System and method for calculating parameters for a commerce system

• US 20020065740A1
• Filed: 11/30/2001
• Published: 05/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dunn, Robert M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,359,872 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders

Abstract

A method and system for processing a parameter for an item in an electronic order processing system is provided. The method has a first step of associating a calculation code with the item. The second step of the method is applying the calculation rule to the item to produce an amount. The third step of the method is providing the amount to an output device. Each operation within each of the first step, the second step and the third step may be modified and flow of execution amongst the first step, the second step and the third step remains the same.

Claims

1. A method for processing a parameter for an item in an electronic order processing system, said method comprising:

(a) associating a calculation code with said item;

(b) applying said calculation code to said item to produce an amount; and

(c) providing said amount to an output device;

wherein each operation within each of (a), (b) and (c) may be modified and flow of execution amongst (a), (b) and (c) remains the same.

2. A method for processing a parameter for an item as in claim 1, wherein said applying said calculation code comprises initially associating a calculation rule with said calculation code and using said calculation rule to produce said amount.

3. A method for processing a parameter for an item as in claim 2, wherein said calculation rule may be modified and flow of execution amongst (a), (b) and (c) remains the same.

4. A method for processing a parameter for an item as in claim 2, wherein said output device is one of (a) a printer, (b) a display device, (c) a storage medium, (d) a database and (e) a connection device.

5. A method for processing a parameter for an item as in claim 2, wherein said item is one of a plurality of items, said calculation code is one of a plurality of calculation codes associated with said item and said calculation rule is one of a plurality of calculation rules associated with said calculation code.

6. A method for processing a parameter for an item as in claim 2, wherein said associating said calculation code further comprises selectively associating said calculation code with said item.

7. A method for processing a parameter for an item as in claim 6, wherein said initially associating said calculation rule further comprises selectively associating said calculation rule with said calculation code.

8. A method for processing a parameter for an item as in claim 7, wherein said using said calculation rule further comprises selectively using said calculation rule to produce said amount.

9. An electronic order processing system for use in an ordering system responsive to a transaction request associated with an item, said electronic order processing system comprising:

a computer receiving said transaction request; and

a program executed on said computer for processing said transaction request and processing a parameter for said item, said program comprising;

(a) an association module for associating a calculation code with said item;

(b) a calculation module for applying said calculation code to said item to produce an amount; and

(c) an application module for providing said amount to an output device;

wherein each operation within each of (a), (b) and (c) may be modified and flow of execution amongst (a), (b) and (c) remains the same.

10. An electronic order processing system as in claim 9, wherein said calculation module initially associates a calculation rule with said calculation code and uses said calculation rule to produce said amount.

11. An electronic order processing system as in claim 10, wherein said calculation rule may be modified and flow of execution amongst (a), (b) and (c) remains the same.

12. An electronic order processing system as in claim 10, wherein said output device is one of (a) a printer, (b) a display device, (c) a storage medium, (d) a database and (e) a connection device.

13. An electronic order processing system as in claim 10, wherein said item is one of a plurality of items, said calculation code is one of a plurality of calculation codes associated with said item and said calculation rule is one of a plurality of calculation rules associated with said calculation code.

14. An electronic order processing system as in claim 10, wherein said first association module selectively associates said calculation code with said item.

15. An electronic order processing system as in claim 14, wherein said calculation module selectively associates said calculation rule with said calculation code.

16. An electronic order processing system as in claim 15, wherein said calculation module selectively uses said calculation rule to produce said amount.

18. A method of processing a transaction request as in claim 17, wherein said processing said calculation parameter comprises initially associating a calculation routine with said calculation parameter and using said calculation routine to produce said amount.

19. A method of processing a transaction request as in claim 18, wherein said calculation routine may be modified and flow of execution amongst said associating said calculation parameter, said processing said calculation parameter and said providing said amount to said output device remains the same.

20. A method of processing a transaction request as in claim 18, wherein said output device is one of (a) a printer, (b) a display device, (c) a storage medium, (d) a database and (e) a connection device.

21. A method of processing a transaction request as in claim 18, wherein said item is one of a plurality of items, said calculation parameter is one of a plurality of calculation parameters associated with said item and said calculation routine is one of a plurality of calculation routines associated with said calculation parameter.

22. A method of processing a transaction request as in claim 18, wherein said associating said calculation parameter further comprises selectively associating said calculation parameter with said item.

23. A method of processing a transaction request as in claim 22, wherein said applying said calculation parameter further comprises selectively associating said calculation routine with said calculation parameter.

24. A method of processing a transaction request in claim 23, wherein said applying said calculation parameter further comprises selectively using said calculation routine to produce said amount.

