Computerized method, system and computer-readable medium for individualized ordering and billing of packages of goods

• US 20030163391A1
• Filed: 02/27/2002
• Published: 08/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Vittitoe, Patricia Ann, Wantuck, Christi Dale, Miles, Joseph Lyon, Dupin, Robert T., Quigley, Robert, Elkins, John Thomas, Blair, Sharon True, Abell, Angela M.
• Application Number:
  US10/083,882
• Publication Number:
  US 20030163391A1
• 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 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0625 Directed, with specific intent or strategy
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

Computerized method, system and computer-readable medium are provided for ordering and billing goods and services in connection with the goods. Each embodiment is customized to meet the individualized needs of users in respective market segments by enabling ordering of packages of the goods. The method allows providing a user-interface to each user configured to enable the user to define at least one package identifier associated with a respective set of goods and/or services of interest to each respective user. The method further allows populating a database with at least one parameter comprising respective model identifier and service code for each good and/or service associated with each respective package identifier. The database is accessed in view of each defined package identifier to retrieve the at least one parameter for each respective package identifier. Each user-selected package of goods and/or services is processed based on a selected package identifier to generate in order of the goods and/or services associated with the selected package identifier.

Claims

1. A computerized method for ordering and billing goods and services in connection with the goods, the method customized to meet the individualized needs of users in respective market segments by enabling ordering of packages of the goods, the method comprising:

providing a user-interface to each user configured to enable the user to define at least one package identifier associated with a respective set of goods and/or services of interest to each respective user;

populating a database with at least one parameter comprising respective model identifier and service code for each good and/or service associated with each respective package identifier;

accessing the database in view of each defined package identifier to retrieve the at least one parameter for each respective package identifier; and

processing a user-selected package of goods and/or services based on a selected package identifier to generate an order of the goods and/or services associated with the selected package identifier.

2. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein the user-interface further includes a package upgrade data field configured to enable the user to define at least a respective upgrade regarding goods and/or services associated with a respective package identifier.

3. The computerized method of claim 2 wherein the user-interface further includes an option data field configured to enable the user to include goods and/or services that may be optionally supplied with a user-selected package.

4. The computerized method of claim 2 wherein the database is further populated with at least one parameter comprising respective model identifier and service code for each upgraded and/or optionally included good and service.

5. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein the user-interface further includes an invoicing-format data field configured to enable the user to select a respective invoicing format for goods and/or services included in a user-selected package.

6. The computerized method of claim 5 further comprising processing the invoicing-format selection to generate an invoice based on said invoice-format selection.

7. The computerized method of claim 5 wherein the invoicing-format selection comprises differentially identifying base costs associated with a user-selected package from incremental costs due to package upgrades and/or options.

8. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein the invoicing format choice is selected to separately itemize invoice parameters selected from the group consisting of taxes, service costs, installation costs, package upgrade and option costs.

9. The computerized method of claim 5 wherein the user interface is further configured to provide the user with a respective invoice delivery choice.

10. A computerized system for ordering and billing goods and services in connection with the goods, the system customized to meet the individualized needs of users in respective market segments by enabling ordering of packages of the goods, the system comprising:

a user-interface configured to enable the user to define at least one package identifier associated with a respective set of goods and/or services of interest to each respective user;

a database with at least one parameter comprising respective model identifier and service code for each good and/or service associated with each respective package identifier;

a module configured to access the database in view of each defined package identifier to retrieve the at least one parameter for each respective package identifier; and

a processor configured to process a user-selected package of goods and/or services based on a selected package identifier to generate an order of the goods and/or services associated with the selected package identifier.

11. The computerized system of claim 10 wherein the user-interface further includes a package upgrade data field configured to enable the user to define at least a respective upgrade regarding goods and/or services associated with a respective package identifier.

12. The computerized system of claim 11 wherein the user-interface further includes an option data field configured to enable the user to include goods and/or services that may be optionally supplied with a user-selected package.

13. The computerized system of claim 11 wherein the database is further populated with at least one parameter comprising respective model identifier and service code for each upgraded and/or optionally included good and service.

14. The computerized system of claim 10 wherein the user-interface further includes an invoicing-format data field configured to enable the user to select a respective invoicing format for goods and/or services included in a user-selected package.

15. The computerized system of claim 14 wherein the processor is further configured to process the invoicing-format selection to generate an invoice based on said invoice-format selection.

16. The computerized system of claim 14 wherein the invoicing-format selection comprises differentially identifying base costs associated with a user-selected package from incremental costs due to package upgrades and/or options.

17. The computerized system of claim 10 wherein the invoicing format choice is selected to separately itemize invoice parameters selected from the group consisting of taxes, service costs, installation costs, package upgrade and option costs.

18. The computerized system of claim 14 wherein the user interface is %further configured to provide the user with a respective invoice delivery choice.

19. A computer-readable medium for ordering and billing goods and services in connection with the goods, the computer-readable medium including instructions causing a computer to facilitate meeting the individualized needs of users in respective market segments that generally order packages of the goods by:

configuring a user-interface to enable each user to define at least one package identifier associated with a respective set of goods and/or services of interest to each respective user;

populating a database with at least one parameter comprising respective model identifier and service code for each good and/or service associated with each respective package identifier;

accessing the database in view of each defined package identifier to retrieve the at least one parameter for each respective package identifier; and

processing a user-selected package of goods and/or services based on a selected package identifier to generate an order of the goods and/or services associated with the selected package identifier.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19 wherein the user-interface is further configured to enable the user to define at least a respective upgrade regarding goods and/or services associated with a respective package identifier.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 20 wherein the user-interface is further configured to enable the user to include goods and/or services that may be optionally supplied with a user-selected package.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 20 further comprising instructions for populated the database with at least one parameter comprising respective model identifier and service code for each upgraded and/or optionally included good and service.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 19 wherein the user-interface is further configured to enable the user to select a respective invoicing format for goods and/or services included in a user-selected package.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 22 further comprising instructions for processing the invoicing-format selection to generate an invoice based on said invoice-format selection.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 22 further comprising instructions for separately identifying base costs associated with a user-selected package from incremental costs due to package upgrades and/or options.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 19 wherein the invoicing format choice is selected to separately itemize invoice parameters selected from the group consisting of taxes, service costs, installation costs, package upgrade and option costs.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 23 wherein the user interface is further configured to provide the user with a respective invoice delivery choice.