Method, system and program product for supporting a transaction between electronic device users

• US 8,494,910 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2002
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maplebear Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Short, Thomas K.
• Primary Examiner(s): ADE, OGER GARCIA
• Application Number:
  US10/307,684
• Publication Number:
  US 20040107144A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,886 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions

Abstract

The present invention allows trading partners to be matched with each other based on the proximity of their locations and their capability to complete a desired transaction. Specifically, under the present invention a requestor will issue a transaction request seeking to exchange goods, services and/or information. A trading partner who can fulfill the transaction request will be identified based on a proximity of location of the trading partner to the requestor, as well as the capability of the trading partner to fulfill the transaction.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for supporting a transaction between electronic device users, comprising:

receiving a transaction request from a first electronic mobile device;

wherein the transaction request consists of a request to sell goods or services;

determining a location of the first electronic device; and

identifying a second mobile electronic device for receiving the transaction request based on a proximity of a location of the second electronic device to the location of the first electronic device, and based on a capability of a user of the second mobile electronic device to fulfill the transaction request by purchasing the goods or services, the identifying further comprising;

comparing the location of the first electronic device to the location of the second electronic device; and

selecting the second electronic device if the proximity of the location of the second electronic device to the location of the first electronic device meets a predetermined standard.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first electronic device and the second electronic device are selected from the group consisting of wireless devices and hardwired devices.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the location of the first electronic device and the second electronic device are determined based on a global positioning system (GPS).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the location of the first electronic device and the second electronic device are determined based on one of a triangulation using cellular telephone signals or a triangulation using television signals.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting information to the first electronic device to fulfill the transaction request.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the proximity is established based on a connection of the second electronic device and the first electronic device to a common node.

7. A computer-implemented method for supporting a transaction between electronic device users, comprising:

receiving a transaction request from a first mobile electronic device possessed by a requestor;

wherein the transaction request consists of a request from the requestor to sell goods or services;

determining a location of the requestor based on the electronic device;

identifying a trading partner with a second mobile electronic device to fulfill the transaction request based on a proximity of a location of the trading partner to the location of the requestor; and

based on a capability of the trading partner to fulfill the transaction request by purchasing the goods or services, the identifying further comprising;

comparing the location of the requestor to the location of the trading partner; and

selecting the trading partner if the proximity of the locations meets a predetermined standard.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first electronic device is a first wireless device, wherein the trading partner operates a second wireless device, and wherein the location of the trading partner is based on the second wireless device.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising transmitting information pertaining to the identified trading partner to the requestor.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the locations of the requestor and the trading partner are determined based on a global positioning system (GPS).

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the location of the requestor and the trading partner are determined based on one of a triangulation using cellular telephone signals or a triangulation using television signals.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein proximity is established based on a connection of the trading partner and the requestor to a common node.

13. A system for supporting a transaction between electronic device users, comprising:

a request system for receiving a transaction request from a first electronic mobile electronic device possessed by a requestor;

wherein the transaction request consists of a request from the requestor to sell goods or services;

a location system for determining a location of the requestor based on the first electronic device;

a matching system for identifying a trading partner with a second mobile electronic device to fulfill the transaction request based on a proximity of a location of the trading partner to the location of the requestor; and

based on a capability of the trading partner to fulfill the transaction request by purchasing the goods or services, the identifying further comprising;

comparing the location of the requestor to the location of the trading partner; and

selecting the trading partner if the proximity of the locations meets a predetermined standard.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the first electronic device is a first wireless device, wherein the trading partner operates a second wireless device, and wherein the location of the trading partner is based on the second wireless device.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising a broker system for communicating information to support the transaction.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising a metric system for tracking statistics for the transaction.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the location of the requestor is determined based on a GPS analysis of the electronic device.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the location of the requestor is determined by one of a triangulation using cellular telephone signals or a triangulation using television signals.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the matching system identifies the trading partner by applying a predetermined standard to the proximity of the locations of the requestor and the trading partner.