Method for supplying automatic status updates using electronic mail
AssigneeOnsale, Inc.
InventorsAlan S. Fisher, Samuel Jerrold Kaplan
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Abstract
A method is disclosed for automatically updating the status of customers' orders and shipments via electronic mail without using a human attendant to create and send the electronic mail messages. Preferably implemented in software, the updating method allows a large set of customers to be periodically updated over a computer or communications network via electronic mail. The method utilizes a database for maintaining order and shipping status and other relevant information.
Claims14
In a computer network enabling communication between a plurality of computers, a method comprising the steps of:
- (a) receiving information relevant to an order submitted by a user;
- (b) collecting information relevant to an order processing status of said order;
- (c) updating said information received at step (a) with said order processing status information collected at step (b);
- (d) generating a message containing said order processing status information collected at step (b);
- (e) automatically transmitting said message generated at step (d) to said user across said network without interaction from the user.
In a computer network enabling communication between a plurality of computers, a system comprising:
- storage means associated with a first computer for storing order information relating to an order submitted by a user;
- requesting means associated with said first computer for automatically and periodically requesting order processing status for said order from a second computer;
- updating means associated with said first computer for receiving said order processing status from said second computer, and for automatically updating said order information with said order processing status;
- message generating means for automatically generating a message containing said order processing status responsive to a change in said order processing status;
- and,
- message transmission means for automatically transmitting said message across said network to a third computer associated with the user without interaction from the user.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.