Turn-around time information management system, storage medium, and turn-around time information management method

• US 8,185,451 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2007
• Issued: 05/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Junji, Shibusawa, Yasuo, Yoshizaki, Hironori, Yamazaki, Miho, Oshima, Yasuhiro, Shimoda, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): FADOK, MARK A
• Application Number:
  US12/003,015
• Publication Number:
  US 20080109328A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,616 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26.1, 705/27.1, 705/22
• US Class Current: 705/27.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

An order data obtaining device displays a list of components on a Web page, and recognizes components selected on the Web page, thereby obtaining order data of a product that is formed of a plurality of components. A turnaround time display control device obtains turn-around time information of each of the components selected on the Web page, and displays on the Web page the longest turn-around time in the turn-around time information as a turn-around time of the product. An accurate turn-around time is calculated in accordance with the selection of components, and a customer is immediately notified of the accurate turn-around time of the product. Thus, loss of competitiveness in the market due to display of a turn-around time being fixed and too long because of its inclusion of leeway is prevented. In addition, since an accurate turn-around time notification is immediately provided to the customer, customer notification of the turn-around time and handling of queries over the phone regarding turn-around time can be reduced, thereby reducing management cost.

Claims

1. A turn-around time information management system for use with a Web page, comprising:

an order data storage device that holds turn-around time information for each of a plurality of components;

an order data obtaining device that obtains order data of a product that is formed of the plurality of components by showing a list of components on the Web page and recognizing components selected on the Web page; and

a turn-around time display control device that displays a predetermined standard turn-around time that is determined based on an assumption that all of the selected components are sufficiently in stock and, in the event that a number of any of the components in stock selected on the Web page is less than a threshold value, (1) displays a message indicating that a turn-around time will be longer than the predetermined standard turn-around time, (2) updates the turn-around time based on the turn-around time information for the selected components having the number in stock that is less than the threshold value; and

(3) displays the updated turn-around time.

2. The turn-around time information management system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined standard turn-around time comprises a time required for assembly of the components to form the product and delivery of the product.

3. The turn-around time information management system according to claim 1, wherein after displaying the message indicating that a turn-around time will be longer than the predetermined standard turn-around time, the turn-around time display control device obtains the turn-around time of information of each of the components selected on the Web page and displays on the Web page the longest turn-around time in the turn-around time information as the updated turn-around time.

8. The turn-around time information management system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined standard turn-around time is determined based on an estimated assembly time of the selected components and based on the assumption that all of the selected components are sufficiently in stock.

4. A computer-readable storage medium that stores a computer program for executing processes for:

holding turn-around time information for each of a plurality of components;

displaying a list of components on a Web page;

obtaining order data of a product that is formed of the plurality of components by recognizing components selected on the Web page;

displaying a predetermined standard turn-around time that is determined based on an assumption that all of the selected components are sufficiently in stock;

displaying a message indicating that a turn-around time will be longer than the predetermined standard turn-around time when the number of any of the components in stock selected on the Web page is less than the threshold value;

updating the turn-around time based on the turn-around time information for the selected components having the number in stock that is less than the threshold value; and

displaying an updated turn-around time.

5. A turn-around time information management method, comprising:

holding turn-around time information for each of a plurality of components;

displaying a list of components on a Web page;

obtaining order data of a product that is formed of the plurality of components by recognizing components selected on the Web page;

displaying a predetermined standard turn-around time that is determined based on an assumption that all of the selected components are sufficiently in stock;

displaying a message indicating that a turn-around time will be longer than the predetermined standard turn-around time when the number of any of the components in stock selected on the Web page is less than the threshold value;

updating the turn-around time based on the turn-around time information for the selected components having the number in stock that is less than the threshold value; and

displaying an updated turn-around time.

6. A client terminal connected to a server device via a network, the client terminal comprising:

a display means for displaying a Web page that lists a plurality of components capable of being combined to form a product,

a communication means for sending order data of the product formed of components selected on the Web Page to the server device, and requesting the server device for turn-around time information of the product, and

a receiving means (1) for receiving from the server device a predetermined standard turn-around time that is determined based on an assumption that all of the selected components are sufficiently in stock, (2) for receiving from the server device a message indicating that a turn-around time will be longer than the predetermined standard turn-around time when the number of any of the components in stock selected on the Web page is less than the threshold value, and (3) for receiving from the server device an updated turn-around time,

wherein the display means displays what is received by the receiving means from the server device.

7. A server device connected to a client terminal via a network, the server device comprising:

a storage device comprising;

a Web page storage portion that stores a Web page that lists a plurality of components capable of being combined to form a product, and

a turn-around time information storage portion that stores turn-around time information for each of the plurality of components,

and

a controller comprising;

an order data obtaining portion that displays the Web page on the client terminal and obtains order data of the product formed from components selected on the Web page; and

a turn-around time information obtaining portion that obtains the turn-around time information for each of the selected components and stores the turn-around time information in the turn-around time information storage portion, wherein

the controller displays on the client terminal a predetermined standard turn-around time that is determined based on an assumption that all of the selected components are sufficiently in stock, displays a message indicating that a turn-around time will be longer than the predetermined standard turn-around time when the controller determines that the number of any of the components in stock selected on the Web page is less than the threshold value, and displays an updated turn-around time.