Patent ID: 7711629

Claim:
A network-based, computer-implemented method of fulfilling freight shipment between a first location and a second location, the method comprising: receiving, using a computer, a derivative purchase request for capacity between said first location and said second location, said derivative purchase request having contract requirements that specify at least a shipment volume and a performance time, said computer including at least hardware and software; ascertaining, using said computer, from a database of available derivative contracts a plurality of derivative contracts that satisfy said contract requirements; selecting, using said computer, a subset of said plurality of derivative contracts to satisfy said derivative purchase request with multiple separate derivative contracts, said subset including at least a first derivative contract for a first transportation mode of at least two transportation modes and a second derivative contract for a second transportation mode of said at least two transportation modes, said first transportation mode being different from said second transportation mode; receiving, using said computer, information restriction requirements from at least a participant, said information restriction requirements limiting a first specified information set to a first specified recipient set, said information restriction requirements limiting a second specified information set to a second specified recipient set, said first specified information set and said second specified information set pertaining to said participant, said first specified information set and said second specified information set being stored in said database, said participant representing at least one of a shipping party, a carrying party, a forwarding party, and a market making party; providing, using said computer, said first specified information set to at least a recipient of said first specified recipient set based on said information restriction requirements, said first specified information set including at least one of shipment data and shipment forecast data, said shipment forecast data pertaining to at least one of forecast capacity data and forecast shipping volume data for shipping between said first location and said second location; providing, using said computer, said second specified information set to at least a recipient of said second specified recipient set based on said information requirements; and preventing, using said computer, a party not in said first specified recipient set from viewing said first specified information set.