Method of and system for filing orders
First Claim
1. A method of filling orders a supplier receives from a plurality of customers, each order including information about an article associated with the order, the articles of different orders being susceptible of having different characteristics and different locations, the method comprising:
- the supplier responding to the transmitted orders by preparing a first message associated with each order, the first message including information about the characteristic of the article in connection with the order;
electronically transmitting the first message to a field unit;
the field unit including a transceiver coupled with a computer and a display coupled to be driven by the computer, the field unit being associated with an associate of the supplier who is assigned to perform the order;
the electronic transmitting step including wireless reception of the first message by the transceiver of the field unit to cause the transceiver of the field unit to couple the first message to the computer of the field unit;
the computer responding to the first message to cause the display to display information about the character of the article associated with the order, the computer also causing the display to display information about a location in connection with the article;
the associate responding to the display by;
(a) going to the displayed location and (b) executing the order in connection with the article;
the associate supplying the computer with an input indicative of the success of its efforts in connection with the article at the displayed location;
the computer responding to the input supplied to it by the associate by preparing a second message commensurate with the input the associate supplies to the computer;
coupling the second message from the computer to the transceiver;
the transceiver responding to the second message to transmit the second message to the supplier by a communication link including wireless transmission of the second message from the transceiver;
the supplier responding to the second message by storing an indication that the order was successfully processed if the second message so indicates.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Automotive vehicles and trailer mounted boats are repossessed with a system including a central station with a computer arrangement which prepares a first message including order information from lien holders. The first message is sent by e-mail to tow trucks via a communication link including the Internet and a wireless link. The tow trucks include a computer for receiving the first messages. The tow truck drivers prepare second e-mail messages which are sent back to the computer arrangement via a wireless link and the Internet. The lien holders can access the computer arrangement to determine order status.
61 Citations
56 Claims
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1. A method of filling orders a supplier receives from a plurality of customers, each order including information about an article associated with the order, the articles of different orders being susceptible of having different characteristics and different locations, the method comprising:
- the supplier responding to the transmitted orders by preparing a first message associated with each order, the first message including information about the characteristic of the article in connection with the order;
electronically transmitting the first message to a field unit;
the field unit including a transceiver coupled with a computer and a display coupled to be driven by the computer, the field unit being associated with an associate of the supplier who is assigned to perform the order;
the electronic transmitting step including wireless reception of the first message by the transceiver of the field unit to cause the transceiver of the field unit to couple the first message to the computer of the field unit;
the computer responding to the first message to cause the display to display information about the character of the article associated with the order, the computer also causing the display to display information about a location in connection with the article;
the associate responding to the display by;
(a) going to the displayed location and (b) executing the order in connection with the article;
the associate supplying the computer with an input indicative of the success of its efforts in connection with the article at the displayed location;
the computer responding to the input supplied to it by the associate by preparing a second message commensurate with the input the associate supplies to the computer;
coupling the second message from the computer to the transceiver;
the transceiver responding to the second message to transmit the second message to the supplier by a communication link including wireless transmission of the second message from the transceiver;
the supplier responding to the second message by storing an indication that the order was successfully processed if the second message so indicates. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
- the supplier responding to the transmitted orders by preparing a first message associated with each order, the first message including information about the characteristic of the article in connection with the order;
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15. A system for filling orders a supplier receives from a plurality of customers, each order including information about an article associated with the order, the articles of different orders being susceptible of having different characteristics and different locations, the system comprising a supplier computer arrangement for preparing a first message associated with each order, the first message including information about the characteristic of the article in connection with the order;
- a communication link coupled with the computer arrangement for transmitting the first message to a field unit;
the field unit including a transceiver coupled with a computer and a display coupled to be driven by the computer, the field unit being an automotive vehicle in a fleet of automotive vehicles and being associated with an associate of the supplier who is assigned to perform the order;
