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System and method permitting customers to order products from multiple participating merchants

  • US 6,850,901 B1
  • Filed: 08/24/2000
  • Issued: 02/01/2005
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1999
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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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:

  • 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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