Computerized commission based trading operations

Abstract

A computerized information storage, filtering and presentation system configured to facilitate the function of intermediary broker agents in the purchasing and sale of consumable and perishable products, such as dairy goods. The computerized system provides agents of the intermediary broker with filtered information via a communications network identifying the sellers of particular goods, current market purchase prices, and transportation costs for various regions. The computerized system further provides the agents with additional filtered information via the communications network identifying buyers for particular goods and current market selling prices, enabling the agents to efficiently match goods purchased from a seller to a buyer's demand while achieving a desired profit margin.

1 . A process for operating an on-line brokerage operation for goods, which comprises: 
 receiving at an e-commerce server data processing system at least one seller identification and an associated list of available goods;    receiving at said e-commerce server data processing system at least one buyer identification and an associated list of desired goods;    displaying said received seller identification and associated list of available goods at a brokerage terminal in communication with said e-commerce server data processing system;    displaying said received buyer identification and associated list of desired goods at said brokerage terminal;    negotiating through said e-commerce server data processing system with a seller associated with said seller identification, a purchase price for a quantity of at least one of said available goods;    receiving at said brokerage terminal, through said e-commerce server data processing system, a confirmation of purchase of said quantity of available goods from said seller, said confirmation of purchase including a negotiated purchase price;    negotiating through said e-commerce server data processing system, with a buyer associated with said buyer identification, a selling price for said purchased available goods matching at least one of said associated list of desired goods;    receiving at said brokerage terminal, through said e-commerce server data processing system, a confirmation of sale of said quantity of available goods from said buyer, said confirmation of sale including a negotiated sale price;    wherein said negotiated sale price is greater than said negotiated purchase price.    
     
     
         2 . The process for operating an on-line brokerage operation for goods of  claim 1  further including the additional steps of: 
 receiving at said brokerage terminal, a broker identifier for association with each of said sale confirmations;  
 tracking, at said e-commerce server data processing system, said broker identifiers; and  
 calculating a broker commission based upon said tracked broker identifiers and said sale confirmations.  
 
     
     
         3 . The process for operating an on-line brokerage operation for goods of  claim 1  further including the additional steps of: 
 receiving at said e-commerce server data processing system at least one hauler identification and an associated list of point-to-point hauling rates;  
 arranging, through said e-commerce server data processing system, the transportation of said purchased available goods from said seller to said buyer upon said receipt of said confirmation of sale of said quantity of available goods, a cost of said transportation based upon said associated list of point-to-point hauling rates; and  
 wherein said negotiated sale price includes the cost of said transportation.  
 
     
     
         4 . A set of application program interfaces for utilization on a computer in conjunction with an application program for facilitating commercial trading transactions comprising: 
 a first interface that receives a buyer identification and a set of desired product identifications;    a second interface that receives a seller identification, a set of available product identifications, and a set of associated product prices;    a third interface that receives an inquiry product identification and returns a list of buyer and seller identifications associated with said product identification, together with said associated product prices.    
     
     
         5 . The set of application program interfaces of  claim 4  wherein said inquiry product identification is a desired product.  
     
     
         6 . The set of application program interfaces of  claim 4  wherein said inquiry product identification is an available product.  
     
     
         7 . The set of application program interface of  claim 4  including a fourth interface that receives a hauler identification and a set of hauling parameters; and wherein said third interface further returns a list of hauler identifications and hauling parameters.  
     
     
         8 . An article of manufacture, which comprises a computer readable storage medium having stored therein a computer program for operating an product brokerage, the computer program comprising: 
 a first code segment for defining in an e-commerce server data processing system a plurality of entities associated with the product brokerage, said defined entities including at least one buyer, at least one seller, and at least one hauler;    a second code segment for defining in said e-commerce server data processing system a at least one product associated with the product brokerage;    a third code segment for defining in said e-commerce server data processing system at least one point-to-point transportation cost, said at least one point-to-point transportation cost associated with said at least one hauler and said at least one product;    a fourth code segment for defining in said e-commerce server data processing system at least one pricing index, said pricing index associated with said at least one seller and said at least one product; and    a fifth code segment for defining in said e-commerce server data processing system at least one schedule index, said schedule index associated with said at least one seller, said at least one buyer, said at least one hauler, and said at least one product.    
     
