Abstract:
A supply-demand pairing system and its method are disclosed. The supply-demand pairing system comprises a demand side device, a supply side device and a server. The demand side device is used to locate, and used to provide a demander to input demand information to send a demand message to the server. The supply side device is used to locate, and used to provide a suppliers to input supply information to send a supply message to the server. The server is used to compare the demand message and the supply message to execute a supply-demand pairing, and used to send the demand message and the supply message to the supply side device and the demand side device respectively for making the demand side device can communicate with the supply side device.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of China Patent Application No. 201210080285.5, filed on Mar. 23, 2012, in the State Intellectual Property Office of the People&#39;s Republic of China, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a supply-demand pairing system and its method, and more particularly to a supply-demand pairing system capable of utilizing a GPS device to perform supply-demand searching and further performing supply-demand pairing and its method. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    People will usually need to deal with a number of uncertain transactions or activities during daily life. However, these transaction or activities are usually contingencies or spontaneous such as vehicle riding when going out, shopping somewhere spontaneously, outdoor rescue, transportation and market message search for any given place or time and the like. These may become uncertainty in accordance with the changes of time and location. The foregoing situations are that first, messages required by the transactions or activities may not be effectively collected in real-time; second, resources capable of being assigned to the transactions or activities are varied in accordance with the changes of time and location, resulting in uncertainty. Thus, the achieved efficiency and success ratios are not positive. 
         [0006]    The current market does not have corresponding systems to support and guide the market. Various related platforms such as business platforms or shopping platforms may not have sufficient contact with each other and have no significant effect. How to conveniently and quickly collect transaction messages and maximize resource dispatch is a key of facilitating these kinds of transactions or activities. Therefore, the invention is to provide a system capable of quickly and conveniently achieving supply-demand transaction such that transaction resources can be effectively utilized in each transaction. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the inventor(s) of the present invention based on years of experience in the related industry to conduct extensive researches and experiments, and finally developed a supply-demand pairing system and its method as a principle objective to overcome the problems of inconvenience of transactions in the market and the difficulty in obtaining demand and supply information rapidly and effectively. 
         [0008]    To achieve the foregoing objectives of the invention, a supply-demand pairing system is provided and comprises a demand side device, a supply side device and a server. The demand side device includes first identification information and GPS positioning function to position a current location to generate first current location information. The demand side device further receives demand information inputted by a demander to package first identification information, first current location information and demand information into a demand message that is delivered. The supply side device has second identification information and GPS positioning function to position current location to generate second current location information, and the supply side device further receives supply information inputted by a supplier to package second identification information, second current location information and supply information into a supply message that is delivered. The server receives and compares the demand message with the supply message to perform supply-demand pairing and respectively send the demand message and the supply message to the supply side device and the demand side device such that the demand side device and the supply side device that have been paired can communicate with each other through first identification information and second identification information. 
         [0009]    Preferably, the demand side device includes a positioning module, an input module, a processing module and a transmission module. The positioning module positions the current location of the demand side device to generate first current location information. The input module is provided to a demander to input demand information and provided to the demander to input a script message communicating with the supply side device that has been paired. The processing module is connected to the positioning module and the input module to package first identification information, first current location information and demand information into the demand message. The transmission module is connected to the processing module to send the demand message and the script message. 
         [0010]    Preferably, the supply side device includes a positioning module, an input module, a processing module and a transmission module. The positioning module positions the supply side device to generate second current location information. The input module is provided to the supplier to input supply information and provided to the supplier to input a script message communicating with the demand side device that has been paired. The processing module is connected to the positioning module and the input module to package second identification information, second current location information and supply information into a supply message. The transmission module is connected to the processing module to transmit the supply message and the script message. 
         [0011]    Preferably, the demand side device and the supply side device respectively include a display module to allow the demand side device to display the second current location information and the supply message through the display module such that the supply side device displays the first current location and the demand message. 
         [0012]    Preferably, first identification information and second identification information can include an IP address, a media access control (MAC) address, a physical address or a phone number. 
         [0013]    Preferably, the demand side device and the supply side device respectively include a communication module to provide the demand side device and the supply side device to perform audio or video communication. 
