System and method for inventory control based on inventory aging

• US 6,397,226 B1
• Filed: 06/07/2000
• Issued: 05/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Autonet Software, Inc., Michael Schrage
• Original Assignee: Newcardepot.Com, Inc.
• Inventors: Sage, Mike
• Primary Examiner(s): Lintz, Paul R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BIGBIE, SOON O
• Application Number:
  US09/589,623
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26,27,28,22 707/1,3,6,104.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

A method, computer program and system, for performing computer-based on-line commerce for goods having an excess inventory age is provided. The method, program and system include receiving information about a plurality goods from at least one vendor, wherein the information includes inventory age; compiling the information from the vendor to form a database; processing a request from a consumer regarding goods by comparing the request to the database; identifying goods fitting the request having an excess inventory age that exceeds an age of best profit; and using the information associated with the goods that best fit the request.

Claims

1. A method of performing computer-based on-line commerce of goods, comprising

receiving information about a plurality goods from at least one vendor, wherein the information includes inventory age;

compiling the information from the at least one vendor to form a database;

processing a request from a consumer regarding goods by comparing the request to the database;

identifying goods fitting the request having an excess inventory age that exceeds an age of best profit; and

using the information associated with the goods that best fit the request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the goods are vehicles.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the excess inventory age is about 45 days or more.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the age of best profit is about 45 days or less.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating the database.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein using the information includes linking the consumer to the at least one vendor.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one vendor is a car dealership.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the request from the consumer is through a World Wide Web browser application.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is received from the consumer over the Internet.

10. A computer program stored on a computer readable storage medium, comprising instruction to cause a computer to:

receive a request for goods from a client computer, wherein the request comprises information related to a desired good;

compare the request to a database, the database comprising information regarding goods including an inventory age report associated with the goods and the location of the goods;

make decisions as to which goods best fit the request from the client computer;

identify goods fitting the request having an excess inventory age that exceeds an age of best profit for the good;

use the information associated with the goods that best fit the request from the client computer.

11. The computer program of claim 10, wherein the client computer runs a World Wide Web browser application.

12. The computer program of claim 10, wherein the request is received from the client computer over the Internet.

13. A system for performing computer-based on-line commerce, comprising a clientserver computing system configured to execute the computer program of claim 10.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the client computer runs a World Wide Web browser application.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the request is received from the client computer over the Internet.