the communication link including a wireless portion for enabling the first message to be received by the transceiver of the field unit, the transceiver of the field unit and the computer of the field unit being adapted to be coupled together for causing the first message to be coupled from the transceiver to the computer, the computer being arranged to respond to the first message for causing the display to display information about the character of the article associated with the order, the computer being arranged for causing the display to display information about a location in connection with the article;
the computer being arranged for responding to an input of the associate indicative of the success of its efforts in connection with the article at the displayed location;
the computer being arranged to respond to the input supplied to it by the associate for preparing a second message commensurate with the input the associate supplies to the computer;
the computer being coupled with the transceiver for coupling the second message from the computer to the transceiver;
the transceiver being arranged to be responsive to the second message for transmitting the second message to the supplier computer by a communication link including wireless transmission of the second message from the transceiver;
the supplier computer arrangement being arranged to respond to the second message and including a storage arrangement for storing an indication that the order was successfully processed. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
- a communication link coupled with the computer arrangement for transmitting the first message to a field unit;
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27. A method of repossessing articles in response to orders from a plurality of lien holders holding liens on different personal property articles to be repossessed, each of the orders including information about the identity of the article to be repossessed in connection with the order, comprising transmitting the orders to a repossession agency, the repossession agency responding to the transmitted orders by preparing a first message associated with each order, the first message including information about the identity of the article to be repossessed in connection with the order;
- transmitting the first message to a mobile field unit;
the field unit including a transceiver coupled with a computer and a display coupled to be driven by the computer, the field unit being associated with an associate of the agency who will attempt to repossess the article;
the electronic transmitting step including wireless reception of the first message by the transceiver of the field unit to cause the transceiver of the field unit to couple the first message to the computer of the field unit;
the computer responding to the first message to cause the display to display information about the identity of the article to be repossessed in connection with the order, the computer also causing the display to display information about the likely location of the article;
the associate responding to the display by;
(a) going to the displayed location, (b) ascertaining whether the article is at the location, and (c) attempting to repossess the article if the article is at the location;
the associate supplying the computer with an input indicative of the success of its repossession efforts at the displayed location;
the computer responding to the input supplied to it by the associate by preparing a second message commensurate with the input the associate supplies to the computer;
coupling the second message from the computer to the transceiver;
the transceiver responding to the second message by transmitting the second message to the agency by a communication link including wireless transmission of the second message from the transceiver;
the agency responding to the second message by communicating to the lien holder that the article was successfully repossessed if the second message indicates the associate successfully repossessed the article. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
- transmitting the first message to a mobile field unit;
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42. A system for repossessing personal property articles in response to orders from a plurality of lien holders holding liens on different articles to be repossessed, each of the orders including information about the identity of the article to be repossessed in connection with the order, the system comprising a computer arrangement connected to be responsive to inputs indicative of information in the orders, the computer arrangement being arranged for preparing a first message associated with each order, the first message for each order including information about the identity of the article to be repossessed in connection with the order;
- a communication link for transmitting the first messages from the computer arrangement to a mobile field unit;
the field unit including a transceiver coupled with a computer and a display coupled to be driven by the computer, the field unit being associated with an associate of the agency who will attempt to repossess the article;
the communication link including a wireless portion for transmitting the first message to the transceiver, the transceiver and the computer being coupled together for causing the first message to be coupled from the transceiver to the computer, the computer being arranged to respond to the first message for causing the display to display information about the identity of the article to be repossessed in connection with the order, the computer being coupled with the display for causing the display to display information about the likely location of the article;
the computer being arranged to respond to an input by the associate indicative of whether or not the associate was successful in repossessing the article;
the computer being arranged to respond to the inputs applied to it by the associate for preparing a second message commensurate with the input the associate supplies to the computer;
the computer being arranged to be coupled with the transceiver for coupling the second message from the computer to the transceiver;
the transceiver being coupled with the computer for responding to the second message to transmit the second message to the agency by a communication link including a wireless portion for the second message from the transceiver to the computer arrangement;
the computer arrangement being arranged for communicating to the lien holder that the article was successfully repossessed if the second message indicates the associate successfully repossessed the article. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
- a communication link for transmitting the first messages from the computer arrangement to a mobile field unit;
Specification