Patent Publication Number: US-2004044594-A1

Title: System for, and method of, providing information from a second party to a first party relating to inventory

Description:
[0001] This invention relates to systems for, and methods of, providing information from a vendor to a customer (a wholesaler or retailer) relating to inventory of a product at the vendor or at the vendor&#39;s customer. In one embodiment, the vendor provides an indication of the inventory of the product at the vendor when the customer has a low inventory of the product and the customer seeks to obtain the product from the vendor&#39;s inventory. In another embodiment, the vendor seeks to determine the customer&#39;s inventory of the product so that the vendor can replenish the customer&#39;s inventory when the customer&#39;s inventory is low. The invention has application to various types of transaction data, only one of which is inventory of a product or products.  
       [0002] The invention particularly relates to improvements in systems and methods disclosed and claimed in a patent application (attorneys file GCOMM-61556) filed by Louis Angergame in the United States Patent and Trademark Office on or about Aug. 15, 2002 for SYSTEMS FOR, AND METHODS OF, PROVIDING INFORMATION FROM A VENDOR TO A CUSTOMER RELATING TO INVENTORY and assigned of record to the assignee of record of this application.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003] For decades, vendors and their customers (wholesalers and retailers) have attempted to establish relationships where the wholesalers and retailers retain a minimal inventory of a product and where the vendor instantly replenishes the customer&#39;s inventory of the product when the customer&#39;s inventory of the product becomes low. For example, Japanese car makers have used this technique for years with their parts suppliers to reduce their costs in manufacturing and selling motor vehicles. This technique has been characterized in the press as “just in time”. “Just in time” has insured that car manufacturers will receive inventory of parts in time to maintain a steady rate of car production.  
       [0004] Although much progress has been made in refining these techniques, these techniques are still relatively crude in comparison to what experts in the field foresee for the future. This is particularly true since the creation of the internet. This results from the fact that the internet provides for instantaneous communication between the vendor and the vendor&#39;s customer. This instantaneous communication is available even though the vendor and the vendor&#39;s customer may be physically separated from each other by great distances. Furthermore, communication through the internet between the vendor and the vendor&#39;s customer can be established through the internet on a minimal cost basis.  
       [0005] In recent years, a number of companies have been established to provide communications through the internet between a vendor and a vendor&#39;s customer concerning inventory of a product. These communications have been provided in an attempt to maintain a continuing, but low, supply of a vendor&#39;s product at the vendor&#39;s customer. The vendor&#39;s customer may be a wholesaler or retailer which in turn resells the vendor&#39;s products to customers of the wholesaler or retailer.  
       [0006] The companies established in recent years have been designated as ‘business-to-business (or “b to b”). Considerable hype has been provided in the press concerning the importance of these companies in enhancing the efficiency of business operations. The enhancement in efficiency has been shown with the passage of time to be illusory. The different techniques provided by these companies have been shown with the passage of time to be crude and even flawed. Many of these companies are now either out of business or have been reduced substantially in size and financial resources so that they are no longer effective. In spite of this, the need still exists, perhaps now more than ever, to provide a simple, operative and efficient system for, and method of, maintaining an effective, but lean, supply of a vendor&#39;s product at the vendor&#39;s customers.  
       [0007] In co-pending application Ser. No. 10/219,098 (attorneys file GCOMM-61556), systems and methods are disclosed and claimed for providing information at a second party relating to its inventory of products. A first party programs a databot at the second party, in accordance with rules established by the first party, to have the second party specify to the first party at particular dates and times the inventories of the individual ones of the different products supplied by the second party to the first party. In accordance with this programming, the second party provides to the first party at the particular times the information relating to the inventories of the different products at the second party. The first party may be a vendor or a customer (wholesaler or retailer) of the vendor and the second party may be the other one of the vendor or the vendor&#39;s customer. Thus, the vendor can continuously maintain the inventory of the product at the vendor&#39;s customer at a lean but efficient level.  
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008] Information at a second party relates to inventory of products sold to a first party. The first party programs a databot at the second party, in accordance with rules established by the first party, to have the second party specify to the first party at particular dates and times the inventories at the second party for each of the products. In accordance with this programming, the second party provides to the first party at the particular times through a databot the information relating to the inventories of the products at the second party. Each party provides to the databot at the other party information relating to one product in a sequence while receiving information from a database relating to a next product in the sequence. Each party continues to activate its databot to receive information from the associated database when the database is activated.  
