Abstract: A conditional purchase offer (CPO) management system is disclosed for receiving CPOs from one or more customers, such as airline passengers, and for evaluating the received CPOs against a number of CPO rules defined by a plurality of sellers, such as airlines, to determine whether any seller is willing to accept a given CPO. A CPO is a binding offer containing one or more conditions submitted by a customer for purchase of an item, such as airline travel, at a customer-defined price. A CPO rule is a set of restrictions defined by a given seller, such as an airline, to define a combination of restrictions for which the seller is willing to accept a predefined price. The CPO rules may be securely stored by one or more servers. The CPO management system permits a seller to correct for forecasting errors, if necessary, or other competitive forces which have produced excess capacity, by providing inventory for sale to CPO customers.

Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus, system, and method for the improved tracking of a data state. The present invention allows session states to be maintained by sites that run on multiple, load-balanced servers. The present invention removes a single point of failure in a system, thus preventing all active sessions from being lost by providing persistent session data distributable across one or more machines over a communications network.

Abstract: A seller server receives an offer which specifies a type of product (e.g. a seat on a flight), at least one condition (e.g. destination and date of departure), and an offer price specified by a buyer. The seller server also receives an associated payment identifier that specifies a financial account, such as a credit card account. The payment identifier essentially “guarantees” the offer in that the seller may receive payment from the financial account even if the buyer attempts to renege. The seller determines whether to accept the offer, based on various factors such as the offer price and the availability of appropriate products to satisfy the conditions of the offer. If the offer is accepted, payment is provided to the seller using the payment identifier.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus for effectuating bilateral buyer-driven commerce. The present invention allows prospective buyers of goods and services to communicate a binding purchase offer globally to potential sellers, for sellers conveniently to search for relevant buyer purchase offers, and for sellers potentially to bind a buyer to a contract based on the buyer's purchase offer. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus of the present invention includes a controller which receives binding purchase offers from prospective buyers. The controller makes purchase offers available globally to potential sellers. Potential sellers then have the option to accept a purchase offer and thus bind the corresponding buyer to a contract. The method and apparatus of the present invention have applications on the Internet as well as conventional communications systems such as voice telephony.

Abstract: A conditional purchase offer (CPO) management system is disclosed for receiving CPOs from one or more customers, such as airline passengers, and for evaluating the received CPOs against a number of CPO rules defined by a plurality of sellers, such as airlines, to determine whether any seller is willing to accept a given CPO. A CPO rule is a set of restrictions defined by a given seller, such as an airline, to define a combination of restrictions for which the seller is willing to accept a predefined price. The CPO rules may be securely stored by one or more servers. The CPO management system permits a seller to correct for forecasting errors, if necessary, or other competitive forces which have produced excess capacity, by providing inventory for sale to CPO customers.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method for the improved validation of information across a communications network provide a common validation rules library that may be accessed and executed either by a client or server. The provision of a minimal amount of logic either to the client or the server is achieved by generating only a requisite amount of validation logic. Furthermore, developers are enabled to reuse and build upon validation logic by subsequent validation logic inheriting validation logic from a parent rule.

Abstract: A system and method for allocating conditional purchase offers (CPO) among a plurality of agency-based and broadcast-based sellers in a buyer-driven commerce system. In one embodiment, the system determines which agency-based or broadcast-based sellers can fulfill or satisfy the CPO and orders those sellers in a priority order. In another embodiment, the priority is determined by relative market share and number of recent opportunities to satisfy the CPO. In another embodiment, the priority is also determined by metrics and buyer information. In another embodiment, the priority is determined randomly. The system ensures that when a buyer can satisfy the CPO at multiple prices levels, the highest price level fulfills the CPO. This ensures maximum seller revenue for each CPO.

Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus, system, and method for the improved tracking of a data state. The present invention allows session states to be maintained by sites that run on multiple, load-balanced servers. The present invention removes a single point of failure in a system, thus preventing all active sessions from being lost by providing persistent session data distributable across one or more machines over a communications network.

