Registers – Systems controlled by data bearing records – Inventory
Reexamination Certificate
2003-05-02
2004-10-19
Le, Thien M. (Department: 2876)
Registers
Systems controlled by data bearing records
Inventory
C235S375000, C235S462010
Reexamination Certificate
active
06805292
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to methods of doing business with automotive “collision centers”, otherwise known as “body shops”.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is well known for “jobbers” to provide “collision centers” (a.k.a. body shops) with supplies, such as paint, sandpaper, tape, etc. Typically the ordering process is as follows. The jobber (which can be an independent or a company owned store) receives the order from the collision center (a.k.a. “customer”) by phone or fax, fills the order and delivers the order to the customer.
Discussion will now be made about the particular products involved and why they tend not to be sold any other way than ordered through local jobbers at the local level. The products under discussion are heavy, hazardous and flammable. After being sold, the unused portions become hazardous waste. Because of shipping charges and government regulations, to date it has been unrealistic to sell outside one's local area. So that made internet selling not very appealing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention overcomes deficiencies in the art by providing a method and system for the supply of automotive collision centers is provided, which includes a Customer, Jobber, and intermediate Order Manager. The Customer will fax, phone, email and most importantly e-Commerce the order to the Order Manager, who passes it on to the Jobber. Then the Order Manager will in turn fax, call, email and send over the Internet and/or intranet the order to a jobber who is local Order Manager Affiliate. Under one particularly important part of the invention, orders are scanned at the customer's physical location, passed through the Order Manager's internet-based system, and entered directly into the legacy computer system of the jobber, saving a great deal of time and effort.
Generally described, the present invention provides a method for providing supplies to an automotive Collision Center from a Supplier having a legacy computer system, the method comprising the steps of a) establishing an internet web site, the web site supervised by an Order Manager and including subsections assigned to a plurality of Suppliers, each Supplier including unique SKU numbers associated with the inventories of the Suppliers, b) providing scannable indicia on the bins of the Collision Center, the scannable indicia corresponding to the SKU numbers, c) providing a scanner and associated hardware at the location of the Collision Center, the scanner and associated hardware configure to allow one to scan the indicia on the bins and to transfer order information associated with the goods intended for the bins to the internet web site; and d) providing a connection between the internet web site and the legacy system of the Jobber to allow the orders previously scanned to be entered directly into the legacy system from the web site.
Therefore it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method and system of using same for processing orders for providing supplies to an automotive collision center.
Therefore it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method and system of using same for processing orders for providing supplies to an automotive collision center from a supplier.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved method and system of using same for processing orders for providing supplies to an automotive collision center from a supplier having a legacy computer system.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention when taken in conjunction with the drawing and the appended claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5235585 (1993-08-01), Bish et al.
patent: 5526520 (1996-06-01), Krause
patent: 5819232 (1998-10-01), Shipman
patent: 5884300 (1999-03-01), Brockman
patent: 6015167 (2000-01-01), Savino et al.
patent: 6068188 (2000-05-01), Knowles
patent: 6134557 (2000-10-01), Freeman
patent: 2002/0035538 (2002-03-01), Moreau
patent: 2002/0069166 (2002-06-01), Moreau et al.
Alston & Bird LLP
Le Thien M.
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