System apparatus and method for conducting an online transaction to fulfill a rail-shipment service inquiry or a rail-shipment service ordering

Abstract

A method, as wells as an associated server arrangement and a computer, for conducting an online transaction to fulfill a rail-shipment service inquiry or a rail-shipment service ordering are described. A customer system is directed to implement a Graphical User Interface (GUI) to accept a customer identifier. In response to a customer login which identifies a specific customer profile, the GUI displays customer-specific information including a customer-specific list of actual railcars that are associated with the specific customer profile, each railcar being of a particular railcar type, the customer-specific list including actual railcars that are owned by the customer associated with the specific customer profile. The GUI is configured to accept inputs conveying customer-selected shipping options, the customer-selected shipping options identifying one or more actual railcars from the customer-specific list to be used for a shipment of a commodity. In response to the input conveying the customer-selected shipping options, the GUI is adapted to deliver additional information to the customer about the shipment or to request from the customer additional input in order to complete the online transaction.

1 . A method for conducting an online transaction to fulfill a rail-shipment service inquiry or a rail-shipment service ordering, the method comprising:
 (a) directing a customer system to implement a Graphical User Interface (GUI) configured to receive as an input a customer login which identifies a specific customer profile in a customer profile database;   (b) in response to the input of the customer login, configuring the GUI to display customer-specific information including a customer-specific list of actual railcars that are associated with the specific customer profile, each railcar being of a particular railcar type, the customer-specific list including actual railcars that are owned by the customer associated with the specific customer profile;   (c) the GUI being configured to accept inputs conveying customer-selected shipping options, the customer-selected shipping options identifying one or more actual railcars from the customer-specific list to be used for a shipment of a commodity;   (d) in response to the input conveying the customer-selected shipping options, adapting the GUI to deliver additional information to the customer about the shipment or request from the customer additional input in order to complete the online transaction.   
     
     
         2 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising transporting by rail the commodity with the one or more actual railcars identified by the customer-selected shipping options and loaded with the commodity. 
     
     
         3 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the step of adapting the GUI to present additional information to the customer includes computing price information for the customer-selected shipping options and presenting to the customer the computed price information through the GUI. 
     
     
         4 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the customer-specific list of actual railcars is derived by a filtering operation performed using information contained in the specific customer profile. 
     
     
         5 . A method as defined in  claim 4 , wherein the filtering operation omits from the customer-specific list of actual railcars, railcars associated with other customer profiles in the customer profile database. 
     
     
         6 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the GUI is configured to display the customer-specific list of actual railcars as individually selectable items, the GUI being responsive to a selection of at least one railcar in the customer-specific list to accept the selection of the at least one railcar as part of the inputs conveying the customer-selected shipping options. 
     
     
         7 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the inputