# US 2014/0195367 A1 · System and process for hierarchical multi-level segmentation and estimate reuse request

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- Number: US 2014/0195367 A1
- Document ID: US20140195367A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/153,835
- Filed: 2014-01-13
- Published: 2014-07-10
- Earliest claimed: 2011-07-12
- Assignees: Vortal - Comércio Electrónico, Consultadoria e Multimédia, S.A.
- Inventors: Nuno Miguel SANFINS MILAGRES
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140195367A1

## CPC

- G06Q 30/0611: {Request for offers or quotes}
- G06Q 10/063: Operations research, analysis or management
- G06Q 10/087: Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
- G06Q 30/0283: Price estimation or determination
- G06Q 30/06: Buying, selling or leasing transactions
- G06Q 30/08: Auctions
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

The present disclosure concerns the hierarchical splitting of large datasets by multi-level segmentation and providing a system and method for enabling requests of reuse of the values of previously estimated nodes of said hierarchy. This is applied in making connections between different suppliers in a complex hierarchical multi-level chain of purchase items, facilitating the communication of request for quotes and respective responses. The disclosure allows higher level bidders to traverse dense hierarchical multi-level chains of purchasing data, re-using existing estimates and quotes, allowing quicker processes and more efficient use of resources. The system comprises a Request for Quote module (RFQ Module), an estimate module (Estimate Module) and a Request for Quote reply module (RFQ Reply Module), and a module for storing and/or communicating existing estimates and quotes (Rides Module) across hierarchical levels in the purchase process.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A computer implemented method of hierarchical multi-level segmentation and estimate reuse request for a bidding system, comprising the steps of:
a. receiving a buyer request for quote A comprising buyer dossier A items;
b. receiving from one first-level bidder one request for quote A1 comprising first-level bidder dossier A1 items, wherein said buyer dossier A items comprise said one first-level bidder dossier A1 items;
c. receiving from another first-level bidder another request for quote A1 comprising another first-level bidder dossier A1 items, wherein said one first-level bidder dossier A1 items are substantially the same to said another first-level bidder dossier A1 items or comprise said another first-level bidder dossier A1 items;
d. receiving from a second-level bidder a second-level bidder request for quote A1 response to either of the first-level bidders request for quotes;
e. automatically transmitting to the other of the first-level bidders a copy of the second-level bidder request for quote A1 response.

### Claim 2

Method according to the previous claim comprising storing in a database the received second-level bidder request for quote A1 response to either one of the first-level bidders request for quotes, for subsequent consultation and transmission to the other of the first-level bidders.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

Method according to claim 1 wherein the hierarchical bidding levels of the first-level bidders are the same level and the hierarchical bidding level of second-level bidder is directly subsequent to the level of the first-level bidders.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

Method according to claim 1 wherein the hierarchical bidding levels of the first-level bidders are not the same level and the hierarchical bidding level of second-level bidders is subsequent to both of the levels of the first-level bidders.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

Method according to claim 1 comprising automatically segmenting the buyer dossier A items into first-level bidder dossier comprising request for quote A1 items through a pre-prepared item classification, in particular a pre-prepared item classification that maximizes the probability of the re-use of request for quote responses.

### Claim 6

A computer implemented method of hierarchical multi-level segmentation and estimate reuse request for a bidding system, comprising the steps of:
a. receiving a buyer request for quote A comprising buyer dossier A items;
b. receiving from one first-level bidder one request for quote A1 comprising first-level bidder dossier A1 items, wherein said buyer dossier A items comprise said one first-level bidder dossier A1 items;
c. receiving from a second-level bidder a second-level bidder request for quote A1 response for the one first-level bidder request for quote A1;
d. transmitting to another first-level bidder another request for quote A1 comprising another first-level bidder dossier A1 items, wherein said another first-level bidder dossier A1 items are substantially the same as the second-level bidder request for quote A1 response items;
e. automatically transmitting (41, 42) to the another first-level bidder a copy of the second-level bidder request for quote A1 response;
wherein the another first-level bidder request for quote A1 is based on the second-level bidder request for quote A1 response.

### Claim 7

Method according to the previous claim comprising storing in a database the received second-level bidder request for quote A1 response for the one first-level bidder request for quote A1, for subsequent consultation and transmission to the another first-level bidders.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

Method according to claim 6 wherein the hierarchical bidding levels of the first-level bidders are the same level and the hierarchical bidding level of second-level bidder is directly subsequent to the level of the first-level bidders.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

Method according to claim 6 wherein the hierarchical bidding levels of the first-level bidders are not the same level and the hierarchical bidding level of second-level bidders is subsequent to both of the levels of the first-level bidders.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

Method according to claim 6 comprising automatically segmenting the buyer dossier A items into first-level bidder dossier comprising request for quote A1 items through a pre-prepared item classification, in particular a pre-prepared item classification that maximizes the probability of the re-use of request for quote responses.

### Claim 11

A data processing system for hierarchical multi-level segmentation and estimate reuse request in a bidding system, comprising:
a. a request for quote module,
b. an estimate module connected to the request for quote module,
c. a request for quote reply module connected to the estimate module, and
d. a module for storing existing estimates across said hierarchical levels, connected to both estimate module and request for quote reply module;
further comprising a processor configured to access storage media including program instructions, executable by the processor, the program instructions including instructions to:
automatically transmit a copy of a previously stored estimate, stored in the module for storing existing estimates, to the request for quote module when the request for quote reply module is preparing a request for quote response that comprises substantially the same items of said previously stored estimate.

