Intelligent inventory applications and services

• US 20080103914A1
• Filed: 10/27/2006
• Published: 05/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hussain, Altaf
• Granted Patent: US 7,761,325 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for intelligent inventory applications and services. A purchase request to purchase a product is received that has a product number to be purchased, an account number to process for payment, and a purchaser'"'"'s inventory information that identifies the purchaser'"'"'s inventory database to update with the product number. The account number is communicated for payment authorization. When payment is authorized, the product number is communicated to the purchaser'"'"'s inventory database to reflect the purchase of the product.

Claims

1. A method of managing inventory, comprising:

receiving a purchase request to purchase a product, the purchase request comprising a product number, an account number, and a purchaser'"'"'s inventory information, the product number uniquely identifying the product to be purchased, the account number identifying an account to be processed for payment, and the inventory information identifying the purchaser'"'"'s inventory database to update with the product number;

communicating the account number for payment authorization; and

when payment is authorized, communicating the product number according to the purchaser'"'"'s inventory information,

wherein the purchaser'"'"'s inventory database is updated to reflect the purchase of the product.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein receiving the purchase request comprises receiving a credit card account number as payment.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein receiving the purchase request comprises receiving a communications address of a communications device that manages the purchaser'"'"'s inventory database.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein communicating the account number comprises communicating the account number to a communications addresses associated with a financial institution'"'"'s server.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein receiving the purchase request comprises receiving a room descriptor associated with a layout of a building, the room descriptor describing a room in the building that will be associated with the product number.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising communicating the room descriptor according to the purchaser'"'"'s inventory information to update the purchaser'"'"'s inventory database.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising communicating a purchase price and a date of purchase according to the purchaser'"'"'s inventory information to update the purchaser'"'"'s inventory database.

8. A system of managing inventory, comprising:

a merchant inventory application stored in memory; and

a processor communicating with the memory and executing the merchant inventory application,

the merchant inventory application instructing the processor to receive a purchase request to purchase a product, the purchase request comprising a product number, an account number, and a purchaser'"'"'s inventory information, the product number uniquely identifying the product to be purchased, the account number identifying an account to be processed for payment, and the inventory information identifying the purchaser'"'"'s inventory database to update with the product number,

the processor communicates the account number for payment authorization, and

when payment is authorized, the processor communicates the product number according to the purchaser'"'"'s inventory information to update the purchaser'"'"'s inventory database,

wherein the purchaser'"'"'s inventory database is updated to reflect the purchase of the product.

9. The system according to claim 8, the merchant inventory application further instructing the processor to receive a credit card account number as payment.

10. The system according to claim 8, the merchant inventory application further instructing the processor to receive a communications address of a communications device that manages the purchaser'"'"'s inventory database.

11. The system according to claim 8, the merchant inventory application further instructing the processor to communicate the account number to a communications addresses associated with a financial institution'"'"'s server.

12. The system according to claim 8, the merchant inventory application further instructing the processor to receive a room descriptor associated with a layout of a building, the room descriptor describing a room in the building that will be associated with the product number.

13. The system according to claim 12, the merchant inventory application further instructing the processor to communicate the room descriptor according to the purchaser'"'"'s inventory information to update the purchaser'"'"'s inventory database.

14. The system according to claim 8, the merchant inventory application further instructing the processor to communicate a purchase price and a date of purchase according to the purchaser'"'"'s inventory information to update the purchaser'"'"'s inventory database.

15. A computer program product comprising computer-readable instructions for:

receiving a purchase request to purchase a product, the purchase request comprising a product number, an account number, and a purchaser'"'"'s inventory information, the product number uniquely identifying the product to be purchased, the account number identifying an account to be processed for payment, and the inventory information identifying the purchaser'"'"'s inventory database to update with the product number;

communicating the account number for payment authorization; and

when payment is authorized, communicating the product number according to the purchaser'"'"'s inventory information to update the purchaser'"'"'s inventory database,

wherein the purchaser'"'"'s inventory database is updated to reflect the purchase of the product

16. The computer program product according to claim 15, further comprising instructions for receiving a credit card account number as payment.

17. The computer program product according to claim 15, further comprising instructions for receiving a communications address of a communications device that manages the purchaser'"'"'s inventory database.

18. The computer program product according to claim 15, further comprising instructions for communicating the account number to a communications addresses associated with a financial institution'"'"'s server.

19. The computer program product according to claim 15, further comprising instructions for receiving a room descriptor associated with a layout of a building, the room descriptor describing a room in the building that will be associated with the product number.

20. The computer program product according to claim 15, further comprising instructions for communicating the room descriptor according to the purchaser'"'"'s inventory information to update the purchaser'"'"'s inventory database.