System and method permitting customers to order products from multiple participating merchants
First Claim
1. A computer system for automated order processing permitting a plurality of customers who have already provided a customer information set to the system to order one or more products from a plurality of products offered by one of a plurality of participating merchants, said system comprising:
- a first database including a variable length order number assigned to each of the plurality of products, each order number identifying a unique one of said plurality of products and the one of said plurality of participating merchants offering the product;
a customer database including the customer information set corresponding to each of the plurality of system customers, said information set including a customer identification, a customer address, and a method of payment;
means for receiving an incoming product order number representing one of the plurality of products offered from one of the plurality of customers;
means for matching the incoming product order number to the one of the customer information sets corresponding to the one of the plurality of customers;
means for matching the incoming product order to the one of said plurality of participating merchants that offers the one of the plurality of products;
means for communicating the receipt of the product order number to the one of said plurality of participating merchants; and
security means for confirming the identity of the one of the plurality of customers placing the order.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A universal automated order processing system represents multiple (e.g., hundreds or thousands) participating merchants who offer their products through the system. Customers become qualified for using the system by supplying a set of information (e.g., name, credit card number, shipping address) that is stored in a customer database. When a customer wishes to order a product, the customer calls the system, customer identity is automatically confirmed, the customer enters a product order number and the complete order is routed to the appropriate merchant with the information necessary for the merchant to fulfill the order. Available credit verification and other aspects of credit card transactions may be handled by either the system operator or the merchant. The system operator may offer revolving credit. The system may also be used to provide potential customers of the merchants with free product information.
613 Citations
49 Claims
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1. A computer system for automated order processing permitting a plurality of customers who have already provided a customer information set to the system to order one or more products from a plurality of products offered by one of a plurality of participating merchants, said system comprising:
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a first database including a variable length order number assigned to each of the plurality of products, each order number identifying a unique one of said plurality of products and the one of said plurality of participating merchants offering the product;
a customer database including the customer information set corresponding to each of the plurality of system customers, said information set including a customer identification, a customer address, and a method of payment;
means for receiving an incoming product order number representing one of the plurality of products offered from one of the plurality of customers;
means for matching the incoming product order number to the one of the customer information sets corresponding to the one of the plurality of customers;
means for matching the incoming product order to the one of said plurality of participating merchants that offers the one of the plurality of products;
means for communicating the receipt of the product order number to the one of said plurality of participating merchants; and
security means for confirming the identity of the one of the plurality of customers placing the order. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A computer system for automated order processing permitting customers who have already provided customer information to the system to order selected products from an array of products offered by a plurality of participating merchants, said system comprising:
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a first database including a variable length order number assigned to each product offered through the system, each order number identifying a unique product and a merchant offering the product;
a customer database including a plurality of customer information sets comprising information for identifying the customer;
a first input terminal, comprising an address, for receiving an indication of a product order from a customer who has connected to the system via the address;
a first module for matching information associated with the customer connected to the system to a corresponding customer information set;
a second module for matching the indicated product order number to the merchant offering the product identified by the indicated product number;
a first output terminal for communicating the received indication and at least a portion of the corresponding customer information set to the merchant offering the product; and
a security module for confirming the identity of the connected customer.
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Specification