Intelligent inventory applications and services

• US 7,761,325 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2006
• Issued: 07/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hussain, Altaf
• Primary Examiner(s): Gart; Matthew S
• Assistant Examiner(s): GLASS, RUSSELL S
• Application Number:
  US11/588,549
• Publication Number:
  US 20080103914A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,362 Days
• Field of Search: 705/28, 705/26
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for intelligent inventory applications and services. A purchase request to purchase a product is received that has a product number to be purchased, an account number to process for payment, and a purchaser'"'"'s inventory information that identifies the purchaser'"'"'s inventory database to update with the product number. The account number is communicated for payment authorization. When payment is authorized, the product number is communicated to the purchaser'"'"'s inventory database to reflect the purchase of the product.

Claims

1. A method of managing inventory, comprising:

receiving, at a financial institution'"'"'s computer, a purchase request to purchase a toner printer cartridge, the purchase request comprising a product number, an account number, a purchaser'"'"'s inventory information, and a room descriptor, the product number uniquely identifying the toner printer cartridge to be purchased, the account number identifying an account to be processed for payment, the inventory information identifying a purchaser'"'"'s inventory database to update with the product number, and the room descriptor associating the toner printer cartridge to a copy room;

process a financial transaction at the financial institution'"'"'s computer that authorizes payment of the purchase request; and

when payment is authorized, sending the product number from the financial institution'"'"'s computer to the purchaser'"'"'s inventory database according to the purchaser'"'"'s inventory information,

wherein the financial institution'"'"'s computer updates the purchaser'"'"'s inventory database to reflect the purchase of the toner printer cartridge.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein receiving the purchase request comprises receiving a credit card account number as payment.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein receiving the purchase request comprises receiving a communications address of a communications device that manages the purchaser'"'"'s inventory database.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising communicating the room descriptor to the purchaser'"'"'s inventory database to update the purchaser'"'"'s inventory.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein receiving the purchase request comprises receiving a room descriptor associated with a layout of a building, the room descriptor describing a room in the building that will be associated with the product number.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:

receiving communications information describing communications requirements of the product to be inventoried;

accessing communications outlet information describing a communications outlet installed within one of the rooms of the building; and

associating the inventory information and the communications information to the communications outlet information.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

sending a product information query to a product server maintained by a manufacturer of the toner printer cartridge;

retrieving product information describing the toner printer cartridge; and

storing the product information in the purchaser'"'"'s inventory database.

8. A system of managing inventory, comprising:

a processor executing code stored in memory that causes the processor to;

receive a purchase request to purchase a toner printer cartridge, the purchase request comprising a product number, an account number, a purchaser'"'"'s inventory information, and a room descriptor, the product number uniquely identifying the product to be purchased, the account number identifying an account to be processed for payment, the inventory information identifying a purchaser'"'"'s inventory database to update with the product number, and the room descriptor associating the toner printer cartridge to a copy room;

process a financial transaction that authorizes payment of the purchase request;

associate the toner printer cartridge in an inventory database to the purchaser'"'"'s inventory information;

associate the copy room to multiple users;

establish access permissions for each user to the purchaser'"'"'s inventory information; and

when payment is authorized, send the product number to the purchaser'"'"'s inventory database to update the purchaser'"'"'s inventory information,

wherein the purchaser'"'"'s inventory database is updated to reflect the purchase of the toner printer cartridge.

9. The system according to claim 8, further comprising code that causes the processor to receive a credit card account number as payment.

10. The system according to claim 8, further comprising code that causes the processor to receive a communications address of a communications device that manages the purchaser'"'"'s inventory database.

11. The system according to claim 8, further comprising code that causes the processor to associate the copy room to a layout of a building.

12. The system according to claim 11, further comprising code that causes the processor to communicate the room descriptor to the purchaser'"'"'s inventory database to update the purchaser'"'"'s inventory.

13. The system according to claim 8, further comprising code that causes the processor to communicate a purchase price and a date of purchase to the purchaser'"'"'s inventory database.

14. A computer program product comprising computer-readable instructions for:

receiving, at a financial institution'"'"'s computer, a purchase request to purchase a toner printer cartridge, the purchase request comprising a product number, an account number, a purchaser'"'"'s inventory information, and a room descriptor, the product number uniquely identifying the product to be purchased, the account number identifying an account to be processed for payment, the inventory information identifying a purchaser'"'"'s inventory database to update with the product number, and the room descriptor associating the toner printer cartridge to a copy room;

authorizing payment of the purchase request;

when payment is authorized, sending the product number from the financial institution'"'"'s computer to the purchaser'"'"'s inventory database to update the purchaser'"'"'s inventory information;

storing the product number in the inventory database;

associating the product number with an access permission;

configuring the access permission as public or private, the public permission permitting other users to view the product number when accessing the inventory information, and the private permission hiding the product number when the other users access the inventory information,

wherein the financial institution'"'"'s computer updates the purchaser'"'"'s inventory database to reflect the purchase of the toner printer cartridge.

15. The computer program product according to claim 14, further comprising instructions for receiving a credit card account number as payment.

16. The computer program product according to claim 14, further comprising instructions for receiving a communications address of a communications device that manages the purchaser'"'"'s inventory database.

17. The computer program product according to claim 14, further comprising instructions for associating the copy room to a layout of a building.

18. The computer program product according to claim 14, further comprising instructions for communicating the room descriptor to the purchaser'"'"'s inventory database to update the purchaser'"'"'s inventory information.