Method and system for plastic and wire mesh on-line selection

• US 6,889,201 B1
• Filed: 07/12/2000
• Issued: 05/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Colleen Romero
• Original Assignee: TWP, Inc. (Pennsylvania) (Exxon Mobil Corporation)
• Inventors: Reed, George
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jeffrey A.
• Application Number:
  US09/614,857
• Time in Patent Office: 1,756 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27
• US Class Current: 705/26.5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations

Abstract

An Internet wire-mesh disc merchandising system embodiment of the present invention comprises a webserver that generates a web presence. Potential customers looking to select and buy wire mesh are allowed to log-on to a website operated by a wire-mesh retailer, distributor, and manufacturer. An HTML product page includes navigation buttons that link to other HTML product pages. Each page further includes JPG or GIF type pictures that allow the shopper to see a particular wire-mesh disc product corresponding to a presently displayed HTML product page. A set of navigation buttons permit the shopper to hyperlink to HTML product pages where a graphic is presented that corresponds to the selected wire-mesh disc and prices.

Claims

1. A plastic-mesh and wire-mesh disc selection Internet website system, comprising:

a user interface that allows a customer to price, design, and visually display plastic-mesh and wire-mesh filter discs;

a computer for providing a price by the seller for materials and labor related to said plastic-mesh and wire-mesh filter discs and for indicating the implausibility of cutting said plastic-mesh and wire-mesh filter discs;

a program hosted on said computer for generating tables needed in an HTML-coded response to the customer;

a pricing algorithm hosted on said computer for calculating variables of disc designs and automatically populating said tables with corresponding prices by using said calculated variables, wherein said tables list a plurality of various quantities of said plastic-mesh and wire-mesh filter discs;

means for collecting desired mesh, metal, disc diameter, and quantity data from the customer,

means for checking said collected data and any combination of said collected data for validity and implausibility;

means for automatically generating a part number for a particular combination specified by the customer;

means for determining a corresponding price for a quantity of filter discs identified by said part number, said part number price; and

means for the customer viewing and printing out results, said results comprising said price.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

means for controlling all disc prices included in said quantity/price tables with a single input variable, wherein pricing is enabled to follow market, labor, and cost-of-goods variations.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

means for computing a disc filter weight for a combination of mesh, metal, disc diameter, and quantity specified on-line.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising:

means for comparing said specified combination to a list of available sizes.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising:

capability of recommending a nearest standard size filter disc; and

capability of computing a cost to make the necessary tooling for a special size filter disc.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising:

means for estimating delivery time for said filter discs by transmitting information from a webserver to a browser of the customer.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising:

means for offering rush service at an extra charge.

8. The system of claim 6, further comprising:

means for downloading a file that includes a mechanical drawing of a disc, a customer'"'"'s part number, a supplier'"'"'s part number, and any associated prices.

9. The system of claim 6, further comprising:

means for sending a customer at least one of a PDF-file, an e-mail, and fax that includes a quotation for specified filter discs.

10. The system of claim 6, further comprising:

means for displaying to a customer a calculation used in a price estimate provided for a filter disc.

11. The system of claim 6, further comprising:

means for validity checking for filter discs that are impractical to produce because they have too few wires and tend to skew easily.

12. The system of claim 6, further comprising:

means for validity checking for filter discs that are more expensive to produce than available alternatives.

13. The system of claim 6, further comprising:

means for asking a customer to indicate the type of environment filter discs are to operate in; and

means for recommending a list of materials in an order of suitability for such application.

14. The system of claim 6, further comprising:

means for asking a customer to indicate a cavity size a filter disc must operate within; and

means for recommending a particular sized filter disc that has an interference fit within said given cavity.

15. The system of claim 6, further comprising:

means for quoting both normal tolerance filter disc prices, and tight-tolerance filter disc prices.

16. A plastic-mesh and wire-mesh disc selection Internet website method, comprising the steps of:

providing a user interface that allows a customer to price, design, and visually display plastic-mesh and wire-mesh filter discs;

providing a computer for providing a price by the seller for materials and labor related to said plastic-mesh and wire-mesh filter discs and for indicating the implausibility of cutting said plastic-mesh and wire-mesh filter discs;

providing a program hosted on said computer for generating tables needed in an HTML-coded response to the customer;

providing a pricing algorithm hosted on said computer for calculating variables of disc designs and automatically populating said tables with corresponding prices by using said calculated variables, wherein said tables list a plurality of various quantities of said plastic-mesh and wire-mesh filter discs;

collecting desired mesh, metal, disc diameter, and quantity data from the customer,

checking said collected data and any combination of said collected data for validity and implausibility;

automatically generating a part number for a particular combination specified by the customer;

said computer determining a corresponding price for a quantity of filter discs identified by said part number, said determining comprising looking up a pre-calculated table and computing a price; and

displaying and printing out results, said results comprising said price.