Method and apparatus for communicating order entries in a network environment
First Claim
1. An order entry and visibility system for communicating product orders and order information in a communications network, the system comprising:
- a central communications device having communications network access and being configured for receiving one or more product orders from one or more buyer communications devices via the communications network, each of the one or more product orders identifying at least one product, and wherein, for each of the one or more product orders, the central communications device is further configured for;
identifying one or more particular suppliers from a plurality of suppliers to fulfill the respective product order;
communicating, over the communications network, the respective product order to a supplier communications device associated with the respective identified particular supplier;
receiving order processing status information from the supplier communications device, the order processing status information being selected from the group consisting of;
an indication of whether the product order is received and not fulfilled, an indication of whether the product order is partially fulfilled, and an indication of whether the product order is fully fulfilled;
in response to receiving the order processing status information for the product order indicating that the product order has been partially fulfilled or fully fulfilled, generating an electronic shipping label for the product order;
communicating, over the communications network, the order processing status information for the product order to a respective buyer that placed the product order; and
communicating, over the communications network, the electronic shipping label for the product order to the supplier communications device to allow thee supplier communications device to print a physical shipping label from the electronic shipping label,wherein the central communications device, the buyer communications devices, and the supplier communications devices are associated with different entities.
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Abstract
The order entry and visibility system according to the present invention is a combination of network technologies that make it possible for a first user, typically a purchaser, to enter product orders electronically, communicate such to a second user, typically a supplier and provide for the second user to generate completed shipping labels upon fulfillment of at least a portion of the order. The system provides advantages for both the first user, purchaser and second user, supplier. The purchasers of products are provided a means of entering product orders via a network application and have immediate access to order and shipment status via the network application. The supplier of the product accesses the network application to process the order and generate a completed shipping label upon the fulfillment of the order.
127 Citations
8 Claims
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1. An order entry and visibility system for communicating product orders and order information in a communications network, the system comprising:
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a central communications device having communications network access and being configured for receiving one or more product orders from one or more buyer communications devices via the communications network, each of the one or more product orders identifying at least one product, and wherein, for each of the one or more product orders, the central communications device is further configured for; identifying one or more particular suppliers from a plurality of suppliers to fulfill the respective product order; communicating, over the communications network, the respective product order to a supplier communications device associated with the respective identified particular supplier; receiving order processing status information from the supplier communications device, the order processing status information being selected from the group consisting of;
an indication of whether the product order is received and not fulfilled, an indication of whether the product order is partially fulfilled, and an indication of whether the product order is fully fulfilled;in response to receiving the order processing status information for the product order indicating that the product order has been partially fulfilled or fully fulfilled, generating an electronic shipping label for the product order; communicating, over the communications network, the order processing status information for the product order to a respective buyer that placed the product order; and communicating, over the communications network, the electronic shipping label for the product order to the supplier communications device to allow thee supplier communications device to print a physical shipping label from the electronic shipping label, wherein the central communications device, the buyer communications devices, and the supplier communications devices are associated with different entities. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method for product order entry, product order visibility, and product order processing in a communications network, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving one or more product orders from one or more buyer communications devices having communications network access, each product order identifying at least one product, the one or more product orders being received by a central communications device; identifying, by the central communications device, one or more particular suppliers from a plurality of suppliers to fulfill each of the one or more product orders; in response to identifying the one more particular suppliers to fulfill each product order, storing the one or more product orders and the identified one or more suppliers identified to fulfill each product order on at least one storage device associated with the central communications device; in response to identifying the one more particular suppliers to fulfill each product order, for each of the one or more product orders, communicating the product order to a supplier communication device associated with the particular supplier identified to fulfill the product order, the product order being communicated over the communications network by the central communications device; receiving, by the central communications device for each of the one more product orders, an order fulfillment status from the supplier communications device, the order fulfillment status being selected from the group consisting of;
an indication of whether the product order is received and not fulfilled, an indication of whether the product order is partially fulfilled, and an indication of whether the product order is fully fulfilled;in response to receiving the order fulfillment status for a respective product order, communicating the order fulfillment status to a respective buyer that placed the respective product order; in response to receiving the order fulfillment status for a respective product order indicating that the respective product order has been partially fulfilled or fully filled, generating an electronic shipping label and communicating the electronic shipping label for the product order to the supplier communications device to allow the supplier communications device to print a physical shipping label from the electronic shipping label, wherein the buyer communications device, the central communications devices, and the supplier communications devices are associated with different entities. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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Specification