Transactions via a user device in the proximity of a seller

• US 8,473,371 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2011
• Issued: 06/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Wright, Eric Stuart
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Amee A
• Application Number:
  US13/073,553
• Publication Number:
  US 20120253982A1
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26.1, 705/26.9
• US Class Current: 705/26.9
• 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 30/0623 Item investigation

Abstract

Embodiments of methods and systems are provided that allow a user to upload inventories, view inventories in the proximity of the user, and/or facilitate transactions over a user device in a simple manner. In an embodiment, a method for transactions comprises loading, by a server at a remote location, an application on a user device of a user, wherein the application allows the user to upload an inventory comprising one or more items and/or services offered for sale by the user, as well as to view on the user device other inventory offered for sale by one or more other users as the user comes into proximity of the one or more other users, and wherein an inventory list maintained at the user device is constantly updated with the other inventory viewed by the user device. The method also comprises receiving, by the server at the remote location, transaction information associated with conducting a transaction in connection with the inventory list over the user device. The method further comprises facilitating, by the server at the remote location, the transaction between the user via the user device and the one or more other users.

Claims

1. A method for transactions comprising:

loading, by a server at a remote location, an application on a user device of a user, the application;

allowing the user to upload an inventory comprising one or more items or services offered for sale by the user;

allowing the user to browse on the user device other inventory offered for sale by one or more other users as the user comes into proximity of the one or more other users; and

constantly updating an inventory list maintained at the user device with the other inventory viewed by the user device based on where the user device has been or is located, the inventory list reflecting what has been viewed by the user device;

receiving, by the server at the remote location, transaction information associated with conducting a transaction in connection with the inventory list over the user device;

facilitating, by the server at the remote location, the transaction between the user via the user device and the one or more other users;

allowing the user to upload a digital representation of the inventory offered for sale by the user;

comparing the uploaded digital representation of the inventory with the other inventory of the one or more other users in proximate range of the user device;

if the inventory of the one or more other users does not exist in the user device, adding the inventory of the one or more other users to the inventory list on the user device; and

continually updating the inventory list on the user device when the user device is in proximate range of other further users.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising logging or providing receipts for the transaction by the server at the remote location.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing the user to communicate, in an ad-hoc basis, a list of the one or more items or services to other user devices having the application so that all items or services on each user device comprise a same list for all the user devices such that no duplicate items or services are listed.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the inventory list further comprises at least one item or service listed with an item number, an asking price, a photograph, an icon, or a description of the at least one item or service.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one item or service is tagged with the item number, which comprises an item identifier and a geo location.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises allowing the user device to carry two separate sets of inventories, wherein one inventory includes the at least one or more items or services offered for sale by the user and a second inventory includes the other inventory offered for sale by the one or more other users having the application, such that any user is allowed to turn on or off his or her own inventory, and also browse any other user'"'"'s on or off inventory.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the application allows the user to turn on the application to view the other inventory when the user is in the proximity of the one or more other users.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the proximity of the one or more other users further comprises a location right outside a venue of the one or more other users or within a standard wireless communication technology range.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying the user of the one or more other users in the proximity via the user device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the application allows the user to request a location of the one or more other users in connection with an offer.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising notifying the one or more other users of a request of the location of the one or more other users.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising allowing the one or more other users to display or broadcast its location if the user requests the location of the one or more other users in connection with the offer.

13. A transaction system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more memories adapted to store a plurality of machine-readable instructions which when executed by the one or more processors are adapted to cause the transaction system to;

load, by a server at a remote location, an application on a user device of a user, the application;

allowing the user to upload an inventory comprising one or more items or services offered for sale by the user;

allowing the user to browse on the user device other inventory offered for sale by one or more other users as the user comes into proximity of the one or more other users; and

constantly updating an inventory list maintained at the user device with the other inventory viewed by the user device based on where the user device has been or is located, the inventory list reflecting what has been viewed by the user device;

receive, by the server at the remote location, transaction information associated with conducting a transaction in connection with the inventory list over the user device;

facilitate, by the server at the remote location, the transaction between the user via the user device and the one or more other users;

allow the user to upload a digital representation of the inventory offered for sale by the user;

compare the uploaded digital representation of the inventory with the other inventory of the one or more other users in proximate range of the user device;

if the inventory of the one or more other users does not exist in the user device, add the inventory of the one or more other users to the inventory list on the user device; and

continually update the inventory list on the user device when the user device is in proximate range of other further users.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of machine-readable instructions which when executed by the one or more processors are adapted to cause the transaction system to:

notify the user of the one or more other users being in the proximity via the user device.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of machine-readable instructions which when executed by the one or more processors are adapted to cause the transaction system to:

allow the user to request a location of the one or more other users in connection with an offer.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of machine-readable instructions which when executed by the one or more processors are adapted to cause the transaction system to:

notify the one or more other users of a request of the location of the one or more other users.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium on which are stored computer readable instructions and, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

load an application on a user device of a user, the application;

allowing the user to upload an inventory comprising one or more items or services offered for sale by the user;

allowing the user to browse on the user device other inventory offered for sale by one or more other users as the user comes into proximity of the one or more other users; and

constantly updating an inventory list maintained at the user device with the other inventory viewed by the user device based on where the user device has been or is located, the inventory list reflecting what has been viewed by the user device;

receive transaction information associated with conducting a transaction in connection with the inventory list over the user device;

facilitate the transaction between the user via the user device and the one or more 30 other users;

allow the user device to upload a digital representation of the inventory;

compare the uploaded digital representation of the inventory with the other inventory offered by the one or more other users in proximate range of the user device;

if the other inventory of the one or more other users do not exist in the user device, add the other inventory to the inventory list on the user device; and

continually update the inventory list on the user device when the user device is in proximate range of other further users.