Method and apparatus for providing status of inventory

• US 20090150261A1
• Filed: 12/05/2008
• Published: 06/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Allen Lee Hogan
• Original Assignee: Allen Lee Hogan
• Inventors: Hogan, Allen Lee
• Application Number:
  US12/315,711
• Publication Number:
  US 20090150261A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions

Abstract

A stateless e-commerce status indication system is provided. The system includes software code executable on at least one host website. The software code communicates with a remote processing server to obtain status information relating to status of an item for sale. The software then communicates at least a portion of the status information to a user of the host website.

Claims

1. A stateless e-commerce status indication system, the system comprising:

software code executable on at least one host website, the software code communicating with a remote processing server to obtain status information relating to status of an item for sale;

wherein the software code communicates at least a portion of the status information to a user of the host website.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the software code includes a script executable by a web browser.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the status information includes at least one of information relating to availability of the item, information relating to whether the item is still for sale, information relating to whether a sale of the item has expired, a description of the item, a quantity of the item, trust metrics for a seller, and a price of the item.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the status information includes information relating to an auction.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the information relating to the auction includes at least one of a reserve price, a bid price, and an expiration date of the auction.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the status information is communicated to the user via a graphic.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the graphic relates to the status information obtained from the remote processing server.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the graphic indicates that the item is unavailable for sale if the item was previously sold.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the graphic indicates that the item is unavailable for sale if a sale time has expired.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the graphic advertises a different product if the item was previously sold.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the graphic advertises a different product if a sale time has expired.

12. A method of updating status of an item for sale over the Internet, the method comprising:

running browser script on a host website, the browser script communicating with a remote processing server to obtain status information relating to the status of the item for sale; and

communicating at least a portion of the status information to a user of the host website.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the status information includes at least one of information relating to availability of the item, information relating to whether the item is still for sale, information relating to whether a sale of the item has expired, a description of the item, a quantity of the item, trust metrics for a seller, and a price of the item.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the status information includes information relating to an auction.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the status information communicated to the user includes a graphic.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the graphic indicates that the item is unavailable for sale if the item was previously sold.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the graphic indicates that the item is unavailable for sale if a sale time has expired.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the graphic advertises a different product if the item was previously sold.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the graphic advertises a different product if a sale time has expired.

20. A stateless e-commerce status indication system, the system comprising:

means for communicating with a remote processing server to obtain status information relating to status of an item for sale; and

means for communicating at least a portion of the status information to a user of the host website.