System and method for computerized ordering of vaccines

• US 20020072991A1
• Filed: 09/13/2001
• Published: 06/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Merck & Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Merck & Co., Inc.
• Inventors: Kane, John
• Application Number:
  US09/951,868
• Publication Number:
  US 20020072991A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders

Abstract

A vaccine product is ordered via a computer communications network such as for example the Internet. An indication of a purchaser is received via the communications network. The purchaser indication may include a purchaser identification, account information, shipping information, and a purchase identification. An indication of a vaccine product and an indication of a quantity to be ordered is received via the communications network. The order is processed based on the purchaser, the vaccine product, and the quantity.

Claims

1. A method for processing a vaccine product order via a computer communications network, the method comprising:

receiving an indication of a purchaser via the communications network;

receiving an indication of the vaccine product and an indication of a quantity to be ordered via the communications network; and

processing the order based on the purchaser, the vaccine product, and the quantity.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

sending a prompt for a password via the communications network;

receiving a password via the communications network; and

comparing the received password to a predefined password, and processing the order for a vaccine product only if the received password is identical to the predefined password.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein receiving an indication of a purchaser comprises receiving one of a purchaser name, a purchaser identification, a selection of a purchaser name, and a selection of a purchaser identification.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising receiving an indication of a shipping address via the communications network.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising determining a shipping address corresponding to the purchaser.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising receiving an indication of an account via the communications network.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising determining an account corresponding to the purchaser.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

sending a list of vaccine products available for ordering via the communications network, prior to receiving an indication of a vaccine product, wherein a purchaser can select from the list the vaccine product and a quantity thereof.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the list of vaccine products further comprises a price for each listed vaccine product.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein receiving an indication of a vaccine product comprises receiving one of a vaccine product name, a vaccine product identification, a selection of a vaccine product name, and a selection of a vaccine product identification.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein processing the order comprises:

determining a price based upon the purchaser, the vaccine product, and the quantity;

sending an indication of the vaccine product, the quantity, and the determined price via the communications network for confirmation of the order; and

receiving a confirmation of the order via the communications network.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein determining a price comprises determining a lowest total price based on the purchaser.

13. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein determining a price comprises determining a price based on at least one of an account corresponding to the purchaser and a shipping address corresponding to the purchaser.

14. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising creating an invoice based on the purchaser, the vaccine product, the quantity, and the price.

15. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

sending a confirmation of the order via the communications network.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the confirmation is one of a web page and an e-mail.

17. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein processing the order comprises processing the order with a credit card number.

18. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein processing the order comprises processing the order with extended credit terms.

19. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

sending a list of information corresponding to the vaccine product via the communications network;

receiving a selection of information via the communications network; and

sending the selected information via the communications network.

20. A method for retrieving vaccine product order information via a computer communications network, the method comprising:

receiving a search criterion for a vaccine product order via a communications network;

searching a data store for a vaccine product order based on the search criterion; and

sending, based on the search, at least one vaccine product order meeting the search criterion via the communications network.

21. The method as recited in claim 20 wherein receiving a search criterion comprises receiving a purchase order number.

22. The method as recited in claim 20 wherein receiving a search criterion comprises:

receiving one of an indication of a purchaser and an indication of an account via the communications network; and

receiving an indication of a date range via the communications network.

24. The method as recited in claim 23, wherein sending a list of information comprises sending a list of information comprising one of product information, prescribing information, support information, a hyper text transport protocol link to other information, an article, and storage and handling information.

25. The method as recited in claim 23, wherein sending information comprises sending one of product information, prescribing information, support information, a hyper text transport protocol link to other information, an article, and storage and handling information.

27. The method as recited in claim 26 wherein determining an area of interest comprises determining an area of interest from one of a database and the Internet.

28. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein sending vaccine product information comprises sending one of product information, prescribing information, support information, a hyper text transport protocol link to other information, an article, and storage and handling information.

23. A method for providing vaccine product information via a computer communications network, the method comprising:

receiving an indication of a vaccine product via the communications network;

sending a list of information corresponding to the vaccine product via the communications network;

receiving a selection from the list of information via the communications network; and

sending information corresponding to the selection via the communications network.

26. A method for providing purchaser relevant vaccine product information via a computer communications network, the method comprising:

receiving an indication of a purchaser via the communications network;

determining an area of interest corresponding to the purchaser; and

sending vaccine product information via the communication network based on the determined area of interest.

29. A method for selling vaccine product via a computer communications network, the method comprising:

providing vaccine product pricing information via the communications network;

providing vaccine product support information via the communications network;

receiving vaccine product order information via the communications network; and

processing a vaccine product order based on the order information.