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0009] In the drawings:  
     [0010]FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a system disclosed in co-pending application Ser. No. 10/219,098 (attorneys file GCOMM-61556) and providing for a vendor&#39;s customer (wholesaler or retailer) to inquire of the vendor concerning the inventory of a product at the vendor when the vendor&#39;s customer has a low inventory of the product;  
     [0011]FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 and shows the embodiment in additional detail;  
     [0012]FIGS. 3 and 3 a  are schematic diagrams of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and show the operation of the vendor on an intranet basis and the communication between the vendor and the vendor&#39;s customer on an internet basis;  
     [0013]FIGS. 4 and 5 constitute a composite flow chart showing a prior art procedure in which a vendor&#39;s customer receives an inquiry from a user concerning the availability of a product and in which the vendor&#39;s customer obtains this information from the vendor;  
     [0014]FIG. 6 is a flow chart which is included in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1, 2,  3  and  3   a  and in which the embodiment performs functions on a simpler and more efficient basis than the prior art;  
     [0015]FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing a prior art procedure for checking the status of an unfilled order previously made by a user to a vendor&#39;s customer;  
     [0016]FIG. 8 constitutes a flow chart included in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1, 2,  3 ,  3   a  and  5  for performing functions on a simpler and more efficient basis than the prior art shown in FIG. 7;  
     [0017]FIGS. 9 and 10 constitute a composite flow chart showing a prior art procedure for the placing of an order by a customer;  
     [0018]FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing the procedure of the embodiment shown in the previous Figures for the placing of an order by a customer;  
     [0019]FIG. 12 is a flow chart showing a prior art system for obtaining the tracking of an order previously placed by a customer;  
     [0020]FIG. 13 is a flow chart showing in additional detail the system and method shown in individual ones of the previous Figures for obtaining the tracking of an order previously placed by a customer;  
     [0021]FIG. 14 is a flow chart showing in additional detail how the system and method shown in individual ones of the previous Figures progressively focus at the vendor&#39;s facility on the location of information relating to the inventory of a product ordered by a customer so as to determine the inventory of the product at the vendor&#39;s facility;  
     [0022]FIGS. 15 and 16 constitute a composite flow chart showing in further detail how the system and method shown in individual ones of the previous Figures progressively focus at the vendor&#39;s facility on the location of information relating to the inventory of the product ordered by a customer so as to determine the inventory of the product at the vendor&#39;s facility;  
     [0023]FIGS. 17 and 18 constitute a composite flow chart operative in conjunction with individual ones of the previous Figures and showing how the vendor determines the inventory of the product at the vendor&#39;s facilities and transmits this information to the facilities of the vendor&#39;s customer;  
     [0024]FIG. 19 constitute a flow chart operative in conjunction with individual ones of the previous Figures and showing in additional detail how the vendor determines the inventory of the product at the vendor&#39;s facility of the product ordered at the facility of the vendor&#39;s customer and transmits the information to the facility of the vendor&#39;s customer;  
     [0025]FIG. 20 is a flow chart operative in conjunction with individual ones of the previous FIG. 1 and showing how the vendor determines the times for the transmission to the vendor&#39;s customer of the information relating to the inventory of the product at the vendor&#39;s facility;  
     [0026]FIG. 21 is a flow chart operative in conjunction with individual ones of the previous Figures and showing how the vendor&#39;s customer determines the times for the vendor to provide information relating to inventories of individual ones of different products being purchased by the customer from the vendor;  
     [0027]FIG. 22 is a flow chart operative in conjunction with individual ones of the previous Figures and indicating how the vendor progressively focuses on the information relating to the inventories of the vendor with respect to individual ones of the products being purchased by the vendor&#39;s customer from the vendor;  
     [0028]FIGS. 23 and 24 constitute composite flow charts which are operative in conjunction with individual ones of the previous Figures and which show how the vendor (1) selects information relating to the inventory of an individual one of the products, (2) transfers this information to the vendor&#39;s customer, and (3) the vendor&#39;s customer uses this information;  
     [0029]FIG. 25 is a flow chart showing the operation of another embodiment of the system disclosed and claimed in co-pending application Ser. No. 10/219,098 (attorneys file GCOMM-61556), the vendor operating in this embodiment to obtain information concerning the inventory of individual products at the vendor&#39;s customer so as to make certain that the vendor&#39;s customer has a sufficient inventory of these individual products to satisfy any reasonable demand for these products at the vendor&#39;s customer;  
     [0030]FIG. 26 provides simplified flow charts showing how each party provides to the database at the other party information relating to one product in a sequence while receiving information from a database relating to a next product in the sequence;  
     [0031]FIG. 27 is a simplified flow chart showing how each party continues to activate its databot so that the databot is ready to receive information from the associated database when the database is activated;  
     [0032]FIG. 28 is a flow chart showing how a spreadsheet such as an Excel spreadsheet can be substituted in place of a database at the vendor&#39;s customer to transmit rules to the vendor relating to the dates and times for the vendor to submit to the vendor&#39;s customer the inventory of the vendor for the different products sold by the vendor to the vendor&#39;s customer; and  
     [0033]FIG. 29 is a block diagram further showing the construction and operation of a spreadsheet system providing for the operation in accordance with the flow chart shown in FIG. 28.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION  
     [0034]FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the operation of a preferred embodiment, generally indicated at  11 , of an invention disclosed and claimed in co-pending application Ser. No. 10/219,098 (attorneys file GCOMM-61556). In this preferred embodiment, the corporate offices  10  of a purchaser, generally indicated at  12 , constituting a retailer or wholesaler, lists the inventory of different products which the company sells. The different products may be in a particular field, such as vehicle components for replacing worn or defective components in vehicles. Alternatively, the different products may be in a number of different lines as dissimilar as those carried by Wal-Mart. The purchaser  12  may have a number of different selling locations, one of which is illustrated at  14 . The number of different selling locations of the company  12  may be quite large such as, for example, the number of stores in the Wal-Mart organization or may be any amount smaller than the number of stores in the Wal-Mart organization.  
     [0035] A customer  13  may approach the store  14  and tell the customer&#39;s service representative (e.g. sales clerk)  15  at the store that he wants to buy an alternator for a 1996 Buick LeSabre. The sales clerk may then see if the alternator is in stock at the store. If the alternator is not in the inventory at the store, the sales clerk  15  may inquire through the intranet or internet to determine from the corporate offices  10  if a unit of the alternator is available at the corporate offices or at another store in the corporate organization. If a unit of the alternator is available at the corporate offices  10  or at another store in the corporate organization, the corporate offices will notify the store  14  of the availability of the unit and will ship, or have shipped, the alternator unit to the store.  
