IP Library Granted Patent US 7,246,072
Granted Patent B2
US 7,246,072 · App. 10/463,708 · Granted Jul 17, 2007

System and method for reselling a previously sold product

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,246,072
App. No.
10/463,708
Granted
Jul 17, 2007
Kind
B2
Abstract

A seller, having previously sold a product to an original purchaser subject to a buyout-provision condition, determines if the buyout-provision condition is satisfied. If the buy-out provision condition is satisfied, the seller retakes the product from the original purchaser and resells the product to a subsequent purchaser.

Claims (44)

1. A method comprising:

selling a reservation for a hotel room to a first purchaser at a first price, wherein the reservation for the hotel room is subject to recall upon an occurrence of a triggering condition;

determining, by a processing device, that the triggering condition is satisfied;

recalling, responsive to the determining, the reservation for the hotel room from the first purchaser;

reselling the recalled reservation for the hotel room to a second purchaser at a second price that is greater than the first price; and

providing the first purchaser with a substitute reservation for a hotel room in exchange for the recalled reservation for the hotel room.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining that the triggering condition is satisfied comprises:

evaluating at least one of:

an actual hotel room inventory;

an estimated hotel room inventory;

an actual demand for the reservation for the hotel room; and

an estimated demand for the reservation for the hotel room.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining that the triggering condition is satisfied comprises:

determining that a comparable reservation for a hotel room is not available for the second purchaser.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining that the triggering condition is satisfied comprises:

determining that the substitute reservation for the hotel room is available for the first purchaser.

5. A method comprising:

selling a reservation for a hotel room to a first purchaser at a first price, wherein the reservation for the hotel room is subject to recall upon an occurrence of a triggering condition;

determining, by a processing device, that the triggering condition is satisfied;

recalling, responsive to the determining, the reservation for the hotel room from the first purchaser;

reselling the recalled reservation for the hotel room to a second purchaser at a second price that is greater than the first price; and

providing the first purchaser with a discount for a future reservation for a hotel room in exchange for the recalled reservation for the hotel room.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the determining that the triggering condition is satisfied comprises:

evaluating at least one of:

an actual hotel room inventory;

an estimated hotel room inventory;

an actual demand for the reservation for the hotel room; and

an estimated demand for the reservation for the hotel room.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the determining that the triggering condition is satisfied comprises:

determining that a comparable reservation for a hotel room is not available for the second purchaser.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the determining that the triggering condition is satisfied comprises:

determining that the future reservation for the hotel room is available for the first purchaser.

9. A method, comprising:

selling a reservation for a hotel room to a first purchaser at a first price;

receiving, from a second purchaser, an offer to purchase the reservation for the hotel room for a second price that is higher than the first price;

determining, by a processing device, that a triggering condition is satisfied;

transmitting, based on the determining and the receiving of the offer from the second purchaser, a buyout offer to the first purchaser, wherein the buyout offer comprises an offer to provide the first purchaser with one of a plurality of inducements in exchange for recalling the reservation for the hotel room;

receiving, from the first purchaser, an indication of an acceptance of one of the plurality of inducements;

recalling, responsive to the receiving of the indication from the first purchaser, the reservation for the hotel room from the first purchaser;

reselling the recalled reservation for the hotel room to the second purchaser at the second price; and

providing the first purchaser with the accepted one of the plurality of inducements.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the accepted one of the plurality of inducements comprises at least one of:

a substitute reservation for a hotel room; and

discount for a future reservation for a hotel room.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 25, 2015
From: WALKER, JAY S.; TEDESCO, DANIEL E.
To: WALKER DIGITAL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 035255/0154 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 25, 2015
From: WALKER DIGITAL CORPORATION
To: WALKER DIGITAL, LLC
Reel/Frame 035255/0318 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 25, 2015
From: WALKER DIGITAL, LLC
To: INVENTOR HOLDINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 035257/0855 →
LICENSE Recorded Aug 8, 2014
From: WALKER DIGITAL GAMING, LLC; WALKER DIGITAL GAMING HOLDING, LLC; WDG EQUITY, LLC; WALKER DIGITAL, LLC
To: IGT
Reel/Frame 033501/0023 →