IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0705982
(2007-02-12)
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등록번호 |
US-8170915
(2012-05-01)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Borders, Louis H.
- Relan, Arvind Peter
- Lloyd, Margaret Sue
- Bhargava, Sunil
- Wijaya, Joyo
- Ham, Peter
- Clossman, Gray Andrew
- Mayya, Ajit Ramachandra
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
16 인용 특허 :
189 |
초록
▼
A technique for effecting electronic commerce using a data network is described. The data network includes a plurality of subsystems which, together, form an integrated system for receiving customer orders for selected items via a data network, fulfilling the customer orders, and delivering the orde
A technique for effecting electronic commerce using a data network is described. The data network includes a plurality of subsystems which, together, form an integrated system for receiving customer orders for selected items via a data network, fulfilling the customer orders, and delivering the ordered products to the customers. Moreover, according to a specific embodiment, the integrated nature of the system architecture of the present invention allows the on-line merchant to provide a guarantee to the customer that the ordered items will be available to be delivered to the customer at the specified delivery date, time, and location.
대표청구항
▼
1. A computer-implemented method for assisting a customer in ordering a product from an online store via a computer network, the computer network including at least a customer interface system in communication with a storage system, the customer interface system facilitates ordering the product, and
1. A computer-implemented method for assisting a customer in ordering a product from an online store via a computer network, the computer network including at least a customer interface system in communication with a storage system, the customer interface system facilitates ordering the product, and the storage system facilitates storage of the product, the method comprising: providing availability information to the customer regarding the product via the customer interface system, and allowing the customer to purchase via the customer interface system to assist the customer in ordering the product,wherein the availability information is provided via a database configured to be accessed by the customer interface system, and informs the customer that the product can be pre-ordered when the product is not currently in stock but available by a specific date;providing delivery timing information regarding the product to the customer via the customer interface system even when the product is not currently in stock, to assist the customer in ordering the product;subsequently receiving a customer order for the product from the customer via the customer interface system;receiving the product at a physical storage location for storing a plurality of products of the online store that allows a plurality of customers to purchase from the online store, and the product becoming in stock after the receiving;automatically updating the availability information in the database, based on the product changing from not being in stock to being in stock, after receiving the customer order, wherein the customer order has a status, which depends on the product's availability information, and which is updated in view of the product changing from not being in stock to being in stock;allowing the customer to access information regarding the updated status of the customer order, which depends on the product's availability information, via the customer interface system; andmanaging, by the storage system, the physical storage location, wherein the storage system is configured to access another database regarding products in the physical storage location, the another database not being the database of the customer interface system,wherein information in the another database is configured to indicate whether the product is in stock at the physical storage location, andwherein the availability information for customers is related to the product being in stock or not being in stock at the physical storage location. 2. A computer-Implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein when the product is in stock, the availability information would indicate that the product is in stock. 3. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein when the product arrives at the physical storage location, information regarding its arrival is automatically transmitted to the customer interface system to change the availability information. 4. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the delivery timing information depends on capacities related to the physical storage location to fulfill the order. 5. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 4, wherein a plurality of times are presented to the customer for the customer to select regarding a time for the customer to receive the product, andwherein the physical storage location is determined to have sufficient capacities to fulfill the customer order at the time selected by the customer to receive the product. 6. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 5, wherein after the customer has selected one of the times to receive the product, a corresponding amount of capacities related to the physical storage location are automatically reserved to fulfill the customer order at the selected time. 7. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the computer network includes a delivery system for managing delivering the product to the customer,wherein the customer order includes a location specified by the customer to receive the product, andwherein the delivery timing information depends on capacities related to delivering the product to the location. 8. A computer-Implemented method as recited in claim 7, wherein capacities related to delivering the product depend on delivery vehicle capacities. 9. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the computer network includes a purchasing system that is configured to purchase products from other entitles, andwherein availability information is not provided to the customer via the customer interface system before the product is purchased from an entity. 10. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 9, wherein the computer network includes a system for inventory that is configured to maintain inventory information of products of the online store, andwherein based on a purchase order to purchase the product from the entity, information related to an expected arrival date of the product at the physical storage location of the online store is provided to the system for inventory. 11. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 9, wherein the computer network includes a system for inventory that is configured to maintain inventory information of products of the online store,wherein the product is related to a UPC code, andwherein when the product arrives at the physical storage location of the online store from the entity, the system for inventory is configured to recognize the product via the UPC code. 12. A computer-Implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the computer network includes a merchant system that provides an interface for a merchant to directly input information regarding the product for customers interested in the product, andwherein the merchant is not an employee of, or does not work for, the online store. 13. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 12, wherein the product is not made available to the customer to purchase before a purchase order has been issued by the online store to the merchant for the product, though the merchant has already input information regarding the product to the online store. 14. A computer-Implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein when shipping the product to the online store has been delayed, the availability information is automatically changed to a later date. 15. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises receiving, at the computer network, data from a wireless device of a carrier at or proximate to a delivery address of another customer, regarding return of the product previously ordered by the another customer, wherein the availability information in the database can be adjusted in view of the received data. 16. A computer-Implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the delivery timing information is automatically changed in view of the another customer returning the product the another customer ordered. 17. A computer-Implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the delivery timing information is automatically changed in view of yet another customer deleting the product from an order of the another customer before checkout from ordering online. 18. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the delivery timing information is automatically changed in view of yet another customer abandoning an online shopping session that includes the product. 19. A computer-implemented method for assisting a customer in ordering a product from an online store via a computer network, the computer network including at least a customer interface system in communication with a storage system, the customer interface system facilitates ordering the product, and the storage system facilitates storage of the product, the method comprising: providing availability information to the customer regarding the product via the customer interface system, and allowing the customer to purchase via the customer interface system to assist the customer in ordering the product, wherein the availability information is in a database configured to be accessed by the customer interface system;providing timing information to the customer, via the customer interface system, regarding when the online store expects to be able to get the product to the customer, even when the product is currently not available to be delivered to the customer, to assist the customer in ordering the product;subsequently receiving a customer order for the product from the customer via the customer interface system, wherein the product being ordered is currently not available to be delivered to the customer by the online store, but the availability information indicating the product being available by a specific date; andreceiving the product at a physical storage location for storing a plurality of products of the online store that allows a plurality of customers to purchase from the online store, and the product becoming available to be delivered to the customer from the physical storage location after the receiving;subsequent to receiving the product, having the product delivered to the customer after the product becomes available to be delivered; andmanaging, by the storage system, the physical storage location, wherein the storage system is configured to access another database regarding products in the physical storage location, which is not the database of the customer interface system,wherein information in the another database is configured to indicate whether the product is available at the physical storage location, andwherein the availability information for customers is related to the product not at the physical storage location or at the physical storage location. 20. A method as recited in claim 19, wherein when the product becomes available, the availability information would indicate that the product is available. 21. A method as recited in claim 19, wherein the customer is allowed to access status information regarding the customer order via the customer interface system, the status information including at least updated availability information of the product. 22. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein information from the database of the customer interface system and information from the database of the storage system are periodically transmitted to a data warehouse system, andwherein the data warehouse system analyzes information received to generate reports regarding the online store. 23. A method as recited in claim 19, wherein information from the database of the customer interface system and information from the database of the storage system are periodically transmitted to a data warehouse system, andwherein the data warehouse system analyzes information received to generate reports regarding the online store. 24. A method as recited in claim 19, wherein the method further comprises receiving, at the computer network, data from a wireless device of a carrier at or proximate to a delivery address of the another customer, regarding return of the product previously ordered by the another customer, wherein the availability information in the database can be adjusted in view of the received data.
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