     
         9 . The article of manufacture of  claim 8  in which the first code segment is configured to store and access contact information for each of said entities.  
     
     
         10 . The article of manufacture of  claim 8  in which said fourth code segment is configured to track a pricing history for said at least one seller.  
     
     
         11 . The article of manufacture of  claim 8  further including a sixth code segment for calculating a brokerage product sale price, said sixth code segment configured to receive product pricing parameters associated with said at least one product, product hauling parameters associated with said at least one product and said at least one point-to-point transportation cost, and product load parameters associated with said at least one product; wherein said sixth code segment defines said brokerage product sale price based upon said received parameters.  
     
     
         12 . A set of application program interfaces for utilization on a networked computer system in conjunction with an application program for facilitating commercial dairy product trading transactions comprising: 
 a first interface for receiving input information and for displaying stored data in response to said received input information;    a second interface for receiving input load settlement information and for displaying stored load settlement data in response to said received load settlement information; and    wherein each of said first and second interfaces each includes a plurality of interactive components for manipulating said displayed data.    
     
     
         13 . The set of application program interfaces of  claim 12  wherein said first interface further comprises: 
 a third interface for receiving input contact information and for displaying stored contact data in response to said received input contact information;  
 a fourth interface for receiving input shipment schedule information and for displaying stored shipment schedule data in response to said received input schedule information;  
 a fifth interface for receiving input product information and for displaying stored product data in response to said received input product information;  
 a sixth interface for receiving input transportation information and for displaying stored transportation data in response to said received input transportation information; and  
 a seventh interface for receiving input pricing information and for displaying stored pricing data in response to said received input pricing information.  
 
     
     
         14 . The set of application program interfaces of  claim 13  wherein said input contact information comprises alternatively a contact identifier, a contact type, a contact status, a contact category, or an entry from a predefined contact list.  
     
     
         15 . The set of application program interfaces of  claim 13  wherein said third interface is configured to display said stored contact data in a hierarchical format.  
     
     
         16 . The set of application program interfaces of  claim 13  wherein said input shipment schedule information includes a contact identifier, a shipment date range, and a shipment schedule type selection.  
     
     
         17 . The set of application program interfaces of  claim 13  wherein said input shipment schedule information comprises alternatively a contact identifier, a product identifier, a trader identifier, or a remark entry.  
     
     
         18 . The set of application program interfaces of  claim 13  where said fourth interface is configured to display said stored shipment schedule information alternatively in a detail view, a remarks view, and a confirmation view.  
     
     
         19 . The set of application program interfaces of  claim 13  wherein said input product information includes at least one data entry from the set of product identifiers and product categories.  
     
     
         20 . The set of application program interfaces of  claim 13  wherein said fifth interface is configured to display said stored product information with a plurality of interactive links to associated contact information for product buyers, product sellers, and product haulers.  
     
     
         21 . The set of application program interfaces of  claim 13  wherein said input transportation information includes a date range and a transportation report type.  
     
     
         22 . The set of application program interfaces of  claim 13  wherein said sixth interface is configured to display said stored transportation information with a plurality of interactive links to stored transportation details, associated contact information for product buyers, product sellers, and product haulers.  
     
     
         23 . The set of application program interfaces of  claim 13  wherein said sixth interface is configured to display said stored transportation information alternatively in a hauling history report or a hauling detail report.  
     
     
         24 . The set of application program interfaces of  claim 13  wherein said input pricing information includes a price basis.  
     
     
         25 . The set of application program interfaces of  claim 13  wherein said seventh interface is configured to display said stored pricing information alternatively in a current market prices report or a pricing history report.  
     
     
         26 . The set of application program interfaces of  claim 12  further including a third interface configured to receive load settlement information and to generate and transmit at least one confirmation messages in response to said received load settlement information.  
     
     
         27 . The set of application program interfaces of  claim 12  further including a third interface configured to receive load settlement information and to associate said received load settlement information with one or more customer account records.  
     
     
         28 . The set of application program interfaces of  claim 27  wherein said one or more customer account records are accessible through an accounting interface.