US 20070208625A1 (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2007/0208625 A1 (19) United States Walker et al. (43) Pub. Date: Sep. 6, 2007 (54) RETAIL SYSTEM FOR SELLING PRODUCTS BASED ON A FLEXIBLE PRODUCT DESCRIPTION (76) Inventors: Jay S. Walker, Ridge?eld, CT (US); Peter Kim, Stamford, CT (US); James A. J orasch, Stamford, CT (US); Magdalena Mik, Greenwich, CT (US); Daniel E. Tedesco, Westport, CT (US); Russell Pratt Sammon, Stamford, CT (US); Andrew P. Golden, NeW York, NY (US); Raymod J. Mueller, Weston, CT (US); Keith Bemer, NeW York, NY (US); Kathleen Van Luchene, NorWalk, CT (US) Correspondence Address: WALKER DIGITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC 2 HIGH RIDGE PARK STAMFORD, CT 06905 (US) (21) Appl. No.: 11/746,714 (22) Filed: May 10, 2007 Related US. Application Data (60) Division of application No. 09/ 540,035, ?led on Mar. 31, 2000, and Which is a continuation-in-part of application No. 08/889,503, ?led on Jul. 8, 1997, noW Pat. No. 6,249,772, and Which is a continuation-in part of application No. 08/997,170, ?led on Dec. 22, 1997, noW Pat. No. 6,356,878, and Which is a con tinuation-in-part of application No. 09/220,191, ?led on Dec. 23, 1998, and Which is a continuation-in-part of application No. 09/337,906, ?led on Jun. 22, 1999, noW Pat. No. 6,754,636, and Which is a continuation in-pait of application No. 09/359,265, ?led on Jul. 22, 1999, and Which is a continuation-in-part of applica tion No. 09/388,723, ?led on Sep. 2, 1999, noW abandoned. (60) Provisional application No. 60/ 165,435, ?led on Nov. 15, 1999. Publication Classi?cation (51) Int. Cl. G06Q 30/00 (2006.01) (52) U.S. c1. ............................................... ..705/17; 705/26 (57) ABSTRACT According to one described embodiment, a method is pro vided in Which transaction information is determined. The transaction information is associated With (i) a buyer Who has arranged to purchase a product from a central controller at a ?rst price established between the buyer and the central controller and (ii) a merchant that offers the product for sale at a second price, different from the ?rst price, Without offering the product for sale to buyers at the ?rst price. Information is transmitted that facilitates the acquisition of the product by the buyer, in exchange for payment provided by the buyer to the central controller. An amount based on the second price is provided to the merchant. 100 / RETAIL SYSTEM CONTROLLER m COMMUNICATION NETWORK m CUSTOMER DEVICE E CUSTOMER DEVICE CUSTOMER DEVICE @ E
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US 20070208625A1
(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2007/0208625 A1 (19) United States
Walker et al. (43) Pub. Date: Sep. 6, 2007
(54) RETAIL SYSTEM FOR SELLING PRODUCTS BASED ON A FLEXIBLE PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
(76) Inventors: Jay S. Walker, Ridge?eld, CT (US); Peter Kim, Stamford, CT (US); James A. J orasch, Stamford, CT (US); Magdalena Mik, Greenwich, CT (US); Daniel E. Tedesco, Westport, CT (US); Russell Pratt Sammon, Stamford, CT (US); Andrew P. Golden, NeW York, NY (US); Raymod J. Mueller, Weston, CT (US); Keith Bemer, NeW York, NY (US); Kathleen Van Luchene, NorWalk, CT (US)
Correspondence Address: WALKER DIGITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC 2 HIGH RIDGE PARK STAMFORD, CT 06905 (US)
(21) Appl. No.: 11/746,714
(22) Filed: May 10, 2007
Related US. Application Data
(60) Division of application No. 09/ 540,035, ?led on Mar. 31, 2000, and Which is a continuation-in-part of application No. 08/889,503, ?led on Jul. 8, 1997, noW Pat. No. 6,249,772, and Which is a continuation-in part of application No. 08/997,170, ?led on Dec. 22, 1997, noW Pat. No. 6,356,878, and Which is a con
tinuation-in-part of application No. 09/220,191, ?led on Dec. 23, 1998, and Which is a continuation-in-part of application No. 09/337,906, ?led on Jun. 22, 1999, noW Pat. No. 6,754,636, and Which is a continuation in-pait of application No. 09/359,265, ?led on Jul. 22, 1999, and Which is a continuation-in-part of applica tion No. 09/388,723, ?led on Sep. 2, 1999, noW abandoned.
(52) U.S. c1. ............................................... ..705/17; 705/26
(57) ABSTRACT
According to one described embodiment, a method is pro vided in Which transaction information is determined. The transaction information is associated With (i) a buyer Who has arranged to purchase a product from a central controller at a ?rst price established between the buyer and the central controller and (ii) a merchant that offers the product for sale at a second price, different from the ?rst price, Without offering the product for sale to buyers at the ?rst price. Information is transmitted that facilitates the acquisition of the product by the buyer, in exchange for payment provided by the buyer to the central controller. An amount based on the second price is provided to the merchant.