System and method for lubricants supply chain management

• US 20030037034A1
• Filed: 08/16/2001
• Published: 02/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Chevron USA Incorporated (Chevron Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Chevron USA Incorporated (Chevron Corp.)
• Inventors: Hinzie, Doug, Spatz, David, Daniels, Tim
• Application Number:
  US09/932,571
• Publication Number:
  US 20030037034A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

The invention includes a method of lubricants supply chain management including: storing in a web-accessible database a catalog of lubricants and prices-per-unit for same which prices-per-unit optionally decrease based on certain pre-determined cumulative volume purchases; upon receiving at a web server a request from a web-browser client, querying the database and serving the results of the query to the requesting web-browser client for display; serving an order form to the web-browser client which is configured to contain fields for order quantity and type for lubricants, delivery type preferences and delivery address entered in the web-browser client, and determining and displaying on the web-browser client a delivery price quote; receiving an order from the web-browser client for a specific type and quantity of lubricants and having a specific delivery type selected; electronically transmitting over a network the order to an order fulfillment agent; where the order fulfillment agent electronically transmits over a network the order to at least one lubricant blender; electronically transmitting over a network the order and the delivery information to a freight-handling agent; where the freight-handling agent inputs the information into a delivery optimization system which outputs a delivery schedule which includes the order, and electronically transmits over a network the order and the delivery information to at least one trucking company; and maintaining the status and all actions and communications for the order in a second web-accessible database.

Claims

1. A computer programmed to execute a process for lubricants supply chain management, said process comprising:

(a) upon receiving a request from a web-browser client, querying a database comprising a catalog of lubricants and prices and availability for same and serving said results of said query to said requesting web-browser client for display;

(b) serving an order form to said web-browser client which is configured to contain fields for order quantity and type for lubricants, delivery type preferences and delivery address entered in said web-browser client, and determining and displaying on said web-browser client a delivery price quote;

(c) receiving an order from said web-browser client for a specific type and quantity of lubricants and having a specific delivery type selected;

(d) electronically transmitting over a network said order to a fulfillment agent selected from the group consisting of a Lubricant Blender or an Order Fulfillment Agent, and mixtures thereof;

(e) electronically transmitting over a network said order and said delivery information to a Freight-Handling Agent;

(f) wherein said Freight-Handling Agent inputs said information into a delivery optimization system which outputs a delivery schedule which includes said order, and electronically transmits over a network said order and said delivery information to at least one Trucking Company; and

(g) maintaining the status and all actions and communications for said order in a web-accessible database.

2. The computer of claim 1, wherein said fulfillment agent is an Order Fulfillment Agent and said Order Fulfillment Agent electronically transmits over a network said order to at least one Lubricant Blender.

3. The computer of claim 1, which further comprising serving a product search page to said web browser client, wherein said search page comprising fields supporting alternate search methods selected from the group consisting of product name, product application, cross-applications, and mixtures thereof.

4. The computer of claim 1, which further comprises receiving an order from said web-browser client for a specific type of service selected from the group of empty drum pick-up, lubricant analysis, used lubricant pick-up, and mixtures thereof, and electronically transmitting over a network said order to an service order fulfillment agent.

5. The computer of claim 1, wherein the prices decrease based on cumulative purchase volume over a pre-determined time period.

6. A computer readable medium having computer readable program means embodied thereon for lubricants supply chain management, said computer readable program means comprising:

(a) computer readable program code means for receiving a request from a web-browser client, querying a database comprising a catalog of lubricants and prices and availability for same and serving said results of said query to said requesting web-browser client for display;

(b) computer readable program code means for serving an order form to said web-browser client which is configured to contain fields for order quantity and type for lubricants, delivery type preferences and delivery address entered in said web-browser client, and determining and displaying on said web-browser client a delivery price quote;

(c) computer readable program code means for receiving an order from said web-browser client for a specific type and quantity of lubricants and having a specific delivery type selected;

(d) computer readable program code means for electronically transmitting over a network said order to a fulfillment agent selected from the group consisting of a Lubricants Blender or an Order Fulfillment Agent, and mixtures thereof;

(e) computer readable program code means for electronically transmitting over a network said order and said delivery information to a Freight-Handling Agent;

(f) computer readable program code means for maintaining the status and all actions and communications for said order in a database.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 6 wherein in said computer readable program code means (d) said fulfillment agent order is an order fulfillment agent and said order fulfillment agent electronically transmits over a network said order and blending specifications to at least one lubricant blender.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 6, further comprising computer readable program code means for serving a product search page to said web browser client, wherein said search page comprising fields supporting alternate search methods selected from the group consisting of product name, product application, cross-applications, and mixtures thereof.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 6 further comprising computer readable program code means for receiving an order from said web-browser client for a specific type of service selected from the group of empty drum pick-up, lubricant analysis, used lubricant pick-up, and mixtures thereof, and electronically transmitting over a network said order to an service order fulfillment agent.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein in computer readable program code means (a) the prices decrease based on cumulative purchase volume over a pre-determined time period.

11. A method for lubricants supply chain management comprising:

(a) storing in a web-accessible database a catalog of lubricants and prices-per-unit and availability for same which prices-per-unit decrease based on certain pre-determined criteria;

(b) upon receiving at a web server a request from a web-browser client, querying said database and serving said results of said query to said requesting web-browser client for display;

(c) serving an order form to said web-browser client which is configured to contain fields for order quantity and type for lubricants, delivery type preferences and delivery address entered in said web-browser client, and determining and displaying on said web-browser client a delivery price quote;

(d) receiving an order from said web-browser client for a specific type and quantity of lubricants and having a specific delivery type selected;

(e) electronically transmitting over a network said order to an order fulfillment agent;

(f) wherein said order fulfillment agent electronically transmits over a network said order and blending specifications to at least one lubricant blender;

(g) electronically transmitting over a network said order and said delivery information to a freight-handling agent;

(h) wherein said freight-handling agent inputs said information into a delivery optimization system which outputs a delivery schedule which includes said order, and electronically transmits over a network said order and said delivery information to at least one trucking company; and

(i) maintaining the status and all actions and communications for said order in a second web-accessible database.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising receiving an order from said web-browser client for a specific type of service selected from the group of empty drum pick-up, lubricant analysis, used lubricant pick-up, and mixtures thereof, and electronically transmitting over a network said order to an service order fulfillment agent.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the pre-determined criteria at which prices-per-unit decreases is cumulative purchase volume over a predetermined time period.