Incremental updates of items and prices on a customer's computer to reduce download times for frequently purchased items in e-commerce transactions in a method, system and program

• US 6,606,604 B1
• Filed: 05/31/2000
• Issued: 08/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dutta, Rabindranath
• Primary Examiner(s): Chilcot, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): JAKETIC, BRYAN J
• Application Number:
  US09/583,343
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27
• US Class Current: 705/26.81
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• 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

Abstract

Ordering information required for recurring purchase of frequently purchased items, such as an HTML order form and item and pricing information, is cached within a customer'"'"'s data processing system separately from the browser cache. The item and pricing information includes an associated validity period and is incrementally updated as necessary. Orders may thus be assembled on the customer'"'"'s data processing system with little or no communication with the retailer'"'"'s server, then transmitted to the retailer'"'"'s server for processing when complete, reducing network traffic and server loading for the recurring transactions.

Claims

1. A method of efficiently effecting recurring e-commerce sales transactions between a customer system and a remote ordering server, said method comprising:

generating at a disconnected customer system an electronic order for a desired e-commerce transaction, wherein said order conforms with ordering requirements of said remote ordering server, and said order comprises locally stored ordering information including a particular set of recurring items that are desired to be ordered on a recurring basis from a larger group of items offered for electronic purchase from the remote ordering server and further including variable ordering information and an associated validity period for respective ones of the recurring items, wherein the corresponding variable ordering information is dynamically updatable responsive to whether said validity period indicates that an associated variable ordering information should be updated when said customer system is connected to said remote ordering server;

connecting to the remote ordering server to submit the order; and

dynamically receiving updates of the variable ordering information within the order if the variable ordering information within the order is no longer valid at the time of connection to the remote ordering server based on said validity period.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining the locally stored ordering information from the remote ordering server during a prior connection to said remote ordering server via the Internet; and

caching the locally stored ordering information obtained from the remote ordering server within local storage of the customer system.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of caching the locally stored ordering information further comprises:

caching item identifications and associated prices within the local storage;

caching the validity period along with an item identification and associated price for each locally stored item having variable ordering information, wherein each validity period indicates a time after which the associated variable data should be updated; and

updating item identifications and associated prices upon expiration of a validity period for the item identifications and associated prices by downloading said updated item identifications and associated prices from the remote ordering server.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of updating locally stored variable ordering information further comprises:

determining whether any item identification or associated price relating to the desired transaction has an expired validity period; and

updating each item identification or associated price relating to the desired transaction which are determined to have an expired validity period, wherein said order being generated is updated to reflect said current values for said variable ordering information when the current values available from the remote ordering server are different from an initial set of values provided with said order.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of caching item identifications and associated prices within the local storage further comprises:

downloading said item identifications selected by a customer for recurring purchase from a group of available item identifications on the remote ordering server, wherein said item identifications are downloaded along with said associated prices and validity periods.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein:

said obtaining the locally stored ordering information comprises;

connecting with said remote ordering server via the Internet;

selecting specific items and related prices from a group of available items for electronic ordering;

downloading data of said specific items to said customer system; and

said caching step includes storing said downloaded data within a specific area of said local storage identified to provide data for completing said order when said order is being generated.

7. A method of supporting efficient transaction of recurring e-commerce sales at a remote ordering server, said method comprising:

responsive to a customer registering for recurring purchases transacted via an e-commerce medium, transmitting to a customer data processing system ordering information, wherein said ordering information includes an electronic order form, item identifications and associated prices along with respective validity periods for items selected by the customer for recurring purchase, wherein the respective validity periods indicates a dated time period after which the associated price of an item should be updated and which triggers the update of associated price whenever an order is submitted to the remote ordering server from the customer data processing system after the dated time period;

responsive to receiving a request for incremental updates of prices for the items selected by the customer for recurring purchase, transmitting current values for prices of the items for which incremental updates were requested; and

responsive to receiving an order generated on the customer data processing system utilizing said electronic order form and item identifications and associated prices stored on the customer data processing system;

comparing prices within the order to current values for corresponding prices; and

automatically transmitting updated prices to the customer data processing system prior to processing the order, or

automatically processing the order with the submitted prices when no updates to prices within the order are required.

8. A system for efficiently effecting recurring e-commerce sales transactions between a customer system and a remote ordering server, comprising:

means for downloading constant data associated with an electronic order form to a fist storage location of said customer system;

means for downloading product data for selected items from a group of available items on said remote ordering server, said selected items being items subject to future recurring purchases, wherein said product data is stored in a second storage location of said customer system and comprises identification data and variable data that is subject to updates on said remote ordering server and to dynamic updates on said customer system from said remote ordering server, said variable data having an associated invalidity period that indicates a time after which the variable data should be updated and which triggers the update of the variable data from said remote ordering server when said time is reached;

means for generating a completed electronic order form for a desired e-commerce transaction by assembling on said customer system said constant data and selected ones of said product data including their respective variable data, wherein said completed electronic order form conforms to ordering requirements of the remote ordering server;

means for submitting said completed electronic order form to said remote ordering system; and

