Systems and methods to connect people in a marketplace environment

• US 8,180,676 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2006
• Issued: 05/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thryv, Inc. (Mudrick Capital Management LP)
• Original Assignee: UTBK, Inc.
• Inventors: Altberg, Ebbe, Faber, Scott, Hirson, Ron, Van Der Linden, Sean
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiss, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): VANDERHORST, MARIA VICTORIA
• Application Number:
  US11/467,145
• Publication Number:
  US 20070160184A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,091 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 705/37
• US Class Current: 705/14.73
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/903 Querying for retrieval from the web G06F16/953
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0257 User requested
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0264 based upon schedule
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0275 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/65 Telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5061 Pools of addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/09 Third party charged communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/51 : for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/68 : Payment of value-added services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0192 : Sponsored, subsidised calls via advertising, e.g. calling cards with ads or connecting to special ads, free calling time by purchasing goods
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0196 : Payment of value-added services, mainly when their charges are added on the telephone bill, e.g. payment of non-telecom services, e-commerce, on-line banking
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/54 : Resellers-retail or service providers billing, e.g. agreements with telephone service operator, activation, charging/recharging of accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/66 : Third party billing, i.e. third party can also be the predetermined telephone line of the caller if he is calling from another telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/003 : Click to dial services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 : Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

Systems and methods to provide telephonic connections. In one embodiment, a method includes: providing a listing on a marketplace, the listing including an assigned reference to be used to initiate a real time communication connection; and billing for a real time communication lead generated from presenting the listing in response to a real time communication initiated via the reference. In one embodiment, a method includes: conducting online auction of telephonic leads; determining a way to present listings based at least partially on received price bids on the telephonic leads (e.g., the order of placement, the selection for placement, etc); and providing the listings with information to initiate a telephonic connection in a way trackable to measure a number of telephonic calls generated from presenting the listings.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

maintaining, via at least one processor, a pool of unallocated references not preassigned to a particular listing;

receiving a first price bid from a first entity for a first listing on a marketplace, the first listing to include a first reference to the first entity to be used to initiate a real time communication connection to the first entity;

receiving a second price bid from a second entity for a second listing on the marketplace, the second listing to include a second reference to the second entity to be used to initiate a real time communication connection to the second entity;

assigning, via the at least one processor, the first reference from the pool to the first listing when the first listing is being requested for customer display;

assigning, via the at least one processor, the second reference from the pool to the second listing when the second listing is being requested for customer display;

prioritizing, via the at least one processor, the first listing and the second listing based at least partially on the first price bid and the second price bid;

providing, via the at least one processor, the first listing in accordance with a result of the prioritizing, wherein the first listing comprises first auction information related to a first auctioned item of the first entity;

providing, via the at least one processor, the second listing in accordance with a result of the prioritizing, wherein the second listing comprises second auction information related to a second auctioned item of the second entity;

receiving a price bid from a first customer on the first auctioned item as a response to the first auction information;

in response to expiration of a predetermined time period following the providing the first listing, recycling, via the at least one processor, the first reference into the pool for subsequent re-assigning to another entity;

in response to expiration of a predetermined time period following the providing the second listing, recycling, via the at least one processor, the second reference into the pool for subsequent re-assigning to another entity, wherein the first and second references are recycled into the pool at different times; and

billing, via the at least one processor, the first entity for a real time communication lead generated from presenting the first listing in response to a first real time communication initiated by the first customer via the first reference.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the real time communication lead comprises a telephonic lead.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first price bid is for a telephonic lead to be generated from presenting information on behalf of the first entity, and the second price bid is for a telephonic lead to be generated from presenting information on behalf of the second entity;

the method further comprising;

presenting, to the first entity, the second price bid.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first auctioned item of the first entity comprises at least one of:

a product, and a service;

the first auction information and the second price bid for a telephonic lead are presented over Internet; and

wherein the price bid on the first auctioned item and the first price bid for a telephonic lead are received over Internet.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

presenting third auction information related to a third auctioned item of a third entity, the third auction information of the third entity comprising information to request a telephonic connection to the third entity.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the third auction information of the third entity contains no direct telephonic contact information of the third entity;

and the method further comprises;

receiving from a second customer a request made according to the information to request the telephonic connection to the third entity; and

according to a schedule of the third entity, establishing the telephonic connection between the second customer and the third entity through making separate connections to the second customer and the third entity and joining the separate connections.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the first real time communication is initiated via voice over Internet protocol.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the first real time communication is at least partially carried via voice over Internet protocol.

9. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

billing the first entity according to the first price bid and a measurement of a number of telephonic calls initiated via the first reference.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first reference comprises a telephone number of a server;

the telephone number is assigned to the first entity;

the method further comprising;

receiving a telephonic call from a second customer to the server at the telephone number;

establishing a telephonic connection to the first entity by making a separate telephonic call to the first entity; and

bridging the telephonic call from the second customer with the telephone connection to the first entity to connect the second customer and the first entity.

11. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining a way to present information on behalf of at least one of the first entity and the second entity based at least partially on the first price bid and the second price bid.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein determining a way to present information comprises:

determining an order of placement of first information to be presented on behalf of the first entity relative to placement of second information to be presented on behalf of the second entity, based at least partially on the first price bid and the second price bid.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

performing a search to determine a result containing the first information to be presented on behalf of the first entity and the second information to be presented on behalf of the second entity.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the search is based at least partially on user specified search criteria on a geographical area and a service category.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein determining a way to present information comprises:

selecting one from at least first information to be presented on behalf of the first entity and second information to be presented on behalf of the second entity for presentation at an advertisement location, based at least partially on the first price bid and the second price bid.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

providing the information in the way determined for presentation on behalf of at least one of the first entity and the second entity, the information in the way determined including at least one of;

first information to initiate a first telephonic connection to the first entity and second information to initiate a second telephonic connection to the second entity.

17. A non-transitory machine readable storage media embodying instructions, the instructions to cause a machine to perform a method, the method comprising:

maintaining a pool of unallocated references not preassigned to a particular listing;

receiving a first price bid from a first seller for a first listing;

receiving a second price bid from a second seller for a second listing;

assigning a first reference from the pool to the first listing when the first listing is being requested for customer display, the first reference to be used by a first customer to initiate a real time communication connection to the first seller;

assigning a second reference from the pool to the second listing when the second listing is being requested for customer display, the second reference to be used by a second customer to initiate a real time communication connection to the second seller;

providing a first listing for the first seller on a marketplace, the first listing including the first reference, and wherein the first listing comprises first auction information related to a first auctioned item of the first seller;

providing a second listing for the second seller on the marketplace, the second listing including the second reference, and wherein the second listing comprises second auction information related to a second auctioned item of the second seller;

receiving a price bid from the first customer on the first auctioned item as a response to the first auction information;

in response to expiration of a predetermined time period following the providing the first listing, recycling the first reference into the pool for subsequent re-assigning to another seller;

in response to expiration of a predetermined time period following the providing the second listing, recycling the second reference into the pool for subsequent re-assigning to another seller; and

billing an amount to the first seller for a real time communication lead generated from presenting the first listing in response to a real time communication initiated by the first customer via the first reference, the amount being based on a value of the first auctioned item.

18. A data processing system, comprising:

memory to store a first listing for a seller; and

at least one processor coupled to access the memory and configured to perform;

maintaining a pool of unallocated references not preassigned to a particular listing;

providing the first listing on a marketplace, the first listing including an assigned reference for the seller to be used by a customer to initiate a real time communication connection, wherein the reference is selected from the pool and assigned to the first listing when the first listing is being requested for customer display, and wherein the first listing comprises first auction information related to a first auctioned item of the seller;

receiving a price bid from the customer on the first auctioned item as a response to the first auction information;

in response to expiration of a predetermined time period following the providing the first listing, recycling the assigned reference into the pool for subsequent re-assigning to another seller; and

billing the seller for a real time communication lead generated from presenting the first listing in response to a real time communication initiated by the customer via the reference.

19. A method, comprising:

maintaining a pool of unallocated references not preassigned to a particular listing;

presenting, to a first entity, a second price bid for a telephonic lead to be generated from presenting information on behalf of a second entity;

receiving, from the first entity, a first price bid for a telephonic lead to be generated from presenting information on behalf of the first entity;

prioritizing, via at least one processor, first information related to an auctioned item of the first entity and second information related to an auctioned item of the second entity, based at least partially on the first price bid and the second price bid;

assigning, via the at least one processor, a first reference from the pool to a first listing when the first listing is being requested for customer display, the first reference to initiate a telephonic connection to the first entity in a way trackable to measure a number of telephonic calls generated from presenting the first reference;

assigning, via the at least one processor, a second reference from the pool to a second listing when the second listing is being requested for customer display, the second reference to initiate a telephonic connection to the second entity in a way trackable to measure a number of telephonic calls generated from presenting the second reference;

presenting auction information including at least one of the first information and the second information in accordance with a result of the prioritizing, the auction information comprising at least one of the first reference and the second reference;

receiving a price bid from a customer on at least one of the auctioned item of the first entity and the auctioned item of the second entity as a response to the auction information;

in response to expiration of a predetermined time period following the presenting the auction information, recycling, via the at least one processor, the first reference into the pool for subsequent re-assigning to a third entity;

in response to expiration of a predetermined time period following the presenting the auction information, recycling, via the at least one processor, the second reference into the pool for subsequent re-assigning to a fourth entity, wherein the first and second references are recycled into the pool at different times;

determining a measurement of a number of telephonic calls generated from presenting information on behalf of the first entity; and

billing the first entity according to the measurement of a number of telephonic calls generated from presenting information on behalf of the first entity and the first price bid.