Patent ID: 8473470
Filing Date: 2013-06-25
Classification: G06F,G06Q

Abstract:
1. A method of providing web-based industry specific services comprising the steps of: (A) establishing a web portal on a computer; (B) providing said web portal with an associated database that maintains information regarding products offered by manufacturers in a specific industry, each manufacturer being different than a customer; (C) providing an interface by which the customer can set up a query about needed products offered by the one or more manufacturers for use in a particular engineering design project of the customer, the query specifying design criteria for the particular engineering design project of the customer; (D) providing a search engine coupled to said associated database that, in response to the design criteria of the customer's query for needed products offered by the one or more manufacturers, searches said database and returns, to the customer, a list of manufacturers' products offered by the one or more manufacturers that meet the design criteria for the particular engineering design project of the customer; (E) in response to the customer's query to the search engine, and absent additional action by the customer, providing a manufacturer of one of the products on said list that meets the design criteria for the particular engineering design project with an interface showing a description of the customer's query; and (F) providing a hyperlink in the interface provided to the manufacturer of one of the products on said list that meets the design criteria for the particular engineering design project, using which the manufacturer of one of the products on said list can post a message on a message board to contact the customer to communicate about said manufacturer's products.