Method and apparatus for permitting stage-door access to on-line vendor information

• US 7,962,367 B1
• Filed: 03/09/1999
• Issued: 06/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Joseph M. Fuisz, Richard C. Fuisz
• Original Assignee: Privateer Ltd.
• Inventors: Fuisz, Joseph M., Fuisz, Richard C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kramer; James A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lemieux; Jessica L
• Application Number:
  US09/264,900
• Time in Patent Office: 4,480 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/7, 707/104
• US Class Current: 705/26.8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

The present invention provides Internet users with access to an on-line vendor that has detailed product information some or all of which is supplied by at least one product supplier. Through selected storage and sharing of data, an on-line store is married to a supplier'"'"'s product database. The on-line vendor is able to provide greater product information at a vastly reduced cost. The product supplier is provided with a unique company forum in which company activities such as sales training can be consolidated with advertising activities and product information to provide the most economical and up-to-date training information for the company.

Claims

1. An on-line system comprising:

an on-line vendor system that may be selectively accessed by an on-line vendor user and comprising at least data relating to a selection of available products for sale by the on-line vendor;

a product supplier database maintained by the product supplier comprising detailed information concerning products supplied by a product supplier, at least some of the products supplied by the product supplier being at least some of the available products for sale by the on-line vendor; and

a management system dynamically connecting the on-line vendor system and the product supplier database for controlling access by the on-line vendor user to the product supplier database through the on-line vendor system to provide the on-line vendor user with detailed information from the product supplier database concerning at least one product of the available products for sale by the on-line vendor.

2. The on-line system according to claim 1, wherein the on-line system comprises a plurality of on-line vendor systems that may be selectively accessed by an on-line vendor user and comprising at least data relating to a selection of available products for sale by a plurality of on-line vendors.

3. The on-line system according to claim 2, wherein the on-line system comprises a plurality of product supplier databases comprising detailed information concerning products supplied by a plurality of product suppliers, at least some of the products supplied by the product suppliers being at least some of the available products for sale by the on-line vendors.

4. The on-line system according to claim 1, wherein the on-line system comprises a plurality of product supplier databases comprising detailed information concerning products supplied by a plurality of product suppliers, at least some of the products supplied by the product suppliers being at least some of the available products for sale by the on-line vendor.

5. The on-line system according to claim 1, wherein the on-line vendor system contains at least price data maintained by the on-line vendor relating to the selection of available products for sale by the on-line vendor.