System and method for selecting do-it -yourself projects and obtaining required materials thereof

• US 20070239561A1
• Filed: 11/02/2006
• Published: 10/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: James Tusing
• Original Assignee: James Tusing
• Inventors: Tusing, James
• Application Number:
  US11/592,088
• Publication Number:
  US 20070239561A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0611 Request for offers or quotes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders

Abstract

A system for enabling an individual to browse and select a particular project, such as a home improvement project or cooking recipe, from a list of available projects and to obtain all of the materials required for completion of the project is provided. The system includes a database including a number of projects of various types that can be selected by an individual in order to provide the individual with a list of materials required for each project. The system also provides the individual with price quotations for one or more of the materials required for completion of the project as submitted by various sources of these materials such that the individual can obtain all of the materials required for completion of the project in a particular manner desired by the individual.

Claims

1. A system for procuring materials required for the completion of a particular project, the system comprising

a) a first database containing information regarding material lists for a number of projects including a list of materials required for the completion of the project;

b) a second database containing information on a number of sources of one or more of the materials found on the required material lists contained in the first database; and

c) a central processing unit connected to the first database, to the second database and to a global computer network, wherein the central processing unit is configured to receive a request for information concerning a project including the list of required materials from the first database, to provide price quotations for one or more of the materials from the list of required material from the sources contained in the second database, and to enable the purchase of the one or more materials from the list of required materials from one or more of the material sources stored in the second database.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the central processing unit is configured to receive additional or updated lists of required materials for storage in the first database in association with particular projects.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the central processing unit is configured to send requests for price quotations to material sources contained in the second database for materials on the list of required materials for the selected project.

4. A method for procuring materials required for completion of a particular project, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a system including a first database containing information regarding a number of projects including a list of materials required for completion of the project, a second database containing information on a number of sources of materials found on the lists of required material associated with the projects contained in the first database, and a central processing unit operably connected to the first and second databases and to a global computer network to enable the processing unit to be accessed via a number of remote terminals;

b) selecting a project from the first database;

c) obtaining at least one price quotation for at least one of the materials n the list of required materials to complete the selected project from at least one of the material sources stored in the second database; and

d) submitting payment for the materials to the at least one material source through the system.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of obtaining the at least one price quotation comprises obtaining multiple price quotations from a single material source stored in the second database.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of obtaining multiple price quotations from the single material source comprises:

a) obtaining a price quotation for pick up of the materials from the single material source;

b) obtaining a price quotation for assembly and pick up of the materials from the single material source; and

c) obtaining a price quotation for assembly and shipment of the materials from the single material source.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of selecting the project comprises:

a) entering an identification code for a particular project; and

b) receiving the list of required materials for completion of the project.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of obtaining the at least one price quotation comprises:

a) searching the second database for one or more sources of the materials specified in the list of required materials stored in the first database;

b) sending a request to the at least one material source for the price quotation for the one or more of the materials from the list of required materials; and

c) receiving a price quotation from the least one material source for the one or more of the materials from the list of required materials.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of receiving the price quotation comprises receiving a price quotation for a single material specified in the list of required materials from the first database.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of receiving the price quotation comprises receiving a price quotation for the single material and shipment of the single material specified in the list of required materials from the first database.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of receiving the price quotation comprises receiving a price quotation for all of the materials specified in the list of required materials from the first database.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of receiving the price quotation comprises receiving a price quotation for all of the materials on the list of required materials from the first database and assembling or packaging all of the materials into a single unit.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of receiving the price quotation comprises receiving a price quotation for all of the materials on the list of required materials from the first database, for assembling or packaging of all of the materials into a single unit, and for shipment of all of the materials.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein the method of submitting payment comprises:

a) selecting the price quotation received from the at least one material source; and

b) enabling payment of an amount equal to the price quotation to the at least one material source through the system.

15. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of selecting at least one project comprises:

a) selecting a project area of interest;

b) browsing a list of available projects within that project area; and

c) identifying a particular project of interest within the project area.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of selecting the project area of interest comprises selecting a project area from the group consisting of:

home improvement projects, cooking projects, educational projects, and landscaping projects.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of updating the list of available projects in each project area prior to browsing the list of available projects.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of identifying a particular project of interest comprises:

a) applying a unique identification code to each project; and

b) inputting the identification code corresponding to the particular project of interest into the system.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the step of applying a unique identification code to each project comprises:

a) applying the unique identification code to each project in the first database; and

b) applying the unique identification code to each publication of each project outside of the first database.