Patent ID: 6954741
Filing Date: 2005-10-11
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. An automated method of settling a dispute among adverse parties involving monetary values, submitted by the adverse parties, comprising: receiving an engagement request from a first entity to engage an automated dispute resolution system, for a claim, and to be bound by a resolution of the claim transmitted from the automated dispute resolution system; receiving an engagement indication from a second entity, adverse to the first entity with respect to the claim, to engage the automated dispute resolution system for the claim; encouraging at least one of the first entity or second entity with a facilitator communication; receiving a series of at least two monetary demands and a power round demand from the first entity; receiving a series of at least two settlement offers from the second entity; maintaining inaccessibility of the monetary demands from the second entity; maintaining inaccessibility of the settlement offers from the first entity; comparing a first demand of the series of monetary demands with a first settlement offer in a first round to determine if a first difference between the first monetary demand and the first settlement offer is within a predetermined guideline; if, in the first round, the first difference is within the predetermined guideline, transmitting a successful dispute resolution notification to the first entity and the second entity; if, in the first round, the first difference is not within the predetermined guideline, comparing a second demand of the series of monetary demands with a second settlement offer in a second round to determine if a second difference between the second monetary demand and the second settlement offer is within the predetermined guideline; if, in the second round, the second difference is within the predetermined guideline, transmitting a successful dispute resolution notification to the first entity and the second entity; if, in the second round, the second difference is not within the predetermined guideline, initiating a third round as a power round by comparing the power round demand of the series monetary demands with one settlement offer, from the series of at least two settlement offers, to determine if a power round difference between the power round demand and the one settlement offer is within a predetermined power round guideline; and if, in the power round, the power round difference is within the predetermined power round guideline, transmitting a successful dispute resolution notification to the first entity and the second entity; wherein at least the step or steps of comparing are carried out using a computer.