Methods and systems for auto expanding vendor selection
First Claim
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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Accused Products
Abstract
An example system for automatically expanding a vendor selection cycle for fulfillment of a requested product or service can include a processor, a user interface, and a database. The database can store a plurality of vendors characterized by one or more vendor characteristics. The processor can be configured to associate the 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, and filter the plurality of vendors to yield a set of viable vendors according to the comparison. The processor can also rank the set of viable vendors, send order requests based on the ranking, and automatically expand the list based on whether the order is fulfilled within a pre-determined period of time.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A computer implement method comprising:
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storing, by at least one processor, a database in a storage medium comprising a plurality of vendors, each of the plurality of vendors characterized by one or more vendor characteristics; associating, by the least one processor, a requested product or service with a plurality of order characteristics; comparing, by the least one processor, the one or more vendor characteristics for each of the plurality of vendors with the plurality of order characteristics; filtering, by the least one processor, the plurality of vendors to yield a set of viable vendors according to the comparison; ranking, by the least one processor, 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; selecting, by the least one processor, 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 transmitting, by the least one processor, to each of the plurality of vendors in the first preferred vendor set an order request identifying the requested product or service; determining, by the least one processor, 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, facilitating, by the least one processor, 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, expanding, by the least one processor, the selection of the first preferred vendor set to yield a second preferred vendor set; upon the expansion to the second preferred vendor set, determining, by the least one processor, 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, facilitating, by the least one processor, 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. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification