Information trading system and method

• US 7,769,621 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2001
• Issued: 08/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STAT Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Mentor Partners LLC
• Inventors: LeGraw, G. Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Kalinowski; Alexander
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chang; Edward
• Application Number:
  US09/754,492
• Publication Number:
  US 20020019796A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,498 Days
• Field of Search: 705/35, 705/14, 705/37, 705/78, 705/10, 713/200, 709200-203
• US Class Current: 705/7.38
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0639 Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

A system and method of collecting and trading statistical information between users is disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the information is traded via a network, such as the Internet. The method for trading information includes the step of collecting information from a user at a first location, having a confidential data portion and an exchange data portion. Only the exchange data portion is transmitted to a central location. An exchanged data set is defined at the central location. The exchange data set is updated using the exchange data portion. An output data set is determined from the exchange data set, wherein the output data set is accessible by one or more users.

Claims

1. A computerized method for trading information related to commercial companies via a network, comprising the steps of:

collecting private company information from a first user location through a user interface on a computer system at the first location, the private company information having a confidential data portion, which includes confidential identifying information for a private company that corresponds with the private company information;

generating exchange data from the private company information at the first user location, which is characterized by an absence of confidential identifying information for the private company, wherein the act of generating the exchange data includes acts of;

associating classifications to the private company information based on the confidential identifying information;

receiving only the exchange data at a central computer system at a central location via a computer network;

defining an exchange data set at the central location on the central computer system, wherein the defined exchange data set comprises information on assets and liabilities of the private company;

updating, by a processor, the exchange data set using the exchange data;

generating private company statistical data based upon the updated exchange data and at least one statistical model, wherein the private company statistical data includes statistical averages, the statistical averages including at least one of average deal statistics, average valuation statistics, average collateral statistics, average operating performance statistics, and average operating performance data;

determining, by the processor, an output data set from the exchange data set;

transmitting the output data set from the central location to a user at the first location via the computer network;

wherein the private company is part of a commercial industry, and the output data set includes statistical averages for the commercial industry;

wherein the output data set comprises statistical information for obtaining a valuation of the private company, the valuation of the private company including at least an estimated market value of the private company, wherein the estimated market value incorporates evaluation of liabilities and assets of the private company; and

valuing the private company based on the output data set.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving only the exchange data at a central computer system at a central location includes the step of receiving only the exchange data to a central location via a network.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the computer network includes an Internet communication link.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

defining one or more groups; and

determining one of more groups associated with the collected information.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of attaching the determined groups to the exchange data portion.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

defining the user as a qualified user;

wherein the act of updating, the exchange data set includes segregating exchange data received from a qualified user from exchange data received from a non qualified user.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of defining the exchange data set as a qualified user exchange data set.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the output data set from the central location to user at the first location is performed via an Internet communication link.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the output data set at the first location.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the output data set at the central location.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of storing the collected information at the first location.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of storing the confidential data portion at the first location.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the output data set further comprises the steps of:

defining a statistical model;

generating a statistical data set using the exchange data and the statistical model, wherein the act of generating a statistical data set includes an act of generating at least one of average values for the exchange data and a range of values for the exchange data; and

storing the statistical data set as the output data set.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of receiving a second exchange data from a second user;

updating the exchange data set using the second exchange data; and

transmitting the output data set to the second user.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of collecting information from a user further includes the steps of:

providing a graphical user interface including a webpage; and

providing for collection of information from the user location via the webpage displayed at the user location.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of:

providing for access to the central controller via the webpage using a login routine, wherein the login routine determines whether a user is allowed to access the central controller.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein transmitting the output data set to the user is performed at the completion of the login routine.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of generating a graph from the output data set.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing for collection of information from a user location includes a step of collecting benchmark information.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the benchmarking information is asset information.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the asset information includes public business valuation information.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the asset information includes private business valuation information.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the asset data information includes portfolio information.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the asset information includes capital structure information.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the benchmarking information is performance information.

26. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of collecting public company commercial information from a published public exchange market.

