Blocking orders during order processing

• US 7,996,271 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2006
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chan, Yumman, Srikanth, Viswanath, Mirlas, Lev
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAH, AMEE A
• Application Number:
  US11/342,383
• Publication Number:
  US 20070179859A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,020 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/26, 705/27
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

A block for an order is received during processing of the order, wherein a reason for the block for the order is associated with the block for the order. A set of actions is identified based on the reason for the block for the order in response to receiving the block for the order. The set of actions is executed with respect to the order in response to identifying the set of actions based on the reason for the block for the order, wherein the set of actions comprises a stage at which processing for the order ceases, restarts, and executes recovery actions, as specified.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for blocking orders during order processing comprising:

receiving a block for an order during processing of the order;

a computer, which is programmed as an electronic commerce order processing system, determining a reason for the block for the order;

the computer accessing data that indicates a plurality of reasons for blocking an order and a plurality of actions, wherein the data specifies a set of one or more actions of the plurality of actions to take for each of a plurality of reasons for blocking an order, wherein the plurality of reasons for blocking an order comprises the reason for the block of the order;

the computer selecting the set of one or more actions specified for the reason for the block for the order;

the computer executing the set of actions with respect to the order, wherein said executing the set of actions comprises the computer ceasing processing for the order at a specified stage of the order processing and resuming processing for the order after the block is resolved;

determining a second reason for the block for the order;

accessing the data;

selecting a second set of actions of a plurality of actions specified for the second reason;

executing the second set of actions, wherein executing the second set of actions comprises at least one of;

stopping execution of a current stage in the processing of the order;

restarting execution of the current stage in the processing of the order responsive to the block for the order being resolved; and

completing execution of the current stage in the processing of the order.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the set of actions further comprises a condition needed for said resuming the processing of the order and wherein the set of actions indicate that the specified stage of the order processing cannot be executed while the block is unresolved.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein executing the set of actions further comprises:

restarting processing of the order at a current stage in the processing of the order when the block for the order is resolved.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein executing the set of actions further comprises:

reversing the current status of the order to the previous status of the order that existed prior to execution of the current stage in the processing of the order.

5. An apparatus for blocking orders during order processing, the apparatus comprising:

a bus;

a storage device connected to the bus, wherein the storage device contains a computer usable program product, and wherein the computer usable program product contains a plurality of instructions; and

a processing unit connected to the bus, wherein the plurality of instructions causes the processor unit to perform steps comprising;

receiving a block for an order during processing of the order;

determining a reason for the block for the order;

accessing data that indicates a plurality of reasons for blocking an order and a plurality of actions, wherein the data specifies a set of one or more actions of the plurality of actions to take for each of a plurality of reasons for blocking an order, wherein the plurality of reasons for blocking an order comprises the reason for the block of the order;

selecting the set of one or more actions specified for the reason for the block for the order;

executing the set of actions with respect to the order, wherein said executing the set of one or more actions comprises ceasing processing for the order at a specified stage of the order processing and resuming processing for the order after the block is resolved;

determining a second reason for the block for the order;

accessing the data;

selecting a second set of actions of a plurality of actions specified for the second reason;

executing the second set of actions, wherein executing the second set of actions comprises at least one of;

stopping execution of a current stage in the processing of the order;

restarting execution of the current stage in the processing of the order responsive to the block for the order being resolved; and

completing execution of the current stage in the processing of the order.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the set of actions further comprises a condition needed for said resuming the processing of the order and wherein the set of actions indicate that the specified stage of the order processing cannot be executed while the block is unresolved.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein executing the set of actions further comprises:

restarting processing of the order at a current stage in the processing of the order when the block for the order is resolved.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein executing the set of actions further comprises:

reversing the current status of the order to the previous status of the order that existed prior to execution of the current stage in the processing of the order.

9. A computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer usable storage medium having computer usable program code embodied therein, the computer usable program code causing a computer to perform steps comprising;

receiving a block for an order during processing of the order;

determining a reason for the block for the order;

accessing data that indicates a plurality of reasons for blocking an order and a plurality of actions, wherein the data specifies a set of one or more actions of the plurality of actions to take for each of a plurality of reasons for blocking an order, wherein the plurality of reasons for blocking an order comprises the reason for the block of the order;

selecting the set of one or more actions specified for the reason for the block for the order;

executing the set of actions with respect to the order, wherein said executing the set of one or more actions comprises ceasing processing for the order at a specified stage of the order processing and resuming processing for the order after the block is resolved;

determining a second reason for the block for the order;

accessing the data;

selecting a second set of actions of a plurality of actions specified for the second reason;

executing the second set of actions, wherein executing the second set of actions comprises at least one of;

stopping execution of a current stage in the processing of the order;

restarting execution of the current stage in the processing of the order responsive to the block for the order being resolved; and

completing execution of the current stage in the processing of the order.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the set of actions further comprises a condition needed for said resuming the processing of the order and wherein the set of actions indicate that the specified stage of the order processing cannot be executed while the block is unresolved.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein executing the set of actions further comprises:

restarting processing of the order at a current stage in the processing of the order when the block for the order is resolved.

12. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein executing the set of actions further comprises:

reversing the current status of the order to the previous status of the order that existed prior to execution of the current stage in the processing of the order.