Location Based Services Revenue Sharing and Cost Offsetting

• US 20080288315A1
• Filed: 07/31/2008
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: William Kress Bodin
• Inventors: Bodin, William Kress
• Granted Patent: US 7,797,170 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0266 based on the position of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions

Abstract

An opportunity server tracks in vehicle information system wireless web transactions using session identifiers, aggregates transaction records into session data, and uses session data assign cost of network and system usage to a winning bidding party in an online offering system so as to offset costs to the user for usage of the system. Credits are posted to share revenue and offset costs of OEM equipment and network access metered fees, thereby reducing the cost of said transactions by a user and promoting unfettered use of in vehicle information systems for a variety of services, purposes, and transactions.

Claims

1. An opportunity server system comprising:

an identifier controller configured to, upon the beginning of a location-based service brokering session on behalf of a user, temporarily associate a random anonymous session identifier value with a session record set and with a location based services access device, said location based service access device traveling with a vehicle, said session record set being anonymous with respect to said user, with respect to an account associated with said user, and with respect to any identifiers for said user;

a request distributor configured to broker a request for repair service of said vehicle with a plurality of potential vehicle repair service providers by transmitting said anonymous session identifier and said service request to each potential vehicle repair service provider;

an offer receiver configured to receive from said potential vehicle repair service providers a plurality of offers of vehicle repair service in response to said repair service request, each vehicle repair service provider identifying a cost associated with responding to said repair request for service, and certifying availability of necessary parts, tools, and trained personnel to complete said repair service;

a cost analyzer configured to determine a total response cost by aggregating said costs of responding from responding potential vehicle repair service providers, said total response cost being stored into said session record set;

a offer selector configured to determine at least one winning offer from a responding vehicle repair service provider;

a usage tracker configured to create records of resource usage for each transaction subsequently made by said access device of service provided by said winning vehicle repair service provider during said session to yield an aggregated session record set, and to, upon completion of said session, store said session record set;

a cost and revenue calculator configured to;

determine a cost to said access device for resource usage during said session representing a gross revenue due to said winning service provide;

determine a net revenue due to said winning service provider by reducing said gross revenue by said total response cost, and

subsequently, enabling said identifier controller to re-use said session record set for a plurality of location based services access devices;

said opportunity server thereby aggregating usage records with previously aggregated usage records, and offsetting costs to compensate non-winning responders.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cost and revenue calculator is configured to determine a cost based upon data amount transferred between one or more provider servers.

3. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cost and revenue calculator is configured to determine a cost based upon time of network usage during said session.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cost and revenue calculator is configured to credit an account associated with an original equipment manufacturer in an amount related to a compensatory payment.

5. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cost and revenue calculator is further configured to credit an account associated with an in-vehicle information system original equipment manufacturer in an amount related to said resource usage cost.