US US8069073B2

Summary of US Patent US8069073B2

Title: System and method for facilitating bilateral and multilateral decision-making

Assignee: Dalton Sentry LLC

Inventors: Eileen C. Shapiro, Steven J. Mintz

Filing Date: March 29, 2000

Issue Date: November 29, 2011

Abstract

This invention provides a system and method for facilitating complex decision-making between two or more parties. The method involves presenting parties and counterparties with a series of forced-choice questions to understand their preferences. By analyzing the responses using conjoint analysis, the system generates a list of matched parties and counterparties, effectively streamlining the evaluation process for transactions, such as a student selecting a college or a company evaluating a potential merger. The system can also incorporate the input of "co-evaluators" to provide a more comprehensive, multilateral assessment of the potential match.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims

This patent contains three independent claims, which are the broadest claims of the invention. In simple terms, they cover the following:

Claim 1: A method for a third-party intermediary to help two parties make a decision. This is done by asking both parties a series of multiple-choice questions to figure out what is important to them. The intermediary then uses a specific type of analysis (conjoint analysis) to compare their preferences and create a ranked list of the best matches. This helps in situations like a person choosing a product or service, or two companies considering a partnership.

Claim 9: A system that acts as a third-party intermediary to facilitate decision-making. This system includes a computer program that asks different parties multiple-choice questions to determine their preferences. The system then analyzes these preferences and provides a ranked list of suitable matches to at least one of the parties, making it easier for them to make a choice.

Claim 17: A computer-readable medium (like a CD or a server) that contains software for a third-party intermediary to assist in decision-making. The software guides different parties through a set of multiple-choice questions to understand their priorities. It then processes this information to create and present a ranked list of the most compatible matches, helping to simplify complex decisions.