Supply Chain Management System and Method
First Claim
1. A supply chain management system comprising:
- (a) customer order entry subsystem;
(b) part/product quoting subsystem;
(c) part/product advertising subsystem;
(d) vendor order fulfillment subsystem; and
(e) transportation tracking subsystem;
whereinsaid customer order entry subsystem is configured to accept a part/product order from a customer;
said customer order entry subsystem comprises a status screen configured to display the real-time order status of said part/product;
said part/product quoting subsystem is configured to query vendors using said part/product order to obtain a vendor quote for said part/product order;
said vendor quote comprises a quote status further comprising the availability of said part/product and the price of said part/product;
said vendor quote is displayed in said status screen;
said part/product advertising subsystem is configured to display a context-sensitive vendor advertising quote associated with said part/product order in said status screen;
said customer order entry subsystem is configured to permit said customer to select said vendor quote or said advertising quote to define a selected part/product order;
said vendor order fulfillment subsystem is configured to receive said selected part/product order over a communications network and allow a vendor to accept/reject said selected part/product order and provides order status feedback to said customer on said status screen;
said vendor order fulfillment subsystem is configured to execute shipment of the selected part/product associated with said selected part/product order to said customer using optimized delivery routing;
said transportation tracking subsystem is configured to track the physical location of said selected part/product from said vendor to said customer; and
said status screen is configured to display in real-time the status of said shipment at various way-points within said optimized delivery routing.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A supply chain management system/method that incorporates a Customer Order Entry/Status Console (COESC), part/product quoting, vendor order fulfillment, manufacturer claims processing, transportation tracking, and integrated product advertising is disclosed. The disclosed system/method uses a COESC that permits decentralized deployment of customer orders to a plethora of potential vendors for potential fulfillment. Participating vendors may provide feedback pertaining to product pricing, availability, manufacturer incentives, and delivery timing to the COESC. Vendor product shipments to the customer may be tracked on the COESC utilizing a transportation tracking subsystem incorporating vendor delivery optimizations and mobile tracking of parts/products deliveries. A context-sensitive advertising subsystem integrating manufacturer claims processing may be implemented to permit promotion of vendor/manufacturer products and/or services to customers via the COESC. The system/method may incorporate/interface to customer scheduling/process flow software such as body shop management systems and the like.
36 Citations
60 Claims
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1. A supply chain management system comprising:
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(a) customer order entry subsystem; (b) part/product quoting subsystem; (c) part/product advertising subsystem; (d) vendor order fulfillment subsystem; and (e) transportation tracking subsystem; wherein said customer order entry subsystem is configured to accept a part/product order from a customer; said customer order entry subsystem comprises a status screen configured to display the real-time order status of said part/product; said part/product quoting subsystem is configured to query vendors using said part/product order to obtain a vendor quote for said part/product order; said vendor quote comprises a quote status further comprising the availability of said part/product and the price of said part/product; said vendor quote is displayed in said status screen; said part/product advertising subsystem is configured to display a context-sensitive vendor advertising quote associated with said part/product order in said status screen; said customer order entry subsystem is configured to permit said customer to select said vendor quote or said advertising quote to define a selected part/product order; said vendor order fulfillment subsystem is configured to receive said selected part/product order over a communications network and allow a vendor to accept/reject said selected part/product order and provides order status feedback to said customer on said status screen; said vendor order fulfillment subsystem is configured to execute shipment of the selected part/product associated with said selected part/product order to said customer using optimized delivery routing; said transportation tracking subsystem is configured to track the physical location of said selected part/product from said vendor to said customer; and said status screen is configured to display in real-time the status of said shipment at various way-points within said optimized delivery routing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A supply chain management method, said method operating in conjunction with a supply chain management system, said system comprising:
