U.S. patent application number 09/682788 was filed with the patent office on 2002-02-21 for method and system for monitoring and modifying a consumption forecast over a computer network.
Invention is credited to Guidice, Rebecca R., Large, Michelle P., Linz, Aaron M., Santomenna, Matthew G..
Application Number | 20020022985 09/682788 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26869467 |
Filed Date | 2002-02-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020022985 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Guidice, Rebecca R. ; et
al. |
February 21, 2002 |
Method and system for monitoring and modifying a consumption
forecast over a computer network
Abstract
A method and system for enabling commercial web site users to
monitor and display a consumption forecast for an established
stocking program, wherein a stocking program is an agreement
between a supplier and a customer that guarantees availability and
consumption of a stocking program item based upon an established
consumption forecast for the item. The user can review the current
consumption forecast and additional details of an established
stocking program and request modification of the forecast as
desired.
Inventors: |
Guidice, Rebecca R.;
(Charlotte, NC) ; Linz, Aaron M.; (Charlotte,
NC) ; Large, Michelle P.; (McMurray, PA) ;
Santomenna, Matthew G.; (Charlotte, NC) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HUNTON AND WILLIAMS
1900 K STREET N W
WASHINGTON
DC
20006
US
|
Family ID: |
26869467 |
Appl. No.: |
09/682788 |
Filed: |
October 18, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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09682788 |
Oct 18, 2001 |
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09498465 |
Feb 4, 2000 |
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60173717 |
Dec 30, 1999 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
700/28 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 10/0875 20130101;
G06Q 30/06 20130101; G06Q 10/087 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/10 |
International
Class: |
G06F 017/60 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method for enabling commercial web site users to monitor and
modify an established stocking program consumption forecast over a
computer network, comprising the steps of: receiving, at a web site
server associated with a supplier, a request for access to the web
site, by a client associated with a customer, determining an
identity of the customer, retrieving, using the determined
identity, information regarding at least one established stocking
program from a database associated with the web site server,
wherein the stocking program comprises an agreement between the
supplier and the customer to guarantee availability of a stocking
program item based upon the consumption forecast for the item,
displaying, to the customer, a listing of at least one established
stocking program, receiving, at the web site server, a selection of
a particular stocking program, displaying, to the customer, the
consumption forecast for the particular stocking program,
receiving, at the web site server, a request to modify the
consumption forecast of the particular stocking program, and
delivering the request to the supplier over the computer
network.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the
identity of the customer includes the step of receiving, at the
server, a login form from the customer, wherein the login form
includes a username and password unique to the customer.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of retrieving
information regarding at least one established stocking program
comprises retrieving information regarding all previously
established stocking programs.
4. The method of claim 1, further including the steps of:
displaying, to the customer, a main web page having a stocking
program option, receiving, at the server, a request to view a
stocking program listing page, displaying, to the customer, the
stocking program listing page provided the customer has at least
one established stocking program, and displaying, to the customer,
an error message if the customer does not have at least one
established stocking program.
5. The method of claim 4, further including the steps of:
receiving, at the server, a request to view a stocking program
details page for a selected stocking program, displaying, to the
customer, the stocking program details page for the selected
stocking program, receiving, at the server, a request to view a
modification entry web page, displaying, to the customer, a
modification entry web page, receiving, at the server, forecast
modification information, and delivering, to the supplier, the
forecast modification information.
6. A server in communication with a computer network including a
plurality of user computer terminals, the server including a memory
storing machine readable computer code comprising: one of more
instructions for receiving, from a customer, a request for access
to a web site, one of more instructions for determining an identity
of the customer, one of more instructions for displaying to the
customer, a listing of one or more established stocking programs,
one of more instructions for receiving a request to modify a
consumption forecast for a particular complex order selected from
the one or more established complex orders, and one or more
instructions for delivering the received request to the supplier
over the computer network.
7. The server of claim 6, wherein the one or more instructions for
determining the identity of the customer further include one or
more instructions for receiving, at the server, a login form from
the customer, wherein the login form includes a username and
password unique to the customer.
8. The server of claim 6, wherein the one or more instructions for
retrieving information regarding at least one established stocking
program further comprises one or more instructions for retrieving
information regarding all previously established stocking
programs.
