Patent ID: 6078906
Filing Date: 2000-06-20
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
In a system comprising at least one processor, a method for providing access to a document service over a computer network, said method comprising the steps of:executing in the system a plurality of processes includinga first participant process, the first participant process being a customer process representing a customer,a second participant process, the second participant process being a supplier process representing a supplier, anda broker process capable of serving as an intermediary between the customer and supplier processes;providing to the broker process a description of a commercial document service; andresponsively to the description thus provided, conducting an auction for the document service, the auction including the steps ofsubmitting a bid for the document service from a participant process,receiving bidding information in the broker process, the received bidding information including the submitted bid,attempting with the broker process to automatically establish a price determined by the broker process for the document service responsively to the received bidding information,establishing said price for the document service with the broker process if said price can be established for the document service upon completion of the attempting step, andif said price is established for the document service, proposing with the broker process a transaction wherein the document service is to be provided at the established price;if said proposed transaction is accepted, said supplier initiating the performance of said document service over said computer network.