WO2004092990A1

WO2004092990A1 - Method and system for establishing negotiations over a data network

Info

Publication number: WO2004092990A1
Application number: PCT/IL2004/000325
Authority: WO
Inventors: Yekutiel Josefsberg
Original assignee: Arlagk Ltd.
Priority date: 2003-04-15
Filing date: 2004-04-14
Publication date: 2004-10-28
Also published as: IL155489A0

Abstract

Method for carrying out remote negotiations by establishing a Web-site and the communication of proposals to the site by proponents whose identity is known to the site but is otherwise secret. Proposals are displayed in the site and negotiation between the proponents and interested responders begin through the site, while maintaining the responder's anonymity. If an agreement on a transaction is reached, the identity of the other party is disclosed to each party and a fee for that agreement is paid to the site.

Description

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ESTABLISHING NEGOTIATIONS

OVER A DATA NETWORK

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method for establishing, in an efficient way and over a data network, such as the Internet, a connection between two parties for negotiating and possibly performing a transaction relating to a subject matter of common interest, such as for example sale and purchase of goods or services, technical or legal assistance, business connections and so forth.

Background of the Invention

People have always traded or exchanged information with each other, either directly or through a third party. Varieties of ways were and still are used by people to establish communication in order to trade or exchange information, such as setting meetings, making phone calls, etc. However, such methods of communication are usually limited to regional transactions only. Persons who wish to exchange information with others not from their immediate vicinity are required to invest a relatively great effort and resources in order to do so.

For the past few years people have also tried to communicate over data networks, such as the Internet. A very popular and known form of communicating via the Internet is the "Forum", or "message board". Message boards were in use a long time before the existence of the Internet or computers. In schools, in supermarkets, in the street, this was the best way to hang your message, whatever it was, and wait for response. The Forum structure is used today by many Web sites, and for many subjects, most of them for discussions. The basic structure of such a Forum is some kind of a table, where everyone can place messages, or place response to any message. Usually users are able to see all messages and responses that were placed in the table by other users.

Today, there are many web sites that allow users to trade or exchange information with each other, such as www.ebay.com of eBay Inc, www.amazon.com of Amazon.com, Inc etc. Web sites such as eBay are based on bids. A seller sets up an account and adopts a screen name. Then he may setup one or more auctions, giving a name to each. He publishes a text describing the merchandise he offers and giving any other details or references he believes relevant. The seller sets up details seller intended to govern the auction, such as minimum bid, reserve price, minimum bid increment, etc. The prospective buyers, who take part in the auction, must communicate a valid credit card number. Once there is a winner in the auction, he and the seller are informed by eBay and placed into contact with one another to work out final details. eBay, therefore, actually runs the auctions and is involved in them as long as they last, and the identity of the parties is known to it from the start.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for allowing users connected to a specific data network to carry out remote negotiation with each other, for the purpose of defining a transaction and before carrying out said transaction, if an agreement on it has been achieved. "User" indicates hereinafter any physical or juridical person that has or establishes connection with a data network, typically Internet, for the said purpose, whatever his position in the negotiation and transaction may be.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for establishing a negotiation between parties that remain anonymous unless and until the negotiation results in an agreement. It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a method that is user friendly and reliable.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide such a method wherein the negotiations are carried out over a data network but the network is not involved in them, and particularly does not carry out or participate in carrying out an auction.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

Summary of the Invention

In the process of the invention, the person (the word "person" as used herein includes both individuals, groups of individuals, and juridical persons) who sets up the Web site, may offer or request goods, services, technical assistance, such as the solution of a technical problem, legal assistance, jobs, business connections or operations, and the like; he will be called herein "the Initiator". The person who wishes to acquire what is being offered or to provide what is being requested, will be called herein "the responder". The Initiator and the responder, together, will be called herein the parties". Whatever is offered or requested by the Initiator will be called herein "the proposal". Each Initiator may offer or request one or several proposals; however, when the word "proposals" is used herein, it does not mean that there must be a plurality of proposals and it includes a single proposal. The same is true of the words "responses" and "reactions", which include a single response and a single reaction.

