Method and system for reserving future purchases of goods and services

• US 7,962,375 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2007
• Issued: 06/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Holdit, LLC
• Original Assignee: Option It Incorporated (Learning Technologies Group Plc)
• Inventors: Pappas, Christian S., Brown, Charles P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith; Jeffrey A
• Assistant Examiner(s): STOPP, COURTNEY L
• Application Number:
  US12/005,129
• Publication Number:
  US 20080215457A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,271 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/10 Services

Abstract

A method and system for reserving future purchases of goods or services using plural electronic options with associated option fees based on one or more different pre-determined priority system. The plural electronic options include electronic option terms established by one or more suppliers who can supply the goods or services. An option fee is associated with a reservation price to purchase desired goods or services at a desired future time using a priority system.

Claims

1. A method for providing electronic options for goods or services using a priority ordering scheme, comprising:

providing a plurality of electronic options to a plurality of client network devices each with one or more processors via a server network device with one or more processors via a computer network for a desired good or service provided by a supplier, wherein the electronic option terms are established by the supplier, wherein the plurality of electronic options are not supplied or governed via a central government agency and are not supplied or governed via security laws and wherein the plurality of electronic options are available for purchase via a plurality of pre-determined option fees, and wherein the plurality of electronic options are provided based on a priority ordering scheme, wherein the priority ordering scheme is based on one or more pre-determined time periods in which an electronic option is valid, an amount paid for a pre-determined option fee or an ordering in one or more different priority groups;

receiving a pre-determined option fee to purchase an electronic option based on the priority ordering scheme on the server network device via the computer network, wherein a purchaser of the electronic option can pay an amount larger than the pre-determined option fee to obtain a more favorable position in the priority ordering scheme to allow exercise of the electronic option in a different priority order in the priority ordering scheme than those purchased for the pre-determined option fee;

recording the purchase of the electronic option in a database associated with the server network device in a pre-determined priority order for a prioritized group in the priority ordering scheme, wherein a position in the pre-determined priority order in the priority ordering scheme is adjusted to a more favorable position based on receiving an amount larger than the pre-determined option fee for the electronic option; and

receiving a request to exercise the purchased electronic option to purchase the desired good or service based on the pre-determined priority order established for the prioritized group in the priority ordering scheme and any adjustment thereof based on receiving an amount larger than the pre-determined option fee for the purchased electronic option.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the pre-determined priority order includes allowing purchase of electronic options during one or more different pre-determined priority time periods for one or more prioritized groups.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving another larger pre-determined electronic option fee for the electronic option, wherein the another larger pre-determined electronic option fee is used to obtain a more favorable position in the priority ordering scheme that is used to allow the purchased electronic option to be exercised to purchase the desired good or service before purchasers of other electronic options at the pre-determined option fee.

4. A computer readable medium having stored therein a plurality of instructions for causing one or more central processing units to execute the steps of:

providing a plurality of electronic options to a plurality of client network devices each with one or more processors via a server network device with one or more processors via a computer network for a desired good or service provided by a supplier, wherein the electronic option terms are established by the supplier, wherein the plurality of electronic options are not supplied or governed via a central government agency and are not supplied or governed via security laws and wherein the plurality of electronic options are available for purchase via a plurality of pre-determined option fees, and wherein the plurality of electronic options are provided based on a priority ordering scheme, wherein the priority ordering scheme is based on one or more pre-determined time periods in which an electronic option is valid, an amount paid for a pre-determined option fee or an ordering in one or more different priority groups;

receiving a pre-determined option fee to purchase an electronic option based on the priority ordering scheme on the server network device via the computer network, wherein a purchaser of the electronic option can pay an amount larger than the pre-determined option fee to obtain a more favorable position in the priority ordering scheme to allow exercise of the electronic option in a different priority order in the priority ordering scheme than those purchased for the pre-determined option fee;

recording the purchase of the electronic option in a database associated with the server network device in a pre-determined priority order for a prioritized group in the priority ordering scheme, wherein a position in the pre-determined priority order in the priority ordering scheme is adjusted to a more favorable position based on receiving an amount larger than the pre-determined option fee for the electronic option; and

receiving a request to exercise the purchased electronic option to purchase the desired good or service based on the pre-determined priority order established for the prioritized group in the priority ordering scheme and any adjustment thereof based on receiving an amount larger than the pre-determined option fee for the purchased electronic option.