Abstract: A customer whose conditional purchase offer (CPO) has been accepted may receive a bounce back offer from a vendor (supplier-partner) of other services or products. The bounce back process determines whether a supplier-partner can participate in a bounce back transaction. If a bounce back transaction is effectuated between the customer and supplier-partner, the partner notifies the principal of the transaction. In the case of automobile rentals, the bounce back process permits a traveler to recognize reduced automobile rental rates while enabling a rental agency to more effectively manage its excess capacity. The CPO management system employing bounce back capability can be utilized to acquire any underlying product and/or service and bounce back product and/or service.

Abstract: An unspecified-time airline ticket representing a purchased seat on a flight to be selected later, by the airlines, for a traveler-specified itinerary (e.g., NY to LA on March 3rd) is disclosed. Various methods and systems for matching an unspecified-time ticket with a flight are also disclosed. An exemplary method includes: (1) making available an unspecified-time ticket; (2) examining a plurality of flights which would fulfill the terms of the unspecified-time ticket to determine which flight to select; and (3) providing notification of the selected flight prior to departure. The disclosed embodiments provide travelers with reduced airfare in return for flight-time flexibility and, in turn, permits airlines to fill seats that would have otherwise gone unbooked.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus for effectuating bilateral buyer-driven commerce. The present invention allows prospective buyers of goods and services to communicate a binding purchase offer globally to potential sellers, for sellers conveniently to search for relevant buyer purchase offers, and for sellers potentially to bind a buyer to a contract based on the buyer's purchase offer. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus of the present invention includes a controller which receives binding purchase offers from prospective buyers. The controller makes purchase offers available globally to potential sellers. Potential sellers then have the option to accept a purchase offer and thus bind the corresponding buyer to a contract. The method and apparatus of the present invention have applications on the Internet as well as conventional communications systems such as voice telephony.

Abstract: A seller server receives an offer which specifies a type of product (e.g. a seat on a flight), at least one condition (e.g. destination and date of departure), and an offer price specified by a buyer. The seller server also receives an associated payment identifier that specifies a financial account, such as a credit card account. The payment identifier essentially “guarantees” the offer in that the seller may receive payment from the financial account even if the buyer attempts to renege. The seller determines whether to accept the offer, based on various factors such as the offer price and the availability of appropriate products to satisfy the conditions of the offer. If the offer is accepted, payment is provided to the seller using the payment identifier.

Abstract: A customer whose conditional purchase offer (CPO) has been accepted may receive a bounce back offer from a vendor (supplier-partner) of other services or products. The bounce back process determines whether a supplier-partner can participate in a bounce back transaction. If a bounce back transaction is effectuated between the customer and supplier-partner, the partner notifies the principal of the transaction. In the case of automobile rentals, the bounce back process permits a traveler to recognize reduced automobile rental rates while enabling a rental agency to more effectively manage its excess capacity. The CPO management system employing bounce back capability can be utilized to acquire any underlying product and/or service and bounce back product and/or service.

Abstract: A conditional purchase offer (CPO) management system is disclosed for receiving CPOs from one or more customers, such as airline passengers, and for evaluating the received CPOs against a number of CPO rules defined by a plurality of sellers, such as airlines, to determine whether any seller is willing to accept a given CPO. A CPO is a binding offer containing one or more conditions submitted by a customer for purchase of an item, such as airline travel, at a customer-defined price. A CPO rule is a set of restrictions defined by a given seller, such as an airline, to define a combination of restrictions for which the seller is willing to accept a predefined price. The CPO rules may be securely stored by one or more servers. The CPO management system permits a seller to correct for forecasting errors, if necessary, or other competitive forces which have produced excess capacity, by providing inventory for sale to CPO customers.