The present invention provides a method which comprises the following steps: the establishment of a Web site; the communication of a proposal to the site by a Initiator whose identity is known to the site but is otherwise secret; the displaying of the proposal in the site; a negotiation between the Initiator and an interested responder through the site, while maintaining the responder's anonymity; if an agreement on a transaction is reached, disclosing to each party, or at least to one party, the identity of the other party; and paying a fee to the site. All the successive steps, whereby the transaction that has been agreed upon is performed and the mutual financial obligations of the parties are satisfied, occur between the parties and without any involvement of the web site.

While the method of the invention has been defined as involving a negotiation between a Initiator and a responder, several such negotiations, concerning one or more objects of possible proposals, one or more Initiators and one or more responders may be carried out concurrently or successively, in an appropriate chronological or other relationship as to maintain the maximum order and clarity, viz., as will be said hereinafter, in a hierarchic relationship.

More specifically, the present invention provides a method, which preferably comprises the following steps, following the establishment of a Web site: a) By a Initiator, communicating to the site his real identity and his proposals; b) By the site, assigning to the respondent an assumed identity, and publishing the proposals; c) By a responder, browsing through the proposals, and, if he wishes to become active, communicating to the site his identity and his responses; d) By the Initiator, communicating to the site his reactions to said responses; e) By the site, displaying said responses and reactions, f) By the Initiator or responder, wishing to negotiate directly g) By the site, getting agreement from other party to negotiate directly h) By the Initiator, if an agreement is reached, undertaking the obligation to pay a previously specified fee to the site, if said agreement is actually carried out; i) By the Responder, if an agreement is reached, undertaking the obligation to report to the site status of deal; j) By the site, communicating to each party the real identity of the other party. k) By the parties, if an agreement for a transaction is reached, to notify the site and pay the commission.

The obligation under f) above will be displayed in the site and signed on screen by both parties.

There may be more than one respondent and their responses may differ, as long as they are appropriate to the proposal. For instance, if the proposal is a request for an electronic device for performing a given function, different respondent may offer different devices all adapted for performing said function, but of different types and prices. In this case, the process defined above takes place concurrently with reference to all the responses, but the site deals with said responses and the corresponding reactions hierarchically, viz. in the appropriate order and with the appropriate references.

It will be understood that the operations that are said to be carried out by the site, are actually carried out by personnel charged with operating and controlling the site. The number and qualifications of such personnel and the division of the tasks among them will be decided by skilled persons and are not part of the invention, but of its routine implementation.

In another aspect, the invention provides a system for carrying out remote negotiations which comprises a Web site in a data network, a database of said Web site containing the data of registered users and the text of obligations of users to the site, a home page listing subject sections, a plurality of subject sections for displaying proposals, responses and reactions, and control means for maintaining said proposals, responses and reactions in the appropriate hierarchical relationship.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The above and other characteristics and advantages of the invention will be better understood through the following illustrative and non-limitative detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof, with reference to the appended drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is an example of a Home Page displayed by the Web-site;

Fig. 2 schematically illustrates the structure of a typical table of messages related to a specific topic, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention; and

Fig.3 is the flow-sheet of an embodiment of the method used by the present invention.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments

Fig. 1 shows a possible arrangement of the Home page of the Web-site, divided into sections corresponding to various types of subject matter, which may come within the scope of the invention. An interested party may enter one of the sections and place its proposals therein or respond to displayed proposals or browse through the displayed proposals, responses and reactions. Said sections are not limitative and additional ones may come within the scope of the invention. The site may contain links to other Web sites, PDF files, PPT presentations, articles and seminars, news, reports, search engines, automatic notification for 'new replies' to the user's email/mobile/fax, automatic search agent that notifies the user for any new relevant messages that the user requested previously, etc. E.g., the components section may have links to main vendors, the test equipment section will have links to related main vendors, etc. Preferably, every Web page and every section comprises a search engine, which will allow whoever uses it to perform and to pinpoint a search through its contents: for instance, the user can type a keyword and get only the subject matter relevant to him.

