Interactive search process for product inquiries

• US 20020082958A1
• Filed: 12/27/2000
• Published: 06/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Swain, Stephen Arthur, Schuster, Robert Merle, Wells, Julie Suzanne, Cox, Donna Marie, Dahlin, Ronald Scott, Phillips, Colin Terry, Cooley, Walter Hening, Tetirick, Craig Wesley, Cory, Richard Lance, Goldberg, Craig Scott, Duley, James Michael Sr., Traina, Gary James, Ose, Leslie Jean, Khinda, Manjeet Kaur, Leighty, Craig Ernest, Roger, Charlene Eclavea Villagomez, Panetta, Thomas S., Cagley, George David II, Stotts, Wayne Allen, Ikemoto, Fred Masato, Wong, Carolyn Elizabeth, Gay, James Stephens, Shockley, Carolyn R.
• Granted Patent: US 6,856,968 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/29
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

A business process utilizes computer software and electronic customer/supplier connections to supply information, receive requests for quotation, supply quotations, receive purchase orders, and perform commercial and technical functions associated with delivery of such purchase orders or quotations with respect to environment and use specific products. Such products require customer or plant application unique technical evaluation and/or commercial processing to ensure applicability to a specific customer application. The system provides a vehicle to search for parts requiring such technical review encompassing anticipated product use.

Claims

1. A method of processing an inquiry from a customer for environment and use specific parts, the method comprising:

(a) storing information relating to environment and use specific parts, including upgrades, supercessions, and replacements in a part database;

(b) receiving a customer inquiry concerning a part;

(c) searching the part database for the information relevant to the part; and

(d) outputting the information for customer display.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein step (b) is practiced by receiving a customer indication of anticipated part use, and wherein step (c) is practiced by searching the part database based on the anticipated part use.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the anticipated part use comprises a geographical location.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein the anticipated part use comprises an environment.

5. A method according to claim 2, wherein the anticipated use comprises whether the part is anticipated for use with safety concerns.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising (e) enabling the customer to request a price quote for the part.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein step (e) is practiced by enabling the customer to select a purchase option.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein step (a) is practiced by storing contact information based on the selected purchase option.

9. A method according to claim 6, wherein step (e) is practiced by delivering the price quote only to an authorized representative.

10. A method according to claim 6, wherein step (b) is practiced by receiving a customer indication of anticipated part use, and wherein the method further comprises providing the price quote based on the anticipated part use.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein step (a) is practiced by storing at least one of regulating organization, qualification status, shelf life, obsolescence information and delivery cycles.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein step (a) is practiced by receiving a first inquiry including a product identifier or description, processing the first inquiry to output a class of matching products, and receiving at least a second inquiry including at least one of additional technical information and the anticipated use information.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the additional technical information comprises at least one of regulating organization, qualification status, whether the part is anticipated for use with safety concerns, shelf life, obsolescence information, purchase options, delivery cycles, and contact person.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the purchase options comprise new, refurbished and upgraded.

16. A method according to claim 12, wherein step (c) comprises outputting obsolescence solutions.

17. A method according to claim 12, further comprising (e) enabling the customer to request a price quote for the product.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein step (e) is practiced by enabling the customer to specify unique criteria for the product.

19. A method according to claim 18, further comprising storing customer and respective anticipated use information , and reviewing, creating and modifying the database data by customer according to the unique criteria for the product.

20. A method according to claim 17, wherein step (e) is practiced by enabling the customer to specify product priority.

12. A method of processing an inquiry from a customer, the method comprising:

(a) receiving a product inquiry from a customer, the inquiry including anticipated use information;

(b) searching a database of products based on the product inquiry; and

(c) outputting a search result.

21. A computer system for processing an inquiry from a customer for environment and use specific parts, the computer system comprising:

at least one user computer running a computer program that requests information according to an input product inquiry, including anticipated use information;

a system server running a server program, the at least one user computer and the system server being interconnected by a computer network, the system server searching a database of products according to the input product inquiry and sending the requested information via the computer network.

22. A computer program embodied on a computer-readable medium for processing an inquiry from a customer for environment and use specific parts, the computer program comprising:

means for receiving a product inquiry from a customer, the inquiry including anticipated use information;

means for searching a database of products based on the product inquiry; and

means for outputting a search result.