Patent ID: 7512558
Filing Date: 2009-03-31
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. In a computer system, having one or more processors or virtual machines, one or more memory units, one or more input devices and one or more output devices, optionally a network, and optionally shared memory supporting communication among the processors, a computer implemented method for automatically finding the best matches between buyers' requests and sellers' offerings in a market of products or services, wherein such products or services are described by a plurality of arbitrary attributes, and for representing those matches in computer memory, and for communicating those matches, and for executing commitments based on those matches, said method comprising a microprocessor or virtual machine: (a) creating a buyers abstract representation of a plurality of intrinsic or extrinsic attributes of a request, and the relationship between at least one utility of the request and at least one state of the plurality of attributes; (b) creating a sellers abstract representation of a plurality of intrinsic or extrinsic attributes of an offer, and the relationship between the total price of the offering and at least one state of the plurality of attributes; (c) computing a rating for overall buyer's satisfaction of the plurality of attributes of a request with respect to a given offer; (d) determining the quantity and identity of assignments of sellers' offerings to buyers' requests, within the constraints of each party's stated extrinsic attributes, that produces the best set of matches for a given market; (e) capturing market data from market transactions and using the market data to automatically predict costs of attribute states in hypothetical transactions by steps comprising: (f) automatically joining buyers' requests in a consortium by steps comprising: (g) optionally signaling that the quantities and identities of assignments are accepted and that the transaction is committed by buyers and sellers.