One of the sections — the Design Center - does not contain subject matter that may be negotiated according to the invention. It has the purpose of providing information to interested parties, without charging them or any formality of connection, and to permit professionals to carry out a free technical conversation, which may lead to their becoming new Initiators or responders. Preferably, the Design Center operates as follows: a user places one or more queries in the appropriate section, such as a request to solve a specific problem, a design problem, appropriate components for a certain design, etc.; and any other user can place as a response to that query a message, advice, etc. Such an operation may lead to transactions of any kind, through the system of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating an embodiment of the method of the invention. The Initiator becomes connected with the Web site by communicating to it his identity, accepting the obligation to pay commission requested by the site in case of a successful completion of a negotiation, and receives from it an assumed identity. The site displays the proposal. Any interested person may freely browse through the site without incurring any obligation, but if he wishes to become active, viz. to participate in a negotiation, has to register and communicate his identity to the site and accepts the obligation to pay the commission requested by the site in case of a successful completion of a negotiation, all this being included in his decision to become active. Thereafter he communicates a response through the site and receives a reaction, and further responses and reactions may be given hierarchically. The responses and reactions are displayed in the site. It should be understood that what is actually displayed may not be and preferably will not be the full text of proposals and/or responses and/or reactions: it is sufficient that a summary or a portion thereof, preferably a single line, be displayed and the full text be accessible to interested parties by placing the computer cursor in the appropriate point of the display.

If and when an agreement has been reached, the Initiator signs an obligation to pay the site's commission and the Responder signs an obligation to report to the site status of the deal. The site communicates to each part the identity of the other. When the transaction has been carried out, the site cashes in its commission.

The following non-limitative examples illustrate some embodiments of the invention.

Example 1

Proposal: offer of sale of goods (e.g., a PC Pentium 4 for$ 2,500)

Response 1 - 1 am interested an older model for less than $1,800 Reaction 1 - Can I buy a printer for less than $200 Response 2 - 1 have a used color printer HP 695C

Acceptance

Example 2

The proposal is a request to buy used equipment. Various types of equipment are included in the request, as shown in Fig. 2. The responses are to the last request and are as follows:

A - We offer HP8560E, options 01/02/IDS - $17,500

B - We offer HP8560B, option 01 - $12,000

There is no reaction to response A, but an expression of interest to response B. There is however a successive response to the same request: C - We can also offer HP8560B - $10,000 There is a reaction of interest for this last response, but with a counter offer: We are willing to buy HP8560B at $9,000.

The seller communicates to the site that he accepts this last price and the negotiation is concluded.

Example 3

Request for employment as computer programmer

Detail of qualifications

Response 1 - salary too low

Response 2 — place of employment too far Response 3 — 1 can accept the job if the daily working hours will not exceed 7 hours Acceptance

Preferably, everyone is able to watch all proposals and responses that were placed in each section. However, in order to place a proposal or a response, a person must provide required data regarding his identity to the Web site. For example, the data can be his identity, telephone numbers, address, etc. After providing the required data to the Web site, whoever has provided them becomes a registered user. The data of each registered user are stored in a database related to the Web site. A registered user is allowed to generate proposals, responses and reactions. His identity is not displayed during any negotiation that takes place on the Web site, but he may use an assumed name.

There is a plurality of ways by which a user becomes a registered user. For example, the user fills out a form with the required identifying details, such as the user name, password, email, etc. For any registrant, the system creates a USER-ID that is attached to the user's password. The USER-ID conceals the actual identity of the user and it is used for login purposes. Thereafter, automatic email messages can be sent to the user containing the user ID.

Whenever two users agree to establish a contact according to the method of the invention, at least one of them may request the Web site to provide him with identifying data of the other user, and the site is allowed to provide them only after receiving approval from both users. Preferably, in order to provide the identifying data, the Initiator commits to be charged by the Web site.

Preferably, but not necessarily, proposals are displayed in a standard form. For example, each proposal is displayed in only one row, which row consists of several columns, each column comprising information regarding a specific proposal, such as a title, a date and the number of responses to it. An example is shown in Fig. 2. Using the cursor on the display, an interested party can view all proposals and responses. A registered user can enter a response to the original proposal or a reaction to a response. Of course, the responses and reactions are displayed on the screen, in such a manner that their sequence is obvious.

When an agreement is reached, at least one of the users requests from the Web site information regarding the other user, which will allow him to establish a direct contact with said other user. Due to the fact that both users are registered users, the Web site accesses the related database where the identifying information regarding the registered users is stored, and preferably it provides only the information required by said one user to perform direct contact with the other user. Preferably, the site provides the required information only if and when it receives the agreement of both users. Herein, responses and reactions may be called collectively "messages". According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, each displayed message is assigned a unique identifying tag. The tag can be a sequence of character information elements, such as numbers and letters, etc.