         [0014]    Preferably, the demand side device and the supply side device respectively include an image capturing module to provide the demander and the supplier to capture images, thereby generating image information. The demand side device and the supply side device then respectively package image information into the demand message and the supply message that then are transmitted to the server. 
         [0015]    Preferably, the server compares the first current location information in the demand message with the second current location information in the supply message. If the first current location information and the second current location information are at the regional area, the server will perform supply-demand pairing. 
         [0016]    Preferably, the server compares demand information in the demand message with supply information in the supply message. If contents of demand information and supply information correspond to each other, the server will perform supply-demand pairing. 
         [0017]    Preferably, the server further stores the demand message and the supply message. 
         [0018]    Preferably, when the server receives another demand message sent by another demand side device, the server will perform a demand determination to compare whether or not the demand message corresponds to another demand message, if yes, a demand advice message is generated and transmitted to the demand side device and another demand side device to allow the demand side device communicating with another demand side device, and the demand side device and the other demand side device can simultaneously obtain services provided by the supply side device. 
         [0019]    Preferably, the demand side device and the supply side device are provided to a demander and a supplier to selectively perform supply-demand transaction after performing pairing, and the demand side device and the supply side device are further provided to the demander and the supplier to input a transaction success-failure message after performing the transaction communication. The server stores the transaction success-failure message, and when the demand side device or the supply side device look for supply-demand pairing in future, the transaction success-failure message is sent to the demand side device or the supply side device through the server. 
         [0020]    According to an objective of the invention, a method for supply-demand pairing is provided and comprises the following steps: using a demand side device having first identification information and a GPS positioning function to position a current location to generate first current location information and providing a demander to input demand information; packaging first identification information, first current location information and demand information into a demand message through the demand side device and sending the demand message; using a supply side device having second identification information and a GPS positioning function to position a current location to generate second current location information and providing a supplier to input supply information; packaging second identification information, second current location information and supply information into a supply message through the supply side device and sending the supply message; providing a server to receive the demand message and the supply message and performing comparison, wherein when the demand message corresponds to the supply message, performing supply-demand pairing through the server; and respectively sending the demand message and the supply message to the supply side device and the demand side device through the server to allow the demand side device and the supply side device that are paired to communicate with each other through the first identification information and the second identification information 
         [0021]    The supply-demand pairing system and its method according to the invention have one or more advantages as the following: 
         [0022]    (1) The supply-demand pairing system and its method according to the invention utilize the electronic device having a GPS function to perform positioning and send demand and supply information. It can quickly and effectively allow the demander and the supplier to obtain the respective demands and services provided of each other, and provided from each other, allowing both the demander and the supplier to acquire the best transaction quality. Accordingly, overall economic effectiveness is improved. 
         [0023]    (2) The supply-demand pairing system and its method according to the invention continuously receive the demand message and the supply message through the server to collect adequate transaction information such that each transaction can be accurately paired and regulated. The server can also plan different transaction solutions for the demander and the supplier to allow both parties to further execute more trades. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0024]      FIG. 1  a is block diagram of a supply-demand pairing system according to the invention; 
           [0025]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart of a method for supply-demand pairing according to the invention; 
           [0026]      FIG. 3A  is a first schematic diagram of a supply-demand pairing system and its method according to a first embodiment of the invention; 
           [0027]      FIG. 3B  is a second schematic diagram of a supply-demand pairing system and its method according to a first embodiment of the invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 3C  is a third schematic diagram of a supply-demand pairing system and its method according to a first embodiment of the invention; 
           [0029]      FIG. 3D  is a fourth schematic diagram of a supply-demand pairing system and its method according to a first embodiment of the invention; 
           [0030]      FIG. 3E  is a fifth schematic diagram of a supply-demand pairing system and its method according to a first embodiment of the invention; 
           [0031]      FIG. 4  is a first schematic diagram of a supply-demand pairing system and its method according to a second embodiment of the invention; 
           [0032]      FIG. 5  is a second schematic diagram of a supply-demand pairing system and its method according to a second embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0033]    The foregoing and other technical characteristics of the present invention will become apparent with the detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the illustration of the related drawings. 
