Internet-based interactive tracking system for floor covering projects

• US 20020133430A1
• Filed: 03/15/2001
• Published: 09/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Milliken & Company
• Original Assignee: Milliken & Company
• Inventors: Thompson, C. Dean, Kirk, Peter J., Wagner, Judy A., Coomber, Gregory P., Girdwood, Morag Ann, Thompson, Cynthia W., Revan, Kathy A., Palanpur, Zahir Khan
• Granted Patent: US 7,167,835 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0611 Request for offers or quotes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

A software and/or internet based system and method for enabling a buyer or potential buyer of floor coverings to access directly information relating to former, current and proposed future installation projects as well as information on available products. The information available is tailored to the needs of the individual requester. Global data for a customer is broadly accessible through a URL site dedicated to that customer. However, the actual scope of information available to any individual requesting data on behalf of a customer is limited to pre-authorized data elements corresponding to the scope of responsibility held by the requesting individual.

Claims

1. A method of providing project and/or product information to a purchaser of floor covering materials, the method comprising:

providing a web site system that includes a link to a customer specific URL that includes a catalog of project data corresponding to floor covering installation projects for said purchaser of floor covering materials;

identifying one or more users authorized to access the web site system on behalf of said purchaser of floor covering materials;

assigning to said one or more users personalized registration information;

establishing a category based listing of data elements accessible by each of said one or more users;

in response to an entry of personalized registration information by an individual user, linking said individual user to said customer specific URL;

receiving a request for project data from said individual user;

correlating the entered registration information to the listing of data elements accessible by said individual user;

retrieving a portion of the requested project data corresponding to the listing of data elements accessible by said individual user; and

transmitting to said individual user in electronic format said portion of the requested project data corresponding to the listing of data elements accessible by said individual user while excluding data elements not accessible by said individual user.

2. The method as recited in claim 1;

wherein said purchaser of floor covering materials is an entity having a plurality of business locations.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the catalog of project data includes data on active floor covering installation projects.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the catalog of project data includes data on completed floor covering installation projects.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein in the “

establishing”

step, the category based listing of data elements accessible by each of said one or more users is arranged on the basis of geographic location of the floor covering installation projects.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising updating project data during the progression of the floor covering installation projects by entry of additional information into a database specific to said purchaser of floor covering materials.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein entry of additional information into the database specific to said purchaser of floor covering materials is carried out by means of a remote data entry system.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein said entry of additional information is carried out by a representative of a manufacturer of said floor covering material.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the customer specific URL further includes a link to means to request quotations for new floor covering installations.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the customer specific URL further includes a link to a contact page for said individual user to communicate information or messages to a manufacturer of said floor covering materials.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the customer specific URL further includes a link to an order page for said individual user to place an order with a manufacturer of said floor covering materials.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the web site system is provided by a manufacturer of floor covering materials.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein said purchaser of floor covering materials is a corporate entity having a plurality of business locations.

15. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the catalog of project and product data includes data on active floor covering installation projects.

16. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the catalog of project and product data includes data on completed floor covering installation projects.

17. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein in the “

establishing”

step, the listing of data elements accessible by each of said one or more users is arranged on the basis of geographic location of the floor covering installation projects.

18. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising updating project data during the progression of the floor covering installation projects by entry of additional information into a database specific to said purchaser of floor covering materials.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein entry of additional information into the database specific to said purchaser of floor covering materials is carried out by means of a remote data entry system.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein said entry of additional information is carried out by a representative of a manufacturer of said floor covering material.

21. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the customer specific URL further includes a link to means to submit directly to the manufacturer of said floor covering materials a request for quotation (RFQ) for new floor covering installations.

22. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the customer specific URL further includes a link to a contact page for said individual user to communicate information or messages to the manufacturer of said floor covering materials.

23. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the customer specific URL further includes a link to an order page for said individual user to place an order with the manufacturer of said floor covering materials.

25. The web site system as recited in claim 24, wherein the project and product data includes data on active floor covering installation projects.

26. The web site system as recited in claim 24, wherein the project and product data includes data on completed floor covering installation projects.

27. The web site system as recited in claim 24, wherein the category based listing of data elements accessible by each of said one or more users is arranged based upon the geographic location of said floor covering installation projects.

28. The web site system as recited in claim 24, wherein the catalog of project and product data is updateable during progression of said floor covering installation projects by remote entry of data into said database by means of a network based data entry application.

29. The web site system as recited in claim 24, wherein the customer specific URL includes a link to a page to request quotations for new floor covering installations.

30. The web site system as recited in claim 24, wherein the customer specific URL includes a link to an order page for said individual user to place an order for floor covering materials.

31. The web site system as recited in claim 30, wherein the order page is linked to a listing of floor covering materials preauthorized by said purchaser of floor covering materials such that the order placed by the individual user is limited to such preauthorized floor covering materials.

32. The web site system as recited in claim 31, wherein the listing of floor covering materials preauthorized by said purchaser is a user specific listing such that different floor covering materials are preauthorized for order by different individual users.

33. The web site system as recited in claim 24, wherein the computer program further generates invoicing and collection data for said purchaser of floor covering materials.

13. A method of providing project and/or product information to a purchaser of floor covering materials, the method comprising:

providing a Web site system that includes a link to a customer specific URL that includes a catalog of project and product data corresponding to floor covering installation projects for said purchaser of floor covering materials, wherein the Web site is provided by the manufacturer of said floor covering materials and wherein said floor covering materials are selected from the group consisting of carpet and carpet tile;

the purchaser and the manufacturer of said floor covering materials identifying one or more users authorized to access the Web site system on behalf of said purchaser;

assigning to said one or more users a personalized registration code and ID;

establishing a listing of data elements accessible by each of said one or more users;

in response to an entry of a personalized registration code and ID by an individual user, linking said individual user to said customer specific URL;

receiving a request for project data from said individual user;

correlating the entered registration code and ID to the listing of data elements accessible by said individual user;

retrieving a portion of the requested project data corresponding to the listing of data elements accessible by said individual user; and

transmitting to said individual user in electronic format said portion of the requested project data corresponding to the listing of data elements accessible by said individual user while excluding data elements not accessible by said individual user.

24. A web site system providing project and/or product information to a purchaser of floor covering materials, the web site system comprising:

a web site accessible through a computer based server that includes a link to a customer specific URL including project and product data corresponding to floor covering installation projects for said purchaser of floor covering materials;

an accessible database linked to said customer specific URL containing data specific to said purchaser of floor covering materials and identifying one or more users authorized to access the web site on behalf of said purchaser of floor covering materials wherein the identity of each of said one or more users is matched to personalized registration information, the database further including a category based listing of data elements accessible by each of said one or more users; and

a computer program for receiving a request for data relating to floor covering installations from an individual user, correlating entered registration information to the listing of data elements accessible by said individual user, and retrieving and transmitting a portion of the requested data corresponding to the listing of data elements accessible by said individual user while excluding data elements not accessible by said individual user.

34. A floor covering customer specific web site provided by a floor covering product supplier and providing authorized users access to customer specific information on floor covering projects from one or more product supplier databases.