Location based services revenue sharing and cost offsetting

• US 7,797,170 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2008
• Issued: 09/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bodin, William Kress
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes; John W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nelson; Freda A
• Application Number:
  US12/184,217
• Publication Number:
  US 20080288315A1
• Time in Patent Office: 775 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/14, 705/400, 705/1.1, 705/26, 455/154.1, 709/226, 370/259
• US Class Current: 705/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0266 based on the position of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions

Abstract

An opportunity server tracks in vehicle information system wireless web transactions using session identifiers, aggregates transaction records into session data, and uses session data assign cost of network and system usage to a winning bidding party in an online offering system so as to offset costs to the user for usage of the system. Credits are posted to share revenue and offset costs of OEM equipment and network access metered fees, thereby reducing the cost of the transactions by a user and promoting unfettered use of in vehicle information systems for a variety of services, purposes, and transactions.

Claims

1. An opportunity server system comprising:

a computing platform having hardware means for performing a logical process, an operating system, and a web server suite;

an identifier controller portion of the computing platform configured to, upon the beginning of a location-based service brokering session on behalf of a user, temporarily associate a random anonymous session identifier value with a session record set and with a location based services access device, the location based service access device traveling with a vehicle, the session record set being anonymous with respect to the user, with respect to an account associated with the user, and with respect to any identifiers for the user;

a request distributor portion of the computing platform configured to broker a request for repair service of the vehicle with a plurality of potential vehicle repair service providers by transmitting the anonymous session identifier and the service request to each potential vehicle repair service provider;

an offer receiver portion of the computing platform configured to receive from the potential vehicle repair service providers a plurality of offers of vehicle repair service in response to the repair service request, each vehicle repair service provider identifying a cost associated with responding to the repair request for service, and certifying availability of necessary parts, tools, and trained personnel to complete the repair service;

a cost analyzer portion of the computing platform configured to determine a total response cost by aggregating the costs of responding from responding potential vehicle repair service providers, the total response cost being stored into the session record set;

a offer selector portion of the computing platform configured to determine at least one winning offer from a responding vehicle repair service provider;

a usage tracker portion of the computing platform configured to create records of resource usage for each transaction subsequently made by the access device of service provided by the winning vehicle repair service provider during the session to yield an aggregated session record set, and to, upon completion of the session, store the session record set;

a cost and revenue calculator portion of the computing platform configured to;

determine a cost to the access device for resource usage during the session representing a gross revenue due to the winning service provide;

determine a net revenue due to the winning service provider by reducing the gross revenue by the total response cost, and

subsequently, enabling the identifier controller to re-use the session record set for a plurality of location based services access devices;

wherein the opportunity server thereby aggregates usage records with previously aggregated usage records, and offsetting costs to compensate non-winning responders.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the cost and revenue calculator is configured to determine a cost based upon data amount transferred between one or more provider servers.

3. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the cost and revenue calculator is configured to determine a cost based upon time of network usage during the session.

4. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the cost and revenue calculator is further configured to post a credit to an account associated with an original equipment manufacturer in an amount related to a compensatory payment.

5. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the cost and revenue calculator is further configured to credit an account associated with an in-vehicle information system original equipment manufacturer in an amount related to the resource usage cost.