         [0034]    With reference to  FIG. 1  for a block diagram of a supply-demand pairing system according to the invention is depicted. In the figure, the supply-demand pairing system  100  comprises a demand side device  1 , a supply side device  2  and a server  3 . The demand side device  1  and the supply side device  2  can be electronic devices such as a mobile phone having GPS positioning and navigation functions, or a PDA. The demand side device  1  and the supply side device  2  respectively corresponds to first identification information and second identification information. The first identification information and the second identification information can be an IP address, a media access control (MAC) address, a physical address or a phone number for identifying the demand side device  1  and the supply side device  2 . The server  3  can be a remote host. The demand side device  1  and the supply side device  2  can be connected to the server  3  via the Internet. The demand side device  1  comprises a positioning module  11 , an input module  12 , processing module  13 , a transmission module  14 , a display module  15 , an image capturing module  16  and a communication module  17 . The processing module  13  is connected to the positioning module  11 , the input module  12 , the transmission module  14 , the display module  15 , the image capturing module  16  and the communication module  17 . The supply side device  2  includes a positioning module  21 , an input module  22 , the processing module  23 , the transmission module  24 , a display module  25 , an image capturing module  26  and the communication module  27 . The processing module  23  is connected to the positioning module  21 , the input module  22 , the transmission module  24 , the display module  25 , the image capturing module  26  and the communication module  27 . The input modules  12 ,  22  can be keypads or such device. The display modules  15 ,  25  can be monitors. The input module  12  and the display module  15  and the input module  22  and the display module  25  can be integrated into a touch input panel respectively. The image capturing modules  16 ,  26  can be a lens, an image sensing component or a foregoing combination. The transmission modules  14 ,  24  can be a network interface for uploading data of scripts, figures or images to the Internet. The communication modules  17 ,  27  can be a communication chip providing audio or video communication. 
         [0035]    The positioning module  11  of the demand side device  1  can position the current location of the demand side device to generate first current location information. The input module  12  can provide a user to input demand information, wherein demand information can include a transport request demand, shopping demand, information search demand or rescue demand. The user can input data corresponding to these demands. For example, transport request demand can include inputting information of number of passengers and destinations. The processing module  13  can package first identification information, first current location information and demand information into a demand message. The transmission module  14  can deliver the demand message to the server  3  through a network. The positioning module  21  of the supply side device  2  can perform positioning for the supply side device  2  to generate second current location information. The input module  22  can provide the user to input supply information. Supply information can include riding service, shopping service, road rescue service, information search service. The supplier further input related information based upon each inputted service item. For example, the riding service can include inputting the riding quantity or locations. The processing module  23  can package second identification information, second current location information and supply information into a supply message. The transmission module  24  can send the supply message to the server  3 . When the server  3  receives the demand message and the supply message, the demand message and the supply message are stored and a comparison is performed. First current location information in the demand message is compared with second current location information in the supply message. Alternatively, demand information in the demand message is compared with supply information in the supply message. Alternatively, first identification information is compared with second identification information. If first current location information and second current location information are at the same regional area or if the content in demand information corresponds to the content in supply information or if first identification information corresponds to second identification information, the server  3  executes a supply-demand pairing action to send the demand message to the supply side device  2  and to send the supply message to the demand side device  1  such that the demand side device  1  is connected to the supply side device  2  through second identification information, and the supply side device  2  is connected to the demand side device  1  through first identification information. Accordingly, the demand side device  1  is connected to the supply side device  2  to achieve communication. 
         [0036]    When the demand side device  1  is connected to the supply side device  2 , communication between the demander and the supplier can be achieved by inputting script messages or picture messages through the input modules  12 ,  22  respectively. These messages then are transmitted by the transmission modules  14 ,  24 . Further, audio or video communication between the demander and the supplier can be performed by respectively utilizing the communication modules  17 ,  27  to talk to each other. The demander can observe second current location information of the supply side device  2  through the display module  15  to obtain the location of rescuers, and supply information generated by the supply side device  2  can be displayed by the display module  15 . The supplier can search first current location information of the demand side device  1  through the display module  25  to further obtain the position of the demander. The display module  25  further displays demand information inputted by the demander. 
         [0037]    The demander also utilizes the image capturing module  16  to perform image capturing to generate image information. The processing module  13  packages image information into the demand message and uploads it to the server  3 . The supplier can further utilize the image capturing module  26  to capture images to generate image information. The processing module  23  packages image information in the supply message to deliver it to the server  3 . Accordingly, the supply side device  1  and the supply side device  2  that have been paired can display image information through the display modules  15 ,  25  respectively to clearly capture demands of the demander and services provided by the supplier. 