means for dynamically updating said variable data within said completed electronic order form to accurately reflect current values of corresponding variable data on the remote ordering server prior to said order being submitted by said server for processing.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein:

the means for generating a completed electronic order form for a desired transaction generates the completed electronic order form on said customer system prior to said customer system being connected to the remote ordering server; and

said system further comprises;

means for connecting said customer system to said remote ordering server via the Internet after completion of said electronic order form;

means for downloading and storing updates to said constant data when said constant data has been changed on said remote ordering server;

means for receiving updates of said variable data;

means for caching said updates within said second storage location; and

means for reflecting said updates within said completed electronic order form, where appropriate.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein said means for downloading product data further comprises:

means for caching said item identifications and associated prices within the second storage location; and

means for caching the associated invalidity period along with each item identification and price, wherein each invalidity period indicates the time after which the associated price must be updated from the remote ordering server.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the means for updating variable data further comprises:

means for determining whether any item identification or associated price relating to the desired transaction has an expired validity period; and

means for updating each item identification or associated price relating to the desired transaction which are determined to have an expired validity period, wherein said electronic order form being generated is updated to reflect said current values for said variable ordering information when the current values available from the remote ordering server are different from an initial set of values provided within said electronic order form.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the means for updating variable data further comprises:

means for updating only variable data of items selected for inclusion in said completed electronic order form whose validity periods have expired, whereby invalid variable data is updated only when needed.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein:

said means for downloading the data required for completing said electronic order form further comprises;

means for connecting with said remote ordering server via the Internet;

means for selecting specific items and related prices from a group of available items for electronic ordering;

means for downloading an electronic order form and product data of said specific items to said customer system; and

said means for caching includes means for storing said downloaded order form and product data within a specific area of said local storage identified to provide data for completing said completed electronic order form when said order is being generated.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the means for updating variable data further comprises means for updating all variable data of items stored within said second storage location whose validity periods have expired, whereby all invalid variable data within said second storage location is updated concurrently.

15. The system of claim 8, further comprising means for indicating when variable data of an item is no longer valid.

16. A system for supporting efficient transaction of recurring e-commerce sales, comprising:

means, responsive to a customer registering for recurring purchases transacted via an e-commerce medium, for transmitting to a customer data processing system ordering information, wherein said ordering information includes an electronic order form, item identifications and associated prices along with respective validity periods for items selected by the customer for recurring purchase, wherein the respective validity periods indicates a dated time period after which the associated price of an item should be updated and which triggers the update of associated price whenever an order is submitted to the remote ordering server from the customer data processing system after the dated time period;

means, responsive to receiving a request for incremental updates of prices for the items selected by the customer for recurring purchase, for transmitting current values for prices of the items for which incremental updates were requested; and

means, responsive to receiving an order generated on the customer data processing system utilizing said electronic order form and item identifications and associated prices stored on the customer data processing system;

for comparing prices within the order to current values for corresponding prices; and

for automatically transmitting updated prices to the customer data processing system prior to processing the order;

or

automatically processing the order with the submitted prices when no updates to prices within the order are required.

17. A computer program product within a computer usable medium for efficiently effecting recurring e-commerce sales transactions between a customer system and a remote ordering server, comprising:

instructions for downloading constant data associated with an electronic order form to a first storage location of said customer system;

instructions for downloading product data for selected items from a group of available items on said remote ordering server, said selected items being items subject to future recurring purchases, wherein said product data is stored in a second storage location of said customer system and comprises identification data and variable data that is subject to updates on said remote ordering server and to dynamic updates on said customer system from said remote ordering server, said variable data having an associated invalidity period that indicates a time after which the variable data should be updated and which triggers the update of the variable data from said remote ordering server when said time is reached;

instructions for generating an a completed electronic order form for a desired e-commerce transaction by assembling on said customer system said constant data and selected ones of said product data including their respective variable data, wherein said completed electronic order form conforms to ordering requirements of a the remote ordering server;

instructions for submitting said completed electronic order form to said remote ordering system; and

instructions for updating said variable data within said completed electronic order form to accurately reflect current values of corresponding variable data on the remote ordering server.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein:

the instructions for generating a completed electronic order form for a desired transaction generates the completed electronic order form on said customer system prior to said customer system being connected to the remote ordering server; and

said program product further comprises;

instructions for connecting said customer system to said remote ordering server via the Internet after completion of said electronic order form;

instructions for downloading and storing updates to said constant data when said constant data has been changed on said remote ordering server;

instructions for receiving updates of said variable data;

instructions for caching said updates within said second storage location; and

instructions for reflecting said updates within said completed electronic order form, where appropriate.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein said instructions for downloading product data further comprises:

instructions for caching said item identifications and associated prices within the second storage location; and

instructions for caching an invalidity period along with each item identification and price, wherein each invalidity period indicates the time after which the associated price must be updated from the remote ordering server.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the instructions for updating variable data further comprises:

instructions for determining whether any item identification or associated price relating to the desired transaction has an expired validity period; and

instructions for updating each item identification or associated price relating to the desired transaction which are determined to have an expired validity period, wherein said electronic order form being generated is updated to reflect said current values for said variable ordering information when the current values available from the remote ordering server are different from an initial set of values provided within said electronic order form.

21. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the instructions for updating variable data further comprises:

instructions for updating only variable data of items selected for inclusion in said completed electronic order form whose validity periods have expired, whereby invalid variable data is updated only when needed.

22. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein:

said instructions for downloading the data required for completing said electronic order form further comprises;

instructions for providing a browser that enables a user to interface with said remote ordering server via the Internet;

instructions for enabling selection of specific items and related prices from a group of available items on said remote ordering server for electronic ordering;

instructions for enabling the downloading of an electronic order form and product data of said specific items to said customer system; and

said instructions for caching includes instructions for storing said downloaded data within a specific area of said local storage identified to provide data for completing said order when said order is being generated.

23. A computer program product within a computer usable medium for supporting efficient transaction of recurring e-commerce sales, said program product comprising:

instructions, responsive to a customer registering for recurring purchases transacted via an e-commerce medium, for transmitting to a customer data processing system ordering information, wherein said ordering information includes an electronic order form, item identifications and associated prices along with respective validity periods for items selected by the customer for recurring purchase, wherein the respective validity periods indicates a dated time period after which the associated price of an item should be updated and which triggers the update of associated price whenever an order is submitted to the remote ordering server from the customer data processing system after the dated time period;

instructions, responsive to receiving a request for incremental updates of prices for the items selected by the customer for recurring purchase, for transmitting current values for prices of the items for which incremental updates were requested; and

instructions, responsive to receiving an order generated on the customer data processing system utilizing said electronic order form and item identifications and associated prices stored on the customer data processing system;

for comparing prices within the order to current values for corresponding prices; and

for automatically transmitting updated prices to the customer data processing system prior to processing the order;

or

automatically processing the order with the submitted prices when no updates to prices within the order are required.

24. A method of supporting efficient transaction of recurring e-commerce sales, comprising:

storing, locally on a customer'"'"'s system, information from a server relating to an electronic order form and items available for purchase through the server and selected by a customer for recurring electronic ordering, wherein said information includes a validity period that indicates when a variable data related to an item expires and should be updated from the server;

periodically updating at least individual items of information stored locally on the customer'"'"'s system, wherein said individual items of information includes the variable data and the periodic updates are triggered by an expiration of the associated validity period, which messages the server to provide an update for said variable data;

generating an order for purchase utilizing the information stored locally on the customer'"'"'s system including said individual items of information that is periodically updated; and

submitting the order to the server to purchase selected items.

25. A method for efficiently effecting recurring e-commerce sales transactions between a customer system and a remote ordering server, comprising:

downloading constant data associated with an electronic order form to a first storage location of said customer system;

downloading product data for selected items from a group of available items on said remote ordering server, said selected items being items subject to future recurring purchases, wherein said product data is stored in a second storage location of said customer system and comprises identification data and variable data that is subject to updates on said remote ordering server and to dynamic updates on said customer system from said remote ordering server, said variable data having an associated tag that indicates a time after which the variable data should be updated and which triggers the update of the variable data from said server when said time is reached;

generating a completed electronic order form for a desired e-commerce transaction by assembling on said customer system said constant data and selected ones of said product data including their respective variable data, wherein said completed electronic order form conforms to ordering requirements of the remote ordering server;

submitting said completed electronic order form to said remote ordering system; and

when said tag indicates that the associated variable data should be updated, automatically updating said variable data in the completed electronic order form to accurately reflect current values of corresponding variable data on the remote ordering server.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein:

the step of generating a completed electronic order form for a desired transaction generates the completed electronic order form on said customer system prior to said customer system being connected to the remote ordering server; and

said method further comprises;

connecting said customer system to said remote ordering server via the Internet after completion of said electronic order form;

downloading and storing updates to said constant data when said constant data has been changed on said remote ordering server;

receiving updates of said variable data;

caching said updates within said second storage location; and

reflecting said updates within said completed electronic order form, where appropriate.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein said step of downloading product data farther comprises:

caching said item identifications and associated prices within the second storage location;

caching an invalidity period along with each item identification and price, wherein each invalidity period indicates the time after which the associated price must be updated from the remote ordering server.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of updating variable data further comprises:

determining whether any item identification or associated price relating to the desired transaction has an expired validity period; and

updating each item identification or associated price relating to the desired transaction which are determined to have an expired validity period, wherein said electronic order form being generated is updated to reflect said current values for said variable ordering information when the current values available from the remote ordering server are different from an initial set of values provided within said electronic order form.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of updating variable data further comprises:

updating only variable data of items selected for inclusion in said completed electronic order form whose validity periods have expired, whereby invalid variable data is updated only when needed.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of updating variable data further comprises updating all variable data of items stored within said second storage location whose validity periods have expired, whereby all invalid variable data within said second storage location is updated concurrently.

31. The method of claim 25, further comprising indicating when variable data of an item is no longer valid.