Method and system for preferred vendor pre-transaction bidding

• US 7,739,134 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2006
• Issued: 06/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deem, Incorporated (Jack Taylor Family Voting Trust U A D 4 14 99)
• Original Assignee: Rearden Commerce Inc
• Inventors: Mortimore, William Charles Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes; John W
• Assistant Examiner(s): FLYNN, KEVIN H
• Application Number:
  US11/549,953
• Publication Number:
  US 20080091477A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,338 Days
• Field of Search: 705/5, 705/37
• US Class Current: 705/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method that can be performed on a system, is provided for preferred vender pre-transaction bidding. In one embodiment, the method comprises providing to a user one or more offers for sale of an item or service, the offers matching criteria pre-determined by one of a separate user or entity; receiving a selection of at least one offer from the user; comparing the selected offer to a set of pre-determined preferences of the user and generating and transmitting a request to one or more vendors for a counter-offer based on the set of pre-determined preferences of the user; in response to receiving one or more counter-offers, comparing the one or more counter offers to the criteria pre-determined by the separate user or entity; and providing to the user one or more of the counter-offers matching the criteria pre-determined by the separate user or entity.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

a server computer of a service portal providing to a user, one or more offers for sale from an unpreferred vendor, of a travel-related item or service, the one or more offers matching criteria pre-determined by an employer of the user;

the computer receiving a selection of at least one offer from the user to pay for the travel-related item or service of the unpreferred vendor at a particular price;

the computer extracting, from a storage unit, data related to travel preferences of the user, including at least one preferred vendor of the user;

in response to receipt of the selection of the at least one offer from the user to pay for the travel-related item or service of the unpreferred vendor, the computer using the extracted data to generate and transmit a request to the preferred vendor requesting acceptance of an alternate offer from the user to pay the price for the travel-related item or service, or a counter-offer for the travel-related item or service based on the price of the user-selected offer;

in response to receiving a counter-offer, the computer determining whether the counter-offer meets the pre-determined criteria of the employer; and

only after determining the counter-offer meets the predetermined criteria of the employer, the computer providing the counter-offer to the user, wherein the counter-offer is based on the price of the user-selected offer.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the travel-related item or service comprises a travel reservation.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the travel-related item or service comprises one of an airline flight, a hotel reservation, and a restaurant reservation.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the criteria pre-determined by the employer of the user includes at least one of a class of travel, cost, destination, and carrier of travel.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the counter-offer is matching one or more of the offers for sale of a travel-related item or service.

6. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon a set of instructions, which when executed perform a method comprising:

a server computer of a service portal providing to a user one or more offers for sale from an unpreferred vendor, of a travel-related item or service, the one or more offers matching criteria pre-determined by an employer of the user;

the computer receiving a selection of at least one offer from the user to pay for the travel-related item or service of the unpreferred vendor at a particular price;

the computer extracting, from a storage unit, data related to travel preferences of the user, including at least one preferred vendor of the user;

in response to receipt of the selection of the at least one offer from the user to pay for the travel-related item or service of the unpreferred vendor, the computer using the extracted data to generate and transmit a request to the preferred vendor requesting acceptance of an alternate offer from the user to pay the price for the travel-related item or service, or a counter-offer for the travel-related item or service based on the price of the user-selected offer;

in response to receiving a counter-offer, the computer determining whether the counter-offer meets the pre-determined criteria of the employer; and

only after determining the counter-offer meets the predetermined criteria of the employer, the computer providing the counter-offer to the user, wherein the counter-offer is based on a the price of the user-selected offer.

7. The machine-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the travel-related item or service comprises a travel reservation.

8. The machine-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the travel-related item or service comprises one of an airline flight, a hotel reservation, and a restaurant reservation.

9. The machine-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the criteria pre-determined by the employer of the user includes at least one of a class of travel, cost, destination, and carrier of travel.

10. The machine-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the counter-offer is matching one or more of the offers for sale of a travel-related item or service.

11. A system comprising:

a network connection to provide to a user, one or more offers for sale from an unpreferred vendor of a travel-related item or service, the one or more offers matching criteria pre-determined by an employer of the user;

a network connection to receive a selection of at least one offer from the user to pay for the travel-related item or service of the unpreferred vendor at a particular price;

a processor to extract, from a storage unit, data related to travel preferences of the user, including at least one preferred vendor of the user;

in response to receipt of the selection of the at least one offer from the user to pay for the travel-related item or service of the unpreferred vendor, the processor to use the extracted data to generate and transmit a request to the preferred vendor requesting acceptance of an alternate offer from the user to pay the price for the travel-related item or service, or a counter-offer for the travel-related item or service based on the price of the user-selected offer;

in response to receiving a counter-offer, the processor to determine whether the counter-offer meets the pre-determined criteria of the employer; and

a network connection to provide the counter-offer to the user only after determining the counter-offer meets the predetermined criteria of the employer, wherein the counter-offer is based on the price of the user-selected offer.