Method and system for receiving and providing access to information at a web site

• US 7,389,331 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2005
• Issued: 06/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dell USA LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell USA LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Van Wyngarden, Amy
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, VIET DUY
• Application Number:
  US11/086,935
• Publication Number:
  US 20050165660A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,183 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/219, 709/223, 709/225, 713/201, 705/25, 705/26
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2115 Third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/168 above the transport layer

Abstract

At a vendor-managed web site, purchasing information is received from a first terminal, including purchasing information that is customized for a customer. The customer includes first and second users having respective first and second levels of authorized access to the purchasing information. The first user is identified by a first identifier, and the second user is identified by a second identifier. To a second terminal, access at the vendor-managed web site is provided to: only a first portion of the purchasing information in response to receiving the first identifier from the second terminal which identifies the first user; and at least a second portion of the purchasing information in response to receiving the second identifier from the second terminal which identifies the second user. The second portion includes at least a part of the first portion and a third portion of the purchasing information. The part of the first portion includes at least a portion of the customized purchasing information.

Claims

1. An information handling system, comprising:

a vendor-managed web site for;

receiving purchasing information from a first network point, including purchasing information that is customized for a customer, the customer including first and second users having respective first and second levels of authorized access to the purchasing information, the first user being identified by a first identifier, and the second user being identified by a second identifier; and

to a second network point, providing access to;

only a first portion of the purchasing information in response to receiving the first identifier from the second network point which identifies the first user; and

at least a second portion of the purchasing information in response to receiving the second identifier from the second network point which identifies the second user, wherein the second portion includes at least a part of the first portion and a third portion of the purchasing information, wherein the part of the first portion includes at least a portion of the customized purchasing information to assist the customer at the second network point in submitting an online order to the vendor-managed web site, and wherein the customized purchasing information includes status information related to the online order and includes a listing of configurations so that the customer at the second network point can submit the online order to the vendor-managed website in response to the configurations.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first portion includes the portion of the customized purchasing information.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first portion includes a first portion of the customized purchasing information, and wherein the third portion includes a second portion of the customized purchasing information.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the vendor-managed web site is for providing access to the second network point via a URL.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the URL is an unlisted URL.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the status information includes shipping data.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the vendor-managed web site is for outputting a notification to the second network point, so that the customer at the second network point is notified of a shipment of the online order.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the vendor-managed web site is for providing access to the second network point, so that the customer at the second network point can enter an identifier for routing the customer to a specialist at the first network point.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the customized purchasing information includes a listing of a team member at the first network point, so that the customer at the second network point can access the listing for making contact with the team member.

10. A method performed by an information system, the method comprising:

at a vendor-managed web site, receiving purchasing information from a first network point, including purchasing information that is customized for a customer, the customer including first and second users having respective first and second levels of authorized access to the purchasing information, the first user being identified by a first identifier, and the second user being identified by a second identifier; and

to a second network point, providing access at the vendor-managed web site to;

only a first portion of the purchasing information in response to receiving the first identifier from the second network point which identifies the first user; and

at least a second portion of the purchasing information in response to receiving the second identifier from the second network point which identifies the second user, wherein the second portion includes at least a part of the first portion and a third portion of the purchasing information, wherein the part of the first portion includes at least a portion of the customized purchasing information to assist the customer at the second network point in submitting an online order to the vendor-managed web site, and wherein the customized purchasing information includes status information related to the online order and includes a listing of configurations so that the customer at the second network point can submit the online order to the vendor-managed website in response to the configurations.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first portion includes the portion of the customized purchasing information.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the first portion includes a first portion of the customized purchasing information, and wherein the third portion includes a second portion of the customized purchasing information.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the providing access comprises:

providing access to the second network point via a URL.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the URL is an unlisted URL.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the customized purchasing information includes status information related to the online order.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the status information includes shipping data.

17. The method of claim 10 and comprising:

outputting a notification to the second network point, so that the customer at the second network point is notified of a shipment of the online order.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the providing access comprises:

providing access to the second network point, so that the customer at the second network point can enter an identifier for routing the customer to a specialist at the first network point.

19. The method of claim 10, wherein the customized purchasing information includes a listing of a team member at the first network point, so that the customer at the second network point can access the listing for making contact with the team member.

20. An information system, comprising:

a vendor-managed web site for;

receiving purchasing information from a first network point, including purchasing information that is customized for a customer, the customer including first and second users having respective first and second levels of authorized access to the purchasing information, the first user being identified by a first identifier, and the second user being identified by a second identifier; and

to a second network point, providing access to;

only a first portion of the purchasing information in response to receiving the first identifier from the second network point which identifies the first user; and

at least a second portion of the purchasing information in response to receiving the second identifier from the second network point which identifies the second user, wherein the second portion includes at least a part of the first portion and a third portion of the purchasing information, wherein the part of the first portion includes at least a portion of the customized purchasing information, and wherein the first identifier includes a first user identifier and a first password, and wherein the second identifier includes a second user identifier and a second password, and wherein the customized purchasing information includes status information related to an online order and includes a listing of configurations so that the customer at the second network point can submit the online order to the vendor-managed website in response to the configurations.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the first portion includes the portion of the customized purchasing information.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the first portion includes a first portion of the customized purchasing information, and wherein the third portion includes a second portion of the customized purchasing information.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the vendor-managed web site is for providing access to the second network point via a URL.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the URL is an unlisted URL.

25. The system of claim 20, wherein the status information includes shipping data.

26. The system of claim 20, wherein the vendor-managed web site is for outputting a notification to the second network point, so that the customer at the second network point is notified of a shipment of the online order.

27. The system of claim 20, wherein the vendor-managed web site is for providing access to the second network point, so that the customer at the second network point can enter an identifier for routing the customer to a specialist at the first network point.

28. The system of claim 20, wherein the customized purchasing information includes a listing of a team member at the first network point, so that the customer at the second network point can access the listing for making contact with the team member.

29. A method performed by an information system, the method comprising:

at a vendor-managed web site, receiving purchasing information from a first network point, including purchasing information that is customized for a customer, the customer including first and second users having respective first and second levels of authorized access to the purchasing information, the first user being identified by a first identifier, and the second user being identified by a second identifier; and

to a second network point, providing access at the vendor-managed web site to;

only a first portion of the purchasing information in response to receiving the first identifier from the second network point which identifies the first user; and

at least a second portion of the purchasing information in response to receiving the second identifier from the second network point which identifies the second user, wherein the second portion includes at least a part of the first portion and a third portion of the purchasing information, wherein the part of the first portion includes at least a portion of the customized purchasing information, and wherein the first identifier includes a first user identifier and a first password, and wherein the second identifier includes a second user identifier and a second password, and wherein the customized purchasing information includes status information related to an online order and includes a listing of configurations so that the customer at the second network point can submit the online order to the vendor-managed website in response to the configurations.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the first portion includes the portion of the customized purchasing information.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the first portion includes a first portion of the customized purchasing information, and wherein the third portion includes a second portion of the customized purchasing information.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the providing access comprises:

providing access to the second network point via a URL.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the URL is an unlisted URL.

34. The method of claim 29, wherein the status information includes shipping data.

35. The method of claim 29, and comprising:

outputting a notification to the second network point, so that the customer at the second network point is notified of a shipment of the online order.

36. The method of claim 29, wherein the providing access comprises:

providing access to the second network point, so that the customer at the second network point can enter an identifier for routing the customer to a specialist at the first network point.

37. The method of claim 29, wherein the customized purchasing information includes a listing of a team member at the first network point, so that the customer at the second network point can access the listing for making contact with the team member.