System, method, and computer readable medium for outsourcing concrete service orders

• US 7,457,771 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2004
• Issued: 11/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 1-800 Concrete, Inc.
• Original Assignee: 1-800 Concrete, Inc.
• Inventors: Caler, Michael Allan, Pittard, Robert Charles, Bryant, Jon Packard, Grimes, Frederic Calvin, Bryant, Robert Packard
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith; Jeffrey A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Allen; William J.
• Application Number:
  US11/014,024
• Publication Number:
  US 20050144895A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,441 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705 26- 27, 705/37
• US Class Current: 705/26.41
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

Included herein is a service outsourcing system for providing at least one purchaser with concrete. The system may include at least one central server comprising at least one central database and an interactive electronic ordering guide configured to allow the purchaser to place at least one concrete order. The concrete order may include a job site location. The outsourcing system may be configured to receive at least one concrete order and provide the purchaser with the ability to select at least one selected concrete supplier from at least one potential concrete supplier. In addition, the service outsourcing system is further configured to access the at least one central database. Finally, the service outsourcing system may be further configured to outsource the concrete order with the selected concrete supplier.

Claims

1. A service outsourcing system for providing at least one purchaser with concrete, comprising:

at least one central server;

at least one data storage component, coupled to the at least one central server;

an interactive electronic ordering guide, provided by the at least one central server, the interactive electronic ordering guide configured to provide a user option to place at least one concrete order, the at least one concrete order comprising a job site location;

wherein the outsourcing system is configured to receive at least one concrete order,

wherein the outsourcing system is further configured to determine, from the at least one data storage component, a list of potential concrete suppliers associated with at least a portion of the received concrete order,

wherein the outsourcing system is further configured to provide the list of potential suppliers,

wherein the outsourcing system is further configured to rank the potential suppliers according to the job site location;

wherein the outsourcing system is further configured to provide an option to select at least one selected concrete supplier from the list of at least one potential concrete supplier,

wherein the outsourcing system is further configured to provide an estimate from the at least one selected concrete supplier, in response to selection of the at least one selected concrete supplier,

wherein the service outsourcing system is further configured to determine whether the purchaser has contacted another concrete supplier;

wherein the service outsourcing system is further configured to outsource the concrete order with the selected concrete supplier; and

wherein the service outsourcing system is further configured to provide an advertisement report to an administrator.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the service outsourcing system is further configured to communicate data via the Internet.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the service outsourcing system is further configured to access the central database utilizing at least one of a Common Gateway Interface (CGI), an Application Service Provider (ASP), and JAVA®

.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the service outsourcing system Comprises at least one of discrete logic circuitry, Application Specific Integrated Circuitry (ASIC), a Programmable Gate Array (PGA), and a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA).

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the service outsourcing system is further configured to provide at least one interactive menu screen for verifying whether a purchaser is registered with the service outsourcing system.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the service outsourcing system is further configured to provide at least one interactive menu screen for creating at least one concrete order estimate.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the concrete order estimate is determined based on at least one of location, amount of concrete desired, date of service, and concrete supplier.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the service outsourcing system is further configured to outsource the concrete order with the concrete supplier based on the concrete order'"'"'s job site location.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the service outsourcing system is further configured to outsource the concrete order with the concrete supplier, wherein the concrete supplier comprises at least one of a concrete producing company, a pump company, a lumber company, a construction materials company, and a general contractor.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the service outsourcing system is further configured to provide at least one interactive menu screen for calculating the approximate volume of concrete desired.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein service outsourcing system is further configured to provide at least one interactive menu screen configured to provide an option to select at least one of the following:

concrete supplier, job site location, order type, truck type, concrete type, mix information, additives, color, equipment, supplies, time of service, and date of service.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the service outsourcing system is further configured to provide electronic payment capabilities for the purchaser.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the outsourcing system is further configured to receive at least one parameter related to a desired site of the concrete and determining, from the received at least one parameter, at least one of the following:

a desired amount of concrete, a type of concrete, a concrete additive type, and a desired delivery method.

14. A computer implemented method for providing at least one purchaser with concrete, comprising:

receiving at least one concrete order via an order management system accessible over a network, wherein the at least one concrete order comprises order data, wherein the order data comprises a job site location;

determining, by the order management system, whether the purchaser has contacted another concrete supplier;

determining by the order management system, based on the order data, from a plurality of previously stored concrete suppliers, a list of potential concrete suppliers;

ranking, by the order management system, the potential suppliers according to the job site location;

providing a user option to select at least one selected concrete supplier from the list of potential concrete suppliers;

receiving data via the order management system indicating the at least one selected concrete supplier from the list of potential concrete suppliers;

in response to selection of the at least one selected concrete supplier, providing an estimate from the at least one selected concrete supplier;

outsourcing the concrete order to the at least one selected concrete supplier; and

providing an advertisement report to an administrator.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing at least one concrete order estimate based on the order data.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising prioritizing the potential concrete supplier.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the order data further comprises at least one of the following:

a concrete supplier, an order type, a truck type, a concrete type, mix information, additives, concrete color, equipment, supplies, time of service, and date of service.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising associating at least one potential concrete supplier to at least one geographical area.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising presenting the purchaser with the potential concrete supplier associated with the geographical area corresponding to the job site location.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising receiving payment from the purchaser.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein receiving payment from the purchaser comprises electronically receiving payment from the purchaser, based on at least one of the following:

an order type, a truck type, a concrete type, mix information, additives, concrete color, equipment, supplies, time of service, and date of service.

22. The method of claim 14, further comprising calculating an approximate volume of concrete desired.

23. The method of claim 14, further comprising verifying whether the purchaser is a registered user.

24. A computer program stored on a tangible computer readable medium, the computer program comprising executable logic effective to perform the steps of:

receiving at least one concrete order via an order management system accessible over a network, wherein the concrete order comprises order data, wherein the order data comprises a job site location;

determining whether the purchaser has contacted another concrete supplier;

accessing previously stored data to determine a list of potential concrete suppliers based on the order data;

ranking the potential suppliers according to the job site location;

providing a user option to select at least one selected concrete supplier from the list of potential concrete suppliers;

receiving data indicating selection of the at least one selected concrete supplier from the list of potential concrete suppliers;

in response to receiving data indicating selection of the at least one selected concrete supplier, providing an estimate from the at least one selected concrete supplier; and

outsourcing the concrete order with the selected concrete supplier; and

providing an advertisement report to an administrator.

25. The computer program of claim 24, the executable logic further effective to perform the step of providing at least one concrete order estimate based on the order data.

26. The computer program of claim 24, the executable logic further effective to perform the step of prioritizing the potential concrete supplier.

27. The computer program of claim 24, wherein the order data further comprises at least one of a concrete supplier, an order type, a truck type, a concrete type, mix information, additives, concrete color, equipment, supplies, time of service, and date of service.

28. The computer program of claim 24, the executable logic further effective to perform the step of designating at least one concrete supplier to at least one geographical area.

29. The computer program of claim 28, the executable logic further effective to perform the step of presenting the purchaser with the at least one concrete supplier designated to the geographical area corresponding to the job site location.

30. The computer program of claim 24, the executable logic further effective to perform the step of receiving payment from the purchaser.

31. The computer program of claim 30, wherein logic receiving payment from the purchaser comprises logic electronically receiving payment from the purchaser.

32. The computer program of claim 24, the executable logic further effective to perform the step of calculating an approximate volume of concrete desired.

33. The computer program of claim 24, the executable logic further effective to perform the step of verifying whether the purchaser is a registered user.