Computerized source searching system and method for use in an order entry system

• US 5,832,459 A
• Filed: 08/13/1996
• Issued: 11/03/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Andersen Consulting LLP (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Wollan, Robert Edward, Jones, Dean Richard, Bourne, Ryan Douglas, Renner, Dale Harry, Carnish, Keith Michael, Nash, John Charles, Kreutter, Kelly Marie, Cameron, Paul Scott, Bloomer, Robert Christopher, Ahler Olmstead, Melinda Ann
• Primary Examiner(s): Tkacs, Stephen R.
• Application Number:
  US08/696,779
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/14, 705/26, 705/27, 707/1, 707/2, 707/3, 707/4, 707/5, 707/6, 707/10, 707/100, 707/104
• US Class Current: 705/14.4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0625 Directed, with specific intent or strategy
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03

Abstract

A computerized source searching system and method for the placement of an order for at least one offer via a terminal having a display is disclosed. The system includes system storage for storing offer information, and for storing electronic reproductions of offer sources corresponding to the offer information. The system includes source searching capabilities for locating an offer source, including a display for displaying electronic offer source images, a filtering mechanism for displaying electronic offer source images corresponding to entered source search criteria, and a selection mechanism for selecting one of the electronic offer source images displayed. One or more of the offers associated with the selected electronic offer source image can be located by displaying a segment of the electronic offer source image, and selecting one or more offers in that segment. A user can thereby locate an offer by searching through an electronic equivalent of the offer source used by the person placing the order.

Claims

1. A computerized system for the placement of an order by a user for at least one of a plurality of offers via a terminal having a display, the system comprising:

(a) storage means for storing offer information relating to the plurality of offers, and for storing electronic reproductions of a plurality of offer sources, each of the plurality of offer sources containing at least one of the plurality of offers;

(b) source searching means for locating one or more of the electronic reproductions of the plurality of offer sources, the source searching means comprising;

(i) source display means for displaying a plurality of electronic offer source images, wherein the plurality of electronic offer source images represent identifying portions of the plurality of offer sources;

(ii) source filtering means for receiving source search criteria, and for causing the source display means to display those of the plurality of electronic offer source images which meet the source search criteria; and

(iii) source selection means for allowing selection of one of the plurality of electronic offer source images which represents an identifying portion of one of the plurality of offer sources;

(c) offer searching means for locating the at least one of the plurality of offers associated with the selected electronic offer source image, the offer searching means comprising;

(i) source segment display means for displaying, in response to offer search criteria, one or more electronic images of a portion of the offer source represented by the selected electronic offer source image; and

(ii) offer selection means for allowing selection of the at least one of the plurality of offers associated with the one or more electronic images displayed,

whereby the user is enabled to locate the at least one of the plurality of offers by searching through an electronic equivalent of the offer source used by the person placing the order.

2. The computerized system of claim 1, wherein the source filtering means comprises source type filtering means for receiving source type search criteria, and for causing the source display means to display those of the plurality of electronic offer source images which meet the source type search criteria.

3. The computerized system of claim 2, wherein the source type filtering means comprises:

source type display means for displaying a selectable list of source types; and

source type selection means for allowing selection of one of the source types in the selectable list.

4. The computerized system of claim 3, wherein the source types in the selectable list are selected from a group comprising one or more of catalogs, space ads, billboards, infomercials and television.

5. The computerized system of claim 2, wherein the source filtering means further comprises source group filtering means for receiving source group search criteria, and for causing the source display means to display those of the plurality of electronic offer source images which meet the source type search criteria and the source group search criteria.

6. The computerized system of claim 5, wherein the source group filtering means comprises:

source group display means for displaying a selectable list of source groups; and

source group selection means for allowing selection of one of the source groups in the selectable list.

7. The computerized system of claim 1, wherein the source filtering means comprises date filtering means for receiving date search criteria, and for causing the source display means to display those of the plurality of electronic offer source images which meet the date search criteria.

8. The computerized system of claim 7, wherein the date filtering means comprises date range means for receiving date search criteria corresponding to a range of source issue dates.

9. The computerized system of claim 7, wherein the date filtering means comprises date order means for receiving date search criteria corresponding to an ascending date order and a descending date order.

10. The computerized system of claim 1, wherein the source filtering means comprises means for causing the source display means to display less than all of the plurality of electronic offer source images which meet the source search criteria at a time.

11. The computerized system of claim 10, wherein:

the plurality of electronic offer source images which meet the source search criteria include a first offer source image and a last offer source image; and

the source filtering means comprises means for automatically locating at least one of the first offer source image and the last offer source image.

12. The computerized system of claim 10, wherein the source searching means further comprises scroll display means for scrolling through and displaying the remaining ones of the plurality of electronic offer source images which meet the source search criteria.

13. The computerized system of claim 1, wherein the offer selection means comprises:

offer choice display means for displaying a list of the plurality of offers associated with the one or more electronic images displayed by the source segment display means; and

offer choice selection means for allowing selection of at least one of the plurality of offers from the list.

14. The computerized system of claim 1, wherein:

the portion of the offer source corresponds to one or more pages of a multi-page offer source; and

the source segment display means comprises page view means for displaying the electronic images of the one or more pages.

15. The computerized system of claim 14, wherein the source segment display means further comprises page scrolling means for scrolling through all of the pages of the offer source represented by the selected electronic offer source image.

16. The computerized system of claim 14, wherein the source segment display means further comprises page indication means for specifying a particular one of the pages to be displayed.

17. The computerized system of claim 1, wherein the source segment display means further comprises source segment scrolling means for scrolling through all of the portions of the offer source represented by the selected electronic offer source image.

18. A computerized method for the placement of an order by a user for at least one of a plurality of offers via a terminal having a display, the method comprising the computer-executed steps of:

(a) storing offer information relating to the plurality of offers, and storing electronic reproductions of a plurality of offer sources, each of the plurality of offer sources containing at least one of the plurality of offers;

(b) locating one or more of the electronic reproductions of the plurality of offer sources, the step of locating one or more of the electronic reproductions comprising the steps of;

(i) displaying a plurality of electronic offer source images, wherein the plurality of electronic offer source images represent identifying portions of the plurality of offer sources;

(ii) entering source search criteria;

(iii) displaying those of the plurality of electronic offer source images which meet the source search criteria; and

(iv) selecting one of the plurality of electronic offer source images which represents an identifying portion of one of the plurality of offer sources;

(c) displaying one or more electronic images of a portion of the offer source represented by the selected electronic offer source image, in response to offer search criteria; and

(d) selecting the at least one of the plurality of offers which is associated with the one or more electronic images displayed, whereby the user is enabled to locate the at least one of the plurality of offers by searching through an electronic equivalent of the offer source used by the person placing the order.

19. The computerized method of claim 18, wherein:

the step of entering source search criteria comprises the step of entering source type search criteria; and

the step of displaying those of the plurality of electronic offer source images which meet the source search criteria comprises the step of displaying those of the plurality of electronic offer source images which meet the source type search criteria.

20. The computerized method of claim 19, wherein the step of entering source type search criteria comprises the steps of:

displaying a selectable list of source types; and

selecting one of the source types in the selectable list of source types.

21. The computerized method of claim 20, wherein the source types in the selectable list are selected from a group comprising one or more of catalogs, space ads, billboards, infomercials and television.

22. The computerized method of claim 19, wherein:

the step of entering source search criteria further comprises the step of entering source group search criteria; and

the step of displaying those of the plurality of electronic offer source images which meet the source search criteria comprises the step of displaying those of the plurality of electronic offer source images which meet the source type search criteria and the source group search criteria.

23. The computerized method of claim 22, wherein the step of entering source group search criteria comprises the steps of:

displaying a selectable list of source groups; and

selecting one of the source groups in the selectable list of source groups.

24. The computerized method of claim 18, wherein:

the step of entering source search criteria comprises the step of entering date search criteria; and

the step of displaying those of the plurality of electronic offer source images which meet the source search criteria comprises the step of displaying those of the plurality of electronic offer source images which meet the date search criteria.

25. The computerized method of claim 24, wherein the step of entering date search criteria comprises the step of entering a range of dates corresponding to a range of source issue dates.

26. The computerized method of claim 24, wherein the step of entering date search criteria comprises the step of entering date order search criteria for searching by ascending dates and descending dates.

27. The computerized method of claim 18, wherein the step of displaying those of the plurality of electronic offer source images which meet the source search criteria comprises the step of displaying less than all of the electronic offer source images which meet the source search criteria at one time.

28. The computerized method of claim 27, wherein the step of displaying less than all of the electronic offer source images further comprises the step of scrolling through and displaying the remaining ones of the electronic offer source images which meet the source search criteria.

29. The computerized method of claim 18, wherein the step selecting the at least one of the plurality of offers comprises the steps of:

displaying an offer list of the plurality of offers associated with the one or more electronic images displayed by the step of displaying one or more electronic images; and

selecting at least one of the plurality of offers from the offer list.

30. The computerized method of claim 18, wherein:

the portion of the offer source corresponds to one or more pages of a multi-page offer source; and

the step of displaying one or more electronic images of a portion of the offer source comprises the step of displaying electronic page images of the one or more pages of the multi-page offer source.

31. The computerized method of claim 30, wherein the step of displaying electronic page images further comprises the step of scrolling through all of the pages of the multi-page offer source.

32. The computerized method of claim 31, wherein the step of scrolling through all of the pages includes the step of scrolling through the pages one page at a time in an ascending order.

33. The computerized method of claim 31, wherein the step of scrolling through all of the pages includes the step of scrolling through the pages one page at a time in a descending order.

34. The computerized method of claim 31, wherein the step of displaying electronic page images further comprises the step of specifying a particular one of the pages to be displayed.