search for relevant buyer and seller information, for sellers to provide items to buyers without any guarantee of a specific payment amount, and for buyers to decide how much to pay for those items after having received them. The method and apparatus of the present invention have applications on the internet as well as conventional communications systems such as voice telephony. In a preferred embodiment, the method and apparatus of the present invention include mechanisms through which information about participants and previous transactions is revealed in such a way as to encourage buyers to pay a fair amount for the items provided, and to encourage sellers to provide items that are of high value to the buyers to whom they provide those items. Specifically, the system stores information regarding previous transactions and makes this information available to participants, so that they are able to intelligently decide which participants are worth transacting with. For example, a buyer who routinely pays nothing for items will soon have difficulty finding sellers interested in selling him/her items, while a buyer who consistently pays a fair price for items will be able to expect a steady stream of items. Similarly, a seller who consistently provides items which buyers are willing to pay large amounts for will have greater ability to provide items to buyers in the future, while a seller who provides items which buyers generally find worthless will have great difficulty finding any buyers to provide items to.

Claims

1. A method for using a plurality of computing devices to facilitate a transaction between at least one of buyers and at least one of sellers, comprising the steps of:

a. enabling a seller to provide information, goods, and/or services to a buyer by inputting into at least one of said computing devices said information, goods, and/or services, and/or a description thereof,

b. enabling said buyer to receive said information, goods, and/or services, from said seller,

c. enabling said buyer to choose how much, if anything, to pay for said information, goods, and/or services,

d. providing at least some of said buyers and said sellers at least partial ability to specify which other members of the set of said buyers and said sellers can engage in transactions with said specifying buyers whereby said buyers are able to receive information, goods, and services from said sellers and are able to pay whatever they choose to for said information, goods, arid services after having received said information, goods, and services, and whereby said buyers and said sellers are encouraged to behave fairly.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

enabling said specifying buyer or seller to make said specification based on the amounts of the payments buyers made in transactions in which said other members participated,

whereby said buyers are encouraged to pay a fair amount for information, goods, and services provided to said buyers, and said sellers are encouraged to provide high-value information, goods, and services to interested buyers.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

enabling said buyers and said sellers to transact through traditional protocols.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said traditional protocols include at least one of auction, negotiation, buyer sets price before transaction, and seller sets price before transaction.

5. An apparatus for using a plurality of computing devices to facilitate a transaction between at least one of buyers and at least one of sellers, comprising:

a storage device; and

a processor connected to said storage device, said storage device storing one or a plurality of programs for controlling the processor; and

the processor operative with the programs to

receive data from a seller regarding information, goods, and/or services provided to a buyer provide said data to said buyer

receive data from said buyer regarding how much said buyer will pay for said information, goods, and/or services,

a means for providing at least some members of the set of said buyers and said sellers at least partial ability to specify which other members of the set of said buyers and said sellers can engage in transactions with said specifying buyer or seller,

whereby said buyers are able to receive information, goods, and services from said sellers and are able to pay whatever they choose to for said information, goods, and services after having received said information, goods, and services, and whereby said buyers and said sellers are encouraged to behave fairly.

6. The apparatis of claim 5 wherein at least one of the criteria by which said specifying buyer or seller can make said

specification is based on the amounts of the payments made by buyers in transactions in which said other members participated,

whereby said buyers are encouraged to pay a fair amount for information, goods, and services provided to said buyers, and said sellers are encouraged to provide high-value information, goods, and services to interested buyers.

7. A computer-readable medium having at least one program and said at least one program comprising the following steps:

a. enabling a seller to provide information, goods, and/or services to a buyer by inputting into at least one computing device said information, goods, and/or services, and/or a description thereof,

b. enabling said buyer to receive said information, goods, and/or services, from said seller,

c. enabling said buyer to choose how much, if anything, to pay for said information, goods, and/or services,

d. providing at least some of said buyers and said sellers at least partial ability to specify which other members of the set of said buyers and said sellers can engage in transactions with said specifying buyer or seller

whereby said buyers are able to receive information, goods, and services from said sellers and are able to pay whatever they choose to for said information, goods, and services after having received said information, goods, and services, and whereby said buyers and said sellers are encouraged to behave fairly.

8. The medium of claim 7 further comprising:

enabling said buyers and said sellers to transact through traditional protocols.

9. The medium of claim 8 wherein said traditional protocols include at least one of auction, negotiation, buyer sets price before transaction, and seller sets price before transaction.