Each section is based on a table, where each new message is displayed at the top of the table, and each new reaction to a message shifts that message again to the top of the table. Fig. 2 schematically illustrates the structure of a typical table of messages related to a specific topic, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. The table is divided into eight columns:

The first column, which contains item number

The second column, which contains category

The third column, which contains Vendor

The fourth column, which contain model or part number

The fifth column, which contains Quantity

The sixth column, which contains price

The seventh column, containing the date of the response messages; and

The eighth column, containing the number of response messages associated with the subject.

For example, whenever a user wishes to view the responses to a specific message, he can place the cursor on the number in the second column of the specific message and in turn, a list of the responses to that message will be displayed on the screen (e.g., by being popped-up on the screen). According to this example, the messages and their corresponding responses are structured in a hierarchical structure, so that one can see responses to the, original message, or responses to responses. If desired, the user can click on the short message and read additional details regarding that message. The appearance of such hierarchical structure may be implemented in a variety of ways, such as displacement, varying colors and/or intensity of each response, in order to associate it with an original message.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, all messages displayed on the screen are anonymous, or under assumed names. The messages, both the shortened and the detailed ones do not permit to identify the sender. Anyone can enter the Web site and browse its contents and messages. However, when one wants to place a message, whether a new message or a response to an existing message, he has to register and provide his real identity to the Web site.

As described hereinbefore, the Web site manager filters out the messages, ensures that the rules are kept and approves the messages for display, in order to exclude "junk massages". Whenever receiving a message with a request to establish a revealed connection between entities, that message is transferred to a "connect" manager, who verifies that the required agreement is signed between at least one of the entities and the Web site, before allowing a revealed connection between the entities. The Web site can provide the identifying details to each entity in several ways, such as by e-mail, SMS, etc.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, agreements will be prepared and posted at the Web site. A user that wishes to place a new message or a response has to register and identify himself to the Web site manager, and whenever that user is interested in a transaction with another user, he has to sign the agreement. Of course, an agreement can be a general agreement or a one-time agreement.

This Web site is universal, thus a connection can be fruitful between anybody and any company to anybody and any company all over the world. Preferably, the system of the present invention is monitored 24 hours a day and uses a high security level promising confidential safe trade, as is well known to a skilled person in the art. Any displayed message is linked to a dialog area for questions raised by other users, and an items area for acquiring the accurate items data.

As described hereinbefore, the system maintains all specific niche related sections on the main page, thereby allowing a quick user friendly access. Every section may be managed by a section manager working online, if the number of received messages that are related to that section will exceed a predetermined value, monitoring the dialogs, guiding and supporting the section's users (i.e., buyer and/or seller). The section manager filters the messages submitted by the users. The message will appear on the Web site only after the approval of the section manager.

According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, a message of a user is mapped by the system (e.g., by the Web site manager) to an appropriate form. The mapping of the message depends on the section where the message was generated, for example, in a "Consulting" section the "buyer" is a user looking for a consulting service, and thus the buyer- form is a "consulting service buyer form" that is automatically mapped by the system.

According to another preferred embodiment, users will be able to use a Request for Quotation (RFQ) service. This service enables a buyer to fill an RFQ form in order to receive price offers from sellers. The offers are kept confidential and give the buyer the advantage of accessing multiple users simultaneously and comparing their offers. Any buyer can then send an order to the seller using the seller RFQ response number. The ordering will be done between the seller and buyer outside the system. Using the RFQ service saves every business both time and money (e.g., phone calls, paper work, faxes, etc). Using the RFQ service allows to access and maintain multiple RFQ forms with no paper work involved. Preferably, an RFQ request is submitted only once, yet it reaches many potential sellers.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the system maintains user profile properties for each registered user. This profile can be changed by the user. The user profile's functionality is to enable the user to configure the system for several activities, such as:

Receiving an email notification whenever a response message or a private message concerning the user's message is submitted;

Receiving an email notification when the user's message is about to expire;

Set the user's locale and currency, enabling a translation of all Web pages to the default local;

Set the user's default properties for messages, for example: add an auto -signature, etc.; and each user has an assigned role that will be used for his online automatic authorization during each session.

