Method And System For Receiving And Providing Access To Information At A Web Site
At a vendor-managed web site, purchasing information is received from a first terminal, including purchasing information that is customized for a customer. The customer includes first and second users having respective first and second levels of authorized access to the purchasing information. The first user is identified by a first identifier, and the second user is identified by a second identifier. To a second terminal, access at the vendor-managed web site is provided to: only a first portion of the purchasing information in response to receiving the first identifier from the second terminal which identifies the first user; and at least a second portion of the purchasing information in response to receiving the second identifier from the second terminal which identifies the second user. The second portion includes at least a part of the first portion and a third portion of the purchasing information. The part of the first portion includes at least a portion of the customized purchasing information.
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This application claims priority to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/110,769 filed Apr. 28, 2008 (our docket no. 16356.1112), which is a continuation of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/086,935 filed Mar. 22, 2005 (our docket no. 16356.913), which is a continuation of U.S. Pat. No. 6,883,022 issued on Apr. 19, 2005 (our docket no. 16356.829), which is a continuation of U.S. Pat. No. 6,694,365, issued on Feb. 17, 2004 (our docket no. 16356.522), which is a continuation of U.S. Pat. No. 6,038,597, issued on Mar. 14, 2000 (our docket no. 16356.290), all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
BACKGROUNDThe disclosures herein relate generally to information systems and more particularly to receiving and providing access to information at a web site.
Various systems have been developed whereby data and information can be accessed by a remote provider and a remote user. In one such system, a remote access server provides a remote user with access to a local computer network. The server receives a user identification string from its communication port, the string having been entered by the remote user at a remote computer which is coupled to the communication port. The string identifies the remote user. The server uses the string to access a database and determine an Internet protocol (IP) address associated with the string. The remote computer needs the IP address to communicate on the local computer network. The database includes a user identification string for each remote user and an IP address for each string. The remote access server sends the IP address to the remote computer via the communication port. The server then allows the remote computer to access the local computer network and to communicate on the local computer network using the IP address.
Another system is a multitask multiuser system which provides for efficient transfer of data from a remote data base to individual subscribers and has particular utility in the distribution of stock market data. A primary provider distributes the incoming data directly to user tasks or to an inquiry provider or a monitor provider. The inquiry provider responds to specific inquiries by users for information in the data base. The monitor provider maintains lists of information which are being monitored by the host computer for individual users. The inquiry provider and the monitor provider do not repeat requests to the remote data base where a similar request is already pending from another user. Data transfer paths between tasks are established by a code module which may be linked to any of the tasks. The transfer paths are established using information from a configuration list and they are monitored by the operating system through a wait list established for each user task. Providers in the system may establish subscriber lists through the code module.
In another application, an authorization mechanism provides authorization information for a client requesting access to a server resource in a server, having a directory server for storing client information required by the server in executing an operation call, including client access rights, and generating a request for an authorization ticket to the server. The request for an authorization ticket includes an identification of the client and an identification of the client information required by the server and is in association with an operation call. The authorization mechanism generates an authorization ticket including the identified information encrypted with an encryption key derived from the password of the server. The authorization ticket is sent to the server and the server decrypts the authorization ticket with the server password and obtains the client information directly including the client access rights. Client information is stored in directory server fields identified by generic field tags. The authorization ticket request identifies client information by tag names identifying the fields, the requested information is stored in the authorization ticket in fields identified by the tag names, and the server mechanism then reads the client information.
A further application includes a first data processing device (node I) coupled to a first private network and to a firewall server (FWA). Firewall server FWA is in turn coupled to a public network, such as the Internet. A second data processing device (node J) is coupled to a second private network which is coupled to the Internet through a firewall server (FWB). Node I provides a data packet including IP data and a destination address for the intended receiving node J to firewall FWA. Firewall FWA is provided with a secret value and a public value. The firewall FWA obtains a Diffie-Hellman (DH) certificate for firewall FWB and determines the public value from the DH certificate. A transient key is randomly generated and is used to encrypt the data packet to be transmitted by firewall FWA to firewall FWB. The encrypted data packet is then encapsulated in a transmission packet by the firewall FWA. The transmission packet includes an unencrypted destination address for the firewall FWB. Firewall FWA then sends the transmission packet to firewall FWB over the Internet. Upon receipt of the transmission packet from firewall FWA, firewall FWB obtains a DH certificate for firewall FWA and determines the public value from the DH certificate. Firewall FWB decrypts the encrypted data packet received from FWA, thereby resulting in the recovery of the original data sent by node I in unencrypted form to the firewall FWA. The firewall FWB then transmits the decrypted data packet to the receiving node J over the second private network.
