System and device for product valuation and associated method
First Claim
1. An intermediary computer device for use by an intermediate party and to implement a system for indicating relative values of products offered to a customer over a computer network, the intermediary computer device comprising:
- a processing portion for receiving a request to include a description of at least one product on a product list maintained by the intermediate party, the request being received over the computer network from a vendor computer device;
a processing portion for performing a product evaluation for each of the at least one product according to a plurality of predetermined evaluation criteria administered by the intermediate party;
a processing portion for applying a rating scale having discrete levels to the product evaluation for each of the at least one product so as to thereby assign a corresponding discrete level to each of the at least one product;
a processing portion for receiving an inquiry regarding a specific product, the inquiry being received by the intermediate party over the computer network from a customer computer device;
a processing portion for providing to the customer, in response to the inquiry and over the computer network, the description of any product on the product list corresponding to the specific product, each corresponding product description having the respective established product evaluation, the associated discrete level, and a vendor associated therewith;
a processing portion for designating a service package associated with the product and corresponding to the discrete level assigned thereto, and providing an indicia of the service package to the customer, the service package including a designated level of responsibility for the product, corresponding to the discrete level, as assumed by the intermediate party; and
a processing portion for receiving a selection of the product from the customer, the product selection including the indicia informing the customer of the associated service package.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of indicating relative values of products offered to a customer is provided, wherein the method is implemented by an intermediary over a computer network. Initially, a request is received by the intermediary over the computer network from a vendor. The request is directed to including a description of at least one product for sale by the vendor on a product list. A product evaluation is then performed for each of the at least one product according to a plurality of predetermined evaluation criteria. Thereafter, an inquiry is received from a customer, over the computer network, regarding a specific product. In response to the inquiry, the customer is provided with, over the computer network, the description of any product on the product list corresponding to the specific product, wherein each corresponding product description has the respective product evaluation and the vendor associated therewith so as to facilitate a product selection by the customer. An associated system and computer device for implementing the method are also provided.
52 Citations
23 Claims
-
1. An intermediary computer device for use by an intermediate party and to implement a system for indicating relative values of products offered to a customer over a computer network, the intermediary computer device comprising:
-
a processing portion for receiving a request to include a description of at least one product on a product list maintained by the intermediate party, the request being received over the computer network from a vendor computer device; a processing portion for performing a product evaluation for each of the at least one product according to a plurality of predetermined evaluation criteria administered by the intermediate party; a processing portion for applying a rating scale having discrete levels to the product evaluation for each of the at least one product so as to thereby assign a corresponding discrete level to each of the at least one product; a processing portion for receiving an inquiry regarding a specific product, the inquiry being received by the intermediate party over the computer network from a customer computer device; a processing portion for providing to the customer, in response to the inquiry and over the computer network, the description of any product on the product list corresponding to the specific product, each corresponding product description having the respective established product evaluation, the associated discrete level, and a vendor associated therewith; a processing portion for designating a service package associated with the product and corresponding to the discrete level assigned thereto, and providing an indicia of the service package to the customer, the service package including a designated level of responsibility for the product, corresponding to the discrete level, as assumed by the intermediate party; and a processing portion for receiving a selection of the product from the customer, the product selection including the indicia informing the customer of the associated service package. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A system for indicating relative values of products offered to a customer, said system being implemented over a computer network and comprising:
-
a first computer device adapted to be used by the customer and configured to be in communication with a computer network; a second computer device adapted to be used by a vendor and configured to be in communication with the computer network; a third computer device adapted to be used by an intermediate party and configured to be in communication with the first and second devices over the computer network, the third computer device comprising; a processing portion for receiving a request to include a description of at least one product on a product list maintained by the intermediate party, the request being received over the computer network from the vendor; a processing portion for performing a product evaluation for each of the at least one product according to a plurality of predetermined evaluation criteria administered by the intermediate party; a processing portion for applying a rating scale having discrete levels to the product evaluation for each of the at least one product in order to correlate the product evaluation with one of the discrete levels so as to thereby assign a corresponding discrete level to each of the at least one product; a processing portion for receiving an inquiry regarding a specific product, the inquiry being received by the intermediate party over