The system of the present invention allows a user to purchase goods or obtain the required information/service only outside the site. Once a transaction between users (e.g., the buyer and the seller) is actually completed, the Initiator is charged according to the executed agreement.

The section managers use the Section Manager Tool (SMT) in order to control the system of the present invention. The SMT is a tool using Java Server Pages (JSP) as output. Whenever new messages appear (e.g., in an in-box) they are pending there until the section manager approves them. Only after approval the messages become available online to all users.

In order to login to the system a user must fill in one or more identifying details such as, user-id and password. The system validates the data using a server that contains all user data (e.g., a LDAP server). The server authenticates the user using encrypted communication. The user will obtain a new screen name for each new session or transaction.

Each registrant user can sell or buy goods by going from the main page to the chosen section. In the chosen section the user adds a message containing the corresponding data relevant to the items being sold or purchased. Any section has its unique message type that is relevant to the section, for example: in 'Test Equipment » Sale Offers' the message type will be 'test-equipment-seller-message'; this message type contains information about 'Test Equipment' that must be filled by the user. Of course the goods can be of any type, such as professional information service, objects, etc.

The above examples and description of embodiments have of course been provided only for the purpose of illustration, and are not intended to limit the invention in any way. As will be appreciated by the skilled person, the invention can be carried out in a great variety of ways, such as the appearance of the table, employing more than one technique from those described above, all without exceeding the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. Method for carrying out remote negotiations which comprises: I- the establishment of a Web-site; II- the communication of at least one proposal to the site by at least one Initiator whose identity is known to the site but is otherwise secret; III- the displaying of said at least one proposal in the site; III- a negotiation between said at least one Initiator and at least one interested responder through the site, while maintaining said responder's anonymity; IV- if an agreement on at least on transaction is reached, disclosing to each party the identity of the other party; and V- paying a fee to the site.

2. Method according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of negotiations chosen from among negotiations relating to a plurality of proposals, negotiations between a plurality of Responders and an Initiators.

3. Method according to claim 2, wherein the negotiations of the plurality of negotiations are carried out concurrently.

4. Method according to claim 2, wherein the negotiations of the plurality of negotiations are carried out successively.

5. Method according to claim 2, wherein the negotiations of the plurality of negotiations are carried out in a hierarchic relationship.

6. Method according to claim 1, comprising the establishment of a web-site in a data network, and thereafter the steps of: a) By an Initiator, registering and communicating to the site his real identity and his proposals; b) By the site, assigning to the respondent an assumed identity, and publishing the proposals; c) By a responder, browsing through the proposals, and, if he wishes to become active, registering and communicating to the site his identity and his responses; d) By the Initiator, communicating to the site his reactions to said responses; e) By the site, displaying said responses and reactions.

1) By the Initiator or responder, wishing to negotiate directly m) By the site, getting agreement from other party to negotiate directly n) By the Initiator, if an agreement is reached, undertaking the obligation to pay a previously specified fee to the site, if said agreement is actually carried out; o) By the responder, if an agreement is reached, undertaking the obligation to report to the site status of deal p) By the site, communicating to each party the real identity of the other party; and q) By the parties, if an agreement for a transaction is reached, to notify the site and pay the commission.

7. Method according to claim 6, wherein obligation to pay a previously specified fee to the site and report to the site status of deal is accepted and signed on screen.

8. System for carrying out remote negotiations, which comprises a Web site in a data network, a database of said Web site containing the data of registered users and the text of obligations of users to the site, a home page listing subject sections, a plurality of subject sections for displaying proposals, responses and reactions, and control means for maintaining said proposals, responses and reactions in the appropriate hierarchical relationship.

9. Method according to claim 1, 6 or 8, wherein the data network is the Internet.

10. Method according to claim 6, wherein each new message, consisting in a proposal, response or reaction, is displayed at the top of a table, and each new response or reaction to an existing message causes said message to be displayed again at the top of said table.

11. System according to claim 8, wherein every section of the Web site comprises a search engine, which allows whoever uses it to perform and to pinpoint a search through its contents.