Buyer managed order transmitting system and method

• US 20020138403A1
• Filed: 01/15/2002
• Published: 09/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ipower Logistics LLC
• Original Assignee: Ipower Logistics LLC
• Inventors: Sullivan, Joseph D. Jr., Doucette, John L., Marvin, Michael P., Breault, Christopher J., Chesley, Robert A.
• Application Number:
  US10/047,083
• Publication Number:
  US 20020138403A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

A method for transmitting an order is provided. The method includes generating respective ordering data for a plurality of Buyers. The ordering data is represented as electronic signals and identifies the respective Buyer and an item. The ordering data is transmitted from the Buyers to a common computing device. One of a plurality of Vendors is identified as a function of the Buyer and the item. The order is generated for the Vendor. The order identifies the Buyer, the Vendor, and a quantity. The order is transmitted from the common computing device to the Vendor.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting an order, the method comprising:

generating respective ordering data for a plurality of Buyers, the ordering data being represented as electronic signals and identifying the respective Buyer and an item;

transmitting the ordering data from the Buyers to a common computing device;

identifying one of a plurality of Vendors as a function of the item and the Buyer;

generating the order for the Vendor, the order identifying the respective Buyer, the Vendor, and a quantity; and

transmitting the order to the Vendor.

2. The method of transmitting an order as set forth in claim 1, wherein transmitting the ordering data includes:

transmitting the ordering data for each of the Buyers to a network; and

transmitting the ordering data for each of the Buyers from the network to the common computing device.

3. The method of transmitting an order as set forth in claim 1, wherein transmitting the ordering data includes:

electronically transmitting the ordering data to the common computing device.

4. The method of transmitting an order as set forth in claim 1, wherein transmitting the order to the Vendor includes:

transmitting the order from the common computing device to a network; and

transmitting the order from the network to the respective Vendors.

5. The method of transmitting an order as set forth in claim 1, wherein transmitting the order to the Vendor includes at least one of:

manually transmitting the order to the Vendor; and

electronically transmitting the order to the Vendor.

6. The method of transmitting an order as set forth in claim 1, further including:

determining the quantity before the ordering data is transmitted to the common computing device.

7. The method of transmitting an order as set forth in claim 1, further including:

determining the quantity after the ordering data is transmitted to the common computing device.

8. The method of transmitting an order as set forth in claim 1, further including one of:

determining the quantity as a function of a default quantity associated with the item; and

determining the quantity as a function of a replenishment quantity associated with the item.

9. The method of transmitting an order as set forth in claim 1, further including at least one of:

confirming the ordering data for one of the Buyers was transmitted to the common computing device; and

confirming the order was transmitted to the Vendor.

10. The method of transmitting an order as set forth in claim 1, further including:

managing, via the respective Buyer, the Vendor associated with the item.

11. A system for transmitting an order, comprising:

a plurality of electronic devices generating ordering data for respective Buyers, the ordering data being represented as electronic signals and identifying the respective Buyer and a respective item;

means for transmitting the ordering data from the Buyers to a common computing device;

means for identifying one of a plurality of Vendors as a function of the Buyer and the item;

means for generating the order for one the Vendor, the order identifying the respective Buyer, the Vendor, and a quantity; and

means for transmitting the order to the Vendor.

12. The system for transmitting an order as set forth in claim 11, wherein the means for transmitting the ordering data includes:

a network for electronically transmitting the ordering data to the common computing device.

13. The system for transmitting an order as set forth in claim 11, wherein the means for transmitting the order includes at least one of:

means for manually transmitting the order to the Vendor; and

a network for electronically transmitting the order to the Vendor.

14. The system for transmitting an order as set forth in claim 11, further including at least one of:

means for determining the quantity before the ordering data is transmitted to the common computing device; and

means for determining the quantity after the ordering data is transmitted to the common computing device.

15. The system for transmitting an order as set forth in claim 14, wherein:

the means for determining the quantity before the ordering data is transmitted to the common computing device includes;

a look-up table accessed by one of the electronic devices; and

the means for determining the quantity after the ordering data is transmitted to the common computing device includes;

a look-up table accessed by the common computing device.

16. The system for transmitting an order as set forth in claim 11, wherein the quantity is determined as a function of at least one of a default quantity associated with the item and a replenishment quantity associated with the item.

17. The system for transmitting an order as set forth in claim 11, further including at least one of:

means for transmitting a first confirmation from the common computing device to the respective Buyer as a function of successfully receiving the ordering data into the computing device; and

means for transmitting a second confirmation from the Vendor to the Buyer as a function of successfully receiving the order by the Vendor.

18. The system for transmitting an order as set forth in claim 11, further including:

means for changing the Vendor determined as a function of the item and the Buyer.

20. The method for obtaining articles as set forth in claim 19, further including:

for one of the articles, changing, via the Buyer, the Vendor identified as a function of the Buyer.

19. A method for obtaining articles from respective suppliers, the method comprising:

identifying, for each of a plurality of Buyers, a respective article via a respective electronic optical input device;

generating respective electronic ordering data as a function of the identified articles and the respective Buyer;

transmitting the electronic ordering data from the Buyers to a central processing device;

for each of the identified articles, identifying one of a plurality of Vendors as a function of the article and the Buyer;

for each of the identified articles, determining a respective quantity as a function of the article and at least one of a default quantity associated with the article, a replenishment quantity associated with the article, and a desired quantity identified by the Buyer;

for each of the identified Vendors, creating a respective order identifying each of the associated articles, the Buyer, and the respective quantities;

transmitting each of the orders to the respective Vendor; and

filling the orders.