Query system for service availability according to customized criteria

• US 20030050865A1
• Filed: 09/13/2001
• Published: 03/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dutta, Rabindranath, Spring, Eduardo N., Ravi, Kumar
• Granted Patent: US 7,124,096 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

A method, program, and system for checking the availability of goods and services by means of the Internet are provided. The invention comprises compiling a customer profile, which may include information related to business affiliation as well as personal preferences. The customer uses a general search engine to submit a query regarding a desired good or service, and the search engine returns a list of suppliers that satisfy the search generic criteria. Special software on the client machine then sends more detailed queries, along with the customer profile, directly to certain suppliers selected from the list. These suppliers then return information, which corresponds to the customer profile. This information may include availability of specific accommodations, special discounts, as well as exclusive goods or services not offered to the general public.

Claims

1. A method for searching for goods and services by means of a computer network, the method comprising:

compiling a customer profile;

entering parameters into a search engine, wherein the parameters relate to a specified product;

receiving a list of product suppliers which satisfy the search parameters;

selecting and displaying a subset of suppliers from the list, according to criteria in the customer profile;

sending a product query and at least a portion of the information in the customer profile to a product supplier in the selected subset; and

receiving and displaying product information from the product supplier, wherein the product information corresponds to criteria contained in the customer profile.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the customer profile is stored on a client machine.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the customer profile includes at least one of the following:

name;

company name;

frequent flier number;

airline used;

frequent customer number;

product brand preference;

special accommodation requirements;

dining preferences;

coupons; and

recreational preferences.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the product information received from the product supplier further comprises at least one of the following:

business discount;

frequent flier discount;

frequent customer discount;

airline discount;

availability of special accommodations;

availability of recreational facilities; and

exclusive services.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the product information received from the product supplier further comprises a best price, as determined by the criteria in the customer profile.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving verification of product availability, according to customer criteria, from the product supplier.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

requesting additional information from the product supplier if the first supplier response does not include information specifically requested in the product query.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining a best-fit score for a product supplier, wherein the best-fit score is determined by how closely the supplier response conforms to the criteria in the customer profile; and

ranking a plurality of product suppliers according to their respective best-fit scores.

9. A method for disseminating information about goods and services by means of a computer network, the method comprising:

receiving a product query and a portion of a customer profile from a client;

sending product information to the client, wherein the product information corresponds to criteria contained in the user profile, and wherein the product information includes a lowest price determination; and

verifying product availability in accordance with criteria in the customer profile.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the customer profile includes at least one of the following:

name;

company name;

frequent flier number;

airline used;

frequent customer number;

product brand preference;

special accommodation requirements;

dining preferences;

coupons; and

recreational preferences.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the product information received from the product supplier further comprises at least one of the following:

business discount;

frequent flier discount;

frequent customer discount;

airline discount;

availability of special accommodations;

availability of recreational facilities; and

exclusive services.

12. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

verifying the validity of information contained in the customer profile.

13. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for use in a data processing system, for searching for goods and services by means of a computer network, the computer program product comprising:

instructions for compiling a customer profile;

instructions for entering parameters into a search engine, wherein the parameters relate to a specified product;

instructions for receiving a list of product suppliers which satisfy the search parameters;

instructions for selecting and displaying a subset of suppliers from the list, according to criteria in the customer profile;

instructions for sending a product query and a portion of the information in the customer profile to a product supplier in the selected subset; and

instructions for receiving and displaying product information from the product supplier, wherein the product information corresponds to criteria contained in the customer profile.

14. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein the customer profile is stored on a client machine.

15. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein the customer profile includes at least one of the following:

name;

company name;

frequent flier number;

airline used;

frequent customer number;

product brand preference;

special accommodation requirements;

dining preferences;

coupons; and

recreational preferences.

16. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein the product information received from the product supplier further comprises at least one of the following:

business discount;

frequent flier discount;

frequent customer discount;

airline discount;

availability of special accommodations;

availability of recreational facilities; and

exclusive services.

17. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein the product information received from the product supplier further comprises a best price, as determined by the criteria in the customer profile.

18. The computer program product according to claim 13, further comprising instructions for receiving verification of product availability, according to customer criteria, from the product supplier.

19. The computer program product according to claim 13, further comprising:

instructions for requesting additional information from the product supplier if the first supplier response does not include information specifically requested in the product query.

20. The computer program product according to claim 13, further comprising:

instructions for determining a best-fit score for a product supplier, wherein the best-fit score is determined by how closely the supplier response conforms to the criteria in the customer profile; and

instructions for ranking a plurality of product suppliers according to their respective best-fit scores.

21. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for use in a data processing system, for disseminating information about goods and services by means of a computer network, the computer program product comprising:

instructions for receiving a product query and portion of a customer profile from a client; and

instructions for sending product information to the client, wherein the product information corresponds to criteria contained in the user profile, and wherein the product information includes a lowest price determination; and

instructions for verifying product availability in accordance with criteria in the customer profile.

22. The computer program product according to claim 21, wherein the customer profile includes at least one of the following:

name;

company name;

frequent flier number;

airline used;

frequent customer number;

product brand preference;

special accommodation requirements;

dining preferences;

coupons; and

recreational preferences.

23. The computer program product according to claim 21, wherein the product information received from the product supplier further comprises at least one of the following:

business discount;

frequent flier discount;

frequent customer discount;

airline discount;

availability of special accommodations;

availability of recreational facilities; and

exclusive services.

24. The computer program product according to claim 21, further comprising:

instructions for verifying the validity of information contained in the customer profile.

25. A system for searching for goods and services by means of a computer network, the system comprising:

a compiler which creates a customer profile;

a input component which enters parameters into a search engine, wherein the parameters relate to a specified product;

a first receiving component which receives a list of product suppliers which satisfy the search parameters;

a processing component which selects and displays a subset of suppliers from the list, according to criteria in the customer profile;

a communication component which sends a product query and a portion of the information in the customer profile to a product supplier in the selected subset; and

a second receiving component which receives and displays product information from the product supplier, wherein the product information corresponds to criteria contained in the customer profile.

26. A system for disseminating information about goods and services by means of a computer network, the method comprising:

a receiving component which receives a product query and portion of a customer profile from a client;

a communication component which sends product information to the client, wherein the product information corresponds to criteria contained in the user profile, and wherein the product information includes a lowest price determination; and

a processing component which verifies product availability in accordance with criteria in the customer profile.