30. A computer-readable medium having computer readable instructions thereon for processing a vaccine product order via a computer communications network, the instructions when executed on a processor, causing the processor to perform the following:

receiving an indication of a purchaser via the communications network;

receiving an indication of the vaccine product and an indication of a quantity to be ordered via the communications network; and

processing the order based on the purchaser, the vaccine product, and the quantity.

31. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 30, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to perform determining one of a shipping address and an account corresponding to the purchaser.

32. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 30 wherein the instructions further cause the processor to perform:

sending a list of vaccine products available for ordering via the communications network, prior to receiving an indication of a vaccine product, wherein a purchaser can select from the list the vaccine product and a quantity thereof.

33. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 30, wherein processing the order comprises:

determining a price based upon the purchaser, the vaccine product, and the quantity;

sending an indication of the vaccine product, the quantity, and the determined price via the communications network for confirmation of the order; and

receiving a confirmation of the order via the communications network.

34. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 33, wherein determining a price comprises determining a price based on at least one of an account corresponding to the purchaser and a shipping address corresponding to the purchaser.

35. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 30, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to perform creating an invoice based on the purchaser, the vaccine product, the quantity, and the price.

36. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 30, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to perform sending a confirmation of the order via the communications network.

37. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 30, wherein processing the order comprises processing the order with one of a credit card number and extended credit terms.

39. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 38 wherein determining an area of interest comprises determining an area of interest from one of a database and the Internet.

40. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 38, wherein sending vaccine product information comprises sending one of product information, prescribing information, support information, a hyper text transport protocol link to other information, an article, and storage and handling information.

38. A computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions thereon for providing purchaser relevant vaccine product information via a computer communications network, the instructions when executed on a processor performing the following:

receiving an indication of a purchaser via the communications network;

determining an area of interest corresponding to the purchaser; and

sending vaccine product information via the communication network based on the determined area of interest.

41. A computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions thereon for selling vaccine product via a computer communications network, the instructions when executed on a processor performing the following:

providing vaccine product pricing information via the communications network;

providing vaccine product support information via the communications network;

receiving vaccine product order information via the communications network; and

processing a vaccine product order based on the order information.

42. A system for processing a vaccine product order via a computer communications network, the system comprising:

a data store containing account information, purchaser information, and product information; and

an order processing application that performs;

receiving an indication of a purchaser via the communications network;

receiving an indication of the vaccine product and an indication of a quantity to be ordered via the communications network; and

processing the order based on the purchaser, the vaccine product, and the quantity.

43. The system as recited in claim 42, wherein the order processing application further performs determining a shipping address corresponding to the purchaser.

44. The system as recited in claim 42, wherein the order processing application further performs determining an account corresponding to the purchaser.

45. The system as recited in claim 42, wherein the order processing application further performs sending a list of vaccine products available for ordering via the communications network, prior to receiving an indication of a vaccine product, wherein a purchaser can select from the list the vaccine product and a quantity thereof.

46. The system as recited in claim 45, wherein the list of vaccine products further comprises a price for each listed vaccine product.

47. The system as recited in claim 42, wherein processing the order comprises:

determining a price based upon the purchaser, the vaccine product, and the quantity;

sending an indication of the vaccine product, the quantity, and the determined price via the communications network for confirmation of the order; and

receiving a confirmation of the order via the communications network.

48. The system as recited in claim 47, wherein determining a price comprises determining a price based on at least one of an account corresponding to the purchaser and a shipping address corresponding to the purchaser.

49. The system as recited in claim 42, wherein the order processing application further performs creating an invoice based on the purchaser, the vaccine product, the quantity, and the price.

50. The system as recited in claim 42, wherein the order processing application further performs sending a confirmation of the order via the communications network in the form of one of a web page and an e-mail.

51. The system as recited in claim 42, wherein processing the order comprises processing the order with one of a credit card number and extended credit terms.

52. A system for retrieving vaccine product order information via a computer communications network, the system comprising:

a data store containing product information; and

an order processing application that performs;

receiving a search criterion for a vaccine product order via a communications network;

searching a data store for a vaccine product order based on the search criterion; and

sending, based on the search, at least one vaccine product order meeting the search criterion via the communications network.

53. A system for providing purchaser relevant vaccine product information via a computer communications network, the system comprising:

an order processing application that performs;

receiving an indication of a purchaser via the communications network;

determining an area of interest corresponding to the purchaser; and

sending vaccine product information via the communication network based on the determined area of interest.

54. The system as recited in claim 53 wherein determining an area of interest comprises determining an area of interest from one of a database and the Internet.