Method and system for registering potential acquirers of vehicles that are not currently on the market

• US 7,827,069 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2006
• Issued: 11/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Second Skin Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Second Skin Pty Limited
• Inventors: Happel, Henry, Gnuschke, Jerald, Stafford-Fraser, James Q., King, Martin T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Colbert; Ella
• Assistant Examiner(s): OJIAKU, CHIKAODINAKA
• Application Number:
  US11/501,681
• Publication Number:
  US 20070162347A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,547 Days
• Field of Search: 705/37, 705/4, 705/28, 379/71, 364/401
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/16 Real estate
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/167 Closing

Abstract

A register interest system receives from a potential acquirer of assets an indication that the potential acquirer is interested in acquiring rights in a specific asset that is not currently on the market. The register interest system stores indications that the potential acquirers are interested in specific assets. When a notification criterion has been satisfied, then the register interest system notifies the owner of the specific asset that one or more potential acquirers are interested in acquiring rights to that asset. The owner and a potential acquirer can then negotiate the purchase of the rights.

Claims

1. A computer system for generating interest in a transaction between a potential buyer of a vehicle that is not currently on the market, and an owner of the vehicle, comprising:

a memory storing computer-executable instructions of

a component that provides a web page of a web site through which a potential buyer of a vehicle can register their interest in a specific vehicle that is not currently on the market, the web page providing a field for entry of a license plate number of a vehicle of interest, the license plate number having been assigned to the vehicle of interest by a governmental entity;

a component that identifies a registered owner of the vehicle of interest by accessing information provided by an electronic database of the governmental entity that maps license plate numbers assigned to vehicles to the registered owners of the vehicles;

a component that identifies a contact address of the registered owner of the vehicle of interest;

a component that directs that a notification be sent to the registered owner of the vehicle of interest, the notification being addressed to the contact address and indicating that the potential buyer has registered an interest in the vehicle of interest;

a component that provides a web page of a web site through which the registered owner of the vehicle of interest who has been notified can register an interest in offering for sale the vehicle of interest; and

a component that directs that the potential buyer and the registered owner be put in contact after the registered owner registers an interest in offering for sale the vehicle of interest

wherein the registered owner of a vehicle that is not currently on the market can be made aware of a potential buyer'"'"'s interest in buying the vehicle without the vehicle being currently on the market; and

a processor for executing the computer-executable instructions stored in the memory.

2. The computer system of claim 1 wherein the potential buyer and the owner are put in contact only after they agree to terms of contact.

3. The computer system of claim 1 including a component that provides to the potential buyer a history of the vehicle.

4. The computer system of claim 3 wherein the history includes repair and maintenance of the vehicle.

5. The computer system of claim 1 including a component that provides to the potential buyer a specification of the vehicle.

6. The computer system of claim 5 including a component that provides a list of vehicles that are comparable to the specific vehicle in which the potential buyer has registered an interest.

7. The computer system of claim 6 wherein a vehicle is comparable based at least in part on another potential buyer registering an interest in both the vehicle and the comparable vehicle.

8. A method performed by a computing device for generating interest in a transaction between a potential buyer of a vehicle that is not currently on the market and an owner of the vehicle, the method comprising:

providing to a computer of a potential buyer of a vehicle a register purchase interest web page through which the potential buyer registers interest in purchasing a specific vehicle that is not currently on the market by entering a vehicle license plate number and state of registration of the vehicle, the vehicle license plate number being assigned to the vehicle by a governmental entity of the state of registration of the vehicle;

receiving from the computer of the potential buyer via the register purchase interest web page the vehicle license plate number and the state of registration of a vehicle of interest;

upon receiving the vehicle license plate number and the state of registration of the vehicle of interest,

accessing a vehicle identification system of the governmental entity to locate information on the vehicle of interest that is identified by the received license plate number and state of registration, the located information including information describing the vehicle and contact information of the owner of the vehicle;

providing to the computer of the potential buyer a confirmation web page displaying information describing the vehicle and requesting the potential buyer to confirm that the described vehicle is the vehicle of interest; and

upon receiving confirmation that the described vehicle is the vehicle of interest,

directing the sending of a notification to the owner of the vehicle based on the contact information, the notification indicating that the potential buyer has expressed an interest in purchasing the owner'"'"'s vehicle, the notification directing the owner to a register sale interest web page through which the owner can register an interest in offering the owner'"'"'s vehicle for sale;

providing to a computer of the owner the register sale interest web page; and

after receiving an indication via the register sale interest web page that the owners is interested in offering their vehicle for sale, providing contact information to the potential buyer and the owner so that the potential buyer and the owner are made aware of each other'"'"'s interest in a sales transaction for the vehicle of interest.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the license plate number is received via a mobile device.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the mobile device is a telephone and a potential buyer dials a telephone number and enters the license plate number of the vehicle along with the state of registration of the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 8 including providing to the computer of the potential buyer a web page with a list of vehicles that are comparable to the vehicle in which the potential buyer has registered an interest.