Apparatus, system, and method for dynamic demand reporting and affectation

• US 7,203,660 B1
• Filed: 04/09/2001
• Issued: 04/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Priceline.com LLC (Booking Holdings, Inc., fka Priceline Group Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Priceline Com Incorporated (Booking Holdings, Inc., fka Priceline Group Inc.)
• Inventors: Majeed, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Pond; Robert M.
• Application Number:
  US09/829,488
• Time in Patent Office: 2,192 Days
• Field of Search: 705 26- 27
• US Class Current: 705/14.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

An apparatus, system, and method for dynamic demand monitoring and/or affectation uniquely allows a provider to access, utilize and/or integrate demand setting, reporting, and updating into a commerce system. In one non-limiting example embodiment, the present disclosure teaches a facility that responds to a user'"'"'s selection of criteria in a user interface and dynamically constructs queries that will select information collected in a commerce database and generate reports of demand for goods or services based on the user'"'"'s selections. The present disclosure also teaches how reported demand levels may be used to change current levels of demand to desired demand levels specified by a user. Furthermore, the present disclosure teaches how to create and utilize a cache of rejected CPOs. As a result, a provider may affect demand for their provisions to desired levels and both providers and consumers may benefit from a better balance of price levels with demand. Also, providers and consumers may benefit from executions of transactions that may otherwise expire upon initial processing.

Claims

1. A method of using a computer system to generate reports, comprising:

populating a database with collected commerce information, said collected commerce information including conditional purchase offers submitted by buyers, said conditional purchase offers including,

buyer-specified offer prices for goods or services, for use as a basis for determining levels of demand for the goods or services;

receiving a request specifying criteria for selecting collected commerce information, said criteria generated from requestor selections that includes targeted demand levels for the goods or services;

selecting demand information from collected commerce information based on the requestor selections;

calculating suggested strike prices at targeted demand levels based on the requested targeted demand levels, wherein the strike price is a desired price at which a conditional purchase offer will be accepted;

generating a report of the demand information for the goods or services based on the requestor selections, wherein the demand information includes current demand levels for the goods or services and suggested strike prices; and

transmitting the report to the requestor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer system is accessible at a traversed navigation location and provides facilities tailored for a commerce system.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the computer system is tailored for air travel commerce.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the computer system is tailored for hotel commerce.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the database is from an associated commerce system.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the database association is based on login information.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the database association is preset based on a tailored commerce system.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the database association is limited to databases specific to a provider.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the associations are based on selection results made in a database selection facility.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting demand information is limited to a specified vendor.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting demand information is limited to cached rejected conditional purchase offers.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting demand information is limited to unaccepted unexpired conditional purchase offers.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting demand information is limited to pending conditional purchase offers.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting demand information includes accepted conditional purchase offers.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting demand information includes historic demand information.

16. A medium readable by a processor storing instructions executable by the processor used to generate reports, comprising instructions to:

populate a database with collected commerce information, said collected commerce information including conditional purchase offers submitted by buyers, said conditional purchase offers including, buyer-specified offer prices for goods or services, for use as a basis for to determine levels of demand for the goods or services;

receive a request specifying criteria for selecting collected commerce information, said criteria generated from requestor selections and including targeted demand levels for the goods or services;

select demand information from collected commerce information based on the requester selections;

calculate suggested strike prices at targeted demand levels based on the requested targeted demand levels, wherein the strike price is a desired price at which a conditional purchase offer will be accepted;

generate a report of the demand information for the goods or services based on the requestor selections, wherein the demand information includes current demand levels for the goods or services and suggested strike prices; and

transmit the report to the requestor.

17. The medium of claim 16, wherein the computer system is accessible at a traversed navigation location and provides facilities tailored for a commerce system.

18. The medium of claim 17, wherein the computer system is tailored for air travel commerce.

19. The medium of claim 17, wherein the computer system is tailored for hotel commerce.

20. The medium of claim 16, wherein the database is from an associated commerce system.

21. The medium of claim 20, wherein the database association is based on login information.

22. The medium of claim 21, wherein the database association is preset based on a tailored commerce system.

23. The medium of claim 21, wherein the database association is limited to databases specific to a provider.

24. The medium of claim 21, wherein the associations are based on selection results made in a database selection facility.

