Method and system for transferring information between multiple buyers and multiple sellers

• US 20080015958A1
• Filed: 06/28/2007
• Published: 01/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Owens And Minor Distribution, Inc.
• Original Assignee: David Vanker, Thaddeus Mackrell
• Inventors: Mackrell, Thaddeus, Vanker, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,711,603 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/209 Specified transaction journal output feature, e.g. printed receipt or voice output
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0611 Request for offers or quotes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

A method for transferring information between multiple buyers and multiple vendors is provided. Information is received from a plurality of sources. This information corresponds to a plurality of products. This information is stored in a first database. A request is received. The request concerns a portion of the information stored in the first database. The request is then retrieved from the first database and posted to a second database. Access is provided to subsets of the second database to a plurality of subscribers.

Claims

1. A method for transferring information between multiple buyers and multiple vendors, comprising:

receiving information corresponding to a plurality of products from a plurality of sources;

storing the information in a first database;

receiving a request for a portion of the information stored in the first database;

retrieving the portion of the information corresponding to the request from the first database;

posting the information on a second database, the information corresponding to the request; and

providing access to subsets of the second database to a plurality of subscribers.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing access between at least one of the plurality of subscribers and at least one of the plurality of sources.

3. An inventory management system, comprising:

a central node;

a plurality of vendors electronically coupled to the central node;

a plurality of buyers electronically coupled to the central; and

first and second databases electronically coupled to the central node;

wherein a request from one of the plurality of buyers is received as the central node which obtains information stored on the first database from at least one of the plurality of vendors and displays the information on the second database.