Patent · US Expired

Initiating an agreement in an e-commerce environment

US7069234B1 · kind B1 · utility

439Cited by
48References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 22, 1999
Grant dateJun 27, 2006
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 22, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06Q50/188
  • WIPO fieldIT methods for management
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

The present disclosure provides for initiation of an agreement utilizing a network. First, a buyer and a seller are allowed to negotiate terms of trade utilizing a network. A form is received from the buyer indicating the terms of trade utilizing the network. Also received utilizing the network is an identifier of the buyer. Thereafter, the form is sent to a bank for assessing the credit of the buyer utilizing the network. The bank to which the credit application is sent is based on the identifier. Next, the form is forwarded to a seller along with the assessment of the credit of the buyer. At such time, the seller is permitted to digitally sign the form utilizing the network. The digitally signed form is then received from the seller utilizing the network after which a notice is sent to the buyer indicating that the digitally signed form has been received from the seller, thus initiating the agreement.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.