Methods and systems for searching for goods and services

• US 8,332,279 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2010
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Woolston, Thomas G.
• Primary Examiner(s): JOHNSON, GREGORY L
• Application Number:
  US12/978,102
• Publication Number:
  US 20110099090A1
• Time in Patent Office: 719 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

A method and apparatus for creating a computerized market for used and collectible goods by use of a plurality of low cost posting terminals and a market maker computer in a legal framework that establishes a bailee relationship and consignment contract with a purchaser of a good at the market maker computer that allows the purchaser to change the price of the good once the purchaser has purchased the good thereby to allow the purchaser to speculate on the price of collectibles in an electronic market for used goods while assuring the safe and trusted physical possession of a good with a vetted bailee.

Claims

1. A portable computing device for use in presenting information concerning a good, the device comprising:

a scanner to scan a bar code associated with the good;

a communications interface to communicate data associated with the scanned bar code over a network to a database, and to receive information concerning the good over the network from the database, wherein the information received from the database is information from a data record associated with the good, the data record selected and retrieved from the database using an identification code associated with the bar code with which the good is associated, the database storing data records associated with a plurality of goods being offered via a plurality of stores independently accessible via the Internet; and

a user interface application to present the information concerning the good, the information received from the database and including a store identification indicating a store from which the good can be purchased.

2. The portable computing device of claim 1, wherein the information received from the database is information from a data record associated with the good, the data record selected and retrieved from the database using an identification code associated with the bar code with which the good is associated.

3. The portable computing device of claim 1, wherein the information received from the database facilitates establishing a network connection via the communications interface with a store from which the good can be purchased.

4. The portable computing device of claim 3, wherein the communications interface establishes the network connection over the Internet.

5. The portable computing device of claim 1, wherein the user interface application is facilitated via an Internet web browser.

6. The portable computing device of claim 1, wherein the information received from the database includes information to facilitate processing a user'"'"'s purchase request for the good.

7. The portable computing device of claim 1, wherein the information received from the database includes information specifying a price at which the good is offered.

8. The portable computing device of claim 1, wherein the information received from the database includes information describing the good offered.

9. The portable computing device of claim 1, wherein the database to which the data associated with the scanned bar code is to be communicated is local to the portable computing device.

10. The portable computing device of claim 1, wherein the database to which the data associated with the scanned bar code is to be communicated is in the same geographical location as the portable computing device.

11. The portable computing device of claim 1, wherein the database to which the data associated with the scanned bar code is to be communicated is in the same local area network as the portable computing device.

12. The portable computing device of claim 1, wherein the database to which the data associated with the scanned bar code is to be communicated is internal to the portable computing device.

13. The portable computing device of claim 1, wherein the database to which the data associated with the scanned bar code is to be communicated is remote from the portable computing device.

14. The portable computing device of claim 1, wherein the communications interface is to communicate the data associated with the scanned bar code to the database over a public network.

15. The portable computing device of claim 1, wherein the communications interface is to communicate the data associated with the scanned bar code to a database over a private network.

16. The portable computing device of claim 1, wherein the communications interface is to communicate the data associated with the scanned bar code to a plurality of databases.

17. A method for displaying, at a portable computing device, information concerning a good, the method comprising:

receiving a bar code associated with the good;

communicating data associated with the bar code over a network to a database;

receiving over the network from the database information concerning the good, wherein the information received from the database facilitates establishing a network connection via the communications interface with a computer-based store from which the good can be purchased; and

displaying the information concerning the good, the information including a store identification indicating a store from which the good can be purchased.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the information received from the database is information from a data record associated with the good, the data record selected and retrieved from the database using an identification code associated with the bar code with which the good is associated.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the information received from the database is information from a data record associated with the good, the data record selected and retrieved from the database using an identification code associated with the bar code with which the good is associated, the database storing data records associated with a plurality of goods being offered via a plurality of stores independently accessible via the Internet.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the information received from the database facilitates establishing a network connection via the communications interface with a computer hosting a second database storing information about the good.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the communications interface establishes the network connection over the Internet.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the information received from the database is re-rendered at the portable computing device.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the user interface application is facilitated via an Internet web browser.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein the information received from the database includes information to facilitate processing a user'"'"'s purchase request for the good.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein the information received from the database includes information specifying a price at which the good is offered.

26. The method of claim 17, wherein the information received from the database includes information describing the good offered.

27. The method of claim 17, wherein the database to which the data associated with the scanned bar code is communicated is local to the portable computing device.

28. The method of claim 17, wherein the database to which the data associated with the scanned bar code is communicated is remote from the portable computing device.

29. The method of claim 17, wherein communicating the data associated with the scanned bar code over a network to a database includes communicating the data associated with the scanned bar code over a public network to the database.

30. The method of claim 17, wherein communicating the data associated with the scanned bar code over a network to a database includes communicating the data associated with the scanned bar code over a private network to the database.

31. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

communicating the data associated with the scanned bar code to a plurality of databases over the network.

32. A portable computing device for use in displaying information concerning a good, the device comprising:

an image capture component to capture a bar code associated with the good, the bar code having an identification code identifying the good;

a communications interface to communicate the identification code over a network to a database, and to receive information concerning the good over the network from the database, wherein the information received from the database is information from a data record associated with the good, the data record selected and retrieved from the database using an identification code associated with the bar code with which the good is associated, the database storing data records associated with a plurality of goods being offered via a plurality of stores independently accessible via the Internet; and

a user interface application to display the information concerning the good, the information received from the database including a store identification indicating a store from which the good can be purchased.

33. The portable computing device of claim 32, wherein the identification code represents a text version of the bar code.

34. The portable computing device of claim 32, wherein the information received from the database is information from a data record associated with the good, the data record selected and retrieved from the database using the identification code.

35. The portable computing device of claim 32, wherein the information received from the database facilitates establishing a network connection via the communications interface with a computer-based store from which the good can be purchased.

36. The portable computing device of claim 32, wherein the communications interface establishes the network connection over the Internet.

37. The portable computing device of claim 32, wherein the user interface application is facilitated via an Internet web browser.

38. The portable computing device of claim 32, wherein the information received from the database includes information to facilitate processing a user'"'"'s purchase request for the good.

39. The portable computing device of claim 32, wherein the information received from the database includes information specifying a price at which the good is offered.

40. The portable computing device of claim 32, wherein the information received from the database includes information describing the good offered.

41. The portable computing device of claim 32, wherein the database to which the identification code is to be communicated is local to the portable computing device.

42. The portable computing device of claim 32, wherein the database to which the identification code is to be communicated is remote from the portable computing device.

43. The portable computing device of claim 32, wherein the communications interface is to communicate the identification code to the database over a public network.

44. The portable computing device of claim 32, wherein the communications interface is to communicate the identification code to a database over a private network.

45. The portable computing device of claim 32, wherein the communications interface is to communicate the identification code to a plurality of databases.

46. The portable computing device of claim 32, wherein the image capture component includes a camera.

47. The portable computing device of claim 32, wherein the image capture component is a camera.

48. A method for displaying, at a portable computing device, information concerning a good, the method comprising:

receiving a bar code associated with the good, the bar code encoding an identification code;

communicating the identification code over a network to a database;

receiving over the network from the database information concerning the good, wherein the information received from the database facilitates establishing a network connection via the communications interface with a store from which the good can be purchased; and

displaying the information concerning the good, the information including a store identification indicating a store from which the good can be purchased.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the identification code represents a text version of the bar code, the method further comprising:

decoding the bar code to obtain the identification code.

50. The method of claim 48, wherein the information received from the database is information from a data record associated with the good, the data record selected and retrieved from the database using the identification code associated with the bar code with which the good is associated.

51. The method of claim 48, wherein the information received from the database is information from a data record associated with the good, the data record selected and retrieved from the database using the identification code associated with the bar code with which the good is associated, the database storing data records associated with a plurality of goods being offered via a plurality of stores independently accessible via the Internet.

52. The method of claim 48, wherein the information received from the database facilitates establishing a network connection via the communications interface with a computer hosting a second database storing information about the good.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein the communications interface establishes the network connection over the Internet.

54. The method of claim 48, wherein the information received from the database is re-rendered at the portable computing device.

55. The method of claim 48, wherein the user interface application is facilitated via an Internet web browser.

56. The method of claim 48, wherein the information received from the database includes information to facilitate processing a user'"'"'s purchase request for the good.

57. The method of claim 48, wherein the information received from the database includes information specifying a price at which the good is offered.

58. The method of claim 48, wherein the information received from the database includes information describing the good offered.

59. The method of claim 48, wherein the database to which the identification code is communicated is local to the portable computing device.

60. The method of claim 48, wherein the database to which the identification code is communicated is in the same geographical location as the portable computing device.

61. The method of claim 48, wherein the database to which the identification code is communicated is hosted at a computer that is in the same local area network as the portable computing device.

62. The method of claim 48, wherein the database to which the identification code is communicated is internal to the portable computing device.

63. The method of claim 48, wherein the database to which the identification code is communicated is remote from the portable computing device.

64. The method of claim 48, wherein communicating the identification code over a network to a database includes communicating the identification code over a public network to the database.

65. The method of claim 48, wherein communicating the identification code over a network to a database includes communicating the identification code over a private network to the database.

66. The method of claim 48, further comprising:

communicating the identification code to a plurality of databases over the network.

67. A portable computing device for use in displaying information concerning a good, the device comprising:

image scanning means for capturing a bar code associated with the good, the bar code having an identification code identifying the good;

communications interface means for communicating the identification code over a network to a database, and for receiving information concerning the good over the network from the database, wherein the information received from the database is information from a data record associated with the good, the data record selected and retrieved from the database using an identification code associated with the bar code with which the good is associated, the database storing data records associated with a plurality of goods being offered via a plurality of stores independently accessible via the Internet; and

a user interface means for displaying the information concerning the good, the information received from the database including a store identification indicating a store from which the good can be purchased.

68. The portable computing device of claim 67, wherein the identification code represents a text version of the bar code.

69. The portable computing device of claim 67, wherein the information received from the database is information from a data record associated with the good, the data record selected and retrieved from the database using the identification code.

70. The portable computing device of claim 67, wherein the information received from the database facilitates establishing a network connection via the communications interface means with a computer-based store from which the good can be purchased.

71. The portable computing device of claim 67, wherein the communications interface means establishes the network connection over the Internet.

72. The portable computing device of claim 67, wherein the user interface means is facilitated via an Internet web browser.

73. The portable computing device of claim 67, wherein the information received from the database includes information to facilitate processing a user'"'"'s purchase request for the good.

74. The portable computing device of claim 67, wherein the information received from the database includes information specifying a price at which the good is offered.

75. The portable computing device of claim 67, wherein the information received from the database includes information describing the good offered.

76. The portable computing device of claim 67, wherein the database to which the identification code is to be communicated is local to the portable computing device.

77. The portable computing device of claim 67, wherein the database to which the identification code is communicated is in the same geographical location as the portable computing device.

78. The portable computing device of claim 67, wherein the database to which the identification code is communicated is hosted at a computer that is in the same local area network as the portable computing device.

79. The portable computing device of claim 67, wherein the database to which the identification code is communicated is internal to the portable computing device.

80. The portable computing device of claim 67, wherein the database to which the identification code is to be communicated is remote from the portable computing device.

81. The portable computing device of claim 67, wherein the communications interface is to communicate the identification code to the database over a public network.

82. The portable computing device of claim 67, wherein the communications interface is to communicate the identification code to a database over a private network.

83. The portable computing device of claim 67, wherein the communications interface is to communicate the identification code to a plurality of databases.