Product selection over a communication network

• US 20020161459A1
• Filed: 04/30/2001
• Published: 10/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Micro Motion Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Micro Motion Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Bugarin, John R., Mackin, James F. III
• Granted Patent: US 7,233,917 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

A server system directs product selection over a communication network where screens are displayed to a user. The screens are arranged in a sequence. The server system processes user data from user input signals to determine if the user data is consistent with at least one of a plurality of products. The server system transfers a selected one of the screen signals corresponding to a selected one of the screens if the selected one of the screens is backward in the sequence or if all previous ones of the screens in the sequence prior to the selected one of the screens have the consistent data. The server system transfers to the user system over the communication network an earliest one of the screen signals corresponding to an earliest one of the screens in the sequence that does not have the consistent data if the selected one of the screens is forward in the sequence and if the previous ones of the screens in the sequence prior to the selected one of the screens do not all have the consistent data.

Claims

1. A software system for directing product selection over a communication network where a user system receives screen signals from the communication network and displays corresponding screens to a user, the user provides user inputs to the user system in response to the screens, the user system transfers corresponding user input signals over the communication network, and the screens are arranged in a sequence, the software system comprising:

user data software configured to direct a processing system to process user data from the user input signals to determine if the user data is consistent data that is consistent with at least one of a plurality of products;

screen control software configured to direct the processing system to process user screen selections from the user input signals, transfer a selected one of the screen signals corresponding to a selected one of the screens if the selected one of the screens is backward in the sequence or if all previous ones of the screens in the sequence prior to the selected one of the screens have the consistent data, and to transfer to the user system over the communication network an earliest one of the screen signals corresponding to an earliest one of the screens in the sequence that does not have the consistent data if the selected one of the screens is forward in the sequence and if the previous ones of the screens in the sequence prior to the selected one of the screens do not all have the consistent data; and

a storage system that stores the user data software and the screen control software.

2. The software system of claim 1 wherein the screen control software is configured to direct the processing system to include in the screen signals the consistent data for a current one of the screens corresponding to a current one of the screen signals being transferred and the consistent data for earlier ones of the screens in the sequence.

3. The software system of claim 1 wherein:

the user data software is configured to direct the processing system to remove from product selection consideration non-selectable ones of the products that are inconsistent with the consistent data; and

the screen control software is configured to direct the processing system to modify the screens signals to indicate user data selections that are inconsistent with selectable ones of the products that remain under product selection consideration.

4. The software system of claim 1 wherein the user data software is configured to direct the processing system to start with a pre-existing set of the consistent data.

5. The software system of claim 1 wherein the user data software is configured to direct the processing system to complete a purchase transaction for a selected one of the products.

6. The software system of claim 1 wherein the products comprise flow meters.

7. The software system of claim 1 wherein the products comprise Coriolis flow meters.

8. The software system of claim 1 wherein the products comprise densitometers.

9. The software system of claim 1 wherein the user data indicates a fluid name.

10. The software system of claim 1 wherein the user data indicates at least one of:

fluid flow rate, fluid density, fluid viscosity, fluid pressure, and fluid temperature.

11. The software system of claim 1 wherein the user data indicates a flowmeter sensor type.

12. The software system of claim 1 wherein the user data indicates a flowmeter process connection type.

13. The software system of claim 1 wherein the user data indicates a flowmeter transmitter type.

15. The server system of claim 14 wherein the processing system is configured to include in the screen signals the consistent data for a current one of the screens corresponding to a current one of the screen signals being transferred and the consistent data for earlier ones of the screens in the sequence.

16. The server system of claim 14 wherein the processing system is configured to remove from product selection consideration non-selectable ones of the products that are inconsistent with the consistent data, and modify the screens signals to indicate user data selections that are inconsistent with selectable ones of the products that remain under product selection consideration.

17. The server system of claim 14 wherein the processing system is configured to start with a pre-existing set of the consistent data.

18. The server system of claim 14 wherein the processing system is configured to complete a purchase transaction for a selected one of the products.

19. The server system of claim 14 wherein the products comprise flow meters.

20. The server system of claim 14 wherein the products comprise Coriolis flow meters.

21. The server system of claim 14 wherein the products comprise densitometers.

22. The server system of claim 14 wherein the user data indicates a fluid name.

23. The server system of claim 14 wherein the user data indicates at least one of:

fluid flow rate, fluid density, fluid viscosity, fluid pressure, and fluid temperature.

24. The server system of claim 14 wherein the user data indicates a flowmeter sensor type.

25. The server system of claim 14 wherein the user data indicates a flowmeter process connection type.

26. The server system of claim 14 wherein the user data indicates a flowmeter transmitter type.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising including in the screen signals the consistent data for a current one of the screens corresponding to a current one of the screen signals being transferred and the consistent data for earlier ones of the screens in the sequence.

29. The method of claim 27 further comprising removing from product selection consideration non-selectable ones of the products that are inconsistent with the consistent data, and modifying the screens signals to indicate user data selections that are inconsistent with selectable ones of the products that remain under product selection consideration.

30. The method of claim 27 further comprising starting the method with a preexisting set of the consistent data.

31. The method of claim 27 further comprising completing a purchase transaction for a selected one of the products.

32. The method of claim 27 wherein the products comprise flow meters.

33. The method of claim 27 wherein the products comprise Coriolis flow meters.

34. The method of claim 27 wherein the products comprise densitometers.

35. The method of claim 27 wherein the user data indicates a fluid name.

36. The method of claim 27 wherein the user data indicates at least one of:

fluid flow rate, fluid density, fluid viscosity, fluid pressure, and fluid temperature.

37. The method of claim 27 wherein the user data indicates a flowmeter sensor type.

38. The method of claim 27 wherein the user data indicates a flowmeter process connection type.

39. The method of claim 27 wherein the user data indicates a flowmeter transmitter type.

14. A server system for directing product selection over a communication network where a user system receives screen signals from the communication network and displays corresponding screens to a user, the user provides user inputs to the user system in response to the screens, the user system transfers corresponding user input signals over the communication network, and the screens are arranged in a sequence, the server system comprising:

a network interface configured to transfer the screen signals to the communication network and to receive the user input signals from the communication network; and

a processing system configured to process user data from the user input signals to determine if the user data is consistent data that is consistent with at least one of a plurality of products, process user screen selections from the user input signals, transfer a selected one of the screen signals corresponding to a selected one of the screens if the selected one of the screens is backward in the sequence or if all previous ones of the screens in the sequence prior to the selected one of the screens have the consistent data, and to transfer to the user system over the communication network an earliest one of the screen signals corresponding to an earliest one of the screens in the sequence that does not have the consistent data if the selected one of the screens is forward in the sequence and if the previous ones of the screens in the sequence prior to the selected one of the screens do not all have the consistent data.

27. A method of operating a server system for directing product selection over a communication network where a user system receives screen signals from the communication network and displays corresponding screens to a user, the user provides user inputs to the user system in response to the screens, the user system transfers corresponding user input signals over the communication network, and the screens are arranged in a sequence, the method comprising:

processing user data from the user input signals to determine if the user data is consistent data that is consistent with at least one of a plurality of products;

processing user screen selections from the user input signals;

transferring a selected one of the screen signals corresponding to a selected one of the screens if the selected one of the screens is backward in the sequence or if all previous ones of the screens in the sequence prior to the selected one of the screens have the consistent data; and

transferring to the user system over the communication network an earliest one of the screen signals corresponding to an earliest one of the screens in the sequence that does not have the consistent data if the selected one of the screens is forward in the sequence and if the previous ones of the screens in the sequence prior to the selected one of the screens do not all have the consistent data.