Computer system and method for negotiating the purchase and sale of goods or services using virtual sales

• US 7,596,509 B1
• Filed: 06/30/2000
• Issued: 09/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: New Hope Trust - ANNA and JEFF Bryson Trustees
• Original Assignee: New Hope Trust - ANNA and JEFF Bryson Trustees
• Inventors: Bryson, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): FADOK, MARK A
• Application Number:
  US09/609,231
• Time in Patent Office: 3,378 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27
• US Class Current: 705/27.2
• 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 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers

Abstract

A computer and human interactive system and method for negotiating the purchase and sale of goods or services is provided. The system includes a plurality of primary seller terminals and at least one virtual seller terminal which are connected over a network, preferably the Internet, by a host processor to buyer terminals. The host processor connects buyers to sellers of goods according to information provided by the buyer such as the buyer'"'"'s location and/or goods or services to be purchased. Where a primary dealer is unavailable to complete purchasing transactions, such as where the seller has closed for the day, a virtual seller is connected to the buyer to complete the purchasing transaction. Once a primary seller or virtual seller has been selected to complete a purchasing transaction with a buyer, the buyer and seller are connected by a real time data communications connection and a real time speech communications connection so that the buyer and seller may negotiate and complete a purchasing transaction.

Claims

1. A network system for facilitating the negotiation and purchase of goods or services for buyers and sellers, the system comprising:

a host processor system;

at least one buyer computer terminal including a display, operated by buyer of goods or services;

at least one primary seller computer terminal including a display, operated by a primary seller of goods or services for selling the goods or services of the primary seller;

a virtual seller computer terminal including a display, operated by a virtual seller of goods or services who is not the primary seller for selling the goods or services of the primary seller, said virtual seller not possessing custody or control of the goods or services of the primary seller but having a database storing product information concerning the goods or services of the primary seller;

a first real time two-way communication connection for selectively connecting said buyer computer terminal to said primary seller computer terminal or said virtual computer seller through said host processor system, said first communication connection for transmitting transaction data concerning the purchase of goods or services of said primary seller, input by a buyer into said buyer computer terminal, in real time to said seller computer terminal or to said virtual seller computer terminal for display to said seller and for transmitting transaction data, input by a seller into said seller computer terminal or said virtual seller computer terminal, in real time to said buyer computer terminal for display to the buyer;

said host processor system including processing means for selectively connecting a buyer computer terminal to either a primary seller computer terminal or a virtual seller computer based upon predetermined criteria, and

a sale agreement means for enabling a buyer to reach an agreement concerning the purchase of goods or services from a either a virtual or a primary seller over the network system.

2. A network system for facilitating the negotiation and purchase of goods or services for buyers and sellers of claim 1 wherein said predetermined criteria includes a determination of whether the primary seller has ceased sales operations.

3. A network system for facilitating the negotiation and purchase of goods or services for buyers and sellers of claim 2 wherein said primary seller operates and ceases sales operations during predetermined periods of the day and said host processor processing means connects a buyer computer terminal to a virtual seller computer based upon a determination that said primary seller has ceased sales operations for the day.

4. A network system for facilitating the negotiation and purchase of goods or services for buyers and sellers of claim 1 wherein said predetermined criteria includes a determination of whether a primary seller is located within a predetermined distance of the buyer.

5. A network system for facilitating the negotiation and purchase of goods or services for buyers and sellers of claim 1 wherein said predetermined criteria includes a determination of whether a primary seller is located within a predetermined distance of the buyer and a determination of whether the primary seller has goods or services sought to be purchased by the buyer.

6. The network system for facilitating the negotiation and purchase of goods and services for buyers and seller of claim 1 wherein the goods or services include vehicles.

7. The network system for facilitating the negotiation and purchase of goods and services for buyers and seller of claim 5 wherein the goods or services include vehicles.

8. A network system for facilitating the negotiation and purchase of goods or services for buyers and sellers of claim 1 further comprising:

a second communication connection for connecting a buyer operating said buyer computer terminal and a primary seller operating said primary seller computer terminal or virtual seller operating said virtual seller computer terminal, said second communication connection permitting real time speech communication between buyers and sellers for facilitating the real time spoken negotiations for the purchase and sale of goods or services over the network system.

9. A network system for facilitating the negotiation and purchase of goods or services for buyers and sellers of claim 2 further comprising:

a second communication connection for connecting a buyer operating said buyer computer terminal and a primary seller operating said primary seller computer terminal or virtual seller operating said virtual seller computer terminal, said second communication connection permitting real time speech communication between buyers and sellers for facilitating the real time spoken negotiations for the purchase and sale of goods or services over the network system.

10. The network system for facilitating the negotiation and purchase of goods and services for buyers and seller of claim 8 wherein the goods or services include vehicles.

11. A method of facilitating the negotiation and purchase of goods or services for buyers and sellers comprising the steps of:

providing a host processor system interconnected with at least one primary seller of goods or services, at least one virtual seller who is not the primary seller for selling the goods or services of the primary seller, said virtual seller not possessing custody or control of the goods or services of the primary seller but having a database storing product information concerning the goods or services of the primary seller; and

a plurality of buyers of goods or services;

transmitting buyer identification information by a buyer to the host processor system;

selecting the virtual seller or a primary seller by the host processor system based upon predetermined criteria;

providing a real time two-way data connection between the buyer and the selected primary seller or virtual seller for transmitting transaction data from the buyer in real time for visual display of the purchase data to the seller and for transmitting transaction data from the seller in real time for visual display of the purchase data to the buyer, and

agreeing over the network system to the purchase of goods or services from a primary or virtual seller.

12. The method for facilitating the negotiation and purchase of goods or services for buyers and sellers of claim 11 further comprising the step of:

determining whether the primary seller has ceased sales operations; and

selecting the virtual seller or a primary seller by the host processor system is based upon the determination of whether the primary seller has ceased sales operations.

13. The method for facilitating the negotiation and purchase of goods or services for buyers and sellers of claim 12 wherein said primary seller operates and ceases sales operations during predetermined periods of the day.

14. The method for facilitating the negotiation and purchase of goods or services for buyers and sellers of claim 11 further comprising the step of:

determining the location of the buyer; and

the step of selecting the virtual seller or a primary seller by the host processor system is based upon the determination of the location of the buyer.

15. The method for facilitating the negotiation and purchase of goods or services for buyers and sellers of claim 11 further comprising the steps of:

determining the location of the buyer; and

determining what goods or services are sought to be purchased by the buyer; and

the step of selecting the virtual seller or a primary seller by the host processor system is based upon the determination of the location of the buyer and the determination of what goods or services are sought to be purchased by the buyer.

16. The method for facilitating the negotiation and purchase of goods or services for buyers and sellers of claim 11 further comprising the step of:

providing a second communication connection between a buyer and a primary seller or virtual seller, the second communication connection permitting real time speech communication between the buyers and sellers for facilitating the real time spoken negotiations for the purchase and sale of goods or services over the network system.

17. The method for facilitating the negotiation and purchase of goods or services for buyers and sellers of claim 15 further comprising the step of:

providing a second communication connection between a buyer and a primary seller or virtual seller, the second communication connection permitting real time speech communication between the buyers and sellers for facilitating the real time spoken negotiations for the purchase and sale of goods or services over the network system.

18. The network system for facilitating the negotiation and purchase of goods and services for buyers and seller of claim 11 wherein the goods or services include vehicles.

19. The network system for facilitating the negotiation and purchase of goods and services for buyers and seller of claim 16 wherein the goods or services include vehicles.