US 2006/0224585 A1Published application

Method and system for managing and searching a supplier database structure

OwnerHerbert Brockmeierinventor

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Abstract

What is disclosed is a method, software product and database structure for storing, searching and managing multi-dimensional, discrete supplier capabilities and characteristics. This method and system consists creating, searching and maintaining a database structure containing discrete definitions of supplier material specialties, industries they serve, product families they produce, detailed processes and services they perform and certifications that they have achieved. It also consists of a search process that allows system users to perform a complex search of the supplier database structure using a multi-dimensional search string containing a combination of required supplier capabilities and characteristics. The software search process returns a list of suppliers who possess the requested capability and characteristic profile and allows system users to display a detailed supplier profile. It also provides system functionality which allows users to select any or all matching suppliers and start an email server client to send documents, specifications and tables.

Claims6

Dependent claims

A unique method, software product and database structure to manage and provide visibility of complex, multi-dimensional supplier characteristics and capabilities, the method comprising:

(a) A method, software product and database structure to create, store and maintain supplier information relating to the specific processes and services suppliers perform, materials that they specialize in, certifications that they hold, industries that they specialize in, and product families they produce;
and
(b) A method and software product to create a supplier profile search string for a multiplicity of supplier characteristics and capabilities which can include a combination of specific processes and services they perform, material specialties, certifications, industry specialties, country or state location, product families produced;
and
(c) A method and software product which uses a supplier profile search string to search a supplier capability database structure and return to the system user a list of all suppliers in the database structure who possess the required capability and characteristic profile;
and
(d) A method and software product to display to the system user a list of suppliers meeting the required capability profile and display detail capacity and characteristic information about the supplier;
and
(e) A method and software product to initiate the system user email client passing to it a list of supplier contact email addresses.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.