Peer-to-peer trading platform with roles-based transactions

Abstract

A computer-implemented method and system is disclosed in which a network-based interaction environment includes a plurality of peer-to-peer nodes being able to communicate directly with each other using a peer-to-peer protocol and a peer-to-peer client application, and a first peer-to-peer client application running on a first peer-to-peer client of the plurality of peer-to-peer nodes, the first peer-to-peer client application to maintain persistent user account information on the first peer-to-peer client, the persistent information being related to a plurality of user accounts for conducting e-commerce interactions on the network-based interaction environment, the plurality of user accounts including at least one user account based on a plurality of roles of a corresponding user.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which:

An architectural overview of an example embodiment of a peer-to-peer (P2P) platform client is shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example architecture of a system supporting roles, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example architecture of a system supporting roles in an enterprise setting, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 4 illustrates an item listing process from the seller perspective, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 5 illustrates a list item event flow, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 6 illustrates an item search/retrieval process from the buyer perspective, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 7 illustrates a search item event flow, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 8 illustrates a view item event flow, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 9 illustrates an interconnectivity diagram showing the connections between functional components of an implementation, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 10 illustrates a peer-to-peer trading platform plug-in that may replace a central e-commerce browser, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 11 illustrates a P2P trading platform message exchange protocol, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 12 illustrates a messaging stack, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 13 illustrates a message format, according to an example embodiment.

FIGS. 14-25 illustrate various user interface screen snapshots, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 26 shows a diagrammatic representation of machine in the example form of a computer system within which a set of instructions, for causing the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein, may be executed.

Claims

1. A system comprising: a network-based interaction environment including a plurality of peer-to-peer nodes being able to communicate directly with each other using a peer-to-peer protocol and a peer-to-peer client application; anda first peer-to-peer client application running on a first peer-to-peer client of the plurality of peer-to-peer nodes, the first peer-to-peer client application to maintain persistent user account information on the first peer-to-peer client, the persistent information being related to a plurality of user accounts for conducting e-commerce interactions on the network-based interaction environment, the plurality of user accounts including at least one user account based on a plurality of roles of a corresponding user.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the user account based on a plurality of roles of a corresponding user provides a different set of functionality for each of the plurality of roles.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one role of the plurality of roles requires a third party authorization for particular types of e-commerce interactions.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one role of the plurality of roles requires a third party authorization for particular types of e-commerce interactions only if the value of the e-commerce interaction is above a pre-determined threshold.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein at least two user accounts of the plurality of user accounts are linked.

6. The system of claim 1 including a first role and a second role of the plurality of roles, the second role being automatically included in any e-commerce transactions performed by the first role.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the first role is a minor child role and the second role is a parent adult role.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein the first role is an employee role and the second role is an employer representative role.

9. The system of claim 6 wherein a user acting in the first role may list items for sale and select items to buy using their own peer-to-peer user name.

10. The system of claim 1 including a first role and a second role of the plurality of roles, the second role being associated with a trusted account, the first role being associated with a lite account.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the trusted account is an auction site account and the lite account is a peer-to-peer account.

12. The system of claim 6 wherein a user acting in the first role may search and browse as a non-registered user can.

13. The system of claim 6 wherein a user acting in the second role is automatically offered an option to reject an action attempted by a user acting in the first role.

14. The system of claim 6 wherein a user acting in the second role may pre-authorize an action later attempted by a user acting in the first role.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein a plurality of roles are linked to a plurality of user accounts.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein an individual role of the plurality of roles can be assigned to a plurality of different peer-to-peer marketplace identities.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein a set of services offered to the first peer-to-peer client is based on a role of a corresponding user.

18. A method comprising: enabling network communication among a plurality of peer-to-peer nodes, the peer-to-peer nodes being able to communicate directly with each other using a peer-to-peer protocol and a peer-to-peer client application; andmaintaining persistent user account information with a first peer-to-peer client application running on a first peer-to-peer client of the plurality of peer-to-peer nodes, the persistent user account information being related to a plurality of user accounts for conducting e-commerce interactions on a network-based interaction environment, the plurality of user accounts including at least one user account based on a plurality of roles of a corresponding user.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the user account based on a plurality of roles of a corresponding user provides a different set of functionality for each of the plurality of roles.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein at least one role of the plurality of roles requires a third party authorization for particular types of e-commerce interactions.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein at least one role of the plurality of roles requires a third party authorization for particular types of e-commerce interactions only if the value of the e-commerce interaction is above a pre-determined threshold.

22. The method of claim 18 wherein at least two user accounts of the plurality of user accounts are linked.

23. The method of claim 18 including a first role and a second role of the plurality of roles, the second role being automatically included in any e-commerce transactions performed by the first role.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the first role is a minor child role and the second role is a parent adult role.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein the first role is an employee role and the second role is an employer representative role.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein a user acting in the first role may list items for sale and select items to buy using their own peer-to-peer user name.

27. The method of claim 18 including a first role and a second role of the plurality of roles, the second role being associated with a trusted account, the first role being associated with a lite account.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the trusted account is an auction site account and the lite account is a peer-to-peer account.

29. The method of claim 23 wherein a user acting in the first role may search and browse as a non-registered user can.

30. The method of claim 23 wherein a user acting in the second role is automatically offered an option to reject an action attempted by a user acting in the first role.

31. The method of claim 23 wherein a user acting in the second role may pre-authorize an action later attempted by a user acting in the first role.

32. The method of claim 18 wherein a plurality of roles are linked to a plurality of user accounts.

33. The method of claim 18 wherein an individual role of the plurality of roles can be assigned to a plurality of different peer-to-peer marketplace identities.

34. The method of claim 18 wherein a set of services offered to the first peer-to-peer client is based on a role of a corresponding user.

35. An article of manufacture comprising a machine-readable medium having machine executable instructions embedded thereon, which when executed by a machine, cause the machine to: enable network communication among a plurality of peer-to-peer nodes, the peer-to-peer nodes being able to communicate directly with each other using a peer-to-peer protocol and a peer-to-peer client application; andmaintain persistent user account information with a first peer-to-peer client application running on a first peer-to-peer client of the plurality of peer-to-peer nodes, the persistent user account information being related to a plurality of user accounts for conducting e-commerce interactions on a network-based interaction environment, the plurality of user accounts including at least one user account based on a plurality of roles of a corresponding user.

36. The article of manufacture of claim 35 wherein the user account based on a plurality of roles of a corresponding user provides a different set of functionality for each of the plurality of roles.

37. The article of manufacture of claim 35 wherein at least one role of the plurality of roles requires a third party authorization for particular types of e-commerce interactions.

38. The article of manufacture of claim 35 wherein at least one role of the plurality of roles requires a third party authorization for particular types of e-commerce interactions only if the value of the e-commerce interaction is above a pre-determined threshold.