Methods and apparatus for on-line ordering

Abstract

Systems and methods for ordering supplies from suppliers or for other e-commerce activities are described. Standards for placing orders and registering catalog information in a database are described. Systems and methods for placing orders, preprocessing supplier information using geographic information, conducting data searches and analyses locally on user access devices, continuously updating displays of browser frames, tracking orders using accounting codes, placing graphical custom orders, submitting graphical orders to suppliers, placing group orders, reducing risks associated with delinquent accounts receivable, and combinations thereof are described.

1 . A method for identifying data objects in a client browser using functions, said browser communicating with a server system via an electronic communication network, said method comprising: 
 transferring a data set and at least one function from said server system to said browser, said data set comprising a plurality of data objects; and    identifying at least one of said data objects using said function.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said transferring comprises transferring at least one function selected from a group consisting of: 
 a. a searching function;    b. a grouping function;    c. a sorting function; and    d. a function comprising a combination of at least two of a-c.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein: 
 said transferring comprises transferring at least one compressed data object; and    said method further comprises decompressing said compressed data object.    
     
     
         4 . The method of claim wherein said decompressing comprises converting data from base-n values to base- 10  values, wherein n is a number greater than 10.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3  wherein said decompressing comprises forming a database having at least one data object corresponding to a supplier, said at least one data object having at least one attribute selected from a group consisting of: 
 a. name information;    b. address information;    c. service information;    d. hours of operation information;    e. catalog information;    f. critique information;    g. parking information;    h. other information; and    i. a combination of at least two of a-h.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3  wherein said decompressing comprises forming a database having at least one data object corresponding to a food supplier, said at least one data object having at least one attribute selected from a group consisting of: 
 a. name information;    b. address information;    c. cuisine information;    d. delivery information;    e. take-out information;    f. hours of operation information;    g. menu information;    h. attire information;    i. parking information;    j. atmosphere information;    k. review information;    l. other information; and    m. a combination of at least two of a-l.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3  wherein said decompressing comprises forming a database having at least one data object corresponding to a catalog item, said at least one data object having at least one attribute selected from a group consisting of: 
 a. name information;    b. identification number information;    c. size information;    d. color information;    e. material information;    f. inventory information;    g. customization information; and    h. a combination of at least two of a-g.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 3  wherein said decompressing comprises forming a database having at least one data object corresponding to a food item, said at least one data object having at least one attribute selected from a group consisting of: 
 a. name information;    b. identification number information;    c. size information;    d. customization information;    e. delivery information; and    f. a combination of at least two of a-e.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising presenting at least one identified data object to a user of said browser.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein said presenting comprises displaying graphical representations of said at least one identified data object, said at least one identified data object selected from a group consisting of: 
 a. a supplier;    b. a catalog item;    c. a menu item; and    d. a combination of at least two of a-c.    
     
     
         11 . A system for identifying data objects in a client browser using functions, comprising: 
 means for transferring a data set and at least one function from a server system to a browser via an electronic communication network, said data set comprising a plurality of data objects; and    means for identifying at least one of said data objects using said function,    said means for transferring and said means for identifying in communication via an electronic communication system.    
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  wherein said means for transferring comprises means for transferring at least one function selected from a group consisting of: 
 a. a searching function;    b. a grouping function;    c. a sorting function; and    d. a function comprising a combination of at least two of a-c.    
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11  wherein: 
 said means for transferring comprises means for transferring at least one compressed data object; and    said system further comprises means for decompressing said compressed data object,    said means for decompressing, said means for transferring and said means for identifying in communication via an electronic communication system.    
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13  wherein said means for decompressing comprises means for converting data from base-n values to base- 10  values, wherein n is a number greater than 10.  
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13  wherein said means for decompressing comprises means for forming a database having at least one data object corresponding to a supplier, said at least one data object having at least one attribute selected from a group consisting of: 
 a. name information;    b. address information;    c. service information;    d. hours of operation information;    e. catalog information;    f. critique information;    g. parking information;    h. other information; and    i. a combination of at least two of a-h.    
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13  wherein said means for decompressing comprises means for forming a database having at least one data object corresponding to a food supplier, said at least one data object having at least one attribute selected from a group consisting of: 
 a. name information;    b. address information;    c. cuisine information;    d. delivery information;    e. take-out information;    f. hours of operation information;    g. menu information;    h. attire information;    i. parking information;    j. atmosphere information;    k. review information;    l. other information; and    m. a combination of at least two of a-l.    
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13  wherein said means for decompressing comprises means for forming a database having at least one data object corresponding to a catalog item, said at least one data object having at least one attribute selected from a group consisting of: 
 a. name information;    b. identification number information;    c. size information;    d. color information;    e. material information;    f. inventory information;    g. customization information; and    h. a combination of at least two of a-g.    
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 13  wherein said means for decompressing comprises forming a database having at least one data object corresponding to a food item, said at least one data object having at least one attribute selected from a group consisting of: 
 a. name information;    b. identification number information;    c. size information;    d. customization information;    e. delivery information; and    f. a combination of at least two of a-e.    
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 11  further comprising means for presenting at least one identified data object to a user of said browser, 
 said means for presenting, said means for transferring and said means for identifying in communication via an electronic communication system.    
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19  wherein said means for presenting comprises means for displaying graphical representations of said at least one identified data objects, said at least one identified data object selected from a group consisting of: 
 a. a supplier;    b. a catalog item;    c. a menu item; and    d. a combination of at least two of a-c.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said function is configured to execute within said browser a search of said data set for at least one data object.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein said search is based on a criterion received by said browser from a user of said browser.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said function is configured to execute within said browser a sorting of data objects present in said data set.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein said sorting is based on a criterion received by said browser from a user of said browser.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said function is configured to operate on said data set to produce a subset of said data set.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said plurality of data objects corresponds to a portion of a database present in said server system.  
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 11  wherein said plurality of data objects corresponds to a portion of a database present in said server system.  
     
