Spare Part Procurement Method

• US 20080021796A1
• Filed: 05/10/2005
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kim Davidson
• Original Assignee: Kim Davidson
• Inventors: Davidson, Kim
• Granted Patent: US 8,352,335 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 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A method of facilitating broker mediated matching of a potential buyer of a spare part with a potential seller of the spare part, the potential seller having an inventory of spare parts for use in a manufacturing process run by the potential seller, the method comprising the following steps undertaken by the broker: (a) receiving a request for the spare part from a potential buyer, (b) enquiring with a potential seller as to the presence of the spare part in its inventory, (c) if the spare part is present, assessing whether or not the spare part is excess to the foreseeable needs of the potential seller in running the manufacturing process efficiently by the application of software that presents a series of questions for answering by the potential seller, the answers to which will reveal whether or not the spare part is excess to said needs, and (d) if the spare part is excess to said needs, providing means by which the potential seller and potential buyer will communicate with each other, whereby they may finalise details for securing the sale and transfer of the spare part.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating broker mediated matching of a potential buyer of a spare part with a potential seller of the spare part, the potential seller having an inventory of spare parts for use in a manufacturing process run by the potential seller, the method comprising the following steps undertaken by the broker:

(a) receiving a request for the spare part from a potential buyer,

(b) enquiring with a potential seller as to the presence of the spare part in its inventory,

(c) if the spare part is present, assessing whether or not the spare part is excess to the foreseeable needs of the potential seller in running the manufacturing process efficiently by the application of software that presents a series of questions for answering by the potential seller, the answers to which will reveal whether or not the spare part is excess to said needs, and

(d) if the spare part is excess to said needs, providing means by which the potential seller and potential buyer will communicate with each other, whereby they may finalise details for securing the sale and transfer of the spare part.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the series of questions are presented over the internet.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of assessing whether or not the spare part is excess to the foreseeable needs of the potential seller includes asking questions to determine how critical is that spare part to the efficient running of the manufacturing process.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the software further presents a plurality of possible answers to the potential seller for each question presented for answering by the potential seller, each possible answer for any one question having a predetermined score, the score for giving any one answer to a question being different to the score for giving any other answer to the question, whereby a cumulative score is achieved by answering the series of questions that will reveal whether or not the spare part is excess to said needs.

5. The method of claim 1 and including the steps of providing a rolling activity report on a dedicated portion of a website of the broker for continuously updating the potential buyer on steps the broker has taken in response to step (a), and logging and recording on the rolling activity report the steps taken by the broker.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the request for the spare part is received via the internet from the potential buyer.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the request for the spare part is received at a website of the broker.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the request for the spare part is undertaken by completing an on-line request form appearing on the broker'"'"'s website.