25. The medium of claim 16, wherein selecting demand information is limited to a specified vendor.

26. The medium of claim 16, wherein selecting demand information is limited to cached rejected conditional purchase offers.

27. The medium of claim 16, wherein selecting demand information is limited to unaccepted unexpired conditional purchase offers.

28. The medium of claim 16, wherein selecting demand information is limited to pending conditional purchase offers.

29. The medium of claim 16, wherein selecting demand information includes accepted conditional purchase offers.

30. The medium of claim 16, wherein selecting demand information includes historic demand information.

31. An apparatus used to generate reports, comprising:

a processor configured to issue a plurality of processing instructions; and

a memory, disposed in communication with the processor, storing instructions executable by the processor, comprising instructions to;

populate a database with collected commerce information, said collected commerce information including conditional purchase offers submitted by buyers, said conditional purchase offers including, buyer-specified offer prices for goods or services, which may be used as a basis for to determine levels of demand for the goods or services;

receive a request specifying criteria for selecting collected commerce information, said criteria generated from requestor selections and includes targeted demand levels for the goods or services;

select demand information from collected commerce information based on the requestor selections;

calculate suggested strike prices at targeted demand levels based on the requested targeted demand levels, wherein the strike price is a desired price at which a conditional purchase offer will be accepted;

generate a report of the demand information for the goods or services based on the requestor selections, wherein the demand information includes current demand levels for the goods or services and suggested strike prices; and

transmit the report to the requestor.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the computer system is accessible at a traversed navigation location and provides facilities tailored for a commerce system.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the computer system is tailored for air travel commerce.

34. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the computer system is tailored for hotel commerce.

35. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the database is from an associated commerce system.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the database association is based on login information.

37. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the database association is preset based on a tailored commerce system.

38. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the database association is limited to databases specific to a provider.

39. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the associations are based on selection results made in a database selection facility.

40. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein selecting demand information is limited to a specified vendor.

41. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein selecting demand information is limited to cached rejected conditional purchase offers.

42. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein selecting demand information is limited to unaccepted unexpired conditional purchase offers.

43. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein selecting demand information is limited to pending conditional purchase offers.

44. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein selecting demand information includes accepted conditional purchase offers.

45. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein selecting demand information includes historic demand information.

46. A system using a computer to generate reports, comprising:

means to traverse a navigation location for a commerce demand system;

means to obtain login information;

means to provide a desired demand requirement facility;

means to obtain a desired demand requirement request in the desired demand requirement facility;

means to identify at least one associated database, said associated database including conditional purchase offers submitted by buyers;

means to query the at least one associated database based on a demand survey request;

means to obtain current demand results;

means to compare current demand results to desired demand requirement request;

means to lower strike prices if the current demand results is less than the desired demand requirement request;

means to maintain strike prices unmodified if the current demand results is the same as the desired demand requirement request;

means to raise strike prices if the current demand results is greater than the desired demand requirement request; and

means to generate a report of a change to the strike price.

47. A system using a computer to generate reports, comprising:

means to obtain current demand results;

means to query at least one associated database based on a demand survey request, wherein the at least one associated database includes conditional purchase offers submitted by buyers;

means to compare current demand results to a desired demand requirement request;

means to lower strike prices if the current demand results is less than the desired demand requirement request;

means to raise strike prices if the current demand results is greater than the desired demand requirement; and

means to generate a report of a change to the strike price.

48. A method using a computer system to generate reports, comprising:

populating a database with collected information for determining levels of demand, said collected information including conditional purchase offers submitted by buyers;

receiving a request specifying criteria for selecting desired portions of collected information, said criteria generated from requestor selections that includes targeted demand levels;

selecting desired portions of collected information based on the requester selections;

calculating suggested strike prices at the targeted demand levels based on the requested targeted demand levels, wherein the strike price is a desired price at which a conditional purchase offer will be accepted;

generating a report of results of desired portions of collected information from the information selected based on the requestor selections, wherein the information includes current demand levels and suggested strike prices; and

transmitting the report to the requestor.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the collected information is related to commerce.

50. The method of claim 48, wherein the computer system is accessible at a traversed navigation location and provides facilities tailored for a commerce system.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the computer system is tailored for air travel commerce.

52. The method of claim 50, wherein the computer system is tailored for hotel commerce.

53. The method of claim 48, wherein the database is from an associated commerce system.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the database association is based on login information.

