System and Method for Swapping of Tangible and Intangible Items

Abstract

A first user, second user, and third user are registered. Names of a first, second, and third item are stored a website for the first, second, and third users. The items can be tangible items or intangible items. The first user requests the second item. A first credit is removed from the first user and a second credit is stored for the second user when the first user receives the second item. The second user requests the third item. The second credit is removed from the second user and a third credit is stored for the third user when the second user receives the third item. The first credit, the second credit, and the third credit each represents a right to request a future swappable intangible item for the equivalent value of at least one previously swapped intangible item.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for managing swaps of intangible items, comprising:
 a server computer that is connected to an electronic database, and communicates with users through a network connection,   wherein the server computer registers a first user in the electronic database, receives a first name of a first intangible item to list from a first user device through the network connection, stores the first name in the electronic database, and lists the first name on a web site of the server computer,   wherein the server computer registers a second user in the electronic database, receives a second name of a second intangible item to list from a second user device through the network connection, stores the second name in the electronic database, and lists the second name on the web site of the server computer,   wherein the server computer registers a third user in the electronic database, receives a third name of a third intangible item to list from a third user device through the network connection, stores the third name in the electronic database, and lists the third name on the web site of the server computer,   wherein the server computer receives a first request through the network connection from the first user device for the second intangible item that begins a first transaction, removes a first credit from the first user in the electronic database that was stored for the first user during a previous transaction, sends a first message through the network connection to the second user device requesting that the second intangible item be provided to the first user, receives a second message through the network connection confirming receipt of the second intangible item, and stores a second credit for the second user in the electronic database to complete the first transaction,   wherein the server computer receives a second request through the network connection from the second user device for the third intangible item that begins a second transaction, removes the second credit from the second user in the electronic database, sends a third message through the network connection to the third user device requesting that the third intangible item be provided to the second user, receives a fourth message through the network connection confirming receipt of the third intangible item, and stores a third credit for the third user in the electronic database to complete the second transaction, and   wherein the server computer uses the first credit, the second credit, and the third credit to manage a swap of the second intangible item and the third intangible item among the first user, the second user, and the third user, wherein the first credit, the second credit, and the third credit each represents a right to request a future swappable intangible item for the equivalent value of at least one previously swapped intangible item.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first intangible item, the second intangible item, or the third intangible item comprises a digital file. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the digital file comprises an electronic book. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first intangible item, the second intangible item, or the third intangible item comprises a service. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first user, the second user, and the third user are part of a swapping group and the first intangible item, the second intangible item, and the third intangible item are only shown to members of the swapping group. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first user device, the second user device, and the third user device provides location information and the server computer lists location information with the names of the first intangible item, the second intangible item, and the third intangible item on the web site. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the location information of the first user device, the second user device, and the third user device is used to determine a swapping group. 
     
     
         8 . A method for managing swaps of intangible items, comprising:
 receiving a first name of a first intangible item to list from a first user device through a network connection, wherein a first user associated with the first user device is registered in an electronic database, and wherein the first name is stored in the electronic database and listed on a web site using a server computer,   receiving a second name of a second intangible item to list from a second user device through the network connection, wherein a second user associated with the second user device is registered in the electronic database, and wherein the second name is stored in the electronic database and listed on the web site using the server computer,   receiving a third name of a third intangible item to list from a third user device through the network connection, wherein a third user associated with the third user device is registered in the electronic database, and wherein the third name is stored in the electronic database and listed on the web site using the server computer,   receiving a first request through the network connection from the first user device for the second intangible item that begins a first transaction, removing a first credit from the first user in the electronic database that was stored for the first user during a previous transaction, sending a first message through the network connection to the second user device requesting that the second intangible item be provided to the first user, receiving a second message through the network connection confirming receipt of the second intangible item, and storing a second credit for the second user in the electronic database to complete the first transaction using the server computer, and   receiving a second request through the network connection from the second user device for the third intangible item that begins a second transaction, removing the second credit from the second user in the electronic database, sending a third message through the network connection to the third user device requesting that the third intangible item be provided to the second user, receiving a fourth message through the network connection confirming receipt of the third intangible item, and storing a third credit for the third user in the electronic database to complete the second transaction using the server computer, wherein the first credit, the second credit, and the third credit are used to manage a swap of the second intangible item and the third intangible item among the first user, the second user, and the third user and wherein the first credit, the second credit, and the third credit each represents a right to request a future swappable intangible item for the equivalent value of at least one previously swapped intangible item.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first intangible item, the second intangible item, or the third intangible item comprises a digital file. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the digital file comprises an electronic book. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first intangible item, the second intangible item, or the third intangible item comprises a service. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first user, the second user, and the third user are part of a swapping group and the first intangible item, the second intangible item, and the third intangible item are only shown to members of the swapping group. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first user device, the second user device, and the third user device provides location information and the server computer lists location information with the names of the first intangible item, the second intangible item, and the third intangible item on the web site. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the location information of the first user device, the second user device, and the third user device is used to determine a swapping group. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium, whose contents include a program, which, when executed on a server computer, performs a method for managing swaps of intangible items, comprising:
 receiving a first name of a first intangible item to list from a first user device through a network connection, wherein a first user associated with the first user device is registered in an electronic database, and wherein the first name is stored in the electronic database and listed on a web site using a registration module,   receiving a second name of a second intangible item to list from a second user device through the network connection, wherein a second user associated with the second user device is registered in the electronic database, and wherein the second name is stored in the electronic database and listed on the web site using the registration module,   receiving a third name of a third intangible item to list from a third user device through the network connection, wherein a third user associated with the third user device is registered in the electronic database, and wherein the third name is stored in the electronic database and listed on the web site using the registration module,   receiving a first request through the network connection from the first user device for the second intangible item that begins a first transaction, removing a first credit from the first user in the electronic database that was stored for the first user during a previous transaction, sending a first message through the network connection to the second user device requesting that the second intangible item be provided to the first user, receiving a second message through the network connection confirming receipt of the second intangible item, and storing a second credit for the second user in the electronic database to complete the first transaction using a swapping module, and   receiving a second request through the network connection from the second user device for the third intangible item that begins a second transaction, removing the second credit from the second user in the electronic database, sending a third message through the network connection to the third user device requesting that the third intangible item be provided to the second user, receiving a fourth message through the network connection confirming receipt of the third intangible item, and storing a third credit for the third user in the electronic database to complete the second transaction using the swapping module, wherein the first credit, the second credit, and the third credit are used to manage a swap of the second intangible item and the third intangible item among the first user, the second user, and the third user and wherein the first credit, the second credit, and the third credit each represents a right to request a future swappable intangible item for the equivalent value of at least one previously swapped intangible item.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the first intangible item, the second intangible item, or the third intangible item comprises a digital file. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the digital file comprises an electronic book. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the first intangible item, the second intangible item, or the third intangible item comprises a service. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the first user, the second user, and the third user are part of a swapping group and the first intangible item, the second intangible item, and the third intangible item are only shown to members of the swapping group. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the first user device, the second user device, and the third user device provides location information and the server computer lists location information with the names of the first intangible item, the second intangible item, and the third intangible item on the web site.