Patent ID: 6144727
Filing Date: 2000-11-07
Classification: H04M,H04Q

Abstract:
A system for trading telecommunication services, comprising:a clearing node adapted to:receive service offers from sellers of telecommunication services, each service offer comprising an offer to sell a block of telecommunication service larger in size than a single telecommunication transaction, each offer comprising a plurality of parameters, the parameters comprising:a price;an origination location; anda destination location;derive from the service offers a rate table having a plurality of entries that store price information for a plurality of routes, wherein each route is defined by a plurality of parameters comprising:an origination location; anda destination location;receive purchase requests from purchasers of telecommunication services, each purchase request requesting purchase of a block of telecommunication service larger in size than a single telecommunication transaction, each request comprising a plurality of parameters, the parameters comprising:a price;an origination location; anda destination location;maintain an account for each seller and purchaser of telecommunication services, each account having a balance;broker sales of telecommunications services between sellers and purchasers in accordance with a predefined protocol, the protocol comprising:comparing the parameters that define each purchase request to the parameters that define a plurality of the routes in the rate table;identifying a route in the rate table having a plurality of parameters that correspond to the parameters in at least one purchase request, wherein the corresponding parameters comprise the origination location and the destination location;identifying a rate table entry representative of available service for carrying communications via the identified route;choosing a purchase request from among one or more purchase requests requesting purchase of telecommunication service via the route;creating a sale record, the record comprising:the identity of the buyer that submitted the chosen request;the identity of a seller that submitted an offer used to fill the chosen request; andthe sold telecommunication services;updating the account balance of each seller that submitted an offer used to derive the identified rate table entry and the buyer that submitted the chosen request.