     [0036] It may be that an alternator unit is not available at the corporate offices  10  or at any of the company&#39;s stores such as the store  14 . This invention provides for the corporate office  10  of the purchaser  12  to determine at specified times the inventory that a vendor  16  (the supplier of the alternator to the company  12 ) has of the alternator. These times for the vendor  16  to communicate with the purchaser  12  are specified by the corporate office  10  of the purchaser  12  to the vendor  16 . At the specified times, the vendor  16  transmits to the corporate office  10  of the purchaser  12  through the internet the inventory of the alternator that the vendor can supply immediately to the purchaser. In this way, the corporate office  10  of the purchaser  12  is able to obtain from the vendor  16  an inventory of the alternator at the vendor on an immediate basis when the store  14  has run short of units of the alternator. The corporate office  10  of the purchaser  12  promptly relays this information to the store  14  where the customer  13  is located. This helps the customer  13  to maintain good relations with its customers.  
     [0037] It will be appreciated that the inventory of the vendor  16  at the purchaser  12  may relate to a plurality of items only one of which may be the alternator. It will be further appreciated that the vendor may have a plurality of inventory stations and that the inventory information provided by the vendor  16  to the corporate office  10  of the purchaser  12  may be an accumulation of the inventory at all of the different vendor stations. Furthermore, applicant&#39;s invention has broader utility than the indication of inventory without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the information transferred from the vendor  16  may relate to transaction data of all different types and may involve different types of information than inventory.  
     [0038]FIG. 2 provides additional information concerning the communication between the purchaser  14  and the vendor  16  concerning the inventory of the alternator at the vendor. As shown in FIG. 1, the corporate office  10  communicates with the vendor  16  by transmitting rules to the vendor for the times of the transfer of specific inventory information at the vendor to the corporate office  10 . The rules may be transmitted by the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10  to a databot  20  in a server  22  at the vendor.  
     [0039] The databot  20  may be considered to constitute a database at the vendor  16  for converting the rules from the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10  to a form which is transmitted through the intranet to a corporate data base  21  at the vendor. The data base  22  and a unit processor  24  then operate in accordance with these rules to determine the inventory of the alternator at the vendor. This information is then transmitted through the intranet to the server  22  at the vendor  16  which conveys this information through the internet to a power site data base  26  at the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10 . The data base (PSDB)  26  transfers this information to a server  28  which in turn conveys this information through the internet to the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10 . Although this transfer of information has been described in this paragraph for the alternator, it will be appreciated that the same discussion applies to all of the other products which the vendor  16  supplies to the purchaser  12 .  
     [0040]FIG. 3 a  is a flow chart of the system and method disclosed and claimed in co-pending application Ser. No. 10/219,098 (attorneys file GCOMM-61556) and shows the transactions between the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10  and the vendor  16  through the internet. FIG. 3 a  includes the power site  26  and the server  28  at the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10 . FIG. 3 a  also includes the databot  20  and the server  22  at the vendors  16 . FIG. 3 b  shows the databot  20  and the server  22  at the vendor  16 . FIG. 3 b  also shows how the databot  20  communicates through the intranet with various processing equipment at various warehouses of the vendor such as a warehouse indicated in broken lines at  30 . This processing equipment may include a Unix processor  32 , Oracle equipment  34  and IBM equipment such as the IBN AS/400 equipment  36  and DB1400 equipment  38 . It will be appreciated that the Unix, Oracle and IBM equipments are only exemplary of the equipments that can be provided. The Unix, Oracle and IBM equipments operate to determine the inventory of various items at the vendor&#39;s warehouses.  
     [0041]FIGS. 4 and 5 are flow charts showing how systems of the prior art operate to determine whether a vendor has units of a product such as an alternator when a customer needs the alternator and the purchaser&#39;s corporate office and the branch offices of the purchaser do not have the alternator in stock. As a first step indicated at  40 , the customer  13  (e.g.,  14  in FIG. 1) enters a branch store of the purchaser and attempts to purchase a unit of the alternator. As indicated at  40 , the customer learns from the purchaser&#39;s sales clerk  15  that the alternator is not in stock at the branch  14  of the purchaser. If the customer  13  does not wish to push the matter further (see “No” at  42 ), the matter relating to the purchase of the alternator by the vendor is ended. This is indicated at  44  in FIG. 4.  
     [0042] If the customer  13  desires to obtain additional information about the status of his order to obtain the alternator, the customer answers affirmatively at  43 . The customer then asks the customer service representative  15  to check the status of the alternator (see  44 ). The customer service representative  15  then obtains the product name and the vendor&#39;s name and telephones the purchaser&#39;s buyer (see  46  in FIG. 4). If the corporate buyer is not available, this is the end of the status check at this time. This is indicated at  48  In FIG. 4. If the corporate buyer is available as indicated at  50  in FIGS. 4 and 5, the corporate buyer calls the vendor as indicated at  52 . If the vendor is not available (see  54  in FIG. 5), this is the end of the inquiry check at this time. This results from the interconnection between the line  48  in FIG. 5 and the line  48  in FIG. 4.  
     [0043] If the vendor is available at this time as indicated at  55  in FIG. 5, the corporate buyer asks the vendor if the alternator is currently available. This is indicated at  56 . The vendor then puts the corporate buyer on hold and checks the inventory of the alternator at the vendor (see  57 ). When the corporate buyer obtains information concerning the level of the alternator inventory at the vendor, he reports this to the customer service representative. This is indicated at  58 . The customer service representative then reports this inventory to the customer (see  60 ).  
     [0044] As will be seen from FIGS. 4 and 5 and the discussion above concerning FIGS. 4 and 5, the process represented by the flow chart is slow and inefficient. The customer relies on phone calls to be made by the customer service representative to the corporate buyer, and then by the corporate buyer to the vendor, with the distinct possibility that either the corporate buyer or the vendor is not available. When the corporate buyer or the vendor is not available, the process shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 has to be repeated from the beginning of FIG. 4. Furthermore, phone calls are not an efficient mode of communication even if the process is consummated from the beginning of the flow chart in FIG. 4 to the end of the flow chart in FIG. 5.  
