Information exchange system

A method for operating an electronic exchange, the method comprising:

• receiving, at a request processing transaction manager, a description of requested information;
• storing, by the request processing transaction manager, a request listing associated with the requested information to a request database;
• searching, by a matching engine, an offer database for an offer listing that matches the request listing;
• communicating terms associated with the offer to a requestor associated with the request listing when a match is found;
• and
• communicating access instructions that enable access to the information to a requestor associated with the request listing when a match is found.

An electronic exchange comprising:

• an offer processor configured to receive an offer that includes a description of information for offer and terms associated with access to the information, and store an offer listing associated with the offer to an offer database;
• a matching engine configured to search a request database for a request listing that matches the offer listing;
• and
• circuitry operable to communicate access instructions that enable access to the information to a requestor associated with the request listing when a match is found and the terms are accepted.

A machine-readable storage medium having stored thereon a computer program comprising at least one code section for operating an electronic exchange, the at least one code section being executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform acts of:

• receiving an offer that includes a description of information for offer and terms associated with access to the information;
• storing an offer listing associated with the offer to an offer database;
• searching a request database for a request listing that matches the offer listing;
• communicating access instructions that enable access to the information to a requestor associated with the request listing when a match is found and the terms are accepted.