Order and accounting method and system for services provided via an interactive communication network

• US 7,828,210 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2007
• Issued: 11/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GrubHub Inc.
• Original Assignee: Osmio Acquisition, LLC
• Inventors: Landau, Scott E., Fante, Peter D.
• Primary Examiner(s): RUDY, ANDREW J
• Application Number:
  US11/974,018
• Publication Number:
  US 20080033828A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,126 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/376, 235/377, 235/383, 235/385, 705/26, 705/28, 705/30, 705/34, 705/40, 707/948, 707/949, 707/999.01, 709/203, 709/217, 709/218
• US Class Current: 235/383
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/944 Business related
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/948 Product or catalog
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/949 Inventory

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and system for providing e-commerce and accounting services to organizations and service providers for offerings ordered by the organization via an on-line interactive communication network. In particular, the present invention relates to a method and system whereby a third party intermediary can absorb certain payment, collection and billing functions on behalf of an organization and service providers which provide services to the organization. The term service provider as used herein refers to any entity or individual that provides a service, including the service of providing goods.

Claims

1. A system for providing e-commerce and accounting services to organizations and service providers for offerings ordered by members of the organization and delivered by the service provider, comprising:

an intermediary;

at least one computer having access to an interactive computer network;

a searchable database consisting of multiple service providers with associated offerings maintained and monitored by the intermediary; and

a transaction server provided by the intermediary in communication with the computer and the database;

wherein;

individual members of an organization can access the searchable database of service providers with associated offerings via the interactive communication network through the computer;

the members can select a service provider from the database;

the members can select offerings from the selected service provider;

the members can communicate billing information to the intermediary;

the billing information can be stored at the intermediary;

the transaction server can communicate the offerings selected by the members from the database to the selected service provider; and

a consolidated invoice can be provided by the intermediary to the organization for all offerings ordered by the members during a predetermined time period.

2. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

payment is collected by the intermediary from the organization on the consolidated invoice;

the intermediary pays the service provider for all offerings ordered therefrom by the members during the predetermined time period.

3. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the members are provided with an additional option of paying for the offering via one of a credit card or cash, in which instance the offering is not billed to the organization on the consolidated invoice.

4. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

the organization is a business;

the members are employees of the business; and

the billing information includes at least one of the employees'"'"' personal identification numbers, a specific identification number for said business, the business'"'"' address, the business'"'"' telephone number, and client billing codes.

5. A system in accordance with claim 4, wherein the searchable database is provided in the form of a searchable web site.

6. A system in accordance with claim 5, wherein the service providers are restaurants, further comprising:

a web browser running at the computer;

a web server at the intermediary;

at least one web page associated with each restaurant in the database, which web page displays at least one of the restaurant menu, the restaurant food type, and the restaurant specialties of the day.

7. A system in accordance with claim 6, wherein:

a report of all meals ordered by the employees during a specified time period is generated by the intermediary, containing at least one of order date, order time, employee name, employee'"'"'s personal identification number, meal ordered, meal cost, client name, client code, and restaurant name; and

the report is forwarded by the intermediary to the business.

8. A system in accordance with claim 7, wherein the report can be sorted by at least one of order date, order time, employee name, employee'"'"'s personal identification number, meal ordered, meal cost, client name, client code, and restaurant name.

9. A system in accordance with claim 7, wherein the report can be generated upon demand by the organization.

10. A system in accordance with claim 7, wherein the report is forwarded by the intermediary to the organization via one of facsimile, email, a global communication network, or said interactive communication network.

11. A system in accordance with claim 6, wherein:

a receipt is generated by the intermediary containing at least one of an order confirmation number, employee name, the employee'"'"'s personal identification number, meal ordered, order date, order time, meal cost, client name, client code, restaurant name.

12. A system in accordance with claim 11, wherein the receipt is forwarded by the intermediary to at least one of the employee, the restaurant, and the organization.

13. A system in accordance with claim 11, wherein the receipt is forwarded by the intermediary via one of facsimile, email, a global communication network, or said interactive communication network.

14. A system in accordance with claim 6, wherein:

an estimated time of meal delivery is forwarded from the restaurant to the organization via the intermediary.

15. A system in accordance with claim 6, wherein the database is searchable by at least one of restaurant name, food type, food preference, and restaurant location.

16. A system in accordance with claim 6, wherein:

the business maintains house accounts with the restaurants; and

the consolidated invoice provides consolidation of amounts due on the house accounts.

17. A system in accordance with claim 2, wherein:

a commission is retained by the intermediary from the payment received from the organization, wherein only the balance of the payment from the organization minus the commission is forwarded by the intermediary to the service provider.

18. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

a history of previous orders is provided by the intermediary for each member.

19. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

real-time assistance is provided by the intermediary to resolve problems associated with an order.

20. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the consolidated invoice is provided by the intermediary to the organization via one of facsimile, email, a global communication network, or said interactive communication network.

21. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the consolidated invoice contains only amounts due for offerings ordered from a particular service provider, such that multiple consolidated reports are provided, each relating to a separate service provider.

22. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the consolidated invoice contains amounts due to each service provider which has been ordered from during the predetermined time period.

23. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the service providers are providers of one of flowers, gifts, transportation, accommodations, travel arrangement, entertainment, office supplies, office copies, documents, food, or beverages.

24. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the members are only allowed access to the searchable database for a pre-selected group of service providers.

25. A system in accordance with claim 24, wherein the pre-selected group of service providers is determined based on geographic location of the organization.

26. A system in accordance with claim 25, wherein the geographic location is determined by proximity to the organization.

27. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the offerings can be delivered to the members.