Method and system for reserving future purchases of goods and services

• US 20080215495A1
• Filed: 12/21/2007
• Published: 09/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Holdit, LLC
• Original Assignee: Optionit Incorporated
• Inventors: Pappas, Christian S., Brown, Charles P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,996,292 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/80
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• 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 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation

Abstract

A method and system for reserving future purchases of goods or services using plural electronic options with associated option fees. The plural electronic options include a hierarchy of electronic options and plural different types electronic options terms.

Claims

1. A method for providing electronic options for goods or services, comprising:

providing from a server network device to a client network device via a computer network, a list of available goods or services including a plurality of electronic options with associated electronic option fees for the goods or services, wherein the plurality of electronic options include a plurality of different electronic option terms established by one or more suppliers who can supply the goods or services, wherein the plurality of electronic options include a hierarchy of electronic options and wherein an electronic option fee is associated with a reservation price to purchase desired goods or services at a desired future time;

providing the hierarchy of electronic options for a selected good or service for a desired supplier who can supply the selected good or service; and

accepting a purchase of an electronic option from the hierarchy of electronic options for an option fee for a desired good or service for a desired supplier on the server network device, wherein the purchase of the electronic option is accepted according to electronic option terms established by the desired supplier.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising a computer readable medium having stored therein instructions for causing a central processing unit to execute the steps of the method.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the hierarchy includes a hierarchy of electronic options for a plurality of different classes for a desired good or service.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the hierarchy includes a hierarchy of electronic options for a plurality of different models for a desired good or service.

5. A method for providing electronic options for goods or services, comprising:

receiving terms for an electronic option on a server network device via a computer network from a client network device;

calculating an electronic option fee is calculated based on the received electronic option terms; and

storing the received electronic option terms and calculated electronic option fee are stored in a database associated with the server network device as an available electronic option.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising a computer readable medium having stored therein instructions for causing a central processing unit to execute the steps of the method.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the receiving step includes:

receiving terms for an electronic option that are desired by a consumer from a client network device via the communications network; and

accepting via a supplier the electronic option terms desired by the consumer.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

offering an available electronic option with electronic option terms desired by a consumer and an electronic option fee calculated from the desired to other consumers and thus allowing the consumer who proposed the electronic options terms to act as an electronic option broker.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

recording information in the database to identify the consumer who is acting as the electronic option broker.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein the electronic option terms obligate the option holder to purchase the good or service at the time of expiration of the electronic option.

11. The method of claim 5 wherein the electronic option terms obligate the option holder to purchase the good or service upon first availability of the good or service.

12. The method of claim 5 wherein the electronic option terms include a conditional event that obligates the option holder to purchase the good or service upon successful completion of the conditional event.

13. The method of claim 5 wherein the electronic option terms include a conditional event that obligates the option holder to purchase the good or service upon at a specified date after successful completion of the conditional event.

14. The method of claim 5 wherein the electronic option terms include a conditional event that does not obligate the option holder to purchase the good or service upon at a specified date after successful completion of the conditional event.

15. The method of claim 5 wherein the calculating step includes calculating an electronic option fee with offer/counteroffer negotiation between a supplier and a consumer.

18. The method of claim 5 wherein the server network device is a dedicated electronic options exchange server.

20. The method of claim 5 wherein the received electronic option terms specify that if the goods or service does not become available by a pre-determined date or conditional event, a portion of the electronic option fee will be refunded.

21. The method of claim 5 wherein the received electronic option terms specify that if the goods or service does not become available by a pre-determined date or conditional event, a substitute good or service is made available that may be of greater, less than or equal value to the original product at a price that is greater, less than, or equal to the original exercise price of the option.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the calculating step includes calculating the electronic option fee based on a winning bid of an auction to purchase an electronic option for a desired good or service.

19. The method of claim 19 wherein the dedicated electronic options exchange server charges a service fee to a buyer or seller or buyer and seller of an electronic option that is purchased via the dedicated electronic options exchange server.

22. A system for providing electronic options for goods or services, comprising in combination:

means for receiving terms for an electronic option on a server network device via a computer network from a client network device;

means for calculating an electronic option fee is calculated based on the received electronic option terms; and

means for storing the received electronic option terms and calculated electronic option fee are stored in a database associated with the server network device as an available electronic option.