         [0038]    After the demand side device  1  and the supply side device  2  are paired, they can be provided to the demander and the supplier to selectively perform supply-demand transaction. Regardless of the transaction agreement achieved by the demander and the supplier during transaction communication, the demand side device  1  and the supply device  2  can be respectively provided to the demander and the supplier to input a transaction success-failure message after transaction communication. The server  3  stores the transaction success-failure message to form a record for transaction success or transaction failure such that when the demand side device  1  or the supply side device  2  looks for supply-demand pairing in future, the transaction success-failure message is delivered to the demand side device  1  or the supply side device  2  through the server  3 . The foregoing manner can allow the demander or the supplier to select and eliminate bad buyers or sellers based upon the transaction success-failure message. 
         [0039]    In addition, when the server  3  receives the demand message sent from another demand side device again, the server  3  does not only compare with the supply message, but also performs a demand determination to compare the demand message generated by the demand side device  1  with the demand message generated by the another demand side device. If the server  3  determines that two demand messages correspond to each other, a demand advice message is generated, and the demand advice message then is transmitted to the demand side device  1  and another demand side device to allow the demand side device  1  and another demand side device to communicate with each other such that the demand side device  1  and the other demand side device can obtain services provided by the supply side device at the same time. For example, when demand information in the demand messages generated by the demand side device  1  and another demand side device correspond to each other, the server  3  would generate a demand advice message, and the message is displayed on the demand side device  1  and another demand side device to remind them that demands requested by another demander are identical to the demand requested by the original demander. The demand advice message can further include benefits or discounts obtained by simultaneously executing demand ordering through many demanders. 
         [0040]    With reference to  FIG. 2  for a flowchart of a method for supply-demand pairing according to the invention is depicted. The method comprises the following steps: S 21 : utilizing a demand side device having first identification information and GPS positioning function to position the current location to generate first current location information and provide the demander to input demand information; S 22 : packaging first identification information, first current location information and demand information into a demand message and deliver the message through the demand side device; S 23 : using a supply side device having second identification information and GPS positioning function to position current location to generate second current location information and provide the supplier to input supply information; S 24 : packaging second identification information, second current location information and supply information into a supply message and deliver the message; S 25 : providing a server to receive the demand message and the supply message and perform comparison, wherein if the demand message corresponds to the supply message, a supply-demand pairing is performed by the server; S 26 : respectively sending the demand message and the supply message to the supply side device and the demand side device through the server to allow the demand side device and the supply side device that are paired perform communication through first identification information and second identification information. 
         [0041]    With reference to  FIG. 3A  to  FIG. 3E  for a first schematic diagram, a second schematic diagram, a third schematic diagram, a fourth schematic diagram and a fifth schematic diagram of a supply-demand pairing system and its method according to the invention are depicted. The embodiment applies the supply-demand pairing system to transportation. In the embodiment, when a passenger A would like make a request for a Taxi e, an input key of a hand-held electronic device  200  having GPS function is utilized to input demand information. Demand information can include “taking taxi”, passenger quantity “one person”, location “Station” and destination “Airport”. As shown in  FIG. 3A , the passenger A can, but is not limited to, still input other demand information contents. In the embodiment, a GPS device  300  is included and can be disposed in a taxi B. A driver of the taxi B can utilize the GPS device  300  to input supply information. Supply information can include “taxi service, location” near Taipei Station” and Passenger limit “four persons”. However, the driver can also input other data as shown in  FIG. 3B . When the passenger A and the driver of the taxi B respectively input demand information and supply information, a sending key is pressed to respectively deliver a demand message  201  and a supply message  301  to the server  400 , wherein the demand message  201  and the supply message  301  do not only include demand information supply information respectively inputted by the passenger A and the driver of the taxi B, but also include IP address, MAC (media access control) address, physical address or identification information of phone numbers and current location information generated by the hand-held electronic device  200  and the GPS device  300  respectively performing positioning. When the server  3  receives the demand message  201  and the supply message  301 , a comparison will be performed. Since contents of demand information and supply information in the demand message  201  and the supply message  301  can correspond to each other, the server  3  will send the supply message  301  to the hand-held electronic device  200  and send the demand message  201  to the GPS device  300  to allow the hand-held electronic device  200  communicating with the GPS device  300  such that the passenger A performs transaction negotiation with the driver of the taxi B as shown in  FIG. 3C . The passenger A and the driver of the taxi B can communicate with each other through manners of scripts, figures, images, audio or video. In addition, the server  3  will store the demand message  201  and the supply message  301  to form a record to ensure the rights of two parties. 