9. The server of claim 6, wherein the machine readable computer
code further comprises: one or more instructions for displaying, to
the customer, a main web page having a stocking program option, one
or more instructions for receiving, at the server, a request to
view a stocking program listing page, one or more instructions for
displaying, to the customer, the stocking program listing page
provided the customer has at least one established stocking
program, and one or more instructions for displaying, to the
customer, an error message if the customer does not have at least
one established stocking program.
10. The server of claim 9, wherein the machine readable computer
code further comprises: one or more instructions for receiving, at
the server, a request to view a stocking program details page for a
selected stocking program, one or more instructions for displaying,
to the customer, the stocking program details page for the selected
stocking program, one or more instructions for receiving, at the
server, a request to view a modification entryweb page, one or more
instructions for displaying, to the customer, a modification entry
web page, one or more instructions for receiving, at the server,
forecast modification information, and one or more instructions for
delivering, to the supplier, the forecast modification
information.
11. A system for enabling commercial web site users to establish
releases of quantities of products included in a complex purchase
order, comprising: a server associated with a supplier, said server
hosting at least one web page, a client associated with a customer,
said client being connected to the server through the computer
network for access to the at least one web page, said server
including means for identifying the customer, said server including
a database for storing stocking program information associated with
the customer, said stocking program information comprising a
listing of all established stocking programs placed by the customer
with the supplier, wherein the stocking program comprises an
agreement between the supplier and the customer to guarantee
availability of a stocking program item based upon the consumption
forecast for the item, said server including means for receiving a
request from the customer to modify the consumption forecast for a
particular stocking program selected from the one or more
established complex orders, and said server including means for
electronically delivering the request to the supplier.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein said means for identifying the
customer further includes means for receiving, at the server, a
login form from the customer, wherein the login form includes a
username and password unique to the customer.
13. The system of claim 11, wherein said means for retrieving
information regarding at least one established stocking program
further comprises means for retrieving information regarding all
previously established stocking programs.
14. The system of claim 11, further comprising: means for
displaying, to the customer, a main web page having a stocking
program option, means for receiving, at the server, a request to
view a stocking program listing page, means for displaying, to the
customer, the stocking program listing page provided the customer
has at least one established stocking program, and means for
displaying, to the customer, an error message if the customer does
not have at least one established stocking program.
15. The system of claim 14, further comprising: means for
receiving, at the server, a request to view a stocking program
details page for a selected stocking program, means for displaying,
to the customer, the stocking program details page for the selected
stocking program, means for receiving, at the server, a request to
view a modification entry web page, means for displaying, to the
customer, a modification entry web page, means for receiving, at
the server, forecast modification information, and means for
delivering, to the supplier, the forecast modification information.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 09/498,465
filed Feb. 4, 2000, now pending, which in turn claims the benefit
of provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/173,717 filed Dec.
30, 1999, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by
reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates generally to conducting
electronic commercial transactions over a computer network. More
particularly, the present invention relates to a web site wherein a
customer can view and modify a consumption forecast of an
established stocking program over a computer network.
[0003] Electronic commerce systems for conducting commercial
transactions over a distributed computer network, such as the
Internet, are shown and described in numerous U.S. patents,
including U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,285,383 and 5,063,507 to Lindsey et al.,
U.S. Pat. No. 5,963,915 to Kirsch et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,319,542
to King, Jr. et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,774,873 to Berent et
al.
[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 5,963,915 to Kirsch et al. discloses a system
and method for performing Internet transactions between a client
browser and a merchant server. The method includes establishing a
coded identifier (i.e., a cookie) on the browser which corresponds
to an account record stored on the server; providing a web page
including a URL identifying an item for sale to the browser;
receiving the URL, with a reference to the coded identifier, at the
merchant server; validating the coded identifier; and recording the
identity of the corresponding item. The method is intended to avoid
redundant user input, to provide for secure transactions, and to
increase transaction efficiencies. The patent further discloses
techniques for providing additional levels of authentication and
security, restrictions on shipping destination, and e-mail
confirmation of orders. The determination of when to send a
confirmation can be made subject to the dollar amount of the
purchase, user"s purchase history, or other criteria selected by
the vendor server.
[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 5,319,542 to King, Jr. et al. discloses a
system for ordering items from a supplier. The system includes an
electronic catalogue and an electronic requisition facility. The
catalogue includes a public-access portion, stored on a
publicly-accessible database for access by customers, and a private
portion, stored on a customer"s computer system. The private
portion contains unique pricing data based on pricing agreements.
Customers use the electronic requisition facility to create
purchase requisitions based on the information in the electronic
catalogue. The requisitions are routed through an appropriate
approval process, processed through the customer"s procurement
system, and transmitted to the supplier.
[0006] Electronic commercial transactions such as those described
in King, Jr. et al. commonly take place over the World Wide Web.
The World Wide Web is a collection of servers connected to the
Internet that utilize the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). This
protocol permits documents (commonly referred to as web pages)
written in a standard mark-up language (e.g., html) to be
transmitted across the Internet from remote server computers to
client computers, even where such remote and client computers share
different operating systems or platforms. A browser application
running on the client computer then translates the commonly
formatted documents and displays them to the user. Groups of
commonly owned and related web pages are referred to as web sites
and provide online customers with the ability to select the
individual content they wish to view without necessarily viewing
all the content published by the site owner.
[0007] Although systems for implementing electronic commercial
transactions, such as those described in King Jr., et al. are known
in the art, these systems are typically focused toward the retail
environment in which individual purchasers order products from an
online retailer on an as needed basis. Conversely, in the realm of
bulk material purchases and business-to-business commercial
transactions, it is common for purchasers to order large quantities
of materials, based upon a usage forecast or consumption schedule.
In fulfillment of such business needs, a supplier may offer the
purchaser a variety of ordering methods including conventional
one-time orders as well as complex ordering methods such as
standing and blanket orders and stocking programs.
[0008] A conventional one-time order is simply an order by a
purchaser for a particular quantity of product to be wholly
delivered at a particular place and time. This is substantially
analogous to the as-needed retail model discussed above. A standing
order, conversely, is an order by a purchaser for a particular
quantity of material to be delivered at regular intervals (e.g.,
1000 lbs. per month, every month). Typically, standing orders
include a defined ending date, however, this date may be extended
through mutual agreement of the supplier and purchaser. A blanket
order is an agreement between the purchaser and the supplier
wherein the purchaser agrees to take a certain quantity of a
product within a predetermined time period and the supplier agrees
to reserve that quantity of product for the purchaser, thereby
guaranteeing both the sale to the supplier as well as the
availability to the purchaser.
[0009] Stocking programs are similar to standing and blanket orders
in that a supplier agrees to always deliver a given product within
a certain amount of time, upon demand by the purchaser. In this
manner, stocking programs guarantee product availability to a
purchaser without requiring an excessive inventory of the product
to be stored on the purchaser"s site. Typically involved in
stocking programs are estimates as to the amount of product a
purchaser will require in a given time period. Initially, this
estimate is provided by the purchaser in the form of an initial
consumption forecast. However, following a predetermined period of
time, the supplier may revise the consumption forecast in
accordance with the actual demands of the purchaser. In this
manner, the supplier can more accurately predict the future
consumption of the purchaser.
[0010] Standing and blanket ordering programs as well as stocking
programs are suitable for large businesses that require regular
deliveries of materials, but who do not wish to inventory the
materials on site. Further, these types of orders alleviate the
need for purchasers to place repeated orders for identical
materials. Rather, the purchaser may simply request a release of
materials as part of the pre-established complex order. Based upon
the needs of a particular purchaser, different ordering methods are
more appropriate than others.
[0011] Two examples of complex ordering systems may be found in
U.S. Pat. No. 5,771,172 to Yamamoto et al. and U.S. Pat. No.
6,006,196 to Feigin et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,771,172 to Yamamoto et
al. discloses a raw materials ordering system wherein production
quantities of raw materials are determined in accordance with
changing production plans. The ordering system receives sales
information from retail outlets and manufactures products in
response to the received sales information. This system, which
determines the order size of each raw material according to a
production plan for a product, comprises an order quantity
determining means which sequentially sets or modifies the required
quantities of raw materials for each day in accordance with the
daily production plan or changes in the production plan and
determines the order size in accordance with the attributes,
inventories, order backlogs and in-process quantities of the raw
materials and said required quantities of raw materials and a data
input processing means which modifies said inventory quantities in
response to raw material acceptance information and modifies said
production plan and raw material inventory quantities in response
to production data. This eliminates the need for the supplier to
maintain large raw material inventories.
[0012] U.S. Pat. No. 6,006,196 to Feigin et al. discloses a method
of planning and managing inventory in distribution systems. The
disclosed system utilizes enhanced DRP (distribution resource
planning) logic to predict future inventory requirements. The
enhancement to conventional DRP includes taking future demand
variability into consideration when making the prediction. This is
done using several distinct statistical algorithms. By utilizing
future demand variability, the system enhances performance
projection capabilities so as to reduce the likelihood that a
proper inventory will be maintained.
[0013] Although a myriad of different product ordering and
inventory management systems are known, the issue of convenience
and efficiency remains in the electronic commercial transaction
environment. Typically, product orders, as well as any additions
and modifications to the orders, are placed in writing or over the
telephone, and are often accompanied by additional ancillary
determinations such as a determination regarding the credit
worthiness of the purchaser or a determination regarding the
payment method being utilized. These conventional forms of
communication often result in substantial delays between the date
an order is placed or modified, and the effect date of the order or
modification. There remains a clear need in the realm of
business-to-business electronic commercial transactions to provide
for increased convenience in monitoring and modifying complex
orders, particularly those which arise out of established stocking
programs.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0014] The present invention overcomes the problems noted above,
and provides additional advantages, by providing a method and
system for enabling purchasers in electronic commercial
transactions to monitor and modify the consumption forecast of
established stocking programs. A method in accordance with an
exemplary embodiment of the invention is performed by providing,
through a web site on the World Wide Web, a means for determining
the identity of a user. Upon identification of the user, the user
may select a stocking program option, which results in a listing of
all of the user's previously established stocking programs. The
user may then select a particular stocking program and view the
details of the selected stocking program. The user may then
initiate electronic communication with the supplier to modify the
stocking program.
[0015] Methods, systems and programs in accordance with the present
invention greatly increase the efficiency and convenience of
participating in stocking programs for bulk materials, such as
chemicals, by reducing or eliminating the need to interact, either
orally or in writing, with a customer service representative.
Further, the present invention provides for increased convenience
in monitoring the consumption forecast established for a given
stocking program.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] The present invention can be understood more completely by
reading the following Detailed Description of exemplary
embodiments, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in
which:
[0017] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a computer network suitable for
implementing a method according to the present invention; and
[0018] FIG. 2 is a flow chart describing a process for enabling
commercial web site users to monitor and modify a forecast of an
established stocking program over the network of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0019] A computer system 10 connected to a computer network such as
the Internet is generally illustrated in FIG. 1. A conventional
client computer system 12 (hereinafter client) owner by a customer,
executes a client browser application that supports the HTTP
protocol, (e.g., Internet Explorer.TM., available from Microsoft
Corporation). The client 12 is typically connected through an
Internet Service Provider (ISP) to the Internet 14. A supplier
owned server computer system 16 (hereinafter server) is also
coupled typically through an Internet Service Provider to the
Internet 14. The server 16, controlled by a local console 18,
executes a web server application and also hosts at least one web
page for distribution over the Internet.
[0020] The client 12 requests a web page by issuing a URL request
through the Internet 14 to the server system 16. A URL consistent
with the present invention may be a simple URL of the form:
[0021]
<protocol_identifier>://<server_path>/<web_page_path-
>
[0022] A protocol_identifier of http specifies the conventional
hyper-text transfer protocol. A URL request for a secure Internet
transaction typically utilizes the secure protocol identifier
https, assuming that the client browser and web server are presumed
to support and implement the secure sockets layer (SSL). The
server_path is typically of the form prefix.domain, where the
prefix is typically www to designate a web server and the domain is
the standard Internet sub-domain.top-level-domai- n of the server 1
6. The optional web_page_path is provided to specifically identify
a particular hyper-text page maintained by the web server.
[0023] In response to a received URL identifying an existing web
page, the server 16 returns the web page, subject to the HTTP
protocol, to the client 12. This web page typically incorporates
both textural and graphical information including embedded
hyper-text links (hereinafter hyperlink) that permit the client
user to readily select a next URL for issuance to the Internet
14.
[0024] The URL issued from the client 12 may also be of a complex
form that identifies a common gateway interface (CGI) program on
server 16. Such a HTML hyperlink reference is typically of the
form:
[0025] <form action=http://www.vendor.com/cgi-bin/logon.cgi
method=post>
[0026] A hyperlink of this form directs the execution of the
logon.cgi program on an HTTP server in response to a client side
selection of a hyperlink. A logon form supported by a logon CGI
program is typically used to obtain a client user login name and
password to initiate an authenticated session between the client
browser and Web server for purposes of supporting, for example, a
secure purchase transaction.
[0027] Referring now to FIG. 2, there is illustrated a flow chart
describing one embodiment of a method for enabling purchasers in an
electronic commercial transactions to monitor and modify the status
of stocking programs. This method can be implemented by a software
program resident in one or more servers associated with the
supplier.
[0028] In step 200, the server 14 receives a request by the client
12 to access the web site. Once the request is received by the
server 14, the process continues to step 202 in which the server 14
interacts with the client 12, in a conventional manner, to
determine the identity of the particular customer operating the
client 12. One conventional method of determining identity is the
logon form briefly described above, although any suitable method
for identifying a particular customer user may be utilized (e.g.,
cookies, etc.). Upon identification of the particular customer, the
server displays to the customer, in step 204, a main web site page
including a menu of possible web site options, including a Review
Stocking Programs option. In step 206, the server receives a
request by the customer to display the Review Stocking Programs
option. In step 208, upon selection of the Review Stocking Programs
option, the server accesses a database including customer
information and determines whether the particular customer has
previously established at least one stocking program with the
supplier. If it is determined that the particular customer does not
have any previously established stocking programs, the server
displays, in step 210, a message informing the customer that no
stocking programs have been established and directs the customer to
contact a customer service representative (CSR) for additional
information.
[0029] If, however, it is determined that the particular customer
does have at least one previously established stocking program, the
server displays, in step 212, a web page listing of all such
programs. The customer may then request that the server display the
program details for a particular stocking program in step 214. Such
a request may be accomplished by any suitable method, including
hyperlinks, forms, etc. Upon receiving a request to view the
details of a particular stocking program, the server displays, in
step 216, a web page including a detailed description of the terms
of the selected stocking program. Such details preferably include:
the order number, the item number for the product ordered, the unit
price of the product, the start date of the program, and the
expiration date of the program. Also displayed are the consumption
forecast for the upcoming month, the consumption forecast and
actual consumption for the current month, the forecast consumption
and the actual consumption for the previous six months, and a
numerical value representing the accuracy of the previous six
month's forecast. Also included in the display of detailed
information are options to modify the forecast, return to the
complex order listing web page, or return to the main web site
page.
[0030] The customer may then review the information displayed by
the server in step 216 and determine, in step 217, whether they
wish to modify the forecast for a given stocking program. If the
customer does not wish to modify the forecast, they may request, in
step 218, that the server return them to the stocking program
listing page. Alternatively, the customer may request, in step 220,
that the server return them to the main web site page.
[0031] If the customer desires to modify the forecast, they request
forecast modification in step 222. Upon receiving such a request,
the server determines whether the stocking program is expired in
step 224. If it is determined that the order is expired, a message
is displayed to the customer, in step 226, indicating that the
selected program has expired and that they should contact their
CSR. If it is determined that the program is not expired, the
server displays a modification entry page, in step 228, in which
the user enters information regarding the manner in which they
would like to modify the forecast. The modification entry page may
take any suitable form, including electronic mail correspondence
and html-based forms. Generally, a forecast modification includes a
modification to the amount of product consumed by the purchaser in
the predetermined period. Preferably, the chosen method of
modification entry includes an indication as to the particular
stocking program which is being modified. By default, this
indication indicates the particular stocking program whose details
were last viewed. However, in step 230, the user may alter the
stocking program indication so as to request a modification to a
stocking program other than the most recently viewed program.
Alteration of the stocking program indication is desirable in
instances where multiple program forecasts are similarly changed
and eliminates the need to display the details of each program
prior to modification of its forecast.
[0032] The modification entry page also includes options to cancel
the modification, and submit the modification. Upon receipt of a
request to cancel the modification in step 232, the server returns
the customer to the stocking program listing web page. Upon receipt
of a forecast modification in step 234, the server determines, in
step 236 whether the stocking program indication is valid. If so,
in step 238, the server delivers the submitted modification to
appropriate customer service personnel for implementation. However,
if the stocking program indication is invalid, the server, in step
240, displays an error message indicating that the program
indication is invalid and returns the user to the modification
entry page.
[0033] While the foregoing description includes many details and
specificities, it is to be understood that these have been included
for purposes of explanation only, and are not to be interpreted as
limitations of the present invention. Many modifications to the
embodiments described above can be made without departing from the
spirit and scope of the invention, as is intended to be encompassed
by the following claims and their legal equivalents.
* * * * *
References