Method and apparatus for facilitating peer-to-peer electronic commerce
First Claim
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1. A computer-implemented method for selecting a customer of a commodity, the method comprising:
- receiving a set of traits for a customer;
receiving a customer'"'"'s description of the commodity;
identifying, by a computer, a provider of the commodity based on the description of the commodity;
receiving the customer'"'"'s specification of a set of provider traits wherein the set of provider traits includes a set of required provider traits and a set of preferred provider traits;
receiving a set of traits for the provider;
determining, by the computer, that the set of traits for the provider satisfy the set of required provider traits specified by the customer;
receiving the provider'"'"'s specification of a set of customer-traits, wherein the set of customer traits includes a set of required customer traits and a set of preferred customer traits;
determining, by the computer, that the customer is a potential customer for the provider based on the set of traits for the customer satisfying the set of required customer traits specified by the provider;
determining, by the computer, a score for the customer, wherein the score is based on the set of traits for the customer satisfying the set of preferred customer traits specified by the provider;
ranking the customer, based on the determined score, within a ranked list of customers for the commodity offered by the provider; and
presenting the ranked list of customers to the provider.
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Abstract
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for determining a list of providers of a commodity. During operation, the system receives a description of the commodity from a customer at a server. Then, the system uses the description to identify a list of providers of the commodity. Next, the system receives a specification of a set of desired provider-traits from the customer. The system then filters the list of providers of the commodity based on the desired provider-traits to obtain a filtered list of providers of the commodity. Finally, the system presents the filtered list of providers to the customer.
15 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for selecting a customer of a commodity, the method comprising:
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receiving a set of traits for a customer; receiving a customer'"'"'s description of the commodity; identifying, by a computer, a provider of the commodity based on the description of the commodity; receiving the customer'"'"'s specification of a set of provider traits wherein the set of provider traits includes a set of required provider traits and a set of preferred provider traits; receiving a set of traits for the provider; determining, by the computer, that the set of traits for the provider satisfy the set of required provider traits specified by the customer; receiving the provider'"'"'s specification of a set of customer-traits, wherein the set of customer traits includes a set of required customer traits and a set of preferred customer traits; determining, by the computer, that the customer is a potential customer for the provider based on the set of traits for the customer satisfying the set of required customer traits specified by the provider; determining, by the computer, a score for the customer, wherein the score is based on the set of traits for the customer satisfying the set of preferred customer traits specified by the provider; ranking the customer, based on the determined score, within a ranked list of customers for the commodity offered by the provider; and presenting the ranked list of customers to the provider. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for selecting a customer of a commodity, the method comprising:
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receiving a set of traits for a customer; receiving a customer'"'"'s description of the commodity; identifying a provider of the commodity based on the description of the commodity; receiving the customer'"'"'s specification of a set of provider traits wherein the set of provider traits includes a set of required provider traits and a set of preferred provider traits; receiving a set of traits for the provider; determining that set of traits for the provider satisfying the set of required provider traits specified by the customer; receiving the provider'"'"'s specification of a set of customer-traits, wherein the set of customer traits includes a set of required customer traits and a set of preferred customer traits; determining that the customer is a potential customer for the provider based on the set of traits for the customer satisfying the set of required customer traits specified by the provider; determining a score for the customer, wherein the score is based on the set of traits for the customer satisfying the set of preferred customer traits specified by the provider; ranking the customer, based on the determined score, within a ranked list of customers for the commodity offered by the provider; and presenting the ranked list of customers to the provider. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An apparatus for selecting a customer of a commodity, comprising:
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a processor; a memory; a receiving mechanism configured to receive a set of traits for a customer;
the receiving mechanism further configured to receive a customer'"'"'s description of the commodity;an identification mechanism configured to identify a provider of the commodity based on the description of the commodity; the receiving mechanism further configured to receive the customer'"'"'s specification of a set of provider traits wherein the set of provider traits includes a set of required provider traits and a set of preferred provider traits; the receiving mechanism further configured to receive a set of traits for the provider; a determination mechanism configured to determine that the set of traits for the provider satisfy the set of required provider traits specified by the customer; the receiving mechanism further configured to receive the provider'"'"'s specification of a set of customer-traits, wherein the set of customer traits includes a set of required customer traits and a set of preferred customer traits; a determination mechanism configured to determine that the customer is a potential customer for the provider based on the set of traits for the customer satisfying the set of required customer traits specified by the provider; a scoring mechanism configured to determine a score for the customer, wherein the score is based on the set of traits for the customer satisfying the set of preferred customer traits specified by the provider; a ranking mechanism configured to rank the customer, based on the determined score, within a ranked list of customers for the commodity offered by the provider; and a presenting mechanism configured to present the ranked list of customers to the provider. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification