System and device for product valuation and associated method

• US 20030028438A1
• Filed: 07/18/2001
• Published: 02/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Smukowski, David J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,103,567 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

A method of indicating relative values of products offered to a customer is provided, wherein the method is implemented by an intermediary over a computer network. Initially, a request is received by the intermediary over the computer network from a vendor. The request is directed to including a description of at least one product for sale by the vendor on a product list. A product evaluation is then performed for each of the at least one product according to a plurality of predetermined evaluation criteria. Thereafter, an inquiry is received from a customer, over the computer network, regarding a specific product. In response to the inquiry, the customer is provided with, over the computer network, the description of any product on the product list corresponding to the specific product, wherein each corresponding product description has the respective product evaluation and the vendor associated therewith so as to facilitate a product selection by the customer. An associated system and computer device for implementing the method are also provided.

Claims

1. An intermediary computer device configured to implement a system for indicating relative values of products offered to a customer over a computer network, the intermediary computer device being adapted to be used by an intermediary and being adapted to be in communication over the computer network with a first computer device used by the customer and a second computer device used by a vendor, said intermediary computer device comprising:

a processing portion for receiving a request to include a description of at least one product on a product list maintained by the intermediary, the request being received over the computer network from the vendor;

a processing portion for performing a product evaluation for each of the at least one product according to a plurality of predetermined evaluation criteria administered by the intermediary;

a processing portion for receiving an inquiry regarding a specific product, the inquiry being received by the intermediary over the computer network from the customer; and

a processing portion for providing to the customer, in response to the inquiry and over the computer network, the description of any product on the product list corresponding to the specific product, each corresponding product description having the respective established product evaluation and the vendor associated therewith so as to facilitate a product selection by the customer.

2. A computer device according to claim 1 further comprising a processing portion for requiring the vendor to complete at least one of a registration procedure, a qualification procedure, and a vendor agreement procedure prior to the request-receiving processing portion receiving the vendor'"'"'s request to include the description of the at least one product on the product list.

3. A computer device according to claim 2 further comprising a processing portion for requiring the vendor to apply the plurality of predetermined criteria to the at least one product.

4. A computer device according to claim 1 further comprising a processing portion for applying a rating scale having discrete levels to the product evaluation for each of the at least one product in order to correlate the product evaluation with one of the discrete levels so as to thereby assign a corresponding discrete level to each of the at least one product.

5. A computer device according to claim 4 wherein the customer-providing processing portion is further configured to provide the corresponding discrete level for each of the at least one product to the customer.

6. A computer device according to claim 5 further comprising a processing portion for offering a predetermined service package to the customer corresponding to the discrete level assigned to the product.

7. A computer device according to claim 1 further comprising a processing portion for requiring the customer to complete a registration procedure prior to the customer-providing processing portion providing to the customer the description of any product on the product list corresponding to the specific product.

8. A computer device according to claim 1 wherein the customer-providing processing portion is further configured to provide a price for each product on the product list corresponding to the specific product to the customer.

9. A computer device according to claim 1 further comprising a processing portion for facilitating a purchase by the customer of the product on the product list corresponding to the specific product by directing establishment of contact between the customer and the vendor.

10. A computer device according to claim 1 further comprising a processing portion for facilitating a purchase by the customer of the product on the product list corresponding to the specific product by directing acquisition of the product from the vendor and directing delivery of the product to the customer.

11. A system for indicating relative values of products offered to a customer, said system being implemented over a computer network and comprising:

a first computer device adapted to be used by the customer and configured to be in communication with a computer network;

a second computer device adapted to be used by a vendor and configured to be in communication with the computer network;

a third computer device adapted to be used by an intermediary and configured to be in communication with the first and second devices over the computer network, the third computer device comprising;

a processing portion for receiving a request to include a description of at least one product on a product list maintained by the intermediary, the request being received over the computer network from the vendor;

a processing portion for performing a product evaluation for each of the at least one product according to a plurality of predetermined evaluation criteria administered by the intermediary;

a processing portion for receiving an inquiry regarding a specific product, the inquiry being received by the intermediary over the computer network from the customer; and

a processing portion for providing to the customer, in response to the inquiry and over the computer network, the description of any product on the product list corresponding to the specific product, each corresponding product description having the respective established product evaluation and the vendor associated therewith so as to facilitate a product selection by the customer.