         [0042]    If there is another passenger C, the passenger C can also utilize the hand-held electronic device  500  having GPS to input demand information, wherein demand information can include demand “taking taxi”, passenger quantity “two persons”, location “Taipei Station” and destination “airport” as shown in  FIG. 3D . When the passenger C would like to send demand information, the hand-held electronic, device  500  will package demand information, identification information of the hand-held electronic device  500  and current location information that has been positioned into a demand message  501  and send the message to the server  400 . If the server  400  simultaneously receives the demand message  201 , the supply message  301  and the demand message  501  within a time range, the demand messages  201 ,  501  are respectively compared with the supply message  301 , and the demand message  201  and the demand message  501  are determined. Herein the demand message  501  corresponds to the supply message  301 . Therefore, the server  400  will transmit the demand message  501  to the GPS device  300  and send the supply message  301  to the hand-held electronic device  500  to allow the hand-held electronic device  500  communicating with the GPS device  300 . If the server  400  determines that the demand message  501  corresponds to the demand message  201 , a demand advice message  401  will be generated, and the demand advice message  401  will be sent to the hand-held electronic devices  200  and  500  such that the hand-held electronic devices  200  and  500  can communicate with each other. The demand advice message  401  includes a car-pool discount plan to allow the passenger A and the passenger C to decide whether or not both passengers would like to take the taxi B together based upon the demand advice message  401  as shown in  FIG. 3E . The hand-held electronic device  200 , the GPS device  300  and the hand-held electronic device  500  can display their locations through screen panels and each demand message  201  and  501 , the supply message  301  and the demand advice message  401 . 
         [0043]    With reference to  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5  for a first schematic diagram and a second schematic diagram of a supply-demand pairing system and its method according to a second embodiment of the invention are depicted. In  FIG. 4 , three hand-held electronic devices  600 ,  700  and  800  are provided. The hand-held electronic device  600  is provided to a demander to input demand information. Demand information is demand “chocolate ordering” and quantity “ten boxes” as shown in (a) figure of  FIG. 4 . The hand-held electronic device  700  shown in a (b) figure of  FIG. 4  is provided to another demander to input demand information including demand “chocolate ordering” and quantity “thirty boxes”. The hand-held electronic device  800  shown in a (c) figure of  FIG. 4  is provided to a supplier to input supply information. Supply information includes “chocolate ordering service” and inventory “one hundred boxes” as shown in (c) figure of  FIG. 4 . When the hand-held electronic devices  600 ,  700  and  800  respectively package demand information and supply information into demand messages  601 ,  701  and a supply message  801 , and when these messages are sent to a server  900 , the server  900  compares the demand messages  601 ,  701  with the supply message  801 . If the demand messages  601 ,  701  mutually correspond to the supply message  801 . The server  900  will generate a demand advice message  901 , and the supply message  801  and the demand advice message  901  are sent to the hand-held devices  600 ,  700 , and the demand messages  601 ,  701  are sent to the hand-held electronic device  800  to allow demanders of the hand-held electronic devices  600 ,  700  to perform transaction negotiation with the supplier of the hand-held electronic device  800 . The hand-held electronic device  600  can communicate with the hand-held electronic device  700  based upon the demand advice message  801  to decide ordering chocolate through group purchase, thereby obtaining preferable discounts as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0044]    The supply-demand pairing system and its method of the invention mainly allow both demand and supply parties to use electronic devices having GPS function to perform positioning and deliver the demand and supply messages. Accordingly, both supply and demand parties can quickly and precisely obtain messages of supply and demand services respectively to achieve the quality and benefits of the best transaction. 
         [0045]    The invention improves over the prior art and complies with patent application requirements, and thus is duly filed for patent application. While the invention has been described by device of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those generally skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.