5. A method for providing electronic options with a plurality of additional components for goods or services using a priority ordering scheme, comprising:

providing a plurality of electronic options to a plurality of client network devices each with one or more processors via a server network device with one or more processors via a computer network for a desired good or service provided by a desired supplier, wherein the electronic option terms are established by the desired supplier, wherein the plurality of electronic options are not supplied or governed via a central government agency and are not supplied or governed via security laws and wherein the electronic options are available for purchase for a pre-determined option fee with a plurality of additional components provided for the goods or services, wherein a number of the additional components provided decreases over a time period the electronic option is available, wherein the additional components are provided to a purchaser of the additional components at no additional charge as an incentive to purchase the electronic option at an earlier period of time in the priority ordering scheme;

receiving a pre-determined option fee to purchase an electronic option based on the priority ordering scheme on the server network device via the computer network;

recording the purchase of the electronic option in a database associated with the server network device for the priority ordering scheme including any additional components made available, wherein at least one of the additional components made available includes a right to modify any of the electronic option terms or any of the terms of purchasing the actual good or service during a time period after purchasing the electronic option and before the electronic option is exercised;

receiving a request to modify one or more of the electronic option terms or one or more of the terms of purchasing the actual good or service for the purchased electronic option during a time period after purchasing the electronic option and before the electronic option is exercised; and

receiving a request to exercise the purchased electronic option to purchase the desired good or service including any additional components made available based on the priority ordering scheme.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the additional components include additional accessories, extended warranties, additional rebates, extended rebate dates, extended return polices for goods purchased with the electronic option.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the additional components include additional service features for services purchased with the electronic option.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the additional components includes a right to modify any of the electronic option terms or any of the terms of purchasing the actual good or service during a time period after purchasing the electronic option including an right to extended a time period for a return or refund for the good or service purchased with the electronic option.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein the priority ordering includes a time priority ordering.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein the priority ordering includes a price priority ordering.

11. A computer readable medium having stored therein a plurality of instructions for causing one or more central processing units to execute the steps of:

providing a plurality of electronic options to a plurality of client network devices each with one or more processors via a server network device with one or more processors via a computer network for a desired good or service provided by a desired supplier, wherein the electronic option terms are established by the desired supplier, wherein the plurality of electronic options are not supplied or governed via a central government agency and are not supplied or governed via security laws and wherein the electronic options are available for purchase for a pre-determined option fee with a plurality of additional components provided for the goods or services, wherein a number of the additional components provided decreases over a time period the electronic option is available, wherein the additional components are provided to a purchaser of the additional components at no additional charge as an incentive to purchase the electronic option at an earlier period of time in the priority ordering scheme;

receiving a pre-determined option fee to purchase an electronic option based on the priority ordering scheme on the server network device via the computer network;

recording the purchase of the electronic option in a database associated with the server network device for the priority ordering scheme including any additional components made available, wherein at least one of the additional components made available includes a right to modify any of the electronic option terms or any of the terms of purchasing the actual good or service during a time period after purchasing the electronic option and before the electronic option is exercised;

receiving a request to modify one or more of the electronic option terms or one or more of the terms of purchasing the actual good or service for the purchased electronic option during a time period after purchasing the electronic option and before the electronic option is exercised; and

receiving a request to exercise the purchased electronic option to purchase the desired good or service including any additional components made available based on the priority ordering scheme.

12. A system providing electronic options for goods or services using a priority ordering scheme, comprising in combination:

means for providing a plurality of electronic options to a plurality of client network devices each with one or more processors via a server network device with one or more processors via a computer network for a desired good or service provided by a supplier, the electronic option terms are established by the supplier and the plurality of electronic options are available for purchase via a plurality of pre-determined option fees, the plurality of electronic options are not supplied or governed via a central government agency and are not supplied or governed via security laws the plurality of electronic options are provided based on a priority ordering scheme, the priority ordering scheme is based on one or more pre-determined time periods in which an electronic option is valid, an amount paid for a pre-determined option fee or an ordering in one or more different priority groups, and the electronic options are available for purchase with a plurality of additional components provided for the goods or services, a number of the additional components provided decreases over a time period the electronic option is available, the additional components are provided to a purchaser of the additional components at no additional charge as an incentive to purchase the electronic option at an earlier period of time in the priority ordering scheme and at least one of the additional components made available includes a right to modify any of the electronic option terms or any of the terms of purchasing the actual good or service during a time period after purchasing the electronic option and before the electronic option is exercised;

means for receiving a pre-determined option fee to purchase an electronic option based on the priority ordering scheme on the server network device via the computer network and for accepting an amount larger than the pre-determined option fee to obtain a more favorable position in the priority ordering scheme to allow exercise of the electronic option in a different priority order in the priority ordering scheme than those purchased for the pre-determined option fee;

means for recording the purchase of the electronic option in a database associated with the server network device in a pre-determined priority order for the priority ordering scheme and for adjusting a position in the pre-determined priority order in the priority ordering scheme to a more favorable position based on receiving an amount larger than the pre-determined option fee for the electronic option; and

means for receiving a request to exercise the purchased electronic option to purchase the desired good or service based on the pre-determined priority order established for the priority ordering scheme and any adjustment thereof based on receiving an amount larger than the pre-determined option fee for the purchased electronic option.

13. The system of claim 12, the priority ordering scheme including a time priority ordering scheme with one or more different pre-determined priority time periods for one or more prioritized groups.

14. The system of claim 12, the priority ordering scheme including a time priority ordering scheme with additional components, a number of the additional components provided decreases over a time period the electronic option is available, the additional components are provided to a purchaser of the additional components at no additional charge as an incentive to purchase the electronic option at an earlier period of time in the priority ordering scheme.