12. A system according to claim 11 further comprising a processing portion for requiring the vendor to complete at least one of a registration procedure, a qualification procedure, and a vendor agreement procedure prior to the request-receiving processing portion receiving the vendor'"'"'s request to include the description of the at least one product on the product list.

13. A system according to claim 12 further comprising a processing portion for requiring the vendor to apply the plurality of predetermined criteria to the at least one product.

14. A system according to claim 11 further comprising a processing portion for applying a rating scale having discrete levels to the product evaluation for each of the at least one product in order to correlate the product evaluation with one of the discrete levels so as to thereby assign a corresponding discrete level to each of the at least one product.

15. A system according to claim 14 wherein the customer-providing processing portion is further configured to provide the corresponding discrete level for each of the at least one product to the customer.

16. A system according to claim 15 further comprising a processing portion for offering a predetermined service package to the customer corresponding to the discrete level assigned to the product.

17. A system according to claim 11 further comprising a processing portion for requiring the customer to complete a registration procedure prior to the customer-providing processing portion providing to the customer the description of any product on the product list corresponding to the specific product.

18. A system according to claim 11 wherein the customer-providing processing portion is further configured to provide a price for each product on the product list corresponding to the specific product to the customer.

19. A system according to claim 11 further comprising a processing portion for facilitating a purchase by the customer of the product on the product list corresponding to the specific product by directing establishment of contact between the customer and the vendor.

20. A system according to claim 11 further comprising a processing portion for facilitating a purchase by the customer of the product on the product list corresponding to the specific product by directing acquisition of the product from the vendor and directing delivery of the product to the customer.

21. A method of indicating relative values of products offered to a customer, said method being implemented by an intermediary over a computer network and comprising:

receiving a request to include a description of at least one product on a product list, the request being received over the computer network from a vendor;

performing a product evaluation for each of the at least one product according to a plurality of predetermined evaluation criteria;

receiving an inquiry regarding a specific product over the computer network from a customer; and

providing to the customer, in response to the inquiry and over the computer network, the description of any product on the product list corresponding to the specific product, each corresponding product description having the respective product evaluation and the vendor associated therewith so as to facilitate a product selection by the customer.

22. A method according to claim 21 further comprising requiring the vendor to complete at least one of a registration procedure, a qualification procedure, and a vendor agreement procedure prior to including the description of the at least one product on the product list.

23. A method according to claim 22 further comprising requiring the vendor to apply the plurality of predetermined criteria to the at least one product.

24. A method according to claim 21 further comprising applying a rating scale having discrete levels to the product evaluation for each of the at least one product in order to correlate the product evaluation with one of the discrete levels so as to thereby assign a corresponding discrete level to each of the at least one product.

25. A method according to claim 24 wherein providing to the customer the description of any product on the product list corresponding to the specific product further comprises providing the corresponding discrete level for each of the at least one product.

26. A method according to claim 25 further comprising providing a predetermined service package to the customer corresponding to the discrete level assigned to the product.

27. A method according to claim 21 further comprising requiring the customer to complete a registration procedure prior to providing to the customer the description of any product on the product list corresponding to the specific product.

28. A method according to claim 21 wherein providing to the customer the description of any product on the product list corresponding to the specific product further comprises providing a price for each product on the product list corresponding to the specific product.

29. A method according to claim 21 further comprising facilitating a purchase by the customer of the product on the product list corresponding to the specific product by establishing contact between the customer and the vendor.

30. A method according to claim 21 further comprising facilitating a purchase by the customer of the product on the product list corresponding to the specific product by obtaining the product from the vendor and delivering the product to the customer.