Vehicle co-listing systems and methods

• US 8,315,921 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2007
• Issued: 11/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OPENLANE, Inc.
• Original Assignee: OPENLANE, Inc.
• Inventors: Hallowell, Zachary Emerson, Hammond, Clarence Joseph, Thomas, Susan Benson
• Primary Examiner(s): Pond, Robert M.
• Application Number:
  US11/681,729
• Publication Number:
  US 20070250396A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,090 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/14, 705/37
• US Class Current: 705/27.1
• 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 30/0611 Request for offers or quotes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions

Abstract

An embodiment of the invention is directed to a method for computer network-based sale of vehicles. An access group data structure is created. The access group data structure includes structure that defines association of web sites, users and vehicles associated with an access group. Whether vehicles are visible on respective web sites is controlled based on the access group, and access by the user is allowed to respective items in the access group based on whether a user is associated with the access group. Another embodiment includes providing an access group object, wherein the access group object includes properties that define association of web sites, users and vehicles associated with an access group. Another embodiment is directed to a computerized system for vehicle sale including a web server.

Claims

1. A method for computer network-based sale of vehicles, the method comprising:

creating an access group data structure, wherein the access group data structure includes structure that defines association of web sites, users and vehicles associated with an access group;

in response to receiving instruction to link the access group to vehicles, updating the access group data structure to reflect linking of the access group to the vehicles;

in response to receiving instruction to link the access group to web sites, updating the access group data structure to reflect linking of the access group to the web sites;

in response to receiving instruction to link the access group to users, updating the access group data structure to reflect linking of the access group to the users;

based on the access group, controlling whether vehicles are visible on respective web sites; and

based on whether a user is associated with the access group, allowing access by the user to respective items in the access group, wherein the respective items comprise a plurality of the vehicles visible on one or more of the web sites.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the respective web sites in the group of web sites are differently branded and have different uniform resource locators (URLs).

3. The method of claim 1, including providing a length of time for sale of the vehicles in the access group.

4. The method of claim 1, including, in response to a user'"'"'s request to search for vehicles, searching the vehicles in the access group associated with the user.

5. The method of claim 1, including receiving and processing a request, from a user in the respective access group, to purchase a vehicle in a respective access group, after determining association of the user and vehicle to the access group.

6. The method of claim 1, including receiving and processing a request from a user in the respective access group, to bid on a vehicle in a respective access group, after determining association of the user and vehicle to the access group.

7. The method of claim 1, including,

receiving a request, from a user in the respective access group, to buy a vehicle in a respective access group, and

preventing the user from buying the user'"'"'s own vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1, including,

displaying a listing of a set of vehicles for sale for a user;

and

providing an option to remove vehicles from the set of vehicles for sale.

9. The method of claim 1, including providing an option to allow the user to sell a vehicle immediately at a current highest bid.

10. The method of claim 1, including:

providing an option to allow the user to view confirmed bids; and

providing an option to allow the user to view offers placed on a vehicle.

11. A method for computer network-based sale of vehicles, the method comprising:

providing an access group object, wherein the access group object includes properties that define association of web sites, users and vehicles associated with an access group;

configuring the access group object to associate the access group to the vehicles;

configuring the access group object to associate the access group to the web sites;

configuring the access group object to associate the access group to the users;

configuring the access group object to associate respective conditions of sale with the access group, wherein the conditions of sale are applicable to sale of vehicles in the access group;

using the access group object to control whether vehicles are visible on respective web sites; and

based on whether a user is associated with the access group,

allowing access by the user to respective items in the access group, wherein the respective items comprise a plurality of the vehicles visible on one or more of the web sites, and

providing terms based on the conditions of sale associated with the access group.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the conditions of sale include pricing and settlement preferences.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the conditions of sale include settlement options.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the conditions of sale include an opening bid.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the conditions of sale include buy price.

16. A computerized system for vehicle sale comprising:

a web server that serves web sites including a plurality of vehicle detail pages;

a host database including descriptions of vehicles including configuration and condition;

a first module including,

an interface that creates an access group data structure, wherein the access group data structure includes structure that defines association of web sites, users and vehicles associated with an access group,

an interface that links the access group to the vehicles,

an interface that links the access group to the web sites, and

an interface that links the access group to the users; and

a second module including,

workflow that allows for listing of vehicles,

a control that allows control of sites on which vehicles can be listed, and

a control that allows control of sale; and

logic that controls access to the vehicles provided by the second module based on the access group data structure, wherein the access to the vehicles comprises access to a plurality of the vehicles displayed on one or more of the web sites.

17. The computerized system of claim 16, including logic that controls a vehicle lifecycle including length of time a vehicle is visible in a set of iterations.

18. The computerized system of claim 17, including logic that processes searches of vehicles.

19. The computerized system of claim 18, including a manage listings interface that allows a user to view and manage vehicles listed for sale by the user.

20. The computerized system of claim 19, including logic listing vehicles for auction.

21. A method for computer network-based sale of vehicles, the method comprising:

creating a data structure representing a vehicle, the data structure representing a vehicle being associated with a data structure representing a description of the vehicle, a data structure representing a condition of the vehicle, and a data structure for pictures of the vehicle;

updating the data structure representing the description of the vehicle;

updating the data structure representing the condition of the vehicle;

updating the data structure for the pictures of the vehicle;

setting pricing, fee and settlement preferences;

associating the data structure representing the vehicle with an access group data structure, wherein the access group data structure includes structure that defines association of web sites, users and vehicles associated with an access group;

in response to receiving instruction to link the access to vehicles, updating the access group data structure to reflect linking of the access group to the vehicles;

in response to receiving instruction to link the access group to web sites, updating the access group data structure to reflect linking of the access group to the web sites;

in response to receiving instruction to link the access group to users, updating the access group data structure to reflect linking of the access group to the users;

based on the access group, controlling whether vehicles are visible on respective web sites; and

based on whether a user is associated with the access group, allowing access by the user to respective items in the access group, wherein the respective items comprise a plurality of the vehicles visible on one or more of the web sites.

22. A computer-based vehicle sale apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

means for creating an access group data structure, wherein the access group data structure includes structure that defines association of web sites, users and vehicles associated with an access group;

means for, in response to receiving instruction to link the access group to vehicles, updating the access group data structure to reflect linking of the access group to the vehicles;

means for, in response to receiving instruction to link the access group to web sites, updating the access group data structure to reflect linking of the access group to the web sites;

means for, in response to receiving instruction to link the access group to users, updating the access group data structure to reflect linking of the access group to the users;

means for, based on the access group, controlling whether vehicles are visible on respective web sites; and

means for, based on whether a user is associated with the access group, allowing access by the user to respective items in the access group, wherein the respective items comprise a plurality of the vehicles visible on one or more of the web sites.