Alternative selections for compound price quoting

• US 8,370,215 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2011
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ResponseLogix, Inc. (Digital Air Strike, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ResponseLogix, Inc. (Digital Air Strike, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mohr, L. Thomas, Rajan, Jagdish, Weaver, Timothy D.
• Primary Examiner(s): HAQ, NAEEM U
• Application Number:
  US13/228,407
• Publication Number:
  US 20110320305A1
• Time in Patent Office: 516 Days
• Field of Search: 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: 705/26.64
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0611 Request for offers or quotes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0629 for generating comparisons

Abstract

Methods and systems for automated alternative selection for compound price quotes are provided. A requesting party submits a request that includes information regarding at least one specification. A database is searched based on the information provided by the request. The search results are evaluated to determine whether they meet a predefined target. When the search results do not meet a predefined target, an alternative specification is identified. At least a second set of search results is retrieved from the database that may be used to meet the target. Vehicles are selected for inclusion in a compound price quote. A compound price quote including multiple price quotes for each selected vehicles is generated.

Claims

1. A method for automated vehicle selection for a price quote, the method comprising:

maintaining, via executable instructions stored in a memory and executed by a processor, a database in memory, the database storing information concerning a plurality of available vehicles, the stored information including a plurality of features associated with each vehicle;

receiving, via executable instructions stored in the memory and executed by the processor, a price quote request concerning a requested vehicle, the price quote request indicating a specification regarding a feature of the requested vehicle;

retrieving, via executable instructions stored in a memory and executed by a processor, a first set of search results from the database, the first set of search results including available vehicles matching the specification provided by the price quote request;

determining, via executable instructions stored in a memory and executed by a processor, that the first set of search results do not meet a predefined target, the predefined target referring to a number of price quotes that can be generated for the available vehicles;

identifying, via executable instructions stored in a memory and executed by a processor, an alternative specification regarding the vehicle;

retrieving, via executable instructions stored in a memory and executed by a processor, a second set of search results from the database, the second set of search results including available vehicles matching the identified alternative specification, and the second set of search results including;

at least one pre-owned vehicle when the specification provided by the price quote request includes a new vehicle, and

at least one new vehicle when the specification provided by the price quote request includes a pre-owned vehicle;

selecting, via executable instructions stored in a memory and executed by a processor, a plurality of vehicles in accordance with the target, each vehicle being selected from the first set or the second set of search results; and

generating, via executable instructions stored in a memory and executed by a processor, a response including a price quote for each of the selected vehicles.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the specification is selected from a group consisting of make, model, year, trim, color, body style, vehicle segment, duty type, option, use level, inventory age, equipment level, and vehicle identification number (VIN).

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the identified alternative specification includes fewer features than the specification provided by the price quote request.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the identified alternative specification includes more features than the specification provided by the price quote request.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having embodied thereon a program, the program being executable by a processor to perform a method for automated vehicle selection for a price quote, the method comprising:

maintaining a database in memory, the database storing information concerning a plurality of available vehicles associated with a dealer, the stored information including a plurality of features associated with each vehicle;

receiving a price quote request concerning a requested vehicle, the price quote request indicating geographic location and a specification regarding a feature of the requested vehicle;

retrieving a first set of search results from the database, the first set of search results including available vehicles matching the specification provided by the price quote request;

determining when the first set of search results do not meet a predefined target, the predefined target referring to a number of price quotes that can be generated for the available vehicles;

identifying an alternative specification regarding the vehicle;

retrieving a second set of search results from the database, the second set of search results including available vehicles matching the identified alternative specification, and the second set of search results including;

at least one pre-owned vehicle when the specification provided by the price quote request includes a new vehicle, and

at least one new vehicle when the specification provided by the price quote request includes a pre-owned vehicle;

selecting a plurality of vehicles in accordance with the target, each vehicle being selected from the first set or the second set of search results; and

generating a response including a price quote for each of the selected vehicles.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the specification is selected from a group consisting of make, model, year, trim, color, body style, vehicle segment, duty type, option, use level, inventory age, equipment level, and vehicle identification number (VIN).

7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the available vehicles include a plurality of vehicle configurations.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the identified alternative specification includes fewer features than the specification provided by the price quote request.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the identified alternative specification includes more features than the specification provided by the price quote request.

10. An apparatus for automated vehicle selection for a price quote comprising:

a processor; and

a memory communicatively coupled with the processor, the memory storing executable instructions which when executed by the processor performs a method comprising;

maintaining a database in the memory, the database storing information concerning a plurality of available vehicles, the stored information including a plurality of features associated with each vehicle;

receiving a price quote request concerning a requested vehicle, the price quote request indicating a specification regarding a feature of the requested vehicle;

retrieving a first set of search results from the database, the first set of search results including available vehicles matching the specification provided by the price quote request;

determining when the first set of search results do not meet a predefined target, the predefined target referring to a number of price quotes that can be generated for the available vehicles;

identifying an alternative specification regarding the vehicle;

retrieving a second set of search results from the database, the second set of search results including available vehicles matching the identified alternative specification, and the second set of search results including;

at least one pre-owned vehicle when the specification provided by the price quote request includes a new vehicle, and

at least one new vehicle when the specification provided by the price quote request includes a pre-owned vehicle;

selecting a plurality of vehicles in accordance with the target, each vehicle being selected from the first set or the second set of search results; and

generating a response including a price quote for each of the selected vehicles.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the specification is selected from a group consisting of make, model, year, trim, color, body style, vehicle segment, duty type, option, use level, inventory age, equipment level, and vehicle identification number (VIN).

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the identified alternative specification includes fewer features than the specification provided by the price quote request.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the identified alternative specification includes more features than the specification provided by the price quote request.