System and method for offering and managing online purchasing card transactions

• US 7,757,944 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2005
• Issued: 07/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Life Technologies Corporation (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Life Technologies Corporation (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Fogarty, Brendan M., Cline, Andrea, Weigand, Johannes, Hunt, Yolette, Parks, Marilyn, Lietz, Abram P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Thien M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TAYLOR, APRIL ALICIA
• Application Number:
  US11/322,627
• Publication Number:
  US 20060173780A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,663 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/380, 235/381, 705/16, 705/17, 705/26, 705/39, 705 64- 66
• US Class Current: 235/383
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3672 initialising or reloading thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

A purchase card system configured in accordance with the invention offers purchase card products that facilitate online purchases of life sciences research products and/or services via an e-commerce application. The acquisition and use of such purchase card products complies with mandated procurement, spending, and appropriations rules, regulations, and laws, such as the Federal Acquisition Regulation, the Anti-Deficiency Act, and the Department of Defense “bona fide needs” rule.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating purchase card product transactions for a user account in compliance with procurement, spending, and appropriations rules, regulations, and laws applicable to the user account, said method comprising:

receiving, via an e-commerce transaction, a request for a purchase card product having a stated value, said purchase card product having a product catalog identifier associated therewith;

offering life sciences research products and services for purchase via said e-commerce transaction;

processing, via a subsequent e-commerce transaction, a product purchase for said life sciences research products and services;

electronically processing credit card information, purchase order information, or a combination thereof, as a method of payment for said purchase card product; and

establishing a purchase card balance for said user account in the amount of said stated value.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising initiating shipment of said purchase card product to an entity associated with said user account.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the purchase card product is shipped with a corresponding reconciliation document, said reconciliation document facilitating procurement system intake procedures by said entity.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method facilitates transactions of a government or academic user.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

establishing a purchase card balance occurs in a fiscal year of a government or academic institution associated with the government or academic user account; and

processing said product purchase occurs in a subsequent fiscal year of said government or academic institution.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising establishing a maximum value for said stated value, said maximum value qualifying as a “

micro-purchase”

as defined by the Federal Acquisition Regulation on Dec. 30, 2004.

7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising creating a card record for said purchase card product, said card record including a government funding source identifier.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising offering a plurality of stated values for said purchase card product, each of said plurality of stated values having a different product catalog identifier associated therewith.

9. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

processing, via a subsequent e-commerce transaction, a product purchase for said, user account, said product purchase having a purchase price;

applying said purchase card balance toward said purchase price without requiring a new purchase order or record of call for said product purchase; and

reducing said purchase card balance by said purchase price.

10. A method according to claim 9, further comprising:

generating a web page containing a listing of a plurality of available purchase card balances for said user account; and

receiving a purchase card balance selection that identifies said purchase card balance from said plurality of available purchase card balances.

11. A method according to claim 9, further comprising automatically linking said user account to user-specific pricing for said product purchase, said automatically linking step being performed prior to said processing step.

12. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, via a subsequent e-commerce transaction, a replenish request for said purchase card product, said replenish request corresponding to a stated replenish value, said stated replenish value having a replenish product catalog identifier associated therewith; and

increasing said purchase card balance for said user account in the amount of said stated replenish value.

13. A method according to claim 12, further comprising modifying an existing purchase order to reflect payment for said stated replenish value.

14. A method according to claim 12, further comprising establishing a maximum replenish value for said stated replenish value, said maximum replenish value qualifying as a “

micro-purchase”

as defined by the Federal Acquisition Regulation on Dec. 30, 2004.

15. A method according to claim 12, further comprising offering a plurality of stated replenish values for said purchase card product, each of said plurality of stated replenish values having a different replenish product catalog identifier associated therewith.

16. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a share request for said purchase card product, said share request identifying a secondary user; and

linking said purchase card balance to a secondary user account corresponding to said secondary user.

17. A method according to claim 16, further comprising restricting, for said secondary user account, rights to share and replenish said purchase card balance.

18. A method according to claim 16, further comprising:

said share request identifying said secondary user by an email address of said secondary user; and

sending, via said email address, an email invitation to said secondary user, said email invitation prompting activation of said share request by said secondary user.

19. A method according to claim 18, further comprising:

receiving an activation request in response to sending said email invitation; and

said linking step being performed in response to said activation request.