Purchasing is a major component of the operation of a business. It involves establishing authorized vendor sources, seeking first time or unusual vendor sources and maintaining vendor relationships. Typically, as strong relationships build and as quantity buying develops, purchasing power can increase and purchasing costs can decrease. A major part of repetitive purchasing is based on purchasing history, i.e. what has been purchased in the past, what options are desired, and what options are available.
An important aspect of repetitive purchasing is the accessibility of purchasing history. A purchaser can maintain records as well as a vendor but this will most likely only reveal what has been purchased in the past. A customer may need to know about available options for anticipated purchases and a vendor may have modified or new products which are of interest to the customer. This can be accomplished by repeated direct contact between purchasing department personnel and vendor sales and accounting or other personnel. Such contact may be accomplished by numerous telephone calls to several sources at the vendor's site.
Information gathered by the purchaser from the vendor then needs to be communicated by purchasing personnel to the person(s) within the organization who requested the information. Additional phone calls and/or meetings may be required before a decision can be made for a definitive purchase. The purchasing agent must then negotiate the best price based on many factors including the nature of the item and the quantity desired.
Accordingly, a need has arisen for a method and system for receiving and providing access to information at a web site, in which various shortcomings of previous techniques are overcome.
SUMMARYAccording to one embodiment, at a vendor-managed web site, purchasing information is received from a first terminal, including purchasing information that is customized for a customer. The customer includes first and second users having respective first and second levels of authorized access to the purchasing information. The first user is identified by a first identifier, and the second user is identified by a second identifier. To a second terminal, access at the vendor-managed web site is provided to: only a first portion of the purchasing information in response to receiving the first identifier from the second terminal which identifies the first user; and at least a second portion of the purchasing information in response to receiving the second identifier from the second terminal which identifies the second user. The second portion includes at least a part of the first portion and a third portion of the purchasing information. The part of the first portion includes at least a portion of the customized purchasing information.
A principal advantage of this embodiment is that various shortcomings of previous techniques are overcome.
A network 10,
The site provider at first user point 14, writes to a series of Internet tools, diagrammatically illustrated at 15, and publishes to an internal copy 17 of the web site 12 for pre-production purposes. Ultimately, the site provider publishes to the web site 12. The site user at second user point 16 has access to web site 12 and can also communicate directly via a link 19 with the site provider at first user point 14 via, for example, e-mail for the purpose of submitting orders for goods offered for sale at the web site 12. Additionally, the site provider directly accesses the web site 12 for maintenance purposes, e.g. to access the web site 12 to monitor traffic to the site and the quality of the site.
Web site 12 includes a web page or pages 18,
Web page 18 features a user logo area 20 and a menu bar selection including a provider team area 22, a store area 24, a service and support area 26, a secure area 28, a site information area 30, a browse area 32, a multi-access area 34 and a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) area 36. The web page 18 information listed above in the various areas are maintained current by the site provider by multiple daily updates.
User logo area 20 includes, with the user's permission, a graphical representation of the logo of the user organization. If the user does not have a logo or does not wish for the logo to be used, the user organizations name may be used in text format.
Team area 22,
Store area 24,
The service and support information area 26,
The secure area 28,
The information area 30 includes links to the web site home and tips on how to use the web site as well as a feedback form to permit the user to submit ideas to the provider concerning how to improve the web site.
The browse area 32 provides easy access to the provider home page as well as to select links on the web site which may be of interest to the user.
The multi-access area 34,
The online NDA 36 is provided each time a user visits web site 12 for the first time. After entering the URL for the organization web page 18, the user will be prompted to view and accept the online NDA 36. Once the NDA 36 is accepted, the user's hard drive at the terminal being used will function so as not to prompt that particular user with the NDA 36 again. However, each time a user accesses the organization web page 18 from a different terminal at second user point 16 for the first time, the user will be prompted to accept the NDA 36, and upon accepting, the terminal being used will function so as not to prompt that particular user with the NDA 36 again.
As it can be seen, the principal advantages of this embodiment are that the web site provides information which is continuously updated by the provider and makes business purchases easier to initiate, manage and control for both the organization user/buyer and the provider/seller and reduces purchasing and maintenance costs for both user and provider. In addition, direct relationships between user and provider are enhanced and supported from pre-sales to post-sales. The provider is able to off-load tasks such as order quoting and order status from the sales staff so that they can spend more time selling product. The user is encouraged to do more transactions and information gathering online which is more efficient. A competitive advantage to the provider is that the user can conduct business with the provider in an easier, more cost efficient manner. User satisfaction and loyalty is enhanced and new users are attracted to this mode of purchasing from the provider.
Although illustrative embodiments have been shown and described, a wide range of modification, change and substitution is contemplated in the foregoing disclosure and in some instances, some features of the embodiments may be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the embodiments disclosed herein.
Claims
1. A method for providing order information, comprising:
- receiving, at a first user point from a website, at least one order submitted at the website from a second user Internet point;
- receiving, at the website, access information that is related to the at least one order;
- determining an order status and at least one shipping detail related to the at least one order; and
- providing, to the second user Internet point from the website, the order status and the at least one shipping detail in response to receiving the access information.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one order comprises a plurality of orders, and wherein the order status comprises an order status for each of the plurality of orders, and the at least one shipping detail comprises at least one shipping detail for each of the plurality of orders.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the order status comprises a pending production status.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the order status comprises a invoiced status.
5. The method of claim 1, where in the determining the order status and the at least one shipping detail comprises determining the order status and the at least one shipping detail using an order management system that includes the first user point.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
- sending, from the first user point to the second user Internet point, an email notification that the at least one order has shipped in response to determining that the order status comprises a shipped order status.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
- sending, from the first user point to the second user Internet point, an email notification that the at least one order has shipped in response to determining that the at least one shipping detail comprises a shipped shipping detail.
8. A method for providing shipment information, comprising:
- receiving, at a first user point from a website, at least one order submitted at the website from a second user Internet point;
- determining that the at least one order has shipped; and
- automatically providing, to the second user Internet point, an email notification indicating the at least one order has shipped in response to determining that the at least one order has shipped.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one order comprises a plurality of orders, and wherein the automatically providing the email notification comprises automatically providing an email notification for each of the plurality of orders.
10. The method of claim 8, wherein the determining that the at least one order has shipped comprises determining that the at least one order has shipped using an order management system that includes the first user point.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one order comprises at least one order for a good that is offered for sale at the website.
12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
- receiving, from the second user Internet point, an indication that a user desires to receive the email notification.
13. A method for providing customer service and support, comprising:
- receiving, at a first user point from a website, a customer system identifier from a customer at the second user Internet point;
- determining at least one software update that is specific to the customer system using the customer system identifier; and
- providing, to the second user Internet point from the website, the at least one software update.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the customer system identifier is located on a sticker on a customer system.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the sticker includes a bar code.
16. The method of 13, wherein the at least one software update comprises a Basic Input Output System (BIOS) update.
17. The method of 13, wherein the at least one software update comprises a driver update.
18. The method of 13, wherein the at least one software update comprises a utilities update.
19. The method of claim 13, wherein in response to receiving the customer system identifier, the method further comprises:
- providing a specialist at the first user point to provide help with a customer system that is associated with the customer system identifier.
20. The method of claim 19, where the providing the specialist comprises generating a service code in response to receiving the customer system identifier, and using the service code to provide the specialist.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 16, 2010
Publication Date: Nov 4, 2010
Applicant: DELL PRODUCTS L.P. (Round Rock, TX)
Inventor: Amy Van Wyngarden (Austin, TX)
Application Number: 12/837,889
International Classification: G06Q 30/00 (20060101); G06Q 10/00 (20060101); G06K 19/06 (20060101); G06F 9/44 (20060101);