Method and apparatus for pricing calculation

US8165959B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Siebel Systems, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Victor Chau · Palo Alto, US
• Doug Hoople · Sausalito, US
• Timothy Leung · Emeryville, US
• Kirsty Nuttall · Berkeley, US
• Muralidhar Ravuri · Mountain View, US
• Joshua Roper · San Francisco, US
• Peter Sovocool · Orinda, US
• Balaji Srinivasan · Folsom, US
• Colette Yee · San Francisco, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 24, 2002
• Grant date: Apr 24, 2012
• Expiry date: Sep 5, 2026

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06Q30/0206
• WIPO field: IT methods for management
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing a competitive bid from a provider comprising receiving billing data from a user, the billing data including provider information, location, and total bill amount. The method further comprising calculating a complex usage pattern based on the billing data and statistical data for the location. The method additionally comprising calculating a competitive bid for the user, based on the complex usage pattern and a pricing structure of the provider.