Integrated electronic marketplace and online dispute resolution system

• US 7,630,904 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2003
• Issued: 12/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Square Trade Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Square Trade Incorporated
• Inventors: Khaishgi, Ahmed, Cherry, Cara, Quinn, John, Vaidyanathan, Lalitha
• Primary Examiner(s): Mooneyham; Janice A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LONG, FONYA M
• Application Number:
  US10/672,136
• Publication Number:
  US 20040059596A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,265 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/80
• US Class Current: 705/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/182 Alternative dispute resolution

Abstract

System and methods resolving an electronic commerce dispute involving one or more parties by selecting one of two modes of resolving the dispute, the first mode being completely driven by an electronic agent and the second mode involving a human dispute resolution specialist; and presenting the resolution of the dispute to the one or more parties.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing an online dispute resolution system electronically coupled to an electronic marketplace that provides a website by which users buy and sell items, wherein the electronic marketplace includes a database that stores transaction data that describes transactions within the marketplace;

electronically receiving with the online dispute resolution system at least a portion of the transaction data from the database of the electronic marketplace in response to initiation of a dispute; and

utilizing the received portion of the transaction data in accordance with a dispute resolution process to assist the users in resolving disputes relating to the transactions within the electronic marketplace.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

electronically receiving with the online dispute resolution system communications from the users of the electronic marketplace to initiate filing of disputes; and

initiating the online dispute resolution process in response to the communications.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

electronically receiving with the online dispute resolution system enrollment requests from the sellers of the marketplace; and

automatically initiating enrollment of the sellers within the dispute resolution system in response to the requests.

4. A method comprising:

storing transaction data in a database of a electronic marketplace, wherein the transaction data describe transactions within the electronic marketplace;

receiving case information with an online dispute resolution system from one or more parties, wherein the case information describes a dispute related to one of the transactions of the electronic marketplace; and

executing a dispute resolution process with the online dispute resolution system that receives at least a portion of the transaction data stored from the database of the electronic marketplace without human intervention in response to initiation of the dispute and uses the received portion of the transaction data and the case information from the parties to assist the parties in resolving the dispute.

5. A system comprising:

an online dispute resolution system that executes a dispute resolution process; and

an electronic marketplace system that includes;

(i) a web server that provides a centralized trading place for a plurality of buyers and a plurality of sellers,

(ii) a database that stores data, and

(iii) a software object that communicates the data from the database to the online dispute resolution system to inform the online dispute resolution system of transactions performed by the plurality of buyers and the plurality of sellers within the electronic marketplace system.