27. A network business method for providing commercial statistical data via a network, comprising the steps of:

collecting commercial data information via a webpage displayed on a computer at a first user location, wherein the commercial data information relates to a private company in an industry;

generating, by a computer system, a commercial data record from the commercial data information, including a confidential subrecord that identifies the private company;

generating, by the computer system, an exchange subrecord from the commercial data information at the first user location, which is characterized by an absence of confidential identifying information for the private company, wherein the act of generating the exchange subrecord includes an act of associating classifications to the private company information based on the confidential subrecord;

authenticating a first user;

receiving only the exchange subrecord of the confidential and exchange subrecords via a computer network communication link to the commercial statistical analysis system, where the act of receiving occurs after authenticating the first user;

updating, by the computer system at the central location, exchange data using the exchange subrecord, wherein the exchange data includes information on assets and liabilities of the private company;

generating a commercial statistical data set using the commercial statistical analysis system on the computer system at the central location, based upon the updated exchange data and at least one statistical model, wherein generating the commercial statistical data set includes generating statistical averages information, the statistical average information including at least one of average deal statistics, average valuation statistics, average collateral statistics, average operating performance statistics, and average operating performance data,

transmitting at least a portion of the commercial statistical data set to the user location over a computer communication network;

wherein the commercial statistical data set is configured to protect an identity of the private company from other users with access to the commercial statistical data set; and

valuing the private company based on the commercial data set.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein transmitting the commercial statistical data set from the commercial statistical analysis system to the user location is completed via the network communication link.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising storing the commercial statistical data set.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising storing the commercial statistical data set at the commercial statistical analysis system.

31. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of providing for storage of the collected information at the location of the user.

32. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of providing for storage of the confidential subrecord at the location of the user.

33. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of generating the commercial statistical data set further comprises the steps of:

defining a statistical model; and

generating a commercial statistical data set using the exchange data set and the statistical model.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising the step of receiving a second exchange subrecord from a second user;

and updating the exchange data set using the second exchange subrecord.

35. The method of claim 27, further comprising the steps of:

providing for access to the commercial statistical analysis system via the web page using a login routine, wherein the login routine determines whether a user is allowed to access the commercial statistical analysis system.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein transmitting the commercial statistical data set to the user location is performed at the completion of the login routine.

37. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of generating a graph from the commercial statistical data set.

38. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of providing for collection of information from a user location includes the step of providing for collection of asset information.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the asset information includes public business valuation and other statistical information.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein the asset information includes private business valuation and other statistical information.

41. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of determining whether the user is a qualified user.

42. The method of claim 41, further comprising the step of defining a qualified user exchange data set, wherein the qualified user exchange data set is allowed to be accessed only by the qualified user.

43. The method of claim 42, further comprising the step of defining the exchange data set to include the qualified user exchange data set as a subset of the exchange data set.

44. The method of claim 27, comprising the step of defining the network communication link to include an internet communication link.

60. The method according to claim 27, wherein the exchange subrecord comprises statistical information for obtaining a valuation of the private company.

45. A system for trading commercial information via a network, the system comprising:

a commercial information exchange system including an exchange system controller and an exchange data storage system;

wherein the commercial information exchange system includes a communication component configured to receive an exchange subrecord from a user location via a computer network, after authenticating the user, wherein the exchange subrecord is characterized by an absence of confidential identifying information for a private company, and is further characterized by including classifications for the exchange subrecord based on the confidential indentifying information, and

wherein the commercial exchange system is further configured to update an exchange data set using the exchange subrecord, to generate a commercial statistical data set from the exchange data set, to transmit using the communication component as least a portion of the commercial statistical data set to the user location via the computer network, and further wherein the exchange subrecord includes commercial information relating to a private company in an industry, and the statistical data set includes statistical averages for the industry, the statistical averages including at least one of average deal statistics, average valuation statistics, average collateral statistics, average operating performance statistics, and average operating performance data, wherein the commercial statistical data set is defined by a lack of information identifying a source of the exchange subrecord; and

wherein the commercial exchange system is further configured to establish a value for the private company.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein a user is a qualified user, and the commercial statistical data set is accessible only by one or more qualified users.

47. The system of claim 45, wherein the communication component component is further configured to accept data from a first user interface located at a first location;

wherein the communication component is adapted to communicate with the first user interface, for accepting transmission of the exchange record from the first user interface and for transmitting the commercial statistical data set to the first user interface from the commercial information exchange system.

48. The system of claim 45, wherein the computer network includes the Internet.

49. The system of claim 45, wherein the exchange system controller further includes a web server.

50. The system of claim 45, wherein the exchange system controller further includes a query manager for managing queries between the user and the commercial information exchange system.