     [0045]FIG. 6 is a flow chart of the system and method disclosed and claimed in co-pending application Ser. No. 10/219,098 (attorneys file GCOMM-61556) for checking the availability of inventory to satisfy an order made by the customer  13  to a customer service representative  15  at the purchaser&#39;s branch store  14 . As a first step indicated at  62 , the customer  13  enters the purchaser&#39;s branch store  14  and asks the customer&#39;s service representative  15  to check if the unit of the alternator is available. The customer&#39;s service representative then indicates that the unit is not available at the store. This is indicated at  62  in FIG. 6. If the customer indicates that he does not want any further check to be made, no further work is performed as indicated at  64  in FIG. 6.  
     [0046] If the customer wants to make further checks of the order see (see  66 ), the representative first checks with the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10  to determine from the office  10  if a unit of the order is available at the office or at one of the other selling offices of the purchaser. If the purchaser  14  has a unit of the alternator at its corporate office or at one of its selling offices, the purchaser arranges to have the unit of the alternator delivered to the customer. All of the acts specified in this paragraph may be considered to be included within a block  68 .  
     [0047] If the purchaser  14  does not have a unit of the alternator at one of its facilities, the purchaser determines from its records if the vendor has a unit of the alternator in its inventory. This step may also be considered to be included within the block  68  in FIG. 6. The purchaser does not have to make a determination at this time because the purchaser periodically receives from the vendor  16  an indication of the inventory of the alternator at the vendor. The indication of the inventory of the alternator at the vendor has been previously determined by the vendor in accordance with the rules established by the purchaser  14  and has been transmitted to the purchaser by the vendor at the time of the determination by the vendor. Thus, a fresh determination of the inventory of the alternator at the vendor is always available to the purchaser corporate office  10 . This determination of the inventory availability is indicated to customers as shown at  70  in FIG. 6. The purchaser  14  then orders a unit of the alternator from the inventory at the vendor and delivers this unit to the customer  13  when the purchaser receives the unit from the vendor, assuming that the vendor  16  has inventory of the alternator at that time.  
     [0048]FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing a prior art system for, and method of, checking the status of an order such as the order of the customer  13  for the unit of the alternator. As a first step  72  in the flow chart, the customer  13  walks into the purchaser&#39;s store  14  and asks the customer service representative to check the status of the order. The customer service representative then calls the purchaser&#39;s buyer (see  74 ). If the buyer is not available, the store clerk  15  tells the customer  13  of the buyer&#39;s unavailability and this is the end of the procedure. If the buyer is available ( 78 ), the buyer calls the vendor as indicated at  80 . If the vendor is not available (see  82 ), this is the end of the sequence. If the vendor is available ( 82 ), the vendor indicates the status of the order to the buyer and the buyer tells this information to the customer service representative. This is indicated at  84  in FIG. 7. As will be seen, this procedure is slow and complicated and can be interrupted at several instants because of the unavailability of personnel.  
     [0049]FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing the system and method disclosed and claimed in co-pending application Ser. No. 10/219,098 (attorneys file GCOMM-61556) for checking the status of an order. As a first step  86 , the customer  13  walks into the purchaser&#39;s store  14  and, as indicated at  84 , asks the purchaser&#39;s customer service representative  15  for the status of his order for the alternator. The customer service representative then obtains the customer&#39;s order number from the purchaser&#39;s data files. The customer service representative also obtains the status of the order from the purchaser&#39;s data files. This information includes the following: (1) the entry of this order by the purchaser, (2) the receipt of the order by the vendor, (3) the shipment of the alternator by the vendor to the purchaser to fulfill the order and (4) the receipt of the alternator by the purchaser. The status report is indicated at  88  in FIG. 8.  
     [0050]FIGS. 9 and 10 are flow charts of a prior art system for, and method, of tracking an order previously placed by the customer  13  to the customer&#39;s service representative  15  at the purchaser  14 . The prior art system includes the step  90  relating to the entrance by the customer into the purchaser&#39;s store and the order by the customer of the alternator. The customer&#39;s service representative enters the order on an order form and phones the corporate buyer to place the order if the alternator is not available at the purchaser&#39;s store  14 . That is indicated at  92 . If the buyer is not available as indicated at  94 , the customer&#39;s service representative sends a facsimile to the order to the buyer as indicated at  96  and the customer departs.  
     [0051] If the buyer is available (see  98 ), the buyer obtains the information to identify the order and calls the vendor if the purchaser  14  cannot fill the order from its inventory. This is indicated at  100 . If the vendor is not available, the buyer places the order by facsimile and gives no date to the customer&#39;s service representative as to when the order will be filled by the vendor. This is indicated at  101 . This constitutes the end of the flow chart under such circumstance. If the vendor is available ( 102  in FIGS. 9 and 10), the buyer determines the inventory of the order at the vendor and places the order as indicated at  104  in FIG. 10. The customer&#39;s service representative  15  then indicates to the customer  13  that the order has been placed. See  106  in FIG. 10.  
     [0052]FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing how an order is placed and processed by the system and method disclosed and claimed in co-pending application Ser. No. 10/219,098 (attorneys file GCOMM-61556). As a first step as indicated at  104 , a customer walks into one of the purchaser&#39;s branch store  14  and places an order. The representative then uses the system of this invention to check the inventory available as indicated at the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10 . This checking is indicated at  106  in FIG. 11. If the inventory is not available from the indications at the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10  (see  108 ), or at the branch stores such as the branch store  14 , the customer may wish to place the order anyway. See  110  in FIG. 11. If the customer does not wish to place the order, this is the end  112  of the sequence.  
