Method and apparatus for an electronic marketplace for services having a collaborative workspace

• US 8,073,762 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2005
• Issued: 12/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Elance Incorporation
• Original Assignee: Elance Incorporation
• Inventors: Sheth, Beerud D., Anumolu, Srinivas
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Application Number:
  US11/304,870
• Publication Number:
  US 20060095366A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,183 Days
• Field of Search: 705 7- 9, 705/37, 705/80, 707705-812, 715751-753, 718/102
• US Class Current: 705/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0605 Supply or demand aggregation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0611 Request for offers or quotes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

A method and system for buying and selling services online includes a process for custom services, a commodity process and a collaborative workspace on a website. The process for custom services includes the posting by a buyer of specific criteria for a desired service, the bidding by a seller to preform the service, and the selection of a seller by the buyer. The commodity process includes the posting by a seller of a service offering, the posting by the buyer of requirements for the purchase of the service offering, and the purchase of a service offering by the buyer. The commodity process may also include an optimization process that provides the buyer with an optimized list of service offerings. The collaborative workspace includes communication tools, a file structure, workbenches and project management tools used by the buyer and seller for facilitating the setup, development and release of one or more services.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method comprising:

accepting a posting on a website of a project that a buyer wants completed, wherein the buyer identifies a prerequisite skill at least for a selected service provider;

accepting registration of service providers, wherein the service providers identify at least one particular skill they possess;

maintaining a database of registered service providers;

receiving a qualified bid on the project at least from the selected service provider, wherein the selected service provider is registered and possesses the prerequisite skill;

the buyer choosing the selected service provider from among one or more qualified bids; and

providing the buyer and the selected service provider a collaborative workspace created for the project, wherein the collaborative workspace is configured to allow at least one of the buyer and the selected service provider to access the collaborative workspace after exiting the collaborative workspace.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the posting includes at least a project name, a project description, a category, and a price estimate.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more qualified bids are received in one of a closed auction, an open auction, and a Dutch auction.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the collaborative workspace includes:

one or more communication tools;

a file structure;

one or more workbenches; and

one or more project management tools.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 4, wherein the file structure includes at least one private folder.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 4, wherein the file structure includes at least one shared folder.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 4, wherein the one or more workbenches are industry specific to the project.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein both the buyer and selected service provider rate each other.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the collaborative workspace is accessible when the buyer and seller are not transacting.

11. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the collaborative workspace is configured as a virtual office within the website.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the posting includes files and/or recordings.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising the buyer digitally receiving a tangible product for the project.

14. The computer implemented method of claim 13, wherein the digitally receiving step comprises moving the tangible product to a shared folder to be accessed by the buyer.

8. The computer implemented method of method 1, wherein the collaborative workspace is accessible by only the buyer and the selected service provider.

15. A computer implemented method comprising:

accepting registration of service providers, wherein the service providers identify at least one particular skill they possess;

maintaining a database of registered service providers;

accepting on a website a posting of at least one service offering at least by a selected service provider who is registered;

providing a database containing posted service offerings;

the website receiving requirements for the at least one service offering from a buyer, including the requirement that the selected service provider possesses a prerequisite skill;

the website returning an optimized list of service offerings to the buyer in accordance with the buyer'"'"'s requirement for the prerequisite skill and other specified requirements;

the buyer choosing the selected service provider;

the buyer specifying a project to be completed; and

providing the buyer and the selected service provider a collaborative workspace created for the project, wherein the collaborative workspace is configured to allow at least one of the buyer and the selected service provider to access the collaborative workspace after exiting the collaborative workspace.

16. The computer implemented method of claim 15, wherein at least one of the buyer'"'"'s requirements is inflexible.

17. The computer implemented method of claim 15, wherein the optimized list includes service offerings that meet at least a subset of the buyer'"'"'s requirements.

19. The computer implemented method of claim 15, wherein both the buyer and the selected service provider rate each other.

20. The computer implemented method of claim 15, wherein the collaborative workspace includes:

one or more communication tools;

a file structure;

one or more workbenches; and

one or more project management tools.

18. The computer implemented method of method 15, wherein the collaborative workspace is accessible by only the buyer and the selected service provider.

21. A computer implemented method comprising:

accepting registration of service providers, wherein the service providers identify at least one particular skill they possess;

maintaining a database of registered service providers;

accepting on a website a posting of at least one service offering for a project at least by a selected service provider;

providing a database containing posted service offerings;

receiving requirements for the at least one service offering from a buyer, including the requirement for the selected service provider to possess a prerequisite skill;

the buyer viewing service offerings posted by the registered service providers whose particular skill matches the prerequisite skill;

the buyer choosing the selected service provider; and

providing the buyer and the selected service provider a collaborative workspace created for the project, wherein the collaborative workspace is configured to allow at least one of the buyer and the selected service provider to access the collaborative workspace after exiting the collaborative workspace.

22. The computer implemented method of claim 21, wherein the at least one service offering includes at least one sub-category which further describes other skills the selected service provider possess.

23. The computer implemented method of claim 21, wherein the at least one service offering includes an area of the selected service provider'"'"'s specialization.

24. The computer implemented method of claim 21, wherein the at least one service offering includes a price term.

26. The computer implemented method of claim 21, wherein both the buyer and the selected service provider rate each other.

27. The computer implemented method of claim 21, wherein the collaborative workspace includes:

one or more communication tools;

a file structure;

one or more workbenches; and

one or more project management tools.

25. The computer implemented method of method 21, wherein the collaborative workspace is accessible by only the buyer and the selected service provider.

28. A computer implemented method comprising:

accepting a posting on a website of a project that a buyer wants completed, wherein the buyer identifies an industry specific category;

accepting registration of service providers, wherein the service providers identify at least one industry specific category they will serve;

maintaining a database of registered service providers;

receiving a qualified bid on the project at least from a selected service provider, whose at least one indicated category matches the buyer'"'"'s identified category;

the buyer choosing the selected service provider from among one or more of the qualified bids; and

providing the buyer and the selected service provider a collaborative workspace created for the project, wherein the collaborative workspace is configured to allow at least one of the buyer and the selected service provider to access the collaborative workspace after exiting the collaborative workspace.

29. A computer implemented method comprising:

accepting registration of service providers, wherein the service providers identify at least one industry specific category they will serve;

maintaining a database of registered service providers;

accepting on a website a posting of at least one service offering at least by a selected service provider who is registered;

providing a database containing posted service offerings;

the website receiving at least one requirement for a project from a buyer, including the requirement that the selected service provider will serve an industry specific category;

the website returning an optimized list of service offerings to the buyer in accordance with the at least one requirement for the project;

transmitting a purchase request for the service offering from the buyer to the selected service provider; and

providing the buyer and the selected service provider a collaborative workspace created for the project, wherein the collaborative workspace is configured to allow at least one of the buyer and the selected service provider to access the collaborative workspace after exiting the collaborative workspace.

30. A computer implemented method comprising:

accepting registration of service providers, wherein the service providers identify at least one industry specific category they will serve;

maintaining a database of registered service providers;

accepting on a website a posting of at least one service offering for a project at least by a selected service provider;

providing a database containing posted service offerings;

viewing by a buyer of service offerings posted by service providers;

transmitting a purchase request for the at least one service offering from the buyer to the selected service provider; and

providing the buyer and the selected service provider a collaborative workspace created for the project, wherein the collaborative workspace is configured to allow at least one of the buyer and the selected service provider to access the collaborative workspace after exiting the collaborative workspace.