US2013226640A1PendingUtilityA1

Electronic select provider network

47
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Jul 17, 2008Filed: Mar 15, 2013Published: Aug 29, 2013
Est. expiryJul 17, 2028(~2 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Rhett ButlerGeorge A. CollEric J. CastroCarlos E. Fojo
G06Q 10/063112G06Q 10/0834G06Q 30/06G06Q 10/06313G06Q 30/0635H04L 67/52
47
PatentIndex Score
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References
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Claims

Abstract

A method of delegating a service order may include periodically establishing a plurality of tiers of service providers. The service order may be routed to one or more service providers from at least a first one of the plurality of tiers, based on acceptance of the service order by one or more service providers from at least a second one of the plurality of tiers. The service providers may be registered on a service provider network. The periodic establishing of the plurality of tiers may be based on at least one cost function associated with the service providers. The service order may be routed to the one or more service providers from at least the second one of the plurality of tiers. The first one of the plurality of tiers of service providers may be mutually exclusive from the second one of the plurality of tiers of service providers.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A method of delegating a service order, comprising:
 periodically establishing a plurality of tiers of service providers; and   routing the service order to one or more service providers from at least a first one of the plurality of tiers, based on acceptance of the service order by one or more service providers from at least a second one of the plurality of tiers, wherein:
 the service providers are registered on a service provider network; and 
 the periodic establishing of the plurality of tiers is based on at least one cost function associated with the service providers. 
   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , comprising:
 routing the service order to the one or more service providers from at least the second one of the plurality of tiers.   
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the first one of the plurality of tiers of service providers is mutually exclusive from the second one of the plurality of tiers of service providers. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 19 , comprising:
 routing the service order to the one or more service providers from the at least first one of the plurality of tiers, if the service order is not accepted by the one or more service providers from the at least second one of the plurality of tiers within a predetermined amount of time.   
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the periodic establishing of the plurality of tiers comprises:
 determining costs associated with the service providers based on the at least one cost function.   
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 23 , comprising:
 re-allocating at least one of the service providers having costs higher than a first threshold, from the at least first one of the plurality of tiers to the at least second one of the plurality of tiers.   
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 24 , comprising:
 re-allocating at least one of the service providers having costs lower than a second threshold, from the at least second one of the plurality of tiers to the at least first one of the plurality of tiers.   
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 19 , comprising:
 registering on the service provider network, a first portion of the service providers categorized into a first category of service providers and a second portion of the service providers categorized into a second category of service providers, wherein:
 the first category corresponds to one of a first geographic area and a first service type; and 
 the second category corresponds to one of a second geographic area and a second service type. 
   
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 19 , comprising:
 receiving service provider criteria from a buyer; and   determining the at least first one of the plurality of tiers and the at least second one of the plurality of tiers based on the service provider criteria.   
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein the determining of the at least first one of the plurality of tiers and the at least second one of the plurality of tiers comprises:
 creating an invitation to join the at least first one of the plurality of tiers based upon the criteria;   sending the invitation to those service providers that meet a minimum degree of the criteria;   receiving one or more acceptances from one or more of the service providers that meet the minimum degree of the criteria;   allocating the accepting service providers to the at least first one of the plurality of tiers; and   allocating the non-accepting service providers to the at least second one of the plurality of tiers.   
     
     
         29 . A system of delegating a service order, comprising:
 in a network device comprising memory coupled to at least one processor, the at least one processor operable to:
 periodically establish a plurality of tiers of service providers; and 
 route the service order to one or more service providers from at least a first one of the plurality of tiers, based on acceptance of the service order by one or more service providers from at least a second one of the plurality of tiers, wherein:
 the service providers are registered on a service provider network; and 
 the periodic establishing of the plurality of tiers is based on at least one cost function associated with the service providers. 
 
   
     
     
         30 . The system according to  claim 19 , wherein the at least one processor is operable to:
 route the service order to the one or more service providers from at least the second one of the plurality of tiers.   
     
     
         31 . The system according to  claim 19 , wherein the first one of the plurality of tiers of service providers is mutually exclusive from the second one of the plurality of tiers of service providers. 
     
     
         32 . The system according to  claim 19 , wherein the at least one processor is operable to:
 route the service order to the one or more service providers from the at least first one of the plurality of tiers, if the service order is not accepted by the one or more service providers from the at least second one of the plurality of tiers within a predetermined amount of time.   
     
     
         33 . The system according to  claim 19 , wherein during the periodic establishing of the plurality of tiers, the at least one processor is operable to:
 determine costs associated with the service providers based on the at least one cost function.   
     
     
         34 . The system according to  claim 23 , wherein the at least one processor is operable to:
 re-allocate at least one of the service providers having costs higher than a first threshold, from the at least first one of the plurality of tiers to the at least second one of the plurality of tiers.   
     
     
         35 . The system according to  claim 24 , wherein the at least one processor is operable to:
 re-allocate at least one of the service providers having costs lower than a second threshold, from the at least second one of the plurality of tiers to the at least first one of the plurality of tiers.   
     
     
         36 . The system according to  claim 19 , wherein the at least one processor is operable to:
 register on the service provider network, a first portion of the service providers categorized into a first category of service providers and a second portion of the service providers categorized into a second category of service providers, wherein:
 the first category corresponds to one of a first geographic area and a first service type; and 
 the second category corresponds to one of a second geographic area and a second service type. 
   
     
     
         37 . The system according to  claim 19 , wherein the at least one processor is operable to:
 receive service provider criteria from a buyer; and   determine the at least first one of the plurality of tiers and the at least second one of the plurality of tiers based on the service provider criteria.   
     
     
         38 . The system according to  claim 27 , wherein during the determining of the at least first one of the plurality of tiers and the at least second one of the plurality of tiers, the at least one processor is operable to:
 create an invitation to join the at least first one of the plurality of tiers based upon the criteria;   send the invitation to those service providers that meet a minimum degree of the criteria;   receive one or more acceptances from one or more of the service providers that meet the minimum degree of the criteria;   allocate the accepting service providers to the at least first one of the plurality of tiers; and   allocate the non-accepting service providers to the at least second one of the plurality of tiers.

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