Method for supplying automatic status updates using electronic mail

• US 6,047,264 A
• Filed: 10/08/1996
• Issued: 04/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: OnSale Inc. (PCM Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kaplan, Samuel Jerrold, Fisher, Alan S.
• Primary Examiner(s): MacDonald, Allen R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel, Jagdish
• Application Number:
  US08/725,635
• Time in Patent Office: 1,274 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/28, 705/29, 705/7, 705/8, 705/11, 705/1
• US Class Current: 705/26.44
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063114 Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0619 Neutral agent
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

A method is disclosed for automatically updating the status of customers'"'"' orders and shipments via electronic mail without using a human attendant to create and send the electronic mail messages. Preferably implemented in software, the updating method allows a large set of customers to be periodically updated over a computer or communications network via electronic mail. The method utilizes a database for maintaining order and shipping status and other relevant information.

Claims

1. In a computer network enabling communication between a plurality of computers, a method comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving information relevant to an order submitted by a user;

(b) collecting information relevant to an order processing status of said order;

(c) updating said information received at step (a) with said order processing status information collected at step (b);

(d) generating a message containing said order processing status information collected at step (b);

(e) automatically transmitting said message generated at step (d) to said user across said network without interaction from the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said order processing status information collected at step (b) relates to shipment status of an item specified in said order.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said order information received at step (a) is contained on a first computer, order processing status information collected at step (b) is contained on a second computer removed from said first computer, and said first and second computer are communicatively linked across said network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said step (c) is performed manually.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said order information received at step (a) is stored on a database within a first computer.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising separately storing said order processing status information collected at step (b) on a database in a second computer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said message generated at step (d) is in an electronic mail format, and the user is identified by a network address.

8. In a computer network enabling communication between a plurality of computers, a system comprising:

storage means associated with a first computer for storing order information relating to an order submitted by a user;

requesting means associated with said first computer for automatically and periodically requesting order processing status for said order from a second computer;

updating means associated with said first computer for receiving said order processing status from said second computer, and for automatically updating said order information with said order processing status;

message generating means for automatically generating a message containing said order processing status responsive to a change in said order processing status; and

,

message transmission means for automatically transmitting said message across said network to a third computer associated with the user without interaction from the user.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said order processing status indicates shipment of an item specified in said order.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein said first and second computers are remote each from the other and are communicatively linked across said network.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein said updating means is manually actuable for input of update information.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein said order information is stored on a database within said first computer.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said order processing status is stored in a database in said second computer.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein said message is in an electronic mail format, and the user is identified by a network address.