Increased visibility during order management in a network-based supply chain environment

• US 10,013,705 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2014
• Issued: 07/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Mikurak, Michael G.
• Primary Examiner(s): ADE, OGER GARCIA
• Application Number:
  US14/175,841
• Publication Number:
  US 20140222610A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,607 Days
• Field of Search: 705 22
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants

Abstract

A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for a first business entity to provide a network-based supply chain framework for collaborative order management between at least a second and a third independent business entity, such as a service provider, vendor, reseller, manufacturer and the like. A request for an order is received over a network with an automated system, from at least a second business entity. The order is transmitted over a network, with an automated system, to at least the third business entity. Information is received from the third business entity relating to a status of completion of the order by the third business entity using a network. The progress in completing the order is tracked based on the information received from the third business entity. Progress reports from the tracking are generated periodically; and transmitted to the second business entity using the network.

Claims

1. A system for order management in a network-based supply chain framework, comprising:

a processor connected to an electronic communications network and a display; and

a memory having instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving a customer selection of a first offering;

automatically displaying to the customer in response to the customer selection, using the processor to transmit data for display through the electronic communications network, a graphical user interface is divided into an information region and a shopping basket region that is configured to be locked in display while the information region is scrolled, where the information region includes offering specifications of a first offering, one or more images of the first offering, the one or more images of the offering reflecting one or more default features of the first offering;

providing, in the information region of the graphical user interface and for display to the customer, one or more selectable user interface elements for one or more available features for the first offering;

receiving, via transmission through the electronic communications network, a customer selection of an available feature of the one or more available features for the first offering made through the graphical user interface by a selection of the selectable user interface element corresponding to the available feature;

generating one or more updated images of the first offering reflecting the selected available feature for the first offering;

providing, in the information region of the graphical user interface and for display to the customer in response to the customer selection of the available feature, the one or more updated images of the first offering, the one or more updated images of the first offering reflecting the selected available feature for the first offering;

receiving from the customer, via transmission through the electronic communications network, a selection for purchase of the first offering with the selected available feature made through the graphical user interface; and

providing, in the shopping basket region of the graphical user interface and for display to the customer in response to the selection for purchase of the first offering with the selected available feature made through the graphical user interface, an indication of the first offering with the selected available feature made through the graphical user interface.

2. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the operations comprise:

identifying a user profile of the customer; and

obtaining at least one of the one or more default features from the user profile of the customer.

3. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the operations comprise:

determining a geographic location of the customer; and

determining a price for the first offering having the one or more default features and the selected additional available feature at the geographic location of the customer; and

providing, for display to the customer, the determined price for the first offering having the one or more default features and the selected additional available feature at the geographic location of the customer.

4. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

generating, using the processor, a price of the first offering based on the customer selection of the available feature of the first offering.

5. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the operations comprise:

determining that one or more features of the first offering are unavailable for the customer; and

generating a presentation that omits respective images of unavailable features of the first offering.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions which, when executed on a processor, perform operations for order management in a network-based supply chain framework, the operations comprising:

receiving a customer selection of a first offering;

automatically displaying to the customer in response to the customer selection, using the processor to transmit data for display through the electronic communications network, a graphical user interface is divided into an information region and a shopping basket region that is configured to be locked in display while the information region is scrolled, where the information region includes offering specifications of a first offering, one or more images of the first offering, the one or more images of the offering reflecting one or more default features of the first offering;

providing, in the information region of the graphical user interface and for display to the customer, one or more selectable user interface elements for one or more available features for the first offering;

receiving, via transmission through the electronic communications network, a customer selection of an available feature of the one or more available features for the first offering made through the graphical user interface by a selection of the selectable user interface element corresponding to the available feature;

generating one or more updated images of the first offering reflecting the selected available feature for the first offering;

providing, in the information region of the graphical user interface and for display to the customer in response to the customer selection of the available feature, the one or more updated images of the first offering, the one or more updated images of the first offering reflecting the selected available feature for the first offering;

receiving from the customer, via transmission through the electronic communications network, a selection for purchase of the first offering with the selected available feature made through the graphical user interface; and

providing, in the shopping basket region of the graphical user interface and for display to the customer in response to the selection for purchase of the first offering with the selected available feature made through the graphical user interface, an indication of the first offering with the selected available feature made through the graphical user interface.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 6, wherein the operations comprise:

identifying a user profile of the customer; and

obtaining at least one of the one or more default features from the user profile of the customer.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 6, wherein the operations comprise:

determining a geographic location of the customer; and

determining a price for the first offering having the one or more default features and the selected additional available feature at the geographic location of the customer; and

providing, for display to the customer, the determined price for the first offering having the one or more default features and the selected additional available feature at the geographic location of the customer.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 6, wherein the operations comprise:

generating a price of the first offering based on the customer selection of the available feature of the first offering.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 6, wherein the operations comprise:

determining that one or more features of the first offering are unavailable for the customer; and

generating a presentation that omits respective images of unavailable features of the first offering.

11. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a customer selection of a first offering;

automatically displaying to the customer in response to the customer selection, using the processor to transmit data for display through the electronic communications network, a graphical user interface is divided into an information region and a shopping basket region that is configured to be locked in display while the information region is scrolled, where the information region includes offering specifications of a first offering, one or more images of the first offering, the one or more images of the offering reflecting one or more default features of the first offering;

providing, in the information region of the graphical user interface and for display to the customer, one or more selectable user interface elements for one or more available features for the first offering;

receiving, via transmission through the electronic communications network, a customer selection of an available feature of the one or more available features for the first offering made through the graphical user interface by a selection of the selectable user interface element corresponding to the available feature;

generating one or more updated images of the first offering reflecting the selected available feature for the first offering;

providing, in the information region of the graphical user interface and for display to the customer in response to the customer selection of the available feature, the one or more updated images of the first offering, the one or more updated images of the first offering reflecting the selected available feature for the first offering;

receiving from the customer, via transmission through the electronic communications network, a selection for purchase of the first offering with the selected available feature made through the graphical user interface; and

providing, in the shopping basket region of the graphical user interface and for display to the customer in response to the selection for purchase of the first offering with the selected available feature made through the graphical user interface, an indication of the first offering with the selected available feature made through the graphical user interface.

12. The method of claim 11, comprising:

identifying a user profile of the customer; and

obtaining at least one of the one or more default features from the user profile of the customer.

13. The method of claim 11, comprising:

determining a geographic location of the customer; and

determining a price for the first offering having the one or more default features and the selected additional available feature at the geographic location of the customer; and

providing, for display to the customer, the determined price for the first offering having the one or more default features and the selected additional available feature at the geographic location of the customer.

14. The method of claim 11, comprising:

generating a price of the first offering based on the customer selection of the available feature of the first offering.

15. The method of claim 11, comprising:

determining that one or more features of the first offering are unavailable for the customer; and

generating a presentation that omits respective images of unavailable features of the first offering.