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(a) customer order entry subsystem; (b) part/product quoting subsystem; (c) part/product advertising subsystem; (d) vendor order fulfillment subsystem; and (e) transportation tracking subsystem; wherein said customer order entry subsystem is configured to accept a part/product order from a customer; said customer order entry subsystem comprises a status screen configured to display the real-time order status of said part/product; said part/product quoting subsystem is configured to query vendors using said part/product order to obtain a vendor quote for said part/product order; said vendor quote comprises a quote status further comprising the availability of said part/product and the price of said part/product; said vendor quote is displayed in said status screen; said part/product advertising subsystem is configured to display a context-sensitive vendor advertising quote associated with said part/product order in said status screen; said customer order entry subsystem is configured to permit said customer to select said vendor quote or said advertising quote to define a selected part/product order; said vendor order fulfillment subsystem is configured to receive said selected part/product order over a communications network and allow a vendor to accept/reject said selected part/product order and provides order status feedback to said customer on said status screen; said vendor order fulfillment subsystem is configured to execute shipment of the selected part/product associated with said selected part/product order to said customer using optimized delivery routing; said transportation tracking subsystem is configured to track the physical location of said selected part/product from said vendor to said customer; and said status screen is configured to display in real-time the status of said shipment at various way-points within said optimized delivery routing; wherein said method comprises the steps of; (1) accepting a customer part/product order or request for vendor quote via a user interface in said customer order entry subsystem; (2) displaying context-sensitive vendor advertising linked to a part/product on said customer order entry subsystem and allowing said customer to select the advertised vendor for delivery of said part/product; (3) selecting a vendor for part/product quotation/availability; (4) ordering the part/product from said selected vendor; (5) if said selected vendor accepts said part/product order, proceeding to step (10); (6) if said customer has not selected customer forwarding of said part/product order request, proceeding to step (8); (7) activating customer forwarding of said part/product order request to another vendor and proceeding to step (10); (8) if said customer has not selected vendor forwarding of said part/product order request, proceeding to step (11); (9) activating vendor forwarding of said part/product order request to another vendor; (10) shipping said part/product to the customer with real-time delivery tracking; and (11) updating said customer order status screen. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A computer usable medium having computer-readable program code means comprising a supply chain management method wherein said method controls a supply chain management system comprising:
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(a) customer order entry subsystem; (b) part/product quoting subsystem; (c) part/product advertising subsystem; (d) vendor order fulfillment subsystem; and (e) transportation tracking subsystem; wherein said customer order entry subsystem is configured to accept a part/product order from a customer; said customer order entry subsystem comprises a status screen configured to display the real-time order status of said part/product; said part/product quoting subsystem is configured to query vendors using said part/product order to obtain a vendor quote for said part/product order; said vendor quote comprises a quote status further comprising the availability of said part/product and the price of said part/product; said vendor quote is displayed in said status screen; said part/product advertising subsystem is configured to display a context-sensitive vendor advertising quote associated with said part/product order in said status screen; said customer order entry subsystem is configured to permit said customer to select said vendor quote or said advertising quote to define a selected part/product order; said vendor order fulfillment subsystem is configured to receive said selected part/product order over a communications network and allow a vendor to accept/reject said selected part/product order and provides order status feedback to said customer on said status screen; said vendor order fulfillment subsystem is configured to execute shipment of the selected part/product associated with said selected part/product order to said customer using optimized delivery routing; said transportation tracking subsystem is configured to track the physical location of said selected part/product from said vendor to said customer; and said status screen is configured to display in real-time the status of said shipment at various way-points within said optimized delivery routing; wherein said method comprises the steps of; (1) accepting a customer part/product order or request for vendor quote via a user interface in said customer order entry subsystem; (2) displaying context-sensitive vendor advertising linked to a part/product on said customer order entry subsystem and allowing said customer to select the advertised vendor for delivery of said part/product; (3) selecting a vendor for part/product quotation/availability; (4) ordering the part/product from said selected vendor; (5) if said selected vendor accepts said part/product order, proceeding to step (10); (6) if said customer has not selected customer forwarding of said part/product order request, proceeding to step (8); (7) activating customer forwarding of said part/product order request to another vendor and proceeding to step (10); (8) if said customer has not selected vendor forwarding of said part/product order request, proceeding to step (11); (9) activating vendor forwarding of said part/product order request to another vendor; (10) shipping said part/product to the customer with real-time delivery tracking; and (11) updating said customer order status screen. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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Specification