Online system and method of locating consumer product having specific configurations in the enterprise production pipeline and inventory

• US 6,901,430 B1
• Filed: 03/31/2000
• Issued: 05/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Original Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Inventors: Smith, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Hosain
• Assistant Examiner(s): WANG, LIANG CHE A
• Application Number:
  US09/539,392
• Time in Patent Office: 1,887 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 705/16, 705/22, 705 26- 29
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• 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 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

An online system of locating consumer product having specific configuration in an enterprise production pipeline and inventory is provided. The system includes a locate client process operable to receive product configuration data and generate a search request message incorporating the product configuration data in response to user input, and an inventory database storing product availability data in the enterprise production pipeline and in inventory. A locate server process is operable to receive the search request message from the locate client process, and search the product availability data in the inventory database for products matching and substantially matching the product configuration data. The locate server is further operable to generate a search reply message containing the matching products and return the search reply message to the locate client process.

Claims

1. An online system of locating a automotive (consumer) product having specific configuration in an enterprise production pipeline and inventory, comprising:

a locate client process operable to;

receive automotive product configuration data; and

generate a search request message incorporating the automotive product configuration data in response to user input;

an inventory database that stores automotive product availability data for automotive products that are on the order bank, being produced, in-transit to distribution facilities, and automotive products at the distribution facilities; and

a locate server process operable to;

receive the search request message from the locate client process;

search the automotive product availability data in the inventory database for automotive products matching and substantially matching the automotive product configuration data;

generate a search reply message containing the matching automotive products; and

return the search reply message to the locate client process.

2. The system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the search request message and search reply message are XML messages.

3. The system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the search reply message comprises:

a list of automotive products and respective configuration data; and

a percentage value for each product in the list indicative of the degree of matching between the product and the automotive product configuration data contained in the search request message.

4. The system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the search request message comprises a list of search criteria and a weighting of each criterion.

5. The system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the search reply message comprises a pointer to an image of each automotive product.

6. The system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the locate server process comprises:

a listener operable to receive the search request message from the locate client process;

a parser operable to receive the search request message from the listener and extract message parameters; and

a searcher operable to search the automotive product availability data in the inventory database according to the message parameters.

7. The system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the locate client process comprises:

a message converter operable to receive a search request document containing search criteria and convert to an XML document having a predetermined format; and

a message client process operable to receive the XML document and convert to an XML search request message.

8. The system, as set forth in claim 7, further comprising a response parser operable to receive the search reply messages from the locate server process and generate record set objects therefrom.

9. An online method of locating a automotive (consumer) product having specific configuration in an enterprise production pipeline and inventory, comprising:

receiving a search request message having automotive product configuration data submitted by a user;

formulating a search query with search criteria corresponding to the automotive product configuration data;

searching automotive product availability data associated with automotive products that are on the order bank, in-production, in-transit, and in-inventory for a automotive product matching the automotive product configuration data;

generating a search reply message containing any automotive product determined based on the search of the automotive product availability data to substantially match the automotive product configuration data; and

sending the search reply message to the user.

10. The method, as set forth in claim 9, further comprising:

receiving the search request message on a predetermined port;

parsing the search request message to extract product configuration data; and

searching the automotive product availability data using the extracted automotive product configuration data.

11. The method, as set forth in claim 9, wherein receiving the search request message comprises receiving an XML search request message.

12. The method, as set forth in claim 9, wherein generating the search reply message comprises:

compiling a list of products and respective configuration data; and

providing a percentage value for each automotive product in the list indicative of the degree of match between the automotive product and the automotive product configuration data contained in the search request message.

13. The method, as set forth in claim 9, wherein receiving the search request message comprises receiving a list of search criteria and a weighting of each criterion.

14. The method, as set forth in claim 9, further comprising:

receiving a search request document containing search criteria and converting to an XML document having a predetermined format; and

converting the XML document to an XML search request message.

15. The method, as set forth in claim 9, further comprising:

displaying automotive product configuration information to the user on a web page;

receiving automotive product configuration selection from the user; and

displaying a search result list of automotive product substantially matching the automotive product configuration and percentage matching data on a web page.

16. The method, as set forth in claim 9, further comprising:

importing

in-inventory automotive product availability data from dealerships; and

importing in-process automotive product availability data from an enterprise database.

17. The method, as set forth in claim 9, wherein generating the search reply message comprises:

incorporating a unique identifier of each substantially matching automotive product;

incorporating automotive product configuration data of each substantially matching automotive product; and

sorting the substantially matching automotive products by descending degree of match between the automotive product configuration data of the automotive products and the automotive product configuration data in the search request message.

18. The method, as set forth in claim 9, further comprising:

receiving a tag request message submitted by the user, the tag request message containing a unique product identifier;

modifying the automotive product availability data associated with the automotive product identified by the unique automotive product identifier in the inventory database; and

generating a tag reply message confirming the completion of tagging the identified product.

19. The method, as set forth in claim 18, further comprising suppressing the tagged automotive product from subsequent search requests.

20. The method, as set forth in claim 15, further comprising displaying an image of the automotive product in response to receiving a user selection input.

21. The method, as set forth in claim 15, further comprising displaying detailed information associated with a automotive product in response to receiving a user selection input.