51. The system of claim 45, wherein the exchange system controller includes a statistical model, wherein the commercial statistical data set is generated using the exchange data set and the statistical model.

61. The system according to claim 45, wherein the commercial statistical data set enables another user to determine a valuation of the private company.

52. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for providing commercial statistical data via a network comprising:

collecting commercial data information via a webpage from a first user location, the commercial data information being associated with a private company in an industry;

generating, at the first user location, commercial data from the commercial data information, including a confidential subrecord that identifies the private company and an exchange subrecord which is characterized by an absence of confidential identifying information for the private company, wherein the act of generating the commercial data includes acts of;

associating classifications to the private company information based on the confidential subrecord;

authenticating the first user;

receiving only the exchange subrecord of the confidential subrecord and the exchange subrecord via a network communication link to the commercial statistical analysis system, where the act of receiving occurs after authenticating the first user;

updating the exchange data set using the exchange subrecord;

generating a commercial statistical data set using a commercial statistical analysis system and at least one statistical model, wherein the commercial statistical data set includes statistical averages, the statistical averages including at least one of average deal statistics, average valuation statistics, average collateral statistics, average operating performance statistics, and average operating performance data;

transmitting the commercial statistical data set from the commercial statistical analysis system to the user location;

wherein the commercial statistical data set is configured to protect an identity of the private company from other users with access to the commercial statistical data set; and

establishing a value for the private company based on the exchange data.

53. The computer-readable medium of claim 52, wherein transmitting the commercial statistical data set from the commercial statistical analysis system to the user is performed via the network communication link.

54. The computer-readable medium of claim 52, wherein the step of generating the commercial statistical data set further comprises:

defining a statistical model; and

generating a commercial statistical data set using the exchange data set and a statistical model.

55. The computer-readable medium of claim 52, further comprising the step of receiving a second exchange subrecord from a second user;

and updating the exchange data set using the second exchange subrecord.

56. The computer-readable medium of claim 52, further comprising the step of:

providing for access to the commercial statistical analysis system via the webpage using a login routine, wherein the login routine determines whether a user is allowed to access the commercial statistical analysis system.

57. The computer-readable medium of claim 56, wherein transmitting the commercial statistical data set to the user location is performed at the completion of the login routing.

58. The computer-readable medium of claim 52, wherein the step of collecting information from a user location includes the step of collecting private business valuation information.

62. The computer-readable medium of claim 52, wherein the commercial statistical data set enables another user to determine a valuation of the private company.

59. A method for trading private company statistical data between a central computer system and a participant computer system, the central computer system executing the acts of:

providing an interface for collection of private company data information including business valuation and other statistical data, displayed on a computer system at a first user location, from a user associated with the private company, wherein the private company is part of a commercial industry wherein the interface is configured to;

generate a private company data record from the private company data information, including a confidential subrecord, which includes confidential identifying information for the private company on a computer system at the first user location;

generate an exchange subrecord, which is defined by an absence of confidential identifying information for the private company;

associate the industrial classifications to the private company information;

include the industrial classifications in the exchange subrecord;

store the confidential subrecord at the location of the user; and

defining, on a central computer system, a statistical analysis system having exchange data and at least one statistical model;

authenticating the first user;

receiving only the exchange subrecord of the confidential subrecord and the exchange subrecord at the statistical analysis system over a computer network, where the act of receiving occurs after authenticating the first user;

updating, by a processor, the exchange data using the exchange subrecord;

storing the updated exchange data to the statistical analysis system;

generating private company statistical data using the statistical analysis system based upon the updated exchange data and the at least one statistical model, wherein the private company statistical data includes statistical averages for the commercial industry, the statistical averages including at least one of average deal statistics, average valuation statistics, average collateral statistics, average operating performance statistics, and average operating performance data; and

transmitting, over the computer network, at least a portion of the private company statistical data to one or more qualified users, wherein a qualified user is defined as a user who provides exchange subrecords to the statistical analysis system, and wherein the private company statistical data is configured to protect an identity of the private company from other users with access to the private company statistical data, wherein the private company statistical data comprises statistical information for obtaining a valuation of the private company, the valuation of the private company including at least an estimated market value of the private company, wherein the estimated market value incorporates evaluation of liabilities and assets of the private company.