System, method, and computer-readable medium for automatic query and order processing via the internet

• US 8,280,780 B1
• Filed: 07/17/2009
• Issued: 10/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: Open Invention Network LLC
• Inventors: Ledet, David Gerard
• Primary Examiner(s): HAQ, NAEEM U
• Application Number:
  US12/505,109
• Time in Patent Office: 1,173 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/26.1, 705/26.2, 705/26.25, 705/26.3, 705/26.35, 705/26.4, 705 2641- 2644, 705/26.5, 705 2661- 2664, 705/26.7, 705/26.8, 705/26.81, 705/26.82, 705/26.9, 705/27.1, 705/27.2
• US Class Current: 705/26.61
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing

Abstract

A system, method, and computer readable medium for facilitating user interaction with numerous product suppliers to determine which supplier to utilize for ordering a product based on various parameters are provided. A user may interact with one or more suppliers using similar or different parameters for each supplier within the same application without having to switch to another external application. Results are provided in a visually appealing and logical manner and automate the ordering of an item if that item is found at a particular supplier within predefined thresholds specified by the user. In this manner, orders may be submitted at the moment order thresholds are met, and decisions may be made automatically by one or more of the system, the user, or on an interaction by the user and another individual.

Claims

1. A method of processing product queries in a network system, comprising:

providing a graphical user interface at a client data processing system;

entering, by a user of the client data processing system, parameters associated with a product desired to be ordered by the user in the graphical user interface;

issuing, by the client data processing system, a query to a plurality of data processing systems of respective product suppliers, wherein the query is derived from the parameters entered by the user;

receiving, by the client data processing system, results of the query issued by the plurality of supplier data processing systems;

organizing, by the client data processing system, the results in a descending ordered display with at least a portion of the results matching the parameters at the top of the descending ordered display and the remaining results not matching the parameters at the bottom of the descending ordered display;

wherein the remaining results are further organized into an additional display portion with a request control for an additional query to retrieve additional results for the parameter not included in the results;

displaying, by the client data processing system, the request control for the additional query in a graphical user interface in association with the parameter that did not match the results; and

wherein the request control comprises a plurality of controls that each allow selection of a communication mechanism for an additional request of the parameter that did not match the results.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining that the parameters are satisfied by a first product supplier of the product suppliers.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising responsive to determining that the parameters are satisfied by the first product supplier, ordering the product from the first product supplier.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the parameters includes a respective equality condition associated therewith.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the respective equality condition comprises at least one of an equality condition applied to a product price, a product quantity, and a shipping delivery duration.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions for execution by a processor included in a processing system, the computer-executable instructions for processing product queries in a network system, the instructions, when executed by the processing system, cause the processor to:

provide a graphical user interface at a client data processing system;

receive parameters associated with a product desired to be ordered by a user in the graphical user interface, wherein at least one or more of the parameters includes a respective equality condition associated therewith;

issue, by the client data processing system, a query to a plurality of data processing systems of respective product suppliers, wherein the query is derived from the parameters;

receive, by the client data processing system, results of the query issued by the plurality of supplier data processing systems; and

organize, by the client data processing system, the results according to results in a descending ordered display with at least a portion of the results matching the parameters at the top of the descending ordered display and the remaining results not matching the parameters at the bottom of the descending ordered display;

wherein the remaining results are further organized into an additional display portion with a request control for an additional query to retrieve additional results for the parameter not included in the results;

display, by the client data processing system, the request control for the additional query in a graphical user interface in association with the parameter that does not match the results; and

wherein the request control comprises a plurality of controls that each allow selection of a communication mechanism for an additional request of the parameter that did not match the results.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 6, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the processing system to determine that the parameters are satisfied by a first product supplier of the product suppliers.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the processing system to order the product from the first product supplier responsive to determining that the parameters are satisfied by the first product supplier.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 6, wherein the respective equality condition comprises at least one of an equality condition applied to a product price, a product quantity, and a shipping delivery duration.

10. A system for processing product queries, comprising:

a network system;

a client data processing system communicatively coupled with the network system; and

a plurality of product supplier data processing systems communicatively coupled with the network system, wherein the client data processing system provides a graphical user interface for entry of parameters associated with a product desired to be ordered, wherein at least one or more of the parameters includes a respective equality condition associated therewith, wherein the client data processing system issues a query to the plurality of product supplier data processing systems that is derived from the parameters entered, receives results of the query issued by the plurality of supplier data processing systems, and organizes the results in a descending ordered display with at least a portion of the results matching the parameters at the top of the descending ordered display and the remaining results not matching the parameters at the bottom of the descending ordered display, wherein the remaining results are further organized into an additional display portion with a request control for an additional query to retrieve additional results for the parameter not included in the results;

wherein the client data processing system displays the request control for the additional query in a graphical user interface in association with the parameter that did not match the results; and

wherein the request control comprises a plurality of controls that each allow selection of a communication mechanism for an additional request of the parameter that did not match the results.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the client data processing system determines that the parameters are satisfied by a first product supplier of the product suppliers.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the product is ordered from the first product supplier responsive to determining that the parameters are satisfied by the first product supplier.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the respective equality condition comprises at least one of an equality condition applied to a product price, a product quantity, and a shipping delivery duration.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein a result associated with a parameter is not included in the results of the query, and the client data processing system displays a request control in a graphical user interface in association with the parameter that is not included in the results.