Patent ID: 7225144
Filing Date: 2007-05-29
Classification: G06F,G06Q

Abstract:
1. A network-based server device for managing product inventory information on an individual-store basis, comprising: a receiving unit receiving requests for product information from a customer via a respective client device; and a process unit identifying inventory information of stores having an address which is in proximity to an address designated by the customer, and transmitting, to the client device in response to the request for product information, the identified product inventory information on an individual-store basis corresponding to respective stores selected on the basis of customer identification information received from the respective client device, wherein each store's proximity to the designated address is determined by the processing unit by a first checking for an exact zip code match between the respective stores and the designated address, a second checking for a match of first n digits of the designated address zip code and the respective stores if there was not an exact zip code match, and a third checking for stores having a zip code within a range of the first n digits of the designated address zip code if there was not the exact zip code match and the first n digits of the zip codes did not match.