System and method for configuring products over a communications network
First Claim
1. The network-based method for a supplier to promote the sale of a specialty component by providing promotional information concerning the specialty component and technical support information to a customer for the manufacture of at least a portion of products from different formulations comprising the specialty component and other various constituent components, said method comprising the acts of:
- providing a computer database of promotional information concerning the specialty component and technical support information for said different formulations comprising the specialty component and other various constituent components including said specialty component for making at least of portion of said products;
providing an output to the customer over the network of said promotional information;
providing an output to the customer over the network of an offer to sell the specialty component;
accepting input from the customer over the network indicative of a product and a set of characteristics of at least one of said different formulations for making at least a portion of one of said products;
selecting at least one of said different formulations for making at least a portion of one of said products in the database matching said input;
providing an output to the customer over the network of technical support information for making the at least one of said different formulations selected including the identification of the specialty component and the opportunity to use the other of said various constituent components in different combinations;
accepting input from the customer selecting at least one of said different combinations of the other of said various constituent components to be used with the specialty component so as to create at least one trial formulation; and
providing to the customer over the network a list of the other of said various constituent components and performance characteristics for the at least one trial formulation, said performance characteristics being substantially consistent with and supplemental to said set of characteristics accepted from the customer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to a method for the automated selection of formulations and/or formulation components by specifying product characteristics. In particular, the system and method serve customers within market segments that use selected components as raw materials for manufacture of specialty products and that require an understanding of how the selected components effect performance. For example, such products as electronic circuits, coatings, adhesives, sealants, inks, polishes, cleaners, and detergents fall within the profile of such products.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. The network-based method for a supplier to promote the sale of a specialty component by providing promotional information concerning the specialty component and technical support information to a customer for the manufacture of at least a portion of products from different formulations comprising the specialty component and other various constituent components, said method comprising the acts of:
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providing a computer database of promotional information concerning the specialty component and technical support information for said different formulations comprising the specialty component and other various constituent components including said specialty component for making at least of portion of said products;
providing an output to the customer over the network of said promotional information;
providing an output to the customer over the network of an offer to sell the specialty component;
accepting input from the customer over the network indicative of a product and a set of characteristics of at least one of said different formulations for making at least a portion of one of said products;
selecting at least one of said different formulations for making at least a portion of one of said products in the database matching said input;
providing an output to the customer over the network of technical support information for making the at least one of said different formulations selected including the identification of the specialty component and the opportunity to use the other of said various constituent components in different combinations;
accepting input from the customer selecting at least one of said different combinations of the other of said various constituent components to be used with the specialty component so as to create at least one trial formulation; and
providing to the customer over the network a list of the other of said various constituent components and performance characteristics for the at least one trial formulation, said performance characteristics being substantially consistent with and supplemental to said set of characteristics accepted from the customer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A network-based method for a supplier of specialty chemical components to provide promotional information about the specialty chemical components including technical support information to a customer for making a formulation from a plurality of constituent components wherein at least one of the components is a specialty chemical component offered for sale to the customer by the supplier comprising the acts of:
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providing a computer database of specialty chemical component promotional information including formulations wherein each of the formulations comprises constituent components including at least one specialty chemical component being offered for sale by the supplier;
accepting input from the customer over the network indicative of a set of characteristics that a formulation should possess;
selecting a plurality of said formulations in the database matching said set of characteristics;
providing an output to the customer over the network identifying each of said plurality of formulations and including performance related information specific to each of said plurality of formulations;
accepting input from a customer over the network selecting at least one of said plurality of formulations as a trail formulation;
providing an output to the customer over the network of technical support information including a list of constituent components and properties for each said trial formulation selected wherein said properties are substantially consistent with and supplemental to said set of characteristics accepted from the customer;
providing an output to the customer over the network of additional promotional information concerning the specialty chemical components being offered for sale; and
providing an output to the customer over the network offering the specialty chemical components for sale to the customer. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A network-based method for a supplier of specialty components to provide
promotional information about specialty components offered for sale by the supplier including technical support information to a potential customer for making formulations wherein each of the formulations may be used to make at least a portion of a product and each of the formulations includes at least one of the specialty components offered for sale by the supplier in addition to at least one other constituent component in each of the formulations, said method comprising the following acts: -
providing an output to a potential customer identifying a plurality a markets in which different formulations may be used;
accepting an input from the potential customer selecting a particular market of interest to the customer;
providing an output to the potential customer identifying a plurality of submarkets in the particular market of interest to the potential customer for which different formulations may be used;
accepting an input from the potential customer over the network selecting a particular submarket of interest to the potential customer;
providing an output to the potential customer over the network identifying different functional characteristics corresponding to various formulations useable in the particular market and particular submarket of interest to the potential customer;
accepting an input from the potential customer over the network selecting functional characteristics corresponding to a set of formulations;
providing an output to the potential customer over the network identifying said set of formulations of possible interest to the customer;
accepting an input from the customer over the network selecting at least one of said set of formulations as a trial formulation; and
providing an output to the customer over the network of technical support information including information relating to said at least one trial formulation including at least one of one of the specialty components and the other constituent components in said at least one trial formulation in addition to a set of functional characteristics substantially consistent with and supplemental to said functional characteristics selected by the customer;
providing access by the customer over the network to promotional information for the at least one specialty component in each said trial formulation; and
providing an output to the customer over the network offering the at least one specialty chemical component in each said trial formulation for sale to the customer. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification