US 7,467,103 B1Granted

Optimization system and method for buying clubs

OwnerJoseph L. Murray, Thomas G. Murrayinventors

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Abstract

A system, and associated method, aggregates, optimizes, allocates, and prices products orders by members of buying clubs wherein a network interconnects a master computer having a database to a plurality of buyer computers connected to the network for data communication with said master computer, each of which buyer computers is operable by at least one respective buyer of at least one buying club, and is configured for generating to the master computer data defining orders of products placed by said respective buyers. Computer program code executable by the master computer compiles each of the respective orders into an aggregate order, and, with reference to data structures of said products, inventory, optimization criteria, and orders of all buyers including any specified minimum, preferred and maximum specified units, generates optimized orders and allocations to achieve improved outcomes for buyers, thereby facilitating purchasing and commerce by and between members, buying clubs, and suppliers.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system comprising:

a network;
a web server connected to said network, said web server including a database for storing data;
two or more buyer computers connected to said network for data communication with said web server, each of which buyer computers is operable by two or more respective buyers of at least one buying club, and is configured for generating to said web server data defining orders of products placed by said two or more respective buyers, said data including a first range defined between a first quantity and a second quantity of a number of units of each product to order for each of said two or more respective buyers, wherein, for at least one of said two or more respective buyers of each product, said first quantity is not equal to said second quantity;
and
a memory coupled to said web server, said memory comprising computer program code executable by said web server for:
generating for each respective product a first aggregate quantity equal to the sum of said first quantities specified by each of said respective two or more buyers for each respective product;
generating for each respective product a second aggregate quantity equal to the sum of said second quantities specified by each of said respective two or more buyers for each respective product;
determining two or more valid order quantities of units of each respective product, wherein, for each respective product, said two or more valid order quantities are defined by values which are equivalent to two or more respective integer multiples of a pre-defined number greater than one;
determining, for each of said respective products, at least one of said two or more valid order quantities within a second range defined between and including said first aggregate quantity and said second aggregate quantity;
selecting for each respective product, based on a predefined criterion, one of said at least one of said two or more valid order quantities;
and
for each respective product, allocating units among said respective two or more buyers, wherein the sum of said units allocated among said respective two or more buyers is equal to said selected one of said at least one of said two or more valid order quantities.

9 more elements

A method operable on a network having a web server connected to the network, the web server including a database for storing data, wherein two or more buyer computers are connected to said network for data communication with said web server, each of which buyer computers is operable by two or more respective buyers of at least one buying club, and is configured for generating to said web server data defining orders of products placed by said two or more respective buyers, said data including a first range defined between a first quantity and a second quantity of a number of units of each product to order for each of said two or more respective buyers, wherein, for at least one of said two or more respective buyers of each product, said first quantity is not equal to said second quantity, the method comprising steps of:

generating for each respective product a first aggregate quantity equal to the sum of said first quantities specified by each of said respective two or more buyers for each respective product;
generating for each respective product a second aggregate quantity equal to the sum of said second quantities specified by each of said respective two or more buyers for each respective product;
determining two or more valid order quantities of units of each respective product, wherein, for each respective product, said two or more valid order quantities are defined by values which are equivalent to two or more respective integer multiples of a pre-defined number greater than one;
determining, for each of said respective products, at least one of said two or more valid order quantities within a second range defined between and including said first aggregate quantity and said second aggregate quantity;
selecting for each respective product, based on a predefined criterion, one of said at least one of said two or more valid order quantities;
and
for each respective product, allocating units among said respective two or more buyers, wherein the sum of said units allocated among said respective two or more buyers units is equal to said at least one valid order quantity.

4 more elements

generating for each respective product a first aggregate quantity equal to the sum of said first quantities specified by each of said respective two or more buyers for each respective product;
generating for each respective product a second aggregate quantity equal to the sum of said second quantities specified by each of said respective two or more buyers for each respective product;
determining two or more valid order quantities of units of each respective product, wherein, for each respective product, said two or more valid order quantities are defined by values which are equivalent to two or more respective integer multiples of a pre-defined number greater than one, wherein the price per unit of each unit of a first one of said two or more valid order quantities of units is the same as the price per unit of each unit of a second one of said two or more valid order quantities of units, wherein said first one of said two or more valid order quantities of units is determined using a first respective integer multiple, said second one of said two or more valid order quantities of units is determined using a second respective integer multiple, said first respective integer multiple being unequal to said second respective integer multiple;
determining, for each of said respective products, at least one of said two or more valid order quantities within a second range defined between and including said first aggregate quantity and said second aggregate quantity;
selecting for each respective product, based on a predefined criterion, one of said at least one of said two or more valid order quantities;
and
for each respective product, allocating units among said respective two or more buyers, wherein the sum of said units allocated among said respective two or more buyers units is equal to said at least one valid order quantity.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/916,803Filed 11 Aug 2004 · continuation in part
Priority: 17 Apr 2002
Granted: 16 Dec 2008
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

G06Q 10/087
Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management: inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling,…
G06Q 10/0872
Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders: using inventory planning
G06Q 30/0603
Electronic shopping [e-shopping]: catalogue creation or management
G06Q 30/0605
Electronic shopping [e-shopping]: pooling transaction partners, e.g. group buying or group selling

Family

Application10/125,097Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 17 Apr 2002
Application60/495,023Us provisional application · filed 13 Aug 2003
Application10/734,724Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 11 Dec 2003
US 7,467,103 B1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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