Method and apparatus for an electronic marketplace for services having a collaborative workspace

• US 7,069,242 B1
• Filed: 08/24/2000
• Issued: 06/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Elance Incorporation
• Original Assignee: Elance Incorporation
• Inventors: Anumolu, Srinivas, Sheth, Beerud D.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEUNG, MARY DA ZHI WANG
• Application Number:
  US09/648,408
• Time in Patent Office: 2,133 Days
• Field of Search: 705 7- 9, 705/37, 705/80, 707 1- 6, 707/8, 707/201, 709/400, 345751-753, 715751-753, 718/102
• US Class Current: 705/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0605 Supply or demand aggregation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0611 Request for offers or quotes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

A method and system for buying and selling services online includes a process for custom services, a commodity process and a collaborative workspace on a website. The process for custom services includes the posting by a buyer of specific criteria for a desired service, the bidding by a seller to perform the service, and the selection of a seller by the buyer. The commodity process includes the posting by a seller of a service offering, the posting by the buyer of requirements for the purchase of the service offering, and the purchase of a service offering by the buyer. The commodity process may also include an optimization process that provides the buyer with an optimized list of service offerings. The collaborative workspace includes communication tools, a file structure, workbenches and project management tools used by the buyer and seller for facilitating the setup, development and release of one or more services.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method, comprising:

accepting a posting on a website of a project that a buyer wants completed;

providing a database containing all registered sellers;

receiving a bid on the project from any seller, where all registered sellers are qualified to bid on postings in all categories;

allowing the buyer to accept the received bid from the seller; and

allowing the buyer and the seller to work on the project in a collaborative workspace accessible by only the buyer and the seller, where the seller develops and delivers the project in the collaborative workspace and the buyer can track the project in the collaborative workspace before it is complete.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the posting includes a project name.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the posting includes a project description.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the posting includes a category.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the posting includes a price estimate.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the bid is received in a closed auction.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the bid is received in an open auction.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the bid is received in a Dutch auction.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the collaborative workspace includes:

one or more communication tools;

a file structure;

one or more workbenches; and

one or more project management tools.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 9, wherein the file structure includes at least one private folder.

11. The computer implemented method of claim 9, wherein the file structure includes at least one shared folder.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein both the buyer and the seller rate each other.

13. A computer implemented method, comprising:

providing a database containing all registered sellers;

accepting on a website, the posting of a service offering by any seller, where all registered sellers are qualified to post in all categories;

receiving requirements for the service offering from a buyer;

generating an optimized list of those service offerings that match more of the buyer'"'"'s requirements than the rest of the service offerings posted, but not necessarily all of the buyer'"'"'s requirements;

returning the optimized list to the buyer; and

accepting a purchase request for the service offering from the buyer.

14. The computer implemented method of claim 13, wherein at least one of the buyer'"'"'s requirements is inflexible.

15. The computer implemented method of claim 13, wherein the optimized list includes service offerings that meet all of the buyer'"'"'s requirements.

16. The computer implemented method of claim 13, wherein the optimized list includes service offerings that meet a subset of the buyer'"'"'s requirements, the subset being smaller than the buyer'"'"'s requirements.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein the buyer does not take part in generating the optimized list.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein the seller does not take part in generating the optimized list.

19. The computer implemented method of claim 13, further comprising the seller developing and delivering the service in a collaborative workspace and the buyer being capable of tracking the service in the collaborative workspace before it is complete.

20. A computer implemented method, comprising:

providing a database containing all registered sellers;

accepting on a website, the posting of a service offering for a project by any seller, where all registered sellers are qualified to post service offerings in all categories;

receiving requirements for the service offering from a buyer;

accepting a purchase request for the service offering from the buyer; and

allowing the buyer and the seller to work on the project in a collaboration workspace accessible by only the buyer and the seller, where the seller develops and delivers the project in the collaborative workspace and the buyer an track the project in the collaborative workspace before it is complete.

21. The computer implemented method of claim 20, wherein the collaborative workspace includes:

one or more communication tools;

a file structure;

one or more workbenches; and

one or more project management tools.

22. A computer-implemented method for the using of an on-line services marketplace by a buyer comprising:

posting a project on a website;

providing a database containing all registered sellers;

receiving via the website a bid on the project from any seller, where all registered sellers are qualified to bid on postings in all categories;

accepting the bid via the website; and

working on the project with the seller in a collaborative workspace, where the seller develops and delivers the project in the collaborative workspace and the buyer can track the project in the collaborative workspace before it is complete.

23. The computer implemented method of claim 22, wherein the collaborative workspace includes:

one or more communication tools;

a file structure;

one or more workbenches; and

one or more project management tools.

24. A computer-implemented method for the using of an on-line services marketplace by any seller comprising:

providing a database containing all registered sellers;

posting a service offering on a website by any seller, where all registered sellers are qualified to post service offerings in all categories;

receiving a purchase request for the service offering from a buyer;

accepting the purchase request via the website; and

working on the project with the buyer in a collaborative workspace, where the seller develops and delivers the project in the collaborative workspace and the buyer can track the project in the collaborative workspace before it is complete.

25. The computer implemented method of claim 24, wherein the collaborative workspace includes:

one or more communication tools;

a file structure;

one or more workbenches; and

one or more project management tools.

26. A computer-implemented method for the using of an on-line services marketplace by any seller comprising:

providing a database containing all registered sellers;

placing a bid by any seller on a project posted by a buyer on a website, where all registered sellers are qualified to bid on postings in all categories;

receiving via the website an acceptance of the bid by the buyer; and

working on the project with the buyer in a collaborative workspace, where the seller develops and delivers the project in the collaborative workspace and the buyer can track the project in the collaborative workspace before it is complete.

27. The computer implemented method of claim 26, wherein the collaborative workspace includes:

one or more communication tools;

a file structure;

one or more workbenches; and

one or more project management tools.

28. A computer-implemented method for the using of an on-line services marketplace by a buyer comprising:

providing a database containing all registered sellers;

making a purchase request for a service offering for a project, posted by any seller on a website, where all registered sellers are qualified to post in all categories;

receiving via the website an acceptance of the purchase request by the seller; and

working on the project with the seller in a collaborative workspace, where the seller develops and delivers the project in the collaborative workspace and the buyer can track the project in the collaborative workspace before it is complete.

29. The computer implemented method of claim 28, wherein the collaborative workspace includes:

one or more communication tools;

a file structure;

one or more workbenches; and

one or more project management tools.