EP0697669A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Electronic sourcing system and method
Assignee: ePlus Inc
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Filing: 1995-08-01
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2015-08-01
Abstract
Abstract An electronic sourcing system includes a computer that maintains a catalog database of data including product information (such as product identification and descriptive information) relating to catalog items available from vendor product catalogs, and a means for building (generating) a requisition including at least one requisitioned item. Information at least partially identifying an item desired to be requisitioned is entered by a user, and utilized by a means for searching the database for catalog items matching that information and for selecting at least one catalog item located as a result of the search. Text describing the catalog items, and images of the items, may be viewed. Data identifying selected catalog items are communicated to the requisition building means, which generates a requisition including entries for items corresponding to the selected catalog items. The system checks the availability in one or more inventory locations of the corresponding desired catalog items, and generates one or more purchase orders for desired items from inventory locations stocking the items.
Inventors
- 👤 James M. Johnson
- 👤 Robert P. Kinross
- 👤 Francis J. Melly
- 👤 Douglas A. Momyer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 13:11
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06Q; G06Q30/00; G06Q30/06; G06Q10/00; G06Q10/08; G06Q10/087; G06Q10/0874; G06Q10/08741; G06Q30/02; G06Q30/0283; G06Q30/0601; G06Q30/0603; G06Q30/0623; G06Q30/0625; G06Q30/0633; G06Q30/0635; G06Q30/0641
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
115 words
An electronic sourcing system (5) comprising: means for maintaining a catalog database (36) of data relating to catalog items from at least one vendor product catalog; means (50,52) for searching the catalog database for at least one catalog item from said vendor product catalogs; means (44A, 110, 120) for building a requisition including an entry for said desired item based upon data obtained from said catalog database relating to the matching catalog item, said data identifying at least a vendor and a vendor catalog number for the matching catalog item; and means (44A, 114) for processing said requisition to generate a purchase order including an entry for an item corresponding to said matching catalog item.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
25 words
An electronic sourcing system according to claim 1, wherein said purchase order entry identifies at least said vendor catalog number for said matching catalog item.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
54 words
An electronic sourcing system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said requisition building means includes a means for converting said vendor and vendor catalog number into a corresponding other vendor and other vendor catalog number, and wherein said purchase order entry identifies at least other vendor catalog number for said matching catalog item.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
57 words
An electronic sourcing system according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising means (44D, 100) for entering product information that at least partially describes said at least one item desired to be requisitioned, wherein said means (50,52) for searching is for searching at least one catalog item that matches the information for said desired item.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
An electronic sourcing system according to claim 4, wherein said catalog database of data relates to catalog items from at least two vendor product catalogs.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
101 words
An electronic sourcing system according to claim 5, wherein : the means (44D,100) for entering product information comprises means for entering product information that at least partially describes respective first and second items desired to be requisitioned and the means (50,52) for searching comprises means for searching the catalog database for at least first and second catalog items from said vendor product catalogs, each of said first and second catalog items obtained from a different respective one of said first and second vendor product catalogs and matching the information for a different respective one of the first and second desired items.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
60 words
An electronic sourcing system according to claim 6, wherein the means (44A, 110, 120) for building a requisition builds first and second entries, each for a different respective one of said first and second desired items, and each containing data from said catalog database identifying at least a vendor and a vendor catalog number for said respective matching catalog item.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
48 words
An electronic sourcing system according to claim 7, wherein the means (114) for processing the requisition generates first and second purchase orders, each to a different supplier and each including an entry for an item corresponding to a different one of said first and second matching catalog items.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
An electronic sourcing system of claim 8, wherein at least said first purchase order identifies at least said vendor and vendor catalog number for said first matching catalog item.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
63 words
An electronic sourcing system of claim 8, wherein said requisition building means (44A, 110, 120) includes means for converting said vendor and vendor catalog number for at least said first matching catalog item into a corresponding other vendor and other vendor catalog number, and wherein said first purchase order entry identifies at least said other vendor catalog number for said matching catalog item.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
78 words
An electronic sourcing system to any one of claims 5 to 10, further comprising means for generating an order list (48) that includes a least one matching catalog item selected by said means for searching the catalog database, and wherein said means for building a requisition uses data obtained from said catalog database relating to the matching catalog item on said order list to identify at least the vendor and vendor catalog number for the matching catalog item.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
79 words
An electronic sourcing system according to claim 11, wherein the means for generating an order list (48) can generate an order list (48) with at least two selected matching catalog items, each from a different one of said vendor product catalogs, and wherein said means (44A, 110, 120) for building a requisition identifies the vendors and vendor catalog numbers for the matching catalog items, and wherein the means (114) for processing said requisition generates at least one purchase order.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
53 words
An electronic sourcing system according to claim 12, wherein the means (114) for processing said requisition generates at least one purchase order having first and second entries for items each corresponding to a different one of said first and second matching catalog items selected from a different one of said vendor product catalogs.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
65 words
An electronic sourcing system according to claim 12, wherein the means (114) for processing said requisition generates at least two purchase orders, one purchase order having a first entry corresponding to the first matching catalog item selected from the first vendor product catalog and another purchase order having a second entry corresponding to the second matching catalog item selected from the second vendor product catalog.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
91 words
An electronic sourcing system according to claim 12, wherein product information that at least partially describes a first item desired to be requisitioned can be entered first, used to search the catalog database and then selected to form a first entry in the order list, and wherein product information that at least partially describes a second item desired to be requisitioned can be entered subsequently, used to search the catalog database and then selected to form a second entry which is added to an order list already containing the first entry.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
63 words
An electronic sourcing system according to claim 12, wherein the means (50, 52) for searching the catalog databases selects at least two matching catalog items that match the same product information from a different one of said vendor product catalogs and wherein the order list includes at least two selected matching catalog items, each from a different one of said vendor product catalogs.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
37 words
An electronic sourcing system according to claim 16, wherein the means for processing said requisition generates at least two purchase orders, each including an entry for an item corresponding a different one of said matching catalog items.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
94 words
An electronic sourcing system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the means for searching comprises: means (50,52) for searching the catalog database for segments of vendor catalogs that contain catalog items that match the product information for said desired item. means for generating a hit list (47) of such vendor catalog segments, means for selectively viewing the catalog segments identified from said hit list (47), and wherein the means for generating an order list (48) comprises means for selecting desired items from a catalog segment identified by said hit list (47).
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
36 words
An electronic sourcing system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said means (50, 52) for searching further comprises means for selecting at least one catalog item located as a result of the search.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
69 words
An electronic sourcing system according to claim 19, wherein the means for searching selects at least two catalog items located as a result of the search, each of said two catalog item coming from a different one of said vendor product catalogs. and wherein the means responsive to said requisition generates at least two entries, each for an item corresponding a different one of said selected matching catalog items.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
30 words
An electronic sourcing system according to claim 20, wherein the means responsive to said requisition generates a purchase order with items corresponding to the first and second matching catalog items.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
39 words
An electronic sourcing system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said means for processing said requisition further comprises means (44B) for determining whether an item corresponding to the desired matching catalog item is available in inventory.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
64 words
An electronic sourcing system to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the sourcing system (5) comprises a requisition system (40), including said means (44A) for building a requisition and said means for processing said requisition, interfaced via an interface (60) to a search system (50) including said means for maintaining a catalog database (36) and said means (50,52) for searching the catalog database.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
127 words
A sourcing method comprising the steps of : maintaining a catalog database (36) of data relating to catalog items from at least one vendor product catalog; entering product information that at least partially describes at least one item desired to be requisitioned; searching the catalog database for at least one catalog item from said vendor product catalogs that matches the information for said desired item; building a requisition including an entry for said desired item based upon data obtained from said catalog database relating to the matching catalog item, said data identifying at least a vendor and a vendor catalog number for the matching catalog item; and processing said requisition to generate a purchase order including an entry for an item corresponding to said matching catalog item.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
27 words
A sourcing method according to claim 24, further comprising the step of determining that an item corresponding to the desired matching catalog item is available in inventory.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
47 words
A sourcing method according to claim 25, wherein said requisition building step includes converting said vendor and vendor catalog number into a corresponding other vendor and other vendor catalog number, and wherein said purchase order entry identifies said other vendor catalog number for said item in inventory.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
192 words
A sourcing method according to any of claims 24 to 26, wherein: said catalog database data relates to catalog items from at least two vendor product catalogs; said product information at least partially describes respective first and second items desired to be requisitioned; the catalog database is searched for at least first and second catalog items from said vendor product catalogs, each of said first and second catalog items being obtained from a different respective one of said first and second vendor product catalogues and matching the information for a different respective one of said first and second desired items; said requisition includes at least first and second entries each for a different respective one of said first and second desired items and based upon data obtained from said catalog database relating to said respective matching catalog item, said data identifying at least a vendor and a vendor catalog number for said respective matching catalog item; and at least first and second purchase orders are generated, each to a different supplier and each including an entry for an item corresponding to a different one of said first and second matching catalog items.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4216893A
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