     [0053] If the inventory is available at the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10  or at the branch stores (see  10 ), information for placing the order is provided by the customer and the service representative. This may include the name, address and telephone number of the customer, the quantity of the item (e.g. the alternator) being ordered, and the stock keeping unit of the item at the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10 . This is indicated at  116 . The customer service representative then sends the order, and the information relating to the order, to the purchaser&#39;s corporate offices. This is indicated at  118 . The purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10  then enters the order into its system as indicated at  120 .  
     [0054]FIG. 12 is a flow chart of a prior art system for tracking an order. The customer enters a branch store  14  of the purchaser  12  to inquire as to the status of a previously placed order. The branch store  14  telephones or faxes the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10  (see  122 ) to make this inquiry. The corporate office  10  then telephones or faxes the vendor  16  (see  124 ) to make this inquiry. This is a lengthy and cumbersome procedure with a good chance that the transaction will not be completed because of unavailability of personnel. Furthermore, the process is slow and inefficient.  
     [0055]FIG. 13 is a flow chart showing how the system disclosed and claimed in co-pending application Ser. No. 10/219,098 (attorneys file GCOMM-61556) operates to track an order. The customer  13  enters into the purchaser&#39;s store  14  to track the order. The store communicates through the internet with the power site database  26  at the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10 . The purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10  then communicates through the internet with the databot  20  which obtains the information from the database at the server  22 . This information is then transferred through the internet to the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10  and then through the internet to the purchaser&#39;s store  14 . In this way, the customer  13  is advised as to the status of his order for the alternator.  
     [0056]FIG. 14 is a flow chart of the system and method disclosed and claimed in co-pending application Ser. No. 10/219,098 (attorneys file GCOMM-61556) and indicates how the vendor  16  is set up to provide information to the purchaser  14  concerning the inventory of a particular order such as the alternator. The server  22  at the vendor  16  obtains this information at the databot  20  through the intranet from an internet protocol machine  130  at the vendor  16 . The vendor  16  then selects the type of database (e.g. Oracle)  132  being used and then selects table or the portion  134  of the database where the data related to the inventory of the alternator is located. If the database is secure, the vendor may have to specify the table or portion  134  and give a predetermined password to enter the portion or table of the server  22  where the information relating to the inventory of the alternator is located. As a final step, the vendor selects the rows  136  where the information relating to the inventory of the alternator is located. As will be seen, the vendor  16  progressively focuses in on the location of the inventory of the alternator in the vendor&#39;s database.  
     [0057]FIGS. 15 and 16 constitute a composite flow chart of the steps taken by the vendor  16  in the system and method disclosed and claimed in co-pending application Ser. No. 10/219,098 (attorneys file GCOMM-61556) to accomplish the steps shown in FIG. 14 and specified in the previous paragraph. As a first step as indicated at  138 , the vendor  16  selects the path of the local (or vendor&#39;s) database. In other words, the vendor  16  accesses the database in the personal computer or server  22  where the databot is operating. The vendor  16  then selects the local database type (e.g. Oracle). (See  140  in FIG. 16.) The vendor  16  then determines whether the selected database is on the vendor&#39;s list (see  138 ) which lists the local databases that can be accessed. If the selected database is not on this list, the vendor  16  contacts the company which has installed the system to have the system on the vendor&#39;s list (see  144 ). In this way, the vendor  16  can be connected to the selected database even though the selected data base is not on the vendor&#39;s list. This is the end  195  of the sequence where the selected database is not on the vendor&#39;s list.  
     [0058] If the selected data base is on the vendor&#39;s ( 145 ) list, a determination ( 146 ) is made as to whether a valid dynamic server name (DSN) connection is available. If the answer is “no” as indicated at  148 , a dial-up modem (see  150 ) is configured or dialed. If this is done as indicated at  152 , the vendor&#39;s internet protocol address is dialed or configured (see  154 ) to obtain the vendor&#39;s server  22  as indicated at  130  in FIG. 14. As will be seen in FIG. 15, the vendor&#39;s internet protocol address is also dialed or configured when the dynamic server name (DSN) (see  156 ) is available.  
     [0059] As a next step as indicated at  158  in FIG. 15, the database in the server  22  is configured to select the type of the local database as discussed above in connection with block  132  in FIG. 14. A signal is then provided on a line  159  in FIGS. 15 and 16. This causes the database in the server  22  to be configured (see  160  in FIG. 16) to submit the table name and password in accordance with  134  in FIG. 14. The table name and password are submitted in order to select the portion or table of the server  22  where the information relating to the inventory of the alternator at the vendor  16  is located. The selection of the portion or table of the server  22  storing the information relating to the alternator is indicated at  162  in FIG. 16. This information is saved ( 164 ). The next step of determining the specific rows in the table or portion in FIG. 14 for the storage of the information relating to the inventory of the alternator at the vendor is not shown in FIG. 16 since this step is performed at the purchaser&#39;s central office  10 .  
     [0060]FIG. 17 constitutes a flow chart which is included in co-pending application Ser. No. 10/219,098 (attorneys file GCOMM-61556) and which further defines the relationship between the databot  20  at the vendor  16  and the database in the server  28  at the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10 . As a first step in FIG. 17, the vendor  16  provides information relating to the parameters shown in FIG. 14 and discussed above. These include (1) the internet protocol in the server  22  at the vendor, (2) the selection of the type (e.g. Oracle) of the database at the vendor, (3) the portion or table  134  of the database holding the information relating to the inventory of the alternator at the vendor and (4) the rows  136  specifically holding in the portion or table  134  the information relating to the inventory of the alternator at the database. This information is provided through the intranet to the databot  20  at the vendor  16 . The information is then transmitted through the internet to the power site database  26  in the server  28  at the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10 . It will then be appreciated that the showing in FIG. 17 and in all of the previous drawings and the discussion in this paragraph, and in all of the previous paragraphs, apply equally as well to all of the different products supplied by the vendor  16  to the purchaser  12  as it does to the alternator specified in the previous discussion.  