     
         28 . A process for enhancing a user initiated search from a client access device that communicates with a server over the Internet, comprising the steps of: 
 creating one or more lists of service providers, wherein said lists are based upon a predefined criteria;    electronically compressing at least one list of service providers on said server prior to transmission over the Internet;    initiating said user initiated search from said client access device based on at least one of 1) one or more user specified rules, 2) a user's geographic coordinates, and 3) one ore more user specified rules and a user's geographic coordinates, wherein a user's geographic coordinates are obtained utilizing a geozoning process;    sending said user initiated search from said client access device to said server;    receiving said user initiated search on said server;    mapping said user initiated search to one or more said lists of service providers selecting one or more said lists of service providers based upon said mapping;    transmitting one ore more selected lists of service providers from said server to said client access device over the Internet;    receiving one ore more selected lists of service providers on said client access device; and    optionally decompressing at least one list of service providers on client access device.    
     
     
         29 . A process as set forth in  claim 28 , further comprising the step of including in said one or more lists of service providers user searchable metadata that includes detailed information about the list of service providers;  
     
     
         30 . A process as set forth in  claim 28 , wherein said a one or more lists of service providers is created prior to any interaction between said client access device and said server.  
     
     
         31 . A process as set forth in  claim 28 , wherein said step of electronically compressing at least one list of service providers on said server prior to transmission over the Internet includes utilizing electronic compression algorithms executed on said server.  
     
     
         32 . A process as set forth in  claim 31 , wherein said step of electronically compressing at least one list of service providers on said server prior to transmission over the Internet is performed by converting said at least one list of service providers into base  10  numeric data.  
     
     
         33 . A process as set forth in  claim 32 , further comprising the step of performing a base  62  conversion of said base  10  numeric data.  
     
     
         34 . A process as set forth in  claim 33 , wherein said step of converting is performed utilizing bit masking techniques.  
     
     
         35 . A process as set forth in  claim 28 , wherein said at least one list of service providers includes food providers.  
     
     
         36 . A process as set forth in  claim 28 , wherein said at least one list of service providers includes catalog providers.  
     
     
         37 . A process as set forth in  claim 28 , wherein said at least one list of service providers includes securities trading providers.  
     
     
         38 . A process as set forth in  claim 28 , wherein said user specified rule is an address.  
     
     
         39 . A process as set forth in  claim 28 , wherein said user specified rule is a price parameter.  
     
     
         40 . A process as set forth in  claim 28 , wherein said user specified rule is a company name.  
     
     
         41 . A process as set forth in  claim 28 , wherein said at least one list of service providers is linked to data related to one ore more service providers within said list of service providers.  
     
     
         42 . A process for creating a search and ordering system using a client access device that communicates with a server over the Internet, comprising the steps of: 
 sending at least one list of providers and detailed searchable data from said server to said client access device, wherein said list of providers and detailed searchable data is electronically compressed;    sending decompression software to said client access device;    sending searching software to said client access device, wherein said searching software is installed and executed into an Hypertext Markup Layer viewer;    executing said decompression software on said client access device to decompress said at least one list of providers and said detailed searchable data; and    creating a searchable database from said at least one list of providers and said detailed searchable data on said client.    
     
     
         43 . A process as set forth in  claim 42 , wherein said searchable database is an object orientated database.  
     
     
         44 . A process as set forth in  claim 42 , wherein said searchable database is a relational database.  
     
     
         45 . A process as set forth in  claim 42 , wherein said searchable database is searched using a web browser.  
     
     
         46 . A process as set forth in  claim 42 , wherein one or more user performed functions on said searchable database provides additional data about one or more records in the searchable database.  
     
     
         47 . A process as set forth in  claim 46  wherein said user performed functions include the performance of searches that include at least one of 1) predefined fields, 2) Boolean searches, and 3) text searches.  
     
     
         48 . A process as set forth in  claim 46  wherein the data retrieved from user performing one of said user performed functions is presented to the user.  
     
     
         49 . A process as set forth in  claim 48  wherein the data retrieved from user performing one of said user performed functions is dynamically presented to the user.  
     
     
         50 . A process as set forth in  claim 48  further comprising the step of selecting data presented to the user.  
     
     
         51 . A process as set forth in  claim 50  further comprising the step of building an order on the client from data selected by the user.  
     
     
         52 . A process as set forth in  claim 51  further comprising the step of encrypting and electronically compressing said order.  
     
     
         53 . A process as set forth in  claim 52  further comprising the step of transmitting an encrypted and compressed order to said server for processing.  
     
     
         54 . A process as set forth in  claim 53  further comprising the step of sending user order confirmation data from said server to said client access device.