22. The method, as set forth in claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a user selection input of a automotive product in the list;

generating a search request message having an unique automotive product identifier associated with the selected automotive product;

searching the automotive product availability data for detailed data associated with the unique automotive product identifier;

generating a search reply message having the detailed data.

23. An online method of locating automotive vehicles having specific configuration in an enterprise production pipeline and inventory for purchase, comprising:

receiving a search request message having vehicle configuration data submitted by a user;

formulating a search query with search criteria corresponding to the vehicle configuration data;

searching vehicle availability data associated with vehicles that are on the order bank, in-production, in-transit, and in-inventory at the dealerships for a vehicle matching the vehicle configuration data;

generating a search reply message containing any vehicle determined based on the search of the product availability data to substantially match the vehicle configuration data, the search reply message including a vehicle identifier and vehicle configuration data of each substantially matching vehicle; and

sending the search reply message to the user.

24. The method, as set forth in claim 23, further comprising:

receiving the search request message on a predetermined port;

parsing the search request message to extract vehicle configuration data; and

searching the vehicle availability data using the extracted vehicle configuration data.

25. The method, as set forth in claim 23, wherein receiving the search request message comprises receiving an XML search request message.

26. The method, as set forth in claim 23, wherein generating the search reply message comprises:

compiling a list of vehicles and respective vehicle configuration data; and

providing a percentage value for each vehicle in the list indicative of the degree of match between the vehicle and the vehicle configuration data contained in the search request message.

27. The method, as set forth in claim 23, wherein receiving the search request message comprises receiving a list of search criteria and a weighting of each criterion.

28. The method, as set forth in claim 23, further comprising:

receiving a search request document containing search criteria and converting to an XML document having a predetermined format; and

converting the XML document to an XML search request message.

29. The method, as set forth in claim 23, further comprising:

displaying vehicle configuration information to the user on a web page;

receiving vehicle configuration selection from the user; and

displaying a search result list of vehicles substantially matching the vehicle configuration and percentage matching data on a web page.

30. The method, as set forth, in claim 23, further comprising:

importing in-inventory vehicle availability data from dealerships;

importing in-process vehicle availability data from an enterprise database; and

updating the vehicle availability data with the imported data.

31. The method, as set forth in claim 23, wherein generating the search reply message comprises:

incorporating a unique vehicle identifier of each substantially matching vehicle;

incorporating vehicle configuration data of each substantially matching vehicle; and

sorting the substantially matching vehicles by descending degree of match between the vehicle and the vehicle configuration data in the search request message.

32. The method, as set forth in claim 23, further comprising:

receiving a tag request message submitted by the user, the tag request message containing a unique vehicle identifier;

modifying the vehicle availability data associated with the vehicle identified by the unique vehicle identifier; and

generating a tag reply message confirming the completion of tagging the identified vehicle.

33. The method, as set forth in claim 32, further comprising suppressing the tagged vehicle from subsequent search requests.

34. The method, as set forth in claim 29, further comprising displaying a photographic image of the vehicle in response to receiving a user selection input.

35. The method, as set forth in claim 29, further comprising displaying detailed information associated with a vehicle in response to receiving a user selection input.

36. The method, as set forth in claim 29, further comprising:

receiving a user selection input of a vehicle in the list;

generating a search request message having an unique vehicle identifier associated with the selected vehicle;

searching the vehicle availability data for detailed data associated with the unique vehicle identifier;

generating a search reply message having the detailed data.

37. An online method of purchasing a vehicle, comprising:

displaying vehicle configuration data;

receiving user online input on vehicle configuration, including make, model, and color of the vehicle;

receiving user online input to search for a vehicle having the vehicle configuration;

generating a search request message incorporating the user-entered vehicle configuration;

sending the search request message to a locate process, the locate process operable to search vehicle availability data for vehicles that are on the order bank, in-production, in-transit, and in-inventory at the dealerships for a vehicle matching the vehicle configuration data;

receiving a search reply message including a list of vehicles determined based on the search of the vehicle availability data to substantially match the user-entered vehicle configuration; and

displaying the list of vehicles.

38. The method, as set forth in claim 37, further comprising:

receiving an online user input selecting a vehicle from the list of vehicles;

receiving an online user input requesting to tag the selected vehicle;

generating a tag request message incorporating a unique vehicle identifier of the selected vehicle; and

sending the tag request message to the locate process.

39. The method, as set forth in claim 37, wherein displaying the list comprises displaying the vehicles in descending percentage of degree of match to the user-entered vehicle configuration.

40. The method, as set forth in claim 37, further comprising:

receiving an online user input selecting a vehicle from the list of vehicles;

receiving an online user input requesting detailed data on the selected vehicle;

generating a search request message incorporating a unique vehicle identifier of the selected vehicle; and

sending the search request message to the locate process.

41. The method, as set forth in claim 40, further comprising:

receiving a search reply message including detailed data on the selected vehicle; and

displaying the detailed data.

42. The method, as set forth in claim 40, further comprising:

receiving a search reply message including a pointer to an image of the selected vehicle; and

displaying the detailed data using the pointer.

43. The method, as set forth in claim 40, further comprising:

receiving a search reply message including a uniform resource locator to a web page containing an image of the selected vehicle; and

displaying the web page specified by the uniform resource locator.