Method and apparatus for a cryptographically assisted commercial network system designed to facilitate and support expert-based commerce

• US 7,523,045 B1
• Filed: 07/08/1998
• Issued: 04/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Community United IP LLC (IPNav)
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Schneier, Bruce, Jorasch, James A., Walker, Jay S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cuong H.
• Application Number:
  US09/112,131
• Time in Patent Office: 3,940 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/26, 705 7- 11, 705/2, 705/40, 380/25, 380/4, 380 23- 24, 380/49, 707/100
• US Class Current: 705/7.14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063112 Skill-based matching of a person or a group to a task
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/085 involving remote charge determination or related payment systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/22 Payment schemes or models
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/383 Anonymous user system
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/33 Arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/56 Arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition covered by groups H04H60/29-H04H60/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

The present invention is an expert matching method and apparatus for managing communications between an expert having particular qualifications and an end user seeking a solution to an expert request. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus of the present invention includes a controller having a database for storing expert qualifications. In one embodiment, the controller receives an expert request. A search program identifies experts qualified to respond to the expert request. The expert request is then transmitted to the expert, which results in an expert answer transmitted to and received by the central controller. After authentication of the expert answer, using a wide range of security levels from passwords to cryptography, the answer is forwarded to the end user. The method and apparatus of the present invention have applications on the Internet as well as conventional voice telephony systems.

Claims

1. A computer implemented expert matching method for managing communications between an expert and an end user, comprising:

receiving a first expert qualification corresponding to a first expert;

selecting a second expert that has a second expert qualification, the second expert qualification being higher than the first expert qualification;

transmitting the first expert qualification to the second expert; and

receiving a signal from the second expert that indicates approval of the first expert qualification.

2. A computer implemented expert matching method for managing communications between an expert and an end user, comprising:

receiving a first expert qualification corresponding to a first expert;

selecting a second expert that has a second expert qualification, the second expert qualification being higher than the first expert qualification;

transmitting the first expert qualification to the second expert;

receiving a signal from the second expert that indicates approval of the first expert qualification; and

incorporating identity data of the second expert into a key of the first expert.

3. A computer implemented expert matching method for managing communications between an expert and an end user, comprising:

receiving a first expert qualification corresponding to a first expert;

submitting the first expert qualification for review by a set of experts that each have a qualification that is higher than the first expert qualification;

receiving a signal from the set of experts that indicates approval of the first expert qualification;

receiving an end user request from an end user;

selecting the first expert based on the end user request;

transmitting at least a portion of the end user request to the first expert;

receiving an expert answer responsive to the end user request, the expert answer containing information about the second expert; and

transmitting the expert answer to the end user.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

guaranteeing payment to the first expert.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said guaranteeing payment to the first expert comprises:

requiring the end user to prepay.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said guaranteeing payment to the first expert comprises:

checking a credit card account.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said checking a credit card account is performed before said transmitting at least a portion of the end user request to the first expert.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

establishing a price for the expert answer corresponding to the end user request; and

if credit available on the credit card account is less than the price of the expert answer, requesting that the end user provide a credit card number of another credit card account.

9. A computer implemented expert matching method for managing communications between an expert and an end user, comprising:

receiving a first expert qualification corresponding to a first expert;

selecting a second expert that has a second expert qualification, the second expert qualification being higher than the first expert qualification;

transmitting the first expert qualification to the second expert;

receiving a signal from the second expert that indicates approval of the first expert qualification;

receiving an end user request from an end user;

selecting the first expert based on the end user request;

transmitting at least a portion of the end user request to the first expert;

receiving the expert answer responsive to the end user request;

the expert answer containing information about the second expert; and

transmitting the expert answer to the end user.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

guaranteeing payment to the first expert.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said guaranteeing payment comprises:

requiring the end user to prepay.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said guaranteeing payment comprises:

checking a credit card account.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said checking a credit card account is performed before said transmitting at least a portion of the end user request to the first expert.