Patents by Inventor Steven Prather

Steven Prather has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • System, method, and apparatus for managing price information with locking mechanisms
    Patent number: 8244554
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for managing price information. Embodiments include receiving a mapping of interconnected components, identifying as a first subset components subject to a first fixed price agreement not subject to a second fixed price agreement that overlaps the first fixed price agreement, identifying as a second subset the components subject to the second fixed price agreement not subject to the first fixed price agreement, and identifying as a third subset the components subject to both the first fixed price agreement and the second fixed price agreement. The method also includes receiving a price change for a price associated with a component in one of the subsets of components, and distributing an offset of the price change to components in the other subsets of components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jolie I Bailey, Isaac G Councill, Shun Jiang, Kenneth M Johns, Steven Prather, James J Rhodes
  • SYSTEM, METHOD, AND APPARATUS FOR MANAGING PRICE INFORMATION WITH LOCKING MECHANISMS
    Publication number: 20110131148
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for managing price information. Embodiments include receiving a mapping of interconnected components, identifying as a first subset components subject to a first fixed price agreement not subject to a second fixed price agreement that overlaps the first fixed price agreement, identifying as a second subset the components subject to the second fixed price agreement not subject to the first fixed price agreement, and identifying as a third subset the components subject to both the first fixed price agreement and the second fixed price agreement. The method also includes receiving a price change for a price associated with a component in one of the subsets of components, and distributing an offset of the price change to components in the other subsets of components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2009
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jolie I. Bailey, Isaac G. Councill, Shun Jiang, Kenneth M. Johns, Steven Prather, James J. Rhodes