     [0061]FIGS. 18 a  and  18   b  are included in co-pending application Ser. No. 10/219,098 (attorneys file GCOMM-61556) and provide a composite flow chart relating to the operation at the vendor  16  in providing to the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10  the information specified in the previous paragraph. As a first step indicated at  166  in FIG. 18 a , the vendor operates the databot  20  to select a remote tab indicating the identity of the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10 . The selection of the remote tab by the vendor  16  is indicated at  168 . The vendor then enters the remote location identification (constituting the identification number) of the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10  (see  170 ). The vendor subsequently enters the internet protocol address at the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10 . This is indicated at  172  in FIG. 18 a . It corresponds to the location where the power site database  26  exists at the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10 . A line  173  extends from the bottom of FIG. 18 a  to the top of FIG. 18 b  to indicate that the flow chart continues in FIG. 18 b.    
     [0062] The vendor  16  thereafter enters the remote login and password to provide for a transmission through the internet to the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10  of the information relating to the inventory of the alternator at the vendor. This is indicated at  174  in FIG. 18 b . As previously indicated, the login and password is to provide for the information to pass through the firewall established between the vendor  16  and the purchaser&#39;s central office  10 . The firewall is provided to keep secure the information passing between the vendor  16  and the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10 .  
     [0063] The vendor then enters the remote e-mail address of the purchaser&#39;s corporate office (see  175 ). The vendor subsequently enters the remote port number for the firewall as indicated at  176 . The vendor then hits the save button, as indicated at  178 , to have the information saved. The vendor&#39;s databot then connects through the internet to the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10  as indicated at  180 . If the connection is not provided, the vendor may wish to check, as at  182 , if the internet connection has been provided to the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10  and if the information to be transmitted is valid. This information is shown in FIGS. 18 a  and  18   b  and in FIG. 14 and is discussed above. If the connection is provided, the information shown in FIG. 14 and the information shown in FIGS. 15 and 16 are transmitted by the vendor  16  to the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10 . This is indicated at  183  in FIG. 18 b.    
     [0064]FIG. 19 is a flow chart included in co-pending application Ser. No. 10/219,098 (attorneys file GCOMM-61556) and shows the times at which the vendor  16  transmits to the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10  the information relating to different products that the vendor sells to the purchaser&#39;s corporate office. The times for providing the transmission of this data from the vendor  16  to the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10  are provided by rules established by the purchaser&#39;s corporate office to the vendor. A simple set of rules would specify that the vendor  16  sends to the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10  in sequence indications of the inventory of each product sold by the vendor to the purchaser  12 . For example, this transmission would be at spaced time intervals for all of the different products sold by the vendor to the purchaser. A more sophisticated set of rules would provide for the interval between successive transmissions relating to inventory to depend upon additional factors.  
     [0065] For example, one factor may be the volume at which the vendor  16  sells each individual product to the purchaser  12 . For example, the vendor  16  may have to provide to the purchaser the indication of the inventory relating to a fast selling product more often than the inventory relating to a slow selling product. Another factor may be the price of the product. For example, the inventory relating to a high priced product may be transmitted by the vendor to the purchaser more often than the inventory of a product selling at a price less than a dollar. Still another factor may be seasonal. For example, the transmission to the purchaser  12  of information relating to the inventory of toys may occur more often during the Christmas season than at other times of the year. Similarly, the transmission of inventory to the purchaser  12  relating to swim suits may occur more often in the spring and summer than during the fall and winter.  
     [0066]FIG. 19 is included in co-pending application Ser. No. 10/219,098 (attorneys file GCOMM-61556) and shows that the server  22  database at the vendor  16  provides information relating to the inventory of a product such as the alternator to the databot  20  at the vendor. The vendor then transmits this information to the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10 . This information may include the interval (such as in hours and/or minutes) between successive transmissions. It may also include the time of the day, and the day(s) of the week, that the transmission occurs with respect to each individual product such as the alternator.  
     [0067]FIG. 20 is a flow chart included in co-pending application Ser. No. 10/219,098 (attorneys file GCOMM-61556) and shows how the vendor  16  responds to the rules established by the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10  and transmitted by the purchaser to the vendor  16 . As a first step  184  in the flow chart shown in FIG. 20, a determination is made as at  18   a  at the vendor  16  as to whether the vendor is collecting the rules from the purchaser&#39;s corporate office. If the answer is no (see  186 ), this is the end of the procedure shown in FIG. 20. If the answer is yes ( 187 ), a determination is made as to whether there is to be an interval between successive transmissions concerning the inventory of the alternator. If the answer is yes ( 188 ), the time interval is set (e.g. in minutes) as at  190 . If the answer is no ( 192 ) to indicate that the time interval does not have to be set, the time of the day for indicating the inventory of the alternator is set. This is indicated at  194 . An inquiry ( 196 ) is accordingly provided to indicate whether the data indicating the inventory of the alternator at the vendor  16  should be collected every day. If the answer is no ( 198 ), the day for collecting the data to indicate the inventory of the alternator at the vendor is set as indicated at  200 . If the answer is yes as indicated at  202 , the data is collected every day at the time set in the block  184 .  
     [0068]FIG. 21 is a flow chart included in co-pending application Ser. No. 10/219,098 (attorneys file GCOMM-61556) and illustrates how different functions are performed at the vendor  16  in accordance with the operation of the databot  20  at the vendor. As a first step, the databot  20  is connected to a suitable data base such as the server  22 . This is indicated at  204  in FIG. 21. In the next step, the vendor&#39;s internet protocol address is selected. This is also shown at  130  in FIG. 14. The type of the database (e.g. Oracle) is thereafter selected as also indicated at  132  in FIG. 14. A part or table of the database  134  is thereafter selected. This is also indicated at  134  in FIG. 14. As previously indicated, this part or table may be selected to provide a name and password for security purposes so that information can pass through the firewall between the vendor  16  and the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10 .  