55. The method of claim 53, wherein the database association is preset based on a tailored commerce system.

56. The method of claim 53, wherein the database association is limited to databases specific to a provider.

57. The method of claim 53, wherein the associations are based on selection results made in a database selection facility.

58. The method of claim 48, wherein selecting collected information is limited to a specified vendor.

59. The method of claim 48, wherein selecting collected information is limited to cached rejected conditional purchase offers.

60. The method of claim 48, wherein selecting collected information is limited to unaccepted unexpired conditional purchase offers.

61. The method of claim 48, wherein selecting collected information is limited to pending conditional purchase offers.

62. The method of claim 48, wherein selecting collected information includes accepted conditional purchase offers.

63. The method of claim 48, wherein selecting collected information includes historic demand information.

64. A method using a computer to generate reports, comprising:

traversing a navigation location for a commerce demand system;

obtaining login information;

providing a desired demand requirement facility;

obtaining a desired demand requirement request in the desired demand requirement facility;

identifying at least one associated database, said associated database including conditional purchase offers submitted by buyers;

querying the at least one associated database based on a demand survey request;

obtaining current demand results;

comparing current demand results to desired demand requirement request;

lowering strike prices if the current demand results is less than the desired demand requirement request;

maintaining strike prices unmodified if the current demand results is the same as the desired demand requirement request;

raising strike prices if the current demand results is greater than the desired demand requirement request; and

generating a report of a change to the strike price.

65. A method using a computer to generate reports, comprising:

obtaining current demand results;

querying at least one associated database based on a demand survey request, wherein the at least one associated database includes conditional purchase offers submitted by buyers;

comparing current demand results to a-desired demand requirement request;

lowering strike prices if the current demand results is less than the desired demand requirement request;

raising strike prices if the current demand results is greater than the desired demand requirement; and

generating a report of a change to the strike price.

66. An apparatus to generate reports, comprising:

a processor configured to issue a plurality of processing instructions; and

a memory, disposed in communication with the processor, storing instructions executable by the processor, comprising instructions to;

traverse a navigation location for a commerce demand system;

obtain login information;

provide a desired demand requirement facility;

obtain a desired demand requirement request in the desired demand requirement facility;

identify at least one associated database, said associated database including conditional purchase offers submitted by buyers;

query the at least one associated database based on a demand survey request;

obtain current demand results;

compare current demand results to desired demand requirement request;

lower strike prices if the current demand results is less than the desired demand requirement request;

maintain strike prices unmodified if the current demand results is the same as the desired demand requirement request;

raise strike prices if the current demand results is greater than the desired demand requirement request; and

generate a report of a change to the strike price.

67. An apparatus to generate reports, comprising:

a processor configured to issue a plurality of processing instructions; and

a memory, disposed in communication with the processor, storing instructions executable by the processor, comprising instructions to;

obtain current demand results;

query at least one associated database based on a demand survey request, wherein the at least one associated database includes conditional purchase offers submitted by buyers;

compare current demand results to a-desired demand requirement request;

lower strike prices if the current demand results is less than the desired demand requirement request;

raise strike prices if the current demand results is greater than the desired demand requirement; and

generate a report of a change to the strike price.

68. A medium readable by a processor storing instructions executable by the processor to generate reports, comprising instructions to:

traverse a navigation location for a commerce demand system;

obtain login information;

provide a desired demand requirement facility;

obtain a desired demand requirement request in the desired demand requirement facility;

identify at least one associated database, said associated database including conditional purchase offers submitted by buyers;

query the at least one associated database based on a demand survey request;

obtain current demand results;

compare current demand results to desired demand requirement request;

lower strike prices if the current demand results is less than the desired demand requirement request;

maintain strike prices unmodified if the current demand results is the same as the desired demand requirement request;

raise strike prices if the current demand results is greater than the desired demand requirement request; and

generate a report of a change to the strike price.

69. A medium readable by a processor storing instructions executable by the processor to generate reports, comprising instructions to:

obtain current demand results;

query at least one associated database based on a demand survey request, wherein the at least one associated database includes conditional purchase offers submitted by buyers;

compare current demand results to a-desired demand requirement request;

lower strike prices if the current demand results is less than the desired demand requirement request;

raise strike prices if the current demand results is greater than the desired demand requirement; and

generate a report of a change to the strike price.