Patent ID: 8442898

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for clearing offers, each of which specifies conditions for acceptance, the method comprising: receiving at an electronic network connected computer server, a plurality of advantaged offers each having a respective requested close time, wherein an advantaged offer is one which, once associated with a given disadvantaged offer, will be transacted upon, either in accordance with terms originally associated with the advantaged offer, or in accordance with better terms; using the computer server, respectively associating individual advantaged offers with individual available most-favorable disadvantaged offers each having a respective requested close time, wherein the conditions of acceptance of the individual advantaged offers are met by respective disadvantaged offers; using the computer server, changing the association of one of the individual associated advantaged offers to a newly available disadvantaged offer that offers more favorable terms than a currently associated disadvantaged offer, when the newly available disadvantaged offer is received and meets the conditions of acceptance of the associated advantaged offer, wherein the step of changing the association is performed in order of chronological priority of receipt of the advantaged offers; at a predetermined time based on respective requested close times of associated individual advantaged offers and disadvantaged offers, clearing the associated individual advantaged offers and disadvantaged offers to produce cleared individual advantaged offers and disadvantaged offers; and transmitting, via the electronic network, transaction directives to transacting buyers and sellers associated respectively with the cleared individual advantaged offers and disadvantaged offers.