the computer network from the customer; a processing portion for providing to the customer, in response to the inquiry and over the computer network, the description of any product on the product list corresponding to the specific product, each corresponding product description having the respective established product evaluation, the associated discrete level, and the vendor associated therewith; and a processing portion for designating a service package associated with the product and corresponding to the discrete level assigned thereto, and providing an indicia of the service package to the customer, the service package including a designated level of responsibility for the product, corresponding to the discrete level, assumed by the intermediate party in conjunction with purchase of the product selected by the customer; and a processing portion for receiving a selection of the product from the customer, the product selection including the indicia informing the customer of the associated service package. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A method of indicating relative values of products offered to a customer, said method being implemented by an intermediate party over a computer network and comprising:
-
receiving a request to include a description of at least one product on a product list, the request being received over the computer network from a vendor; performing a product evaluation for each of the at least one product according to a plurality of predetermined evaluation criteria administered by the intermediate party; applying a rating scale having discrete levels to the product evaluation for each of the at least one product in order to correlate the product evaluation with one of the discrete levels so as to thereby assign a corresponding discrete level to each of the at least one product; receiving an inquiry regarding a specific product over the computer network from a customer; providing to the customer, in response to the inquiry and over the computer network, the description of any product on the product list corresponding to the specific product, each corresponding product description having the respective product evaluation, the associated discrete level; and
the vendor associated therewith;designating a service package associated with the product and corresponding to the discrete level assigned thereto, and providing an indicia of the service package to the customer, the service package including a designated level of responsibility for the product, corresponding to the discrete level, assumed by the intermediate party in conjunction with purchase of the product selected by the customer; and receiving a selection of the product from the customer, the product selection including the indicia informing the customer of the associated service package. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
22. An intermediary computer device for use by an intermediate party and to implement a system for indicating relative values of products offered to a customer over a computer network to facilitate a product selection by the customer, the intermediary computer device comprising:
-
a processing portion for receiving a request to include a description of at least one product on a product list maintained by the intermediate party, the request being received over the computer network from a vendor computer device; a processing portion for performing a product evaluation for each of the at least one product according to a plurality of predetermined evaluation criteria administered by the intermediate party; a processing portion for assigning a discrete level according to a rating scale to the product evaluation for each of the at least one product;
anda processing portion for designating a service package associated with the product and corresponding to the discrete level assigned thereto; whereby, for a specific product on the product list inquired by a customer, the corresponding description of the product and the indicia of its associated service package are retrievable for providing to the customer, each corresponding description including the respective established product evaluation, the associated discrete level and a vendor associated therewith, and the service package including a designated level of responsibility for the product corresponding to the discrete level as assumed by the intermediate party.
-
-
23. An intermediary computer device configured to implement a system for indicating relative values of products offered to a customer over a computer network, the intermediary computer device being adapted to be used by an intermediate party and being adapted to be in communication over the computer network with a first computer device used by the customer and a second computer device used by a vendor, said intermediary computer device comprising:
-
a processing portion for receiving a request to include a description of at least one product on a product list maintained by the intermediate party, the request being received over the computer network from the vendor; a processing portion for performing a product evaluation for each of the at least one product according to a plurality of predetermined evaluation criteria administered by the intermediate party; a processing portion for applying a rating scale having discrete levels to the product evaluation for each of the at least one product in order to correlate the product evaluation with one of the discrete levels so as to thereby assign a corresponding discrete level to each of the at least one product; a processing portion for receiving an inquiry regarding a specific product, the inquiry being received by the intermediate party over the computer network from the customer; a processing portion for providing to the customer, in response to the inquiry and over the computer network, the description of any product on the product list corresponding to the specific product, each corresponding product description having the respective established product evaluation, the associated discrete level, and the vendor associated therewith; a processing portion for designating a service package associated with the product and corresponding to the discrete level assigned thereto, and providing an indicia of the service package to the customer, the service package including a warranty provision for the product, corresponding to the discrete level, offered by the intermediate party; and a processing portion for receiving a selection of the product from the customer, the product selection including the indicia informing the customer of the associated service package.
-
Specification