IP Library Granted Patent US 10,489,836
Granted Patent B2
US 10,489,836 · App. 14/022,594 · Granted Nov 26, 2019

Systems and methods wherein a buyer purchases products in a plurality of product categories

Inventors: Jay S. Walker (Ridgefield, CT); Magdalena Mik Fincham (Greenwich, CT); John M. Packes, Jr. (Hawthorne, NY); Russell Pratt Sammon (Stamford, CT); Michiko Kobayashi (Stamford, CT)
Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
G06Q30/0611G06Q10/02G06Q20/20G06Q30/0234G06Q30/0241G06Q30/06G06Q30/0613G06Q30/0617G06Q30/0633G06Q30/0643G06Q40/04
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,489,836
App. No.
14/022,594
Granted
Nov 26, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods are provided wherein an indication of a plurality of product categories is received, each product category being associated with a plurality of products. For example, the indication of the plurality of product categories may be received from a buyer. Buyer offer information, including an indication of an offer amount associated with the plurality of product categories, is also received. A subset of the plurality of products is selected for each of the product categories, and an indication of the selected products is provided. The buyer's offer may then be evaluated. If the buyer's offer is accepted, the selected products may be provided to the buyer in exchange for payment of the offer amount.

Claims (55)

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by one or more computing systems from a client system of a buyer, a selection of a first product of a plurality of products associated with a merchant;

receiving, from the client system, an indication of a definition of the plurality of products;

generating, by the one or more computing systems, a product category associated with the plurality of products based on the definition of the plurality of products;

providing, by the one or more computing systems, a listing of the plurality of products for display on the client system;

determining, by the one or more computing systems, an offer price associated with the product category;

selecting, by the one or more computing systems, based on the offer price, a second product from the plurality of products;

receiving, by the one or more computing systems, from a computing device associated with the merchant, a transaction code associated with the second product; and

providing, by the one or more computing systems, an indication of the selected second product and the transaction code to the client system.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining, for each product associated with the product category, one or more subsidies applicable to the product.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transmitting, by the one or more computing systems to the client system, instructions to display a listing of at least two pluralities of products based on the selected first product;

receiving, from the client system of the buyer, a selection of one of the at least two pluralities of products; and

defining, by the one or more computer systems, the product category based on the selection.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the computing device is associated with the one or more computing systems.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting, by the one or more computing systems to the processing device, information enabling the buyer to take possession of the first product at the merchant.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein each of the one or more subsidies reduces the offer price by a subsidy amount according to a subsidy rule.

7. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory coupled to the processors and comprising instructions executable by the processors, the processors being operable when executing the instructions to:

receive, from a client system of a buyer, a selection of a first product of a plurality of products associated with a merchant;

receive, from the client system, an indication of a definition of the plurality of products;

generate a product category associated with the plurality of products based on the definition of the plurality of products;

provide a listing of the plurality of products for display on the client system;

determine an offer price associated with the product category;

select, based on the offer price, a second product from the plurality of products;

receive, from a computing device associated with the merchant, a transaction code associated with the second product; and

provide an indication of the selected second product and the transaction code to the client system.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the processors are further operable to determine, for each product associated with the product category, one or more subsidies applicable to the product.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to:

transmit to the client system instructions to display a listing of at least two pluralities of products based on the selected first product;

receive, from the client system, a selection of one of at least two pluralities of products; and

define the product category based on the selection.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the processing device is associated with the one or more computing systems.

11. The system of claim 7 , further comprising transmitting, by the one or more computing systems to the processing device, information enabling the buyer to take possession of the first product at the merchant.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein each of the one or more subsidies reduces the offer price by a subsidy amount according to a subsidy rule.

13. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software that is operable when executed to:

receive, from a client system of a buyer, a selection of a first product of a plurality of products associated with a merchant;

receive, from the client system, an indication of a definition of the plurality of products;

generate a product category comprising a plurality of products which includes the first product based on the definition of the plurality of products;

provide a listing of the plurality of products for display on the client system;

determine an offer price associated with the product category;

select, based on the offer price, a second product from the plurality of products;

receive, from a computing device associated with the merchant, a transaction code associated with the second product; and

provide an indication of the selected second product and the transaction code to the client system.

14. The media of claim 13 , wherein the software is further operable to determine, for each product associated with the product category, one or more subsidies applicable to the product.

15. The media of claim 13 , wherein the software is further operable when executed to:

receive, from the client system, an indication of a definition of the plurality of products; and

generate the product category based on the definition.

16. The media of claim 13 , wherein the software is further operable when executed to:

transmit to the client system instructions to display a listing of at least two pluralities of products based on the selected first product;

receive, from the client system, a selection of one or the at least two pluralities of products; and

define the product category based on the selection.

17. The media of claim 13 , wherein the processing device is associated with the one or more computing systems.

18. The media of claim 14 , wherein each of the one or more subsidies reduces the offer price by a subsidy amount according to a subsidy rule.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 20, 2021
From: FACEBOOK, INC.
To: META PLATFORMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 058553/0802 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 9, 2014
From: WALKER, JAY S.; MIK, MAGDALENA; PACKES, JOHN M., JR.; SAMMON, RUSSELL PRATT; KOBAYASHI, MICHIKO
To: WALKER DIGITAL, LLC
Reel/Frame 032864/0412 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 9, 2014
From: WALKER DIGITAL, LLC
To: FACEBOOK, INC.
Reel/Frame 032864/0453 →