Contextual index based information soliciting retrieval and self-updating management systems and methods

• US 20020065679A1
• Filed: 11/26/2001
• Published: 05/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Infoconstruction Com
• Original Assignee: Infoconstruction Com
• Inventors: Laberge, Philippe
• Application Number:
  US09/991,947
• Publication Number:
  US 20020065679A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

A system is described through which a building firm can locate one or more supply firms who provide products that the building firm requires for a building project, and through which building firms can maintain an electronic archive of building product specifications and other product information, comprising: a self-updating electronic database of building products and suppliers, a computer-network facilitated communication system through which building firms communicate with suppliers, and a computer to which suppliers can upload product specifications and building firms can create links to those product specifications.

Claims

1. A method for identifying suppliers of a product comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a first electronic form, wherein said first electronic form allows a buyer to specify information about a product that said buyer wants to purchase;

(b) selecting one or more potential suppliers of said product by searching a database of suppliers for those that supply said product;

(c) sending a first electronic notification to said one or more potential suppliers of said product with the information about said product specified by the buyer, wherein said electronic notification allows said one or more potential suppliers of said product to confirm or deny that they can supply said product;

(d) selecting one or more potential suppliers of said product who confirmed that they can supply said product, thereby selecting one or more confirmed suppliers; and

(e) providing a second electronic notification to said buyer from said one or more confirmed suppliers, wherein said second electronic notification identifies said one or more confirmed suppliers.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the buyer specifies a geographical location, and wherein said step of selecting one or more potential suppliers of said product is determined by said geographical location.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

(f) providing a second electronic form into which the buyer enters the buyer'"'"'s contact information; and

(g) electronically storing the buyer'"'"'s contact information.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

(f) selecting one or more potential suppliers of said product who denied that they can supply said product, thereby selecting one or more denied suppliers; and

(g) updating said database of suppliers to reflect that said one or more denied suppliers do not supply said product.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said one or more confirmed suppliers upload a specification for said product.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said buyer downloads said specification of said product.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said buyer builds a library of specifications of products.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said buyer is selected from the group consisting of:

an architect, an architectural firm, a builder, a construction firm, a carpenter, a carpentry firm, an interior designer, an interior design firm, a landscaper, a landscaping firm, an electrician, an electrical firm, a plumber, and a plumbing firm.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein said one or more potential suppliers supply building supplies, electrical supplies, plumbing supplies, or interior decorating supplies.

10. A method for identifying suppliers of a product and providing a specification for the product, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a first electronic form, wherein said first electronic form allows a buyer to specify information about a product that said buyer wants to purchase;

(b) providing a second electronic form, wherein said second electronic form allows said buyer to list buyer'"'"'s contact information;

(c) electronically storing said buyer'"'"'s contact information.

(d) selecting two or more potential suppliers of said product by searching a database of suppliers for those that supply said product;

(e) sending a first electronic notification to said two or more potential suppliers of said product with the information about said product specified by the buyer, wherein said electronic notification allows said two or more potential suppliers of said product to confirm or deny that they can supply said product;

(f) selecting one or more potential suppliers of said product who confirmed that they can supply said product, thereby selecting one or more confirmed suppliers, wherein said one or more confirmed suppliers uploads a specification for said product;

(g) providing a second electronic notification to said buyer from said one or more confirmed suppliers, wherein said second electronic notification identifies said one or more confirmed suppliers, and wherein said buyer downloads said specification of said product;

(h) selecting one or more potential suppliers of said product who denied that they can supply said product, thereby selecting one or more denied suppliers; and

(i) updating said database of suppliers to reflect that said one or more denied suppliers do not supply said product.

11. A method for updating a database of suppliers comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an electronic form to one or more suppliers requesting said one or more suppliers respond to a query as to whether or not said one or more suppliers supply a product;

(b) identifying suppliers who respond to said query in the negative, thereby selecting one or more denied suppliers; and

(c) updating said database of suppliers to reflect that said one or more denied suppliers do not supply said product.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

(j) a means for providing a second electronic form, wherein said second electronic form allows said buyer to list buyer'"'"'s contact information;

(k) a means for electronically storing said buyer'"'"'s contact information.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a means for building a library of specifications.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein said buyer is selected from the group consisting of:

an architect, an architectural firm, a builder, a construction firm, a carpenter, a carpentry firm, an interior designer, an interior design firm, a landscaper, a landscaping firm, an electrician, an electrical firm, a plumber, and a plumbing firm.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein said one or more potential suppliers supply building supplies, electrical supplies, plumbing supplies, or interior decorating supplies.

17. The system of claim 12, further comprising a means for specifying a geographical location, wherein said first electronic notification is sent to said two or more potential suppliers within said geographical region.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising specifying a geographical location, wherein said one or more confirmed suppliers of are selected on the basis of proximity to that geographical location.

12. A system for identifying suppliers of a product and providing a specification for the product, comprising:

(a) a means for providing a first electronic form, wherein said first electronic form allows a buyer to specify information about a product that said buyer wants to purchase;

(b) a means for selecting two or more potential suppliers of said product by searching a database of suppliers for those that supply said product;

(c) a means for sending a first electronic notification to said two or more potential suppliers of said product with the information about said product specified by the buyer, wherein said electronic notification allows said two or more potential suppliers of said product to confirm or deny that they can supply said product;

(d) a means for selecting one or more potential suppliers of said product who confirmed that they can supply said product, thereby selecting one or more confirmed suppliers;

(e) a means for uploading a specification for said product;

(f) a means for providing a second electronic notification to said buyer from said one or more confirmed suppliers, wherein said second electronic notification identifies said one or more confirmed suppliers;

(g) a means for downloading said specification of said product;

(h) a means for selecting one or more potential suppliers of said product who denied that they can supply said product, thereby selecting one or more denied suppliers; and

(i) a means for updating said database of suppliers to reflect that said one or more denied suppliers do not supply said product.

18. A method of finding a product within an electronic database comprising a group of construction-related products, wherein each member of said group of construction-related products is associated with a list of suppliers of each member of said group of construction-related products, and wherein said each member is a subcategory of the most specific category of the Construction Specification Institute MasterFormat Index™

.

19. A method for identifying suppliers of a product by a buyer comprising the steps of:

(a) specifying information about a product that said buyer wants to purchase, wherein said information allows the selection of one or more potential suppliers of said product by searching a database of suppliers for those that supply said product, wherein a first electronic notification is sent to said one or more potential suppliers of said product with the information about said product specified by the buyer, wherein said electronic notification allows said one or more potential suppliers of said product to confirm or deny that they can supply said product, and wherein one or more potential suppliers of said product who confirmed that they can supply said product is selected; and

(b) contacting one or more confirmed suppliers in provided in a second electronic notification to said buyer, wherein said second electronic notification identifies said one or more confirmed suppliers.