Method and system for processing customer requests and generating associated information correlated to ordered products

• US 6,853,981 B1
• Filed: 09/21/1999
• Issued: 02/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Radosevich, Milton P., Brooks, Jerry E.
• Primary Examiner(s): McClellan, James S.
• Application Number:
  US09/400,596
• Time in Patent Office: 1,967 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/28, 705/29, 705/22
• US Class Current: 705/26.61
• 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 30/0621 Item configuration or customization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation

Abstract

A method and system for processing customer requests and generating associated information correlated to ordered products by utilizing at least one computing mechanism is disclosed. The method and system includes receiving multiple customer requests from at least one source, identifying at least one product from each customer request, identifying at least one specific subcomponent associated with each identified product, summing a quantity of identified products ordered from the customer requests, either determining when the summation of the identified products exceeds a predetermined value or when the duration of summation exceeds a predetermined time period, determining an appropriate output device, correlating information associated with each the identified product, and delivering the information to the appropriate output device for each identified product.

Claims

1. A method for processing customer requests and generating associated information correlated to ordered products by utilizing at least one computing mechanism, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving multiple customer requests from at least one source;

identifying at least one product from each said customer request;

summing a quantity of said identified products from said customer requests;

determining a value for said summation of quantity for said identified products during a predetermined time period;

determining an appropriate output device;

correlating technical information associated with each said identified product, said technical information including a repair manual; and

delivering said technical information to said appropriate output device for each said identified product for said quantity summation value of identified products during said predetermined time period; and

said output device is a printer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said output device includes a plurality of printers located at different physical locations.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said information includes an electronic image.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said technical information includes a technical manual.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said technical information includes a technical operating manual.

6. The method of 1, further comprising the step of identifying a plurality of different subcomponents associated with at least one of said identified product.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said technical information is associated with said plurality of different subcomponents.

8. A system for processing customer requests and generating associated information correlated to ordered products comprising:

at least one computing mechanism for receiving multiple customer requests from at least one source, identifying at least one product from each said customer request, summing a quantity for each said identified product ordered from said customer requests, determining a value for said summation of quantity for said identified products during a predetermined time period, determining an appropriate output device, and correlating technical information associated with each said identified product, said technical information including a repair manual; and

at least one output device for outputting said technical information for each said identified product for said quantity summation value of identified products during said predetermined time period; and

said output device is a printer.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said output device includes a plurality of printers located at different physical locations.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said information includes an electronic image.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein said technical information includes a technical manual.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein said computing mechanism is further configured to identify at least one specific subcomponent associated with at least one of said identified product.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein said technical information is associated with a plurality of different subcomponents of said product.

14. A method for processing customer requests and generating associated information correlated to ordered products by utilizing at least one computing mechanism, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving multiple customer requests from at least one source;

identifying at least one product from each said customer request;

summing a quantity of said identified products from said customer requests;

determining a threshold associated with said summing quantity, said threshold including one of a predetermined time period and a predetermined value;

determining a value for said summation of quantity for said identified products;

determining an appropriate output device based on a geographic location and a regional capacity of said output device;

correlating technical information associated with each said identified product, said technical information including at least one of a technical operating manual and a repair manual; and

delivering said technical information to said appropriate output device for each said identified product for said quantity summation value of identified products upon exceeding said threshold.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said technical information includes a technical manual.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of identifying at least one specific subcomponent associated with at least one of said identified product.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said technical information is associated with said specific subcomponent.

18. A system for processing customer requests and generating associated information correlated to ordered products comprising:

at least one computing mechanism for receiving multiple customer requests from at least one source, identifying at least one product from each said customer request, summing a quantity for each said identified product ordered from said customer requests, determining a threshold associated with said summing quantity, said threshold including one of a predetermined time period and a predetermined value, determining a value for said summation of quantity for said identified products during a predetermined time period, determining an appropriate output device based on a geographic location and a regional capacity of said output device, and correlating technical information associated with each said identified product, said technical information including at least one of a technical operating manual and a repair manual; and

at least one output device for outputting said technical information for each said identified product for said quantity summation value of identified products upon exceeding said threshold.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said technical information includes a technical manual.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein said computing mechanism is further configured to identify at least one specific subcomponent associated with at least one of said identified product.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein said technical information is associated with said specific subcomponent.