     [0069] As a final step in FIG. 21, the row for the indication of the inventory of the alternator is then selected as also indicated at  136  in FIG. 14. Two (2) columns may be associated with each row. One column may indicate the inventory of the product such as the alternator. The other column shows the units of the alternator that have recently been dispensed since the last time that the inventory on the alternator has been transmitted by the vendor  16  to the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10 . It will be appreciated that the second (2d) column may indicate the dispensing of the alternator over a different period of time than the last report to the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10  without departing from the scope of the invention.  
     [0070]FIG. 22 is a flow chart included in co-pending application Ser. No. 10/219,098 (attorneys file GCOMM-61556) and indicates how the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10  selects the location in the vendor&#39;s records of the different products (stock keeping units or “SKU&#39;s”) sold by the vendor  16  to the purchaser  12 . As a first step indicated at  206 , the purchaser  12  enters all of the different types of products (SKU&#39;s) which the vendor sells to the purchaser. The purchaser  12  then assigns a location, indicated at  208 , in which the information relating to each individual one of the different products or SKU&#39;s is located. The purchaser then selects the portion or table (including the row) of the vendor&#39;s database  22  where the inventory information relating to the different products (SKU&#39;s) is located. This is indicated at  210  in FIG. 22.  
     [0071] The purchaser  12  thereafter selects the first column (see FIG. 21) where the inventory information relating to each individual product (e.g. the alternator) is located. (See  212 ). The purchaser thereafter selects the second column (see FIG. 21) which contains the information relating to the amount of the inventory shipped by the vendor  16  to its customers since the previous recording period. This is indicated at  214 . As a final step indicated at  216  in the flow chart in FIG. 21, the purchaser saves the information specified in FIG. 21. It will be appreciated that the vendor  16  may save similar information in the databot  20 .  
     [0072]FIGS. 23 and 24 are included in co-pending application Ser. No. 10/219,098 (attorneys file GCOMM-61556). FIGS. 23 and 24 constitute a composite flow chart indicating the operation of the vendor  16  in entering information controlling how they communicate with each other through the internet. As a first step indicated at  220  in FIG. 23, the vendor  16  enters the remote identification of the purchaser  12 . As a next step (see  222 ), the vendor  16  enters the remote internet protocol address of the purchaser  12 . The vendor  16  then enters the remote login and password to overcome the security barrier between the vendor and the purchaser to provide for the communication between the vendor and the purchaser through the firewall. This is indicated at  224  in FIG. 23.  
     [0073] As a next step as indicated at  226 , the vendor  16  enters the remote e-mail address of the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10 . The vendor then enters the part number of the product (e.g. the alternator). See  228 . The vendor may save the information. This is indicated at  230 . The vendor thereafter asks ( 232 ) if the databot  20  at the vendor has established a remote connection with the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10  through the internet. If the answer is no ( 234 ), the vendor  16  starts the process again as indicated at  220 .  
     [0074] If the databot  20  at the vendor has established a communication with the purchaser&#39;s central office  10  through the internet, such an indication is provided at  236 . The purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10  then enters the power site database  26  (see  238 ) and the purchaser&#39;s office enters the type of the local database (see  240 ). As shown in FIG. 24, the purchaser&#39;s central office  10  then enters the name ( 242 ) of the local server and the local database name ( 244 ). The purchaser&#39;s central office enters the database login and password ( 246 ) to provide a communication through the firewall between the vendor  16  and the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10 . The purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10  thereafter enters the part number ( 248 ) of the product such as the alternator.  
     [0075] The purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10  may then decide to save the information as indicated at  250 . If the information is not saved (see  252 ), the process is repeated starting with the step  242 . If the information is saved (see  254 ), a decision is made as to whether the vendor should start to send data to the purchaser&#39;s corporate office. If the answer is no (see  258 ), this is the end of the successive steps shown in FIGS. 23 and 24. If the answer is yes as indicated at  260 , the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10  enters the day, and the time of the day, that the collection of the data is initiated. See  262 .  
     [0076] As shown in the drawings and disclosed in detail in the specification, a system is provided in which the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10  receives information from the vendor  16  concerning the inventories at the vendor of the product (e.g. the alternator) supplied by the vendor to the purchaser. This information is provided by the vendor  16  to the purchaser  14  periodically in accordance with rules established by the purchaser and transmitted by the purchaser to the vendor. One purpose of this arrangement is to provide the purchaser  14  with an opportunity to quickly obtain units of a product from the vendor when the purchaser is in short supply of the product.  
     [0077]FIG. 25 schematically shows a preferred embodiment, generally indicated at  300 , which is disclosed and claimed in co-pending application Ser. No. 10/219,098 (attorneys file GCOMM-61556) and which is similar in many ways to the preferred embodiment shown in FIGS.  1 - 24  and described above. However, in many ways the roles of the vendor and the purchaser are reversed in the sense of who makes the inquiries concerning inventory of products and who provides the information relating to inventory of products. In the system shown in FIG. 25, the vendor  16  inquires of the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10  concerning the inventory which the purchaser has at any instant of a product such as the alternator. The purpose of the inquiry is for the vendor to suggest to the purchaser  14  that the purchaser may wish to order additional units of a product such as the alternator when the purchaser&#39;s inventory of the product has dwindled to a relatively low level.  
     [0078]FIG. 25 shows a power site data base  302  at the vendor similar to the power site database  26  at the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10  in the preferred embodiment shown in FIGS.  1 - 24 . FIG. 25 also includes a server  304  at the purchaser  12  similar to the server  22  at the vendor  16  in the embodiment shown in FIGS.  1 - 24 . FIG. 25 additionally shows a databot  306  at the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10  similar to the databot  20  at the vendor  16  in the embodiment shown in FIGS.  1 - 24 .  