Abstract: A conditional purchase offer (CPO) management system is disclosed for receiving CPOs from one or more customers, such as airline passengers, and for evaluating the received CPOs against a number of CPO rules defined by a plurality of sellers, such as airlines, to determine whether any seller is willing to accept a given CPO. A CPO is a binding offer containing one or more conditions submitted by a customer for purchase of an item, such as airline travel, at a customer-defined price. A CPO rule is a set of restrictions defined by a given seller, such as an airline, to define a combination of restrictions for which the seller is willing to accept a predefined price. The CPO rules may be securely stored by one or more servers. The CPO management system permits a seller to correct for forecasting errors, if necessary, or other competitive forces which have produced excess capacity, by providing inventory for sale to CPO customers.

Abstract: A conditional purchase offer (CPO) management system is disclosed for receiving CPOs from one or more customers, such as airline passengers, and for evaluating the received CPOs against a number of CPO rules defined by a plurality of sellers, such as airlines, to determine whether any seller is willing to accept a given CPO. A CPO is a binding offer containing one or more conditions submitted by a customer for purchase of an item, such as airline travel, at a customer-defined price. A CPO rule is a set of restrictions defined by a given seller, such as an airline, to define a combination of restrictions for which the seller is willing to accept a predefined price. The CPO rules may be securely stored by one or more servers. The CPO management system permits a seller to correct for forecasting errors, if necessary, or other competitive forces which have produced excess capacity, by providing inventory for sale to CPO customers.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method for dynamic demand monitoring and/or affectation uniquely allows a provider to access, utilize and/or integrate demand setting, reporting, and updating into a commerce system. In one non-limiting example embodiment, the present disclosure teaches a facility that responds to a user's selection of criteria in a user interface and dynamically constructs queries that will select information collected in a commerce database and generate reports of demand for goods or services based on the user's selections. The present disclosure also teaches how reported demand levels may be used to change current levels of demand to desired demand levels specified by a user. Furthermore, the present disclosure teaches how to create and utilize a cache of rejected CPOs. As a result, a provider may affect demand for their provisions to desired levels and both providers and consumers may benefit from a better balance of price levels with demand.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a buyer may submit a listing containing a description of an item desired to be purchased, such as an airline ticket, to an operator of an automated selling system. The automated selling system may be a server or series of servers accessible via a computer network, such as the Internet. The listing may contain a maximum price at which the buyer is willing to purchase the item. In the case of an airline ticket, the description accompanying the listing may contain a point of departure, a destination, desired flight times, number of travelers, and/or a specification of acceptable airlines. A plurality of sellers designate listings for which they submit bids to the operator. In the case where the sellers are airlines, the sellers may designate originating and destination city-pairs, a listing of available flights, a floor price for a city-pair, and a range of acceptable prices for one or more bidding rounds.

Abstract: A conditional purchase offer (CPO) management system, including bounce back capability, provides for receiving CPOs from one or more customers, such as airline passengers, and for evaluating the received CPOs against a number of CPO rules defined by a plurality of sellers, such as airlines, to determine whether a principal (any seller, agent or operator of the CPO management system) is willing to accept a given CPO. A customer whose CPO has been accepted may receive a bounce back offer from a vendor (supplier-partner) of other services or products—e.g., an automobile rental. The bounce back process determines whether a supplier-partner can participate in a bounce back transaction. For example, in the case of an airline passenger in need of an automobile rental, the bounce back process determines whether an automobile rental company is located in the flight destination area and has excess capacity.

Abstract: A system and method for facilitating the sale of travel products is disclosed. The system receives travel inquiries from requesters for preferred travel products (905). The system in turn selects and offers the requester an alternate travel product which has a greater value to the seller if sold than the requester's preferred travel product (925). Various systems and methods are disclosed for determining whether an alternate travel product has a greater value to the seller if sold than the preferred travel product. Exemplary determinations are based on profit margin and load factor discrepancy between the preferred travel product and the alternate travel product. The system further provides for the selection and offering of a benefit in conjunction with a requester's acceptance of an alternate travel product, and for the selection of the benefit based on the differences between the requester's preferred travel product and the alternate travel product.