26. A computer program embodying a method for processing a parameter for an item as in claim 25, wherein said applying said calculation code comprises initially associating a calculation rule with said calculation code and using said calculation rule to produce said amount.

27. A computer program embodying a method for processing a parameter for an item as in claim 26, wherein said calculation rule may be modified and flow of execution amongst (a), (b) and (c) remains the same.

28. A computer program embodying a method for processing a parameter for an item as in claim 26, wherein said output device is one of (a) a printer, (b) a display device, (c) a storage medium, (d) a database and (e) a connection device.

29. A computer program embodying a method for processing a parameter for an item as in claim 26, wherein said item is one of a plurality of items, said calculation code is one of a plurality of calculation codes associated with said item and said calculation rule is one of a plurality of calculation rules associated with said calculation code.

30. A computer program embodying a method for processing a parameter for an item as in claim 26, wherein said associating said calculation code further comprises selectively associating said calculation code with said item.

31. A computer program embodying a method for processing a parameter for an item as in claim 30, wherein said initially associating said calculation rule further comprises selectively associating said calculation rule with said calculation code.

32. A computer program embodying a method for processing a parameter for an item as in claim 31, wherein said using said calculation rule further comprises selectively using said calculation rule to produce said amount.

17. A method of processing a transaction request relating to an item for use in an order processing system, said order processing system comprising a server and access to a database having data associated with said item, said method comprising:

receiving said transaction request from a client of said server; and

processing said transaction request at said server by;

associating a calculation parameter with said item;

processing said calculation parameter for said item to calculate an amount; and

providing said amount to an output device;

wherein operation of said associating said calculation parameter, said processing said calculation parameter and said providing said amount to said output device may be modified and flow of execution amongst said associating said calculation parameter, said processing said calculation parameter and said providing said amount to said output device remains the same.

25. A computer program embodying a method for processing a parameter for an item, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) associating a calculation code with said item;

(b) applying said calculation code to said item to produce an amount; and

(c) providing said amount to an output device;

wherein each operation within each of (a), (b) and (c) may be modified and flow of execution amongst (a), (b) and (c) remains the same.

33. An electronic order processing system comprising:

a computer-readable information storage medium;

a procedure encoded on said storage medium for processing a parameter for an item, said procedure comprising;

(a) associating a calculation code with said item;

(b) applying said calculation code to said item to produce an amount; and

(c) providing said amount to an output device;

wherein each operation within each of (a), (b) and (c) may be modified and flow of execution amongst (a), (b) and (c) remains the same.

34. An electronic order processing system as in claim 33, wherein said applying said calculation code comprises initially associating a calculation rule with said calculation code and using said calculation rule to produce said amount.

35. An electronic order processing system as in claim 34, wherein said calculation rule may be modified and flow of execution amongst (a), (b) and (c) remains the same.

36. An electronic order processing system as in claim 34, wherein said output device is one of (a) a printer, (b) a display device, (c) a storage medium, (d) a database and (e) a connection device.

37. An electronic order processing system as in claim 34, wherein said item is one of a plurality of items, said calculation code is one of a plurality of calculation codes associated with said item and said calculation rule is one of a plurality of calculation rules associated with said calculation code.

38. An electronic order processing system as in claim 34, wherein said associating said calculation code further comprises selectively associating said calculation code with said item.

39. An electronic order processing system as in claim 38, wherein said initially associating said calculation rule further comprises selectively associating said calculation rule with said calculation code.

40. An electronic order processing system as in claim 39, wherein said using said calculation rule further comprises selectively using said calculation rule to produce said amount.

43. An electronic order processing system as in claim 40, wherein said second computer receives said signals and each operation within each of said first module, said second module and said third module may be modified and flow of execution amongst said first module, said second module remains the same.

41. An electronic order processing system for processing a parameter for an item in a distributed network having a first computer and a second computer, said system comprising:

a computer-readable modulated carrier signal;

a first initiation code embedded in said signal sent from said first computer to said second computer, said first initiation code to initiate a first module for associating a calculation code with said item;

a second initiation code embedded in said signal sent from said first computer to said second computer, said second initiation code to initiate a second module for applying said calculation code to said item to produce an amount; and

a third initiation code embedded in said signal sent from said first computer to said second computer, said third initiation code to initiate a third module for providing said amount to an output device.

42. An electronic order processing system as in claim 41, wherein said second module further comprises initially associating a calculation rule with said calculation code and using said calculation rule to produce said amount.

44. An electronic order processing system as in claim 41, wherein said second computer receives said signals and each operation within each of said first module, said second module and said third module may be modified and flow of execution amongst said first module, said second module remains the same.