     [0079] As a first step as indicated at  308  in FIG. 25, the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10  loads the databot  306  in the server  304  so that the databot and the server provide a record of inventory at the purchaser of the different products supplied by the vendor to the purchaser. In the next step indicated at  310  in FIG. 25, the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10  runs the remote set up of the databot  306  to identify hardware, data and tables similar to those indicated at  130 ,  132 ,  134  and  136  in FIG. 14.  
     [0080] The purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10  then operates the databot  300  on a local basis to establish a connection to the vendor  16  in a manner similar to the operation of the databot  20  on a local basis as shown in FIGS. 23 and 24 to establish a connection between the vendor and the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10 . See  312  in FIG. 25. As a final step, the databot  306  at the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10  transmits inventory and data to the vendor to indicate to the vendor inventory levels of the different products at the purchaser  12 .  
     [0081] The transmission of the inventory levels from the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10  to the vendor  16  may be in accordance with established rules specifying the times for such transmissions controlling the operation of the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10 . These rules are probably established preferentially by the purchaser&#39;s corporate office  10  to provide a safeguard to the purchaser to make certain that the purchaser always has sufficient inventories of products supplied by the vendor to the purchaser  12 . However, the rules may also be established by the vendor  16  to provide a safeguard to the vendor for assuring that the purchaser  12  is always happy with its relationship with the vendor.  
     [0082]FIG. 26 shows an improved system for enhancing the speed of operation of the system shown in FIGS.  1 - 25  and described above. In the system shown in FIG. 26, the power site database  26  at the purchaser  12  provides a sequence of rules to the databot  306  at the purchaser. The power site database  26  then transfers the rules in the sequence to the databot  306  at the purchaser  12  and the databot transmits the rules to the databot  20  at the vendor  16 . While the databot  306  is receiving each rule in the sequence from the power site database  26 , the databot is transmitting the previous rule in the sequence to the vendor  16 . In this way, the speed of transmitting the rules from the purchaser  12  to the vendor  16  is enhanced.  
     [0083] The system at the vendor  16  operates in the same way as the system at the purchaser  12 . The server  22  at the vendor  16  transfers transaction data in a sequence to the databot  20  at the vendor  16  and the databot transmits this data to the purchaser  12 . While the databot  20  is receiving the transaction data relating to each transaction in the sequence from the server  20 , the databot is transmitting to the purchaser  12  the transaction data relating to the previous transaction in the sequence. This enhances the speed of transmitting the transaction data in the sequence to the purchaser  12 .  
     [0084]FIG. 27 provides flow charts indicating how the system at the purchaser  12  is constantly alerted to transmit rules to the vendor  16  and how the vendor is constantly alerted to transmit transaction data (e.g. product inventory) to the purchaser. This constant state of alertness at the purchaser  12  and the vendor  16  simplifies and enhances the operation of the system. As a first step at the purchaser  12 , the databot  306  is activated as at  352 . A determination is then made (as at  354 ) as to whether the databot  20  has been configured to indicate the type of database  132  (FIG. 14) being used and to select the portion or table  134  of the database where the transaction data of the transaction is located.  
     [0085] If the determination is made that the databot  306  has not been configured, the databot is reactivated as at  356  to obtain a new determination of configuration. If the determination is made that the databot  306  has been configured, the rules relating to the date and time for the transmission of transaction data (e.g. product inventory) from the vendor  16  to the purchaser  12  are transmitted to the purchaser  12 . This is indicated at  358  in FIG. 27.  
     [0086] A similar arrangement to that described in the previous paragraph is provided at the vendor  16 . The databot  20  is initially activated as at  360 . A determination ( 362 ) is then made as to whether the databot  20  has been configured to select the type of database and to select the portion or table in which the transaction data is located. If the answer is no ( 364 ), the databot  20  is reactivated. If the answer is yes ( 366 ), the databot transmits the transaction data relating to the transactions (e.g. product inventory) to the purchaser  12 .  
     [0087] In the systems shown in FIGS.  1 - 27  and described above, the purchaser  12  obtains information from the power site database  26  to transmit transaction data relating to transactions. FIG. 28 provides a flow chart in which a spreadsheet such as an Excel spreadsheet is used instead of the database  26  to transmit to the vendor  16  rules relating to transactions (e.g. product inventory).  
     [0088] As a first step  370  in the flow chart in FIG. 28, the databot  306  at the purchaser  12  is set up to transmit rules to the purchaser  12 . Setting up a databot such as the databot  306  is shown in FIG. 21 and has been described in detail above. The user then enters the spreadsheet such as the Excel spreadsheet. This is indicated at  372  in FIG. 28. The user then selects the column in the spreadsheet for the stock keeping unit whose rules relating to date and time are to be transmitted to the vendor  12 . See  374 . The user then saves this data as indicated at  376 .  
     [0089] It will be appreciated that a flow chart similar to that shown in FIG. 28 may be provided at the vendor  16 . In this way, a spreadsheet can be provided at the vendor  16  to control the transmission of transaction data relating to transactions (e.g. product inventory) to the purchaser  12 .  
     [0090]FIG. 29 is a simplified schematic diagram of the system for transmitting the spreadsheet data to the vendor  16 . In FIG. 29, the spreadsheet is indicated at  380 . The spreadsheet data is introduced to personal computer hardware  382  which processes this data. The processed data is then introduced to the databot  306  at the purchaser  12  for transmission to the vendor  16 .  
     [0091] Although this invention has been disclosed and illustrated with reference to particular embodiments, the principles involved are susceptible for use in numerous other embodiments which will be apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art. The invention is, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims.