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Methods and systems for auto expanding vendor selection

  • US 10,019,743 B1
  • Filed: 09/18/2015
  • Issued: 07/10/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2014
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A system comprising:

  • at least one processor;

    a user interface in communication with the at least one processor; and

    a storage medium in communication with the at least one processor, the storage medium having stored therein a database comprising a plurality of vendors, each of the plurality of vendors characterized by one or more vendor characteristics;

    wherein the at least one processor is configured to;

    associate a requested product or service with a plurality of order characteristics;

    compare the one or more vendor characteristics for each of the plurality of vendors with the plurality of order characteristics;

    filter the plurality of vendors to yield a set of viable vendors according to the comparison;

    rank the set of viable vendors according to the extent to which the plurality of order characteristics is matched with the one or more vendor characteristics;

    select a first predetermined number of the plurality of vendors comprising the set of viable vendors according to the ranking to yield a first preferred vendor set;

    simultaneously transmit to each of the plurality of vendors in the first preferred vendor set an order request identifying the requested product or service;

    determine whether at least one of the plurality of vendors comprising the first preferred vendor set accepts the order request within a first predetermined time period;

    upon a determination that at least one of the plurality of vendors comprising the first preferred vendor set accepts the order request within a first predetermined time period, facilitate completion of the order request with the first in time of the at least one of the plurality of vendors to accept the order request;

    upon a determination that at least one of the plurality of vendors comprising the first preferred vendor set does not accept the order request within the first predetermined time period, expand the selection of the first preferred vendor set to yield a second preferred vendor set;

    upon the expansion to the second preferred vendor set, determine whether at least one of the plurality of vendors comprising the second preferred vendor set accepts the order request within a second predetermined time period;

    upon the determination that at least one of the plurality of vendors comprising the second preferred vendor set accepts the order request within a second predetermined time period, facilitate completion of the order request with the first in time of the at least one of the plurality of vendors to accept the order request.

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