Systems for generating, customizing, and automatedly e-mailing a request for quotation for fabricating a computer-modeled structure from within a CAD program
AssigneeDesprez, LLC
InventorsJames L. Jacobs, II, Steven M. Lynch
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In an exemplary embodiment, software made in accordance with the present invention generates a request for quote (RFQ) based on user-provided information, presents a user interface allowing a user to customize the RFQ, generates an e-mail including the RFQ, and sends the e-mail to one or more suppliers. Various corresponding and related systems, methods, and software are described.
Claims20
A system for assisting a user in generating a request for quotation (RFQ) for fabrication of a structure represented in a three-dimensional (3D) computer-aided design (CAD) model from within a CAD program, the system comprising a computing device configured to:
- receive, from a supplier database, information identifying one or more suppliers and information identifying a respective e-mail address associated with each of the one or more suppliers;
- receive, via a graphical user interface (GUI) displaying the 3D CAD model of the structure, a selection from a user of an initiate-RFQ control as an interaction with the GUI;
- in response to the selection, displaying to the user an RFQ-e-mail graphical user interface (GUI) and retrieving a design document associated with the 3D CAD model of the structure, wherein the RFQ-e-mail GUI presents the user with a set of RFQ options, information from the design document, and a selectable list of the one or more suppliers;
- receiving via the RFQ-e-mail GUI one or more selections of RFQ options within the set as interactions with the RFQ-e-mail GUI and one or more selections of suppliers from the selectable list as interactions with the RFQ-e-mail GUI;
- and
- generating, via the 3D CAD program, an RFQ e-mail as a function of the one or more user selections of RFQ options and the one or more selections of suppliers, wherein the RFQ e-mail is automatedly addressed to two or more respective email addresses each associated with a selected supplier.
A system for assisting a user in generating a request for quotation (RFQ) for fabrication of a structure represented in a three-dimensional (3D) computer-aided design (CAD) model from within a CAD program, the system including a computing device configured to:
- receive from the user a selection of an initiate-RFQ control;
- in response to the selection, display to the user the 3D CAD model and an RFQ-e-mail graphical user interface (GUI, wherein the RFQ-e-mail GUI presents the user with a set of RFQ options;
- receive from the user via the RFQ-e-mail GUI one or more selections of RFQ options within the set as interactions with the RFQ-e-mail GUI and one or more selections of suppliers from the selectable list as interactions with the RFQ-e-mail GUI, wherein the one or more selections include a user selection of manufacturing specifications;
- update the 3D CAD model of the structure one or more based on the user selection of manufacturing specifications from the RFQ-e-mail GUI;
- generate an RFQ e-mail as a function of the one or more user selections of RFQ options;
- provide, as a function of a timed schedule, an output e-mail data link between the RFQ-e-mail GUI and one or more suppliers;
- and
- send the RFQ e-mail to at least one supplier as a function of the one or more user selections of RFQ options using the output e-mail data link.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.