Cost management file translation methods, systems, and apparatuses for extended commerce

• US 8,170,946 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2005
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ivalua SAS
• Original Assignee: Directworks, Inc. (Ivalua Incorporated)
• Inventors: Blair, William R., Berlin, Richard P., Gummadapu, Venkata Paparao, Allamon, John E. Sr., Gee, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kyle, Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): NIQUETTE, ROBERT R
• Application Number:
  US11/208,694
• Publication Number:
  US 20060041502A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,445 Days
• Field of Search: 705 26- 29, 705 35- 45, 707/9
• US Class Current: 705/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/116 Details of conversion of file system types or formats
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/154 Tree transformation for tree-structured or markup documents, e.g. XSLT, XSL-FO or stylesheets
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/085 specially adapted for interworking of IP-based networks with other networks

Abstract

A quantity of an item referenced within a multilevel bill of material (BOM) is determined. A price bid for the item is received into an application framework from a supplier. The price bid is associated with the item. The cost of the multilevel BOM is determined based on the quantity of the item and the price bid.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method on at least one computer having a computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions, which, when executed by a processor of the computer, causes the processor to implement the method, comprising:

identifying, as identified line items, at least a first and second identical line item of a plurality of line items within a first and second bill of material (BOM), wherein the first line item is associated with a first assembly of the first BOM and the second line item is associated with a second, different assembly of the second BOM;

determining a total quantity of said identified line items referenced within said first and second bill of material (BOM);

receiving a first price bid into an application framework from a first supplier for said identified line items;

receiving a second price bid into said application framework from a second supplier for said identified line items;

associating said first and second price bids with said identified line items; and

transmitting data configured to generate a price comparison frame which displays at least the first price bid and the second price bid for at least one identified line item.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving said first and second price bids, comprises receiving first and second line item price bids.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving said first and second price bids, comprises receiving first and second lot price bids.

4. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor configured;

to receive an identification of identified line items corresponding to at least a first and second identical line item of a plurality of line items referenced within a multilevel bill of material (BOM), wherein the multilevel BOM includes a first assembly and a second assembly different from the first assembly, wherein the first line item is associated with the first assembly and the second line item is associated with the second assembly;

to determine a total quantity of said identified line items referenced within said multilevel bill of material (BOM);

to receive at least one price bid from at least one supplier into an application framework for said identified line items;

to associate said at least one price bid with said identified line items; and

to transmit data configured to generate a display comprising at least one roll-up cost of said multilevel bill of material (BOM) based at least in part on said total quantity of said identified line items and said at least one price bid.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said processor is to:

partition said multilevel BOM into an assembly structure and at least one end item structure, wherein said assembly structure comprises said at least one end item structure; and

receive said at least one price bid for said at least one end item structure.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said processor is to receive a plurality of line item price bids from a respective plurality of suppliers.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said processor is to receive a lot price bid for a lot level, wherein said lot level comprises at least two line items.

8. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said processor is to receive at least two line item price bids for line items comprised in said lot until a summation of said at least two line item price bids equals said lot price bid.

9. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said processor is to:

receive a first line item price bid from a first supplier for a line item;

receive a second line item price bid from a second supplier for said line item; and

compare said first and second line item price bids.

10. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor configured;

to receive an identification of identified line items corresponding to at least a first and second identical line item of a plurality of line items referenced within a bill of material (BOM), wherein the first line item is associated with a first assembly of the first BOM and the second line item is associated with a second, different assembly of the second BOM;

to determine a total quantity of said identified line items referenced within said first and second bill of material (BOM);

to receive a first price bid into an application framework from a first supplier for said identified line items;

to receive a second price bid into said application framework from a second supplier for said identified line items;

to associate said first and second price bids with said identified line items; and

to transmit data configured to generate a price comparison frame which displays at least the first price bid and the second price bid for at least one identified line item.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said processor is to receive first and second line item price bids.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said processor is to receive first and second lot price bids.

13. An article comprising a machine-readable storage medium containing instructions that when executed cause a processor:

to receive an identification of identified line items corresponding to at least a first and second identical line item of a plurality of line items referenced within a multilevel bill of material (BOM), wherein the BOM includes a first assembly and a second assembly different from the first assembly, wherein the first line item is associated with the first assembly and the second line item is associated with the second assembly;

to determine a total quantity of said identified line items referenced within said multilevel bill of material (BOM);

to receive at least one price bid from at least one supplier into an application framework for said identified line items;

to associate said at least one price bid with said identified line items;

to determine at least one roll-up cost of said multilevel BOM based at least in part on said total quantity of said identified line items and said at least one price bid; and

to transmit data configured to generate a display comprising said at least one roll-up cost.

14. The article of claim 13, comprising instructions that if executed enable said processor to partition said multilevel BOM into an assembly structure and at least one end item structure, wherein said assembly structure comprises said at least one end item structure;

and to receive said at least one price bid for said at least one end item structure.

15. The article of claim 14, comprising instructions that if executed enable said processor to receive a plurality of line item price bids from a respective plurality of suppliers.

16. The article of claim 14, comprising instructions that if executed enable said processor to receive a lot price bid for a lot level, wherein said lot level comprises at least two line items.

17. The article of claim 13, comprising instructions that if executed enable said processor to receive at least two line item price bids for line items comprised in said lot until a summation of said at least two line item price bids equals said lot price bid.

18. The article of claim 13, comprising instructions that if executed enable said processor to receive a first line item price bid from a first supplier for a line item;

receive a second line item price bid from a second supplier for said line item; and

compare said first and second line item price bids.

19. An article comprising a machine-readable storage medium containing instructions that when executed cause a processor:

to receive an identification of identified line items corresponding to at least a first and second identical line item of a plurality of line items referenced within a first and second bill of material (BOM), wherein the first line item is associated with a first assembly of the first BOM and the second line item is associated with a second, different assembly of the second BOM;

to determine a total quantity of said identified line items referenced within said first and second bill of material (BOM);

to receive a first price bid into an application framework from a first supplier for said identified line items;

to receive a second price bid into said application framework from a second supplier for said identified line items;

to associate said first and second price bids with said identified line items;

to receive, from at least one supplier at a client node, data associated with at least one of said first and second bill of material; and

to transmit data configured to generate a price comparison frame which compares said first price bid and said second price bid for at least one identified line item.

20. The article of claim 19, comprising instructions that if executed enable said processor to receive first and second line item price bids.

21. The article of claim 19, comprising instructions that if executed enable said processor to receive first and second lot price bids.