Method and apparatus for a cryptographically assisted commercial network system designed to facilitate idea submission, purchase and licensing and innovation transfer

Abstract

The present invention is a method and apparatus for effectuating bilateral commerce in ideas. The present invention is both an originator- ( 400 ) and user-driven ( 300 ) online commercial network system designed to facilitate idea submission, purchase and licensing and is easily adapted to business-to-business transfers of innovation as well as consumer-to-business transfers of innovation. The invention allows originators of ideas to communicate nondisclosing synopses of ideas globally to potential users, for users conveniently to search for relevant ideas and for users potentially to bind an originator ( 400 ) to a limited duration license ( 120 a ) granting user the exclusive right to access and consider confidentially the originator's fully disclosed idea ( 130 a ). The invention also allows users ( 300 ) to communicate confidentially or nonconfidentially unsolved problems or needs globally to potential originators, for originators conveniently to search for relevant unsolved problems or needs ( 100 b ) and for originators to submit and communicate confidentially proposed solutions ( 130 b ) to the soliciting user.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of using a computer to conduct a transaction between a user and an originator comprising: 
 inputting into the computer a basic description and a corresponding detailed description of the user's unmet need or unsolved problem;    permitting the originator to access the basic description of the user's unmet needs or unsolved problems;    for the basic description, providing the originator an option to access the corresponding detailed description by agreeing to an online license agreement;    inputting into the computer an indication of agreement by the originator to the online license agreement; and    providing the originator with access via the computer to the corresponding detailed description.    
     
     
         2 . A method according to    claim 1    wherein the online license agreement is a limited duration, exclusive license.  
     
     
         3 . A method according to    claim 1    further comprising: 
 after the originator has indicated agreement to the online license agreement, disallowing other potential originators from accessing the basic description and corresponding description for the duration of the license agreement.  
 
     
     
         4 . A method according to    claim 1    wherein the corresponding detailed description is stored in the computer in encrypted form.  
     
     
         5 . A method according to    claim 4    further comprising: 
 providing the originator with an access key to decrypt the corresponding detailed description after agreeing to the license agreement.  
 
     
     
         6 . A method according to    claim 1    further comprising: 
 inputting into the computer a proposal by the originator to address the user's unmet need or unsolved problem.  
 
     
     
         7 . A method according to    claim 1    wherein the license agreement is nonexclusive.  
     
     
         8 . A method according to    claim 1    wherein the originator accesses the corresponding detailed description using an Internet browser.  
     
     
         9 . A method of using a computer to conduct a transaction between an originator and a user comprising: 
 inputting into the computer a basic description and a corresponding detailed description of the originator's proposal;    permitting the user to access the basic description of the originator's proposal;    for the basic description, providing the user an option to access the corresponding detailed description by agreeing to an online license agreement;    inputting into the computer an indication of agreement by the user to the online license agreement; and    providing the originator with access via the computer to the corresponding detailed description.    
     
     
         10 . A method according to    claim 9    wherein the originator's proposal is in response to the user's unmet need or unsolved problem inputted and accessed using the computer.  
     
     
         11 . A method according to    claim 9    wherein the online license agreement is a limited duration, exclusive license.  
     
     
         12 . A method according to    claim 9    further comprising: 
 after the user has indicated agreement to the online license agreement, disallowing other potential users from accessing the basic description and corresponding description for the duration of the license agreement.  
 
     
     
         13 . A method according to    claim 1    wherein the corresponding detailed description is stored in the computer in encrypted form.  
     
     
         14 . A method according to    claim 13    further comprising: 
 providing the user with an access key to decrypt the corresponding description after agreeing to the license agreement.  
 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus to facilitate transactions between a user and an originator comprising: 
 a computer comprising a processor and storage device, wherein a computer program causes the computer to    store using the storage device a basic description and a corresponding detailed description of the user's unmet needs or unsolved problems,    allow the originator to access the basic description of the user's unmet needs or unsolved problems, and    allow the originator to access the corresponding detailed description by agreeing to an online license agreement.    
     
     
         16 . An apparatus according to    claim 15    wherein the online license agreement is a limited duration, exclusive license.  
     
     
         17 . An apparatus according to    claim 15    wherein the computer program further causes the computer to 
 disallow other potential originators from accessing the basic description and corresponding description for the duration of the license agreement.  
 
     
     
         18 . An apparatus according to    claim 15    wherein the corresponding detailed description is stored in an encrypted form.  
     
     
         19 . An apparatus to facilitate transactions between a user and an originator comprising: 
 a computer comprising a processor and storage devices, wherein a computer program causes the computer to    store using the storage device a basic description and a corresponding detailed description of the originator's proposal,    allow the user to access the basic description of the originator's proposal, and    allow the user to access the corresponding detailed description by agreeing to an online license agreement.    
     
     
         20 . An apparatus according to    claim 19    wherein the originator's proposal is in response to the user's unmet need or unsolved problem stored on the storage device and accessed through the computer.  
     
     
         21 . An apparatus according to    claim 19    wherein the online license agreement is a limited duration, exclusive license.  
     
     
         22 . An apparatus according to    claim 19    wherein the computer program further causes the computer to 
 disallow other potential users from accessing the device description and corresponding description for the duration of the license agreement.  
 
     
     
         23 . An apparatus according to    claim 19    wherein the corresponding detailed description is stored in an encrypted form.  
     
     
         24 . An apparatus according to    claim 19    wherein the user accesses the computer using a second computer by way of a network and an Internet browser program.  
     
     
         25 . An apparatus according to    claim 19    wherein the storage device is a computer fixed disk device.