# US 8,571,969 B1 · System, method and program product for contingent commitments

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- Number: US 8,571,969 B1
- Document ID: US8571969B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 13/555,751
- Filed: 2012-07-23
- Granted: 2013-10-29
- Earliest claimed: 2001-11-01
- Applicants: Marc Michael Groz
- Inventors: Marc Michael Groz
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8571969B1

## CPC

- G06Q 40/00: Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
- G06Q 10/103: {Workflow collaboration or project management}
- G06Q 40/04: Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A computer implemented method and system is disclosed for receiving contingent commitment facility information associated with establishing a contingent commitment facility includes CCF criteria for participation in the contingent commitment facility. The method and system may include determining one or more potential participants in the contingent commitment facility who meet CCF criteria associated with the contingent commitment facility and may send to devices associated with the one or more potential participants, invitations to participate in the contingent commitment facility. Contingent commitment information associated with a potential participant and the contingent commitment facility may be received and status of contingencies in the contingent commitment facility may be determined.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A computer implemented method comprising:
(a) accessing, using one or more computers, one or more electronic databases, stored on one or more computers-readable media in the performance of one or more of the following steps, the one or more databases comprising:
(i) participant information comprising identifying information of respective participants and contact information of respective participants;
(ii) contingent commitment facility information comprising problem information, identification of participants for the facility information, and one or more rules for processing commitments associated with said facility;
(iii) contingent commitment information comprising contingency information indicating one or more commitments contingent on the occurrence of one or more events;
(iv) condition information comprising status information on events associated with respective contingent commitments;
(b) receiving, by the one or more computers from a first user device, contingent commitment facility information associated with establishing a contingent commitment facility comprising CCF criteria for participation in the contingent commitment facility;
(c) storing in the one or more databases the contingent commitment facility information;
(d) determining, by the one or more computers, one or more potential participants in the contingent commitment facility who meet CCF criteria associated with the contingent commitment facility;
(e) sending, by the one or more computers to devices associated with the one or more potential participants, invitations to participate in the contingent commitment facility;
(f) receiving, at the one or more computers from at least one device associated with at least one of the one or more potential participants, first contingent commitment information associated with the at least one first potential participant and the contingent commitment facility, the first contingent commitment information comprising a first commitment and a first contingency;
(g) storing in the one or more databases the first contingent commitment information;
(h) determining, using the one or more computer systems, a first status of contingencies in the contingent commitment facility;
(i) sending, using the one or more computers systems to at least the first user device, the first status;
(j) receiving, at the one or more computers, from at least one device associated with at least one of the one or more potential participants, second contingent commitment information associated with the at least one second potential participant, the second contingent commitment information comprising a second commitment matching the first contingency and a second contingency;
(k) storing in the one or more databases the second contingent commitment information;
(l) receiving, at the one or more computers, from at least one device associated with at least one of the one or more potential participants, third contingent commitment information associated with the at least one third potential participant, the third contingent commitment information comprising a third commitment matching the second contingency and a third contingency matching either the first or second commitment; and
(m) storing in the one or more databases the third contingent commitment information.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the database further comprises filter information associated with a respective participant, and information regarding the respective participant is made available to other participants in accordance with said filter information.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the database further comprises filter information associated with a respective contingent commitment information, and information regarding the respective contingent commitment information is made available to participants in accordance with said filter information.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the database further comprises filter information associated with a respective contingent commitment facility information, and information regarding the respective contingent commitment facility information is made available to participants in accordance with said filter information.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:
(n) receiving, by the one or more computers, first condition information regarding at least one contingent commitment;
(o) storing in the one or more databases the first condition information;
(p) determining, using the one or more computer systems, a second status of contingencies in the contingent commitment facility based on at least in part the first condition information; and
(q) sending, using the one or more computers systems to at least the first user device, the second status.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the first status indicates the first commitment is a contingent commitment and the second status indicates the first commitment is a conditionally binding commitment.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the first status indicates the first commitment is a contingent commitment and the second status indicates the first commitment is an absolutely binding commitment.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the first status indicates the first commitment is a conditionally binding commitment and the second status indicates the first commitment is an absolutely binding commitment.

### Claim 9

A system comprising:
(a) one or more electronic databases, stored on one or more computers-readable media in the performance of one or more of the following steps, the one or more databases comprising:
(i) participant information comprising identifying information of respective participants and contact information of respective participants;
(ii) contingent commitment facility information comprising problem information, identification of participants for the facility information, and one or more rules for processing commitments associated with said facility;
(iii) contingent commitment information comprising contingency information indicating one or more commitments contingent on the occurrence of one or more events;
(iv) condition information comprising status information on events associated with respective contingent commitments;
(b) one or more computers operatively connected to the one or more electronic databases, comprising one or more processors, memory, and non-volatile computer-readable storage media including computer-readable code that is read by the one or more processors to perform a method comprising:
(1) receiving, from a first user device, contingent commitment facility information associated with establishing a contingent commitment facility comprising CCF criteria for participation in the contingent commitment facility;
(2) storing in the one or more databases the contingent commitment facility information;
(3) determining, by the one or more computers, one or more potential participants in the contingent commitment facility who meet CCF criteria associated with the contingent commitment facility;
(4) sending, by the one or more computers to devices associated with the one or more potential participants, invitations to participate in the contingent commitment facility;
(5) receiving, at the one or more computers from at least one device associated with at least one of the one or more potential participants, first contingent commitment information associated with the at least one first potential participant and the contingent commitment facility, the first contingent commitment information comprising a first commitment and a first contingency;
(6) storing in the one or more databases the first contingent commitment information;
(7) determining, using the one or more computer systems, a first status of contingencies in the contingent commitment facility;
(8) sending, using the one or more computers systems to at least the first user device, the first status;
(9) receiving, at the one or more computers, from at least one device associated with at least one of the one or more potential participants, second contingent commitment information associated with the at least one second potential participant, the second contingent commitment information comprising a second commitment matching the first contingency and a second contingency;
(10) storing in the one or more databases the second contingent commitment information;
(11) receiving, at the one or more computers, from at least one device associated with at least one of the one or more potential participants, third contingent commitment information associated with the at least one third potential participant, the third contingent commitment information comprising a third commitment matching the second contingency and a third contingency matching either the first or second commitment; and
(12) storing in the one or more databases the third contingent commitment information.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the database further comprises filter information associated with a respective participant, and information regarding the respective participant is made available to other participants in accordance with said filter information.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the database further comprises filter information associated with a respective contingent commitment information, and information regarding the respective contingent commitment information is made available to participants in accordance with said filter information.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the database further comprises filter information associated with a respective contingent commitment facility information, and information regarding the respective contingent commitment facility information is made available to participants in accordance with said filter information.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises the steps of:
(13) receiving, by the one or more computers, first condition information regarding at least one contingent commitment;
(14) storing in the one or more databases the first condition information;
(15) determining, using the one or more computer systems, a second status of contingencies in the contingent commitment facility based on at least in part the first condition information; and
(16) sending, using the one or more computers systems to at least the first user device, the second status.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein the first status indicates the first commitment is a contingent commitment and the second status indicates the first commitment is a conditionally binding commitment.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein the first status indicates the first commitment is a contingent commitment and the second status indicates the first commitment is an absolutely binding commitment.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein the first status indicates the first commitment is a conditionally binding commitment and the second status indicates the first contingent commitment is an absolutely binding commitment.