### Claim 12

System according to the previous claim wherein the module for storing existing estimates is configured to make available for consultation and transmission to the request for quote reply module one, any or all of the estimates stored in the module for storing existing estimates.

### Claim 13

A data processing system for hierarchical multi-level segmentation and estimate reuse request comprising a processor configured to access storage media including program instructions, executable by the processor, the program instructions including instructions to:
a. receive a buyer request for quote A comprising buyer dossier A items;
b. receive from one first-level bidder one request for quote A1 comprising first-level bidder dossier A1 items, wherein said buyer dossier A items comprise said one first-level bidder dossier A1 items;
c. receive from another first-level bidder another request for quote A1 comprising another first-level bidder dossier A1 items, wherein said one first-level bidder dossier A1 items are substantially the same to said another first-level bidder dossier A1 items or comprise said another first-level bidder dossier A1 items;
d. receive from a second-level bidder a second-level bidder request for quote A1 response to either of the first-level bidders request for quotes;
e. automatically transmit to the other of the first-level bidders a copy of the second-level bidder request for quote A1 response.

### Claim 14

A data processing system for hierarchical multi-level segmentation and estimate reuse request comprising a processor configured to access storage media including program instructions, executable by the processor, the program instructions including instructions to:
store in a database the received second-level bidder request for quote A1 response to either one of the first-level bidders request for quotes, for subsequent consultation and transmission to the other of the first-level bidders.

### Claim 15

A data processing system for hierarchical multi-level segmentation and estimate reuse request comprising a processor configured to access storage media including program instructions, executable by the processor, the program instructions including instructions to:
a. receive a buyer request for quote A comprising buyer dossier A items;
b. receive from one first-level bidder one request for quote A1 comprising first-level bidder dossier A1 items, wherein said buyer dossier A items comprise said one first-level bidder dossier A1 items;
c. receive from a second-level bidder a second-level bidder request for quote A1 response for the one first-level bidder request for quote A1;
d. transmit to another first-level bidder another request for quote A1 comprising another first-level bidder dossier A1 items, wherein said another first-level bidder dossier A1 items are substantially the same as the second-level bidder request for quote A1 response items;
e. automatically transmit (41, 42) to the another first-level bidder a copy of the second-level bidder request for quote A1 response;
wherein the another first-level bidder request for quote A1 is based on the second-level bidder request for quote A1 response.

### Claim 16

A data processing system for hierarchical multi-level segmentation and estimate reuse request comprising a processor configured to access storage media including program instructions, executable by the processor, the program instructions including instructions to:
store in a database the received second-level bidder request for quote A1 response for the one first-level bidder request for quote A1, for subsequent consultation and transmission to the another first-level bidders.

### Claim 17

Non-transitory storage media including program instructions for implementing a data-processing system of hierarchical multi-level segmentation and estimate reuse request, the program instructions including instructions executable to:
a. receive a buyer request for quote A comprising buyer dossier A items;
b. receive from one first-level bidder one request for quote A1 comprising first-level bidder dossier A1 items, wherein said buyer dossier A items comprise said one first-level bidder dossier A1 items;
c. receive from another first-level bidder another request for quote A1 comprising another first-level bidder dossier A1 items, wherein said one first-level bidder dossier A1 items are substantially the same to said another first-level bidder dossier A1 items or comprise said another first-level bidder dossier A1 items;
d. receive from a second-level bidder a second-level bidder request for quote A1 response to either of the first-level bidders request for quotes;
e. automatically transmit to the other of the first-level bidders a copy of the second-level bidder request for quote A1 response.

### Claim 18

Non-transitory storage media including program instructions for implementing a data-processing system of hierarchical multi-level segmentation and estimate reuse request, the program instructions including instructions executable to:
store in a database the received second-level bidder request for quote A1 response to either one of the first-level bidders request for quotes, for subsequent consultation and transmission to the other of the first-level bidders.

### Claim 19

Non-transitory storage media including program instructions for implementing a data-processing system of hierarchical multi-level segmentation and estimate reuse request, the program instructions including instructions executable to:
a. receive a buyer request for quote A comprising buyer dossier A items;
b. receive from one first-level bidder one request for quote A1 comprising first-level bidder dossier A1 items, wherein said buyer dossier A items comprise said one first-level bidder dossier A1 items;
c. receive from a second-level bidder a second-level bidder request for quote A1 response for the one first-level bidder request for quote A1;
d. transmit to another first-level bidder another request for quote A1 comprising another first-level bidder dossier A1 items, wherein said another first-level bidder dossier A1 items are substantially the same as the second-level bidder request for quote A1 response items;
e. automatically transmit (41, 42) to the another first-level bidder a copy of the second-level bidder request for quote A1 response;
wherein the another first-level bidder request for quote A1 is based on the second-level bidder request for quote A1 response.

### Claim 20

Non-transitory storage media including program instructions for implementing a data-processing system of hierarchical multi-level segmentation and estimate reuse request, the program instructions including instructions executable to:
store in a database the received second-level bidder request for quote A1 response for the one first-level bidder request for quote A1, for subsequent consultation and transmission to the another first-level bidders.