Patent ID: 7447653
Filing Date: 2008-11-04
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. An electronic commerce system aiding in purchase and sale of commodities, comprising: first and second storing units, under control of first and second transaction partners, storing first and second commodity data records related to commodities handled by the first and second transaction partners, respectively, each commodity data record stored in said first and second storing units including at least a commodity identifier for a commodity corresponding thereto, commodity price information, and a public disclosure indicator indicating whether other transaction partners are allowed to reference the commodity data record; a central storing unit registering uploaded commodity data records corresponding to at least some of the commodity data records in said first and second commodity data storing units for which the public disclosure indicator indicates public disclosure is permitted, each uploaded commodity data record including: the commodity identifier for the commodity corresponding thereto, a usual commodity price, and price change conditions including an associated commodity identifier when an associated commodity may be transacted with the commodity identified by the commodity identifier of the uploaded commodity data record; a search unit searching in said central storing unit for a first commodity identifier uploaded from said first storing unit for a first commodity handled by the first transaction partner, in response to a search request from the second transaction partner, and producing a search result with at least part of a matching uploaded commodity data record when a match is found; and a purchase and sale judgment unit searching the second storing unit and judging the first commodity and a second commodity as tradable candidates when the matching uploaded commodity data record in the search result includes at least one associated commodity identifier and a second commodity data record is found in said second storing unit with a second commodity identifier matching the at least one associated commodity identifier, regardless of whether the public disclosure indicator in the second commodity data record indicates public disclosure is permitted.