20. A method for facilitating purchase card transactions for a user account, said method comprising:

offering an e-commerce purchase card for life sciences research products and services, said e-commerce purchase card having a stated value;

offering life sciences research products and services for purchase via said e-commerce transaction;

processing, via a subsequent c-commerce transaction, a product purchase for said life sciences research products and services;

maintaining a purchase card balance for said user account; and

applying, via a subsequent e-commerce transaction for life sciences research products or services having a purchase price, said purchase card balance toward said purchase price;

wherein

offering said e-commerce purchase card and said subsequent e-commerce transaction are in compliance with procurement, spending, and appropriations rules, regulations, and laws applicable to the user account.

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein said applying step comprises applying said purchase card balance toward said purchase price without requiring a purchase order or a record of call for said life science research products or services.

22. A method according to claim 20, further comprising electronically delivering a unique identification number to a user.

23. A method according to claim 20, further comprising initiating shipment of said e-commerce purchase card to an entity associated with said user account.

24. A method according to claim 23, wherein a corresponding reconciliation document is shipped to the entity along with the e-commerce purchase card, said reconciliation document facilitating procurement system intake procedures by said entity.

25. A method according to claim 20, further comprising establishing a maximum value for said stated value, said maximum value qualifying as a “

micro-purchase”

as defined by the Federal Acquisition Regulation on Dec. 30, 2004.

26. A method according to claim 20, further comprising establishing list pricing for said e-commerce purchase card, said list pricing qualifying as “

fair and reasonable”

as defined by the Anti-Deficiency Act on Dec. 30, 2004.

27. A method according to claim 20, further comprising:

receiving, via a subsequent e-commerce transaction, a replenish request for said ecommerce purchase card, said replenish request corresponding to a stated replenish value; and

increasing said purchase card balance for said user account in the amount of said stated replenish value.

28. A method according to claim 27, further comprising modifying an existing purchase order to reflect payment for said stated replenish value.

29. A method according to claim 27, further comprising establishing a maximum replenish value for said stated replenish value, said maximum replenish value qualifying as a “

micro-purchase”

as defined by the Federal Acquisition Regulation on Dec. 30, 2004.

30. A method according to claim 20, wherein:

maintaining a purchase card balance occurs in a fiscal year of a government or academic institution associated with the user account; and

said subsequent e-commerce transaction occurs in a subsequent fiscal year of said government or academic institution.

31. A method according to claim 20, wherein said purchase card balance is maintained in real-time.

32. A method according to claim 31, wherein the purchase card balance is accessible in real-time to users of the user account.

33. A method according to claim 20, wherein the offering comprises offering life sciences research products and/or services other than oligonucleotides and/or their synthesis.

34. A method according to claim 20, wherein the offering comprises offering life sciences research products and services comprising oligonucleotides and/or their synthesis.

35. A method for facilitating purchase card transactions for life sciences research products and services in compliance with mandated procurement, spending, and appropriations rules, regulations, and laws, said method comprising:

offering life sciences research products and services for purchase via an e-commerce transaction;

ordering, via an e-commerce transaction for a user account, a purchase card product having a stated value, said stated value qualifying as a “

micro-purchase”

as defined by the Federal Acquisition Regulation on Dec. 30, 2004;

purchasing, via a subsequent e-commerce transaction, life sciences research product or services for said user account, said life sciences research product or services having a purchase price;

processing, via a subsequent e-commerce transaction, the purchasing of said life sciences research products and services; and

selecting said purchase card product as a method of payment toward said purchase price without requesting a purchase order or a record of call for said life sciences research product or services.

36. A method according to claim 35, further comprising ordering, via a second subsequent e-commerce transaction, a replenish value for said purchase card product, said replenish value having a stated value, said stated value qualifying as a “

micro-purchase”

as defined by the Federal Acquisition Regulation on Dec. 30, 2004.

37. A method according to claim 36, further comprising modifying an existing purchase order to reflect payment for said replenish value.

38. A method according to claim 35, further comprising completing a share request for said purchase card product, said share request identifying a secondary user, and said share request initiating a link between said purchase card product and a secondary user account corresponding to said secondary user.

39. A method according to claim 35, wherein:

ordering said purchase card product occurs in a fiscal year of a government or academic institution associated with the user account; and

purchasing said life sciences research or services occurs in a subsequent fiscal year of said government or academic institution.