(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2008/0103921 A1 CELLA Et Al
US 20080 103921A1 (19) United States (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2008/0103921 A1 CELLA et al. (43) Pub. Date: May 1, 2008 (54) CONTINGENCY-BASED OPTIONS AND (60) Provisional application No. 60/137,310, filed on Jun. FUTURES FOR CONTINGENT TRAVEL 3, 1999. ACCOMMODATIONS Publication Classification (76) Inventors: Charles H. CELLA, Pembroke, MA (US); Edward J. KELLY, Wellesley, (51) Int. Cl. MA (US); Matthew P. VINCENT, G06Q 30/00 (2006.01) Georgetown, MA (US) (52) U.S. Cl. ................................................................ 705/26 Correspondence Address: STRATEGIC PATENTS P.C.. (57) ABSTRACT CFO PORTFOLIOP P.O. BOX S2OSO MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55402 (US) Disclosed herein is a system for allowing a remote user to purchase, over a distributed computer network (e.g., the (21) Appl. No.: 11/875,368 Internet), an option for a ticket and/or accommodations for a contingent event', e.g., an event which is certain to occur (22) Filed: Oct. 19, 2007 but for which the participants, content and/or location(s) are Related U.S. Application Data not predetermined. For instance, the Subject system can be used to sell options for the purchase of tickets to such (63) Continuation of application No. 09/586,723, filed on contingent events such as playoff games on the basis of what Jun. 5, 2000. teams qualify, or all-star game. 282 Y 294 292 HOTEL DINING 290 TRANSPORTATION 288 284 3O4 TICKET OTHER GOODS RENTAL LOCAL CAR ATTRACTIONS OTHER SERVICES Patent Application Publication May 1, 2008 Sheet 1 of 10 US 2008/O103921 A1 to 1 O2 1 O2 1 O2 BUYER BUYER BUYER N7 10 HOST PROVIDER > 104 108 Fig.
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