System for third party management of product manufacture ordering by a franchisee upon approved products of franchisor

• US 7,270,267 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2001
• Issued: 09/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Houle-Gillard, Yvonne M., Kilfoyl, Troy J., Yeung, Herbert K.
• Primary Examiner(s): RUDY, ANDREW J
• Application Number:
  US09/820,398
• Publication Number:
  US 20020143640A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,364 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 235/383, 707/10, 707/104.1, 709/223
• US Class Current: 235/383
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A system includes a data storage device having franchisor approved product information. The system includes a franchisor network interface by which a franchisor can communicate with the data storage device and approve the product information, and a franchisee network interface providing network access by a franchisee to the franchisor approved product information. Product selecting and ordering by the franchisee is based upon the approved product information. The system also includes a third party network interface providing a third party access to the product orders and by which the third party manages access of the franchisor approved product information by the franchisee. The third party network interface permits the third party to communicate a product order to a manufacturer. The system further includes a manufacturer network interface by which the manufacturer can communicate with the data storage device to process the received product order in accordance with the approved product information.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a data storage device accessible via a network and having franchisor approved product information stored in a first memory;

a franchisor network interface by which a franchisor can communicate with the data storage device via the network and approve the product information;

a franchisee network interface providing network access by a franchisee to the franchisor approved product information for selecting a product and ordering the selected product and by which product orders can be stored in a second memory, wherein the product selecting and ordering by the franchisee is based upon the approved product information of the franchisor;

a third party network interface providing a third party access to the product orders stored within the second memory and by which the third party manages access of the franchisor approved product information by the franchisee, wherein the third party network interface also permits the third party to communicate a product order to a manufacturer via the network; and

a manufacturer network interface by which the manufacturer can communicate with the data storage device via the network to process the received product order in accordance with the approved product information.

2. The system of claim 1,

wherein the franchisor network interface allows the franchisor to create a program for use by the franchisees, and

wherein the program specifies the products approved by the franchisor and lists specifications associated with the approved products.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the third party network interface permits the third party to receive a notice from the manufacturer certifying compliance of manufacture with specifications communicated to the manufacturer by the third party.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the manufacturer network interface further permits the manufacturer to review product orders, update job status, and communicate with the third party via the network.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the third party network interface permits the third party to begin warranty coverage of a manufactured product based upon inclusion of commercial material of the third party.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the franchisor network interface further permits the franchisor to create and modify new programs with specific product information.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the franchisor network interface further permits the franchisor to manipulate the franchisor approved product information stored in the first memory.

8. The system of claim 7, further includes a custom image gallery stored as franchisor approved product information within the first memory of the data storage device.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the franchisee network interface, the third party network interface, the manufacturer network interface and the franchisor network interface are browser based web page interfaces stored on the data storage device and that are accessible via the network.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the data storage device is accessible via a public internet.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the third party network interface end the franchisor network interface allow the third party and the franchisor to build an electronic catalog of product information associated with the franchisor approved product information.

12. The system of claim 11,

wherein the franchisee interface provides the franchisee with access to the electronic catalog of product information for making a product order, and

wherein the system communicates the product order to the third party from the franchisee interface.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the third party network interface permits the third party to review the product order for any product material and services that are supplied by the third party.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the third party network interface permits the third party to specify at least one commercial material sold by the third party to be utilized by the manufacturer in making the ordered product.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the third party network interface electronically receives product information that specifies products associated with the third party and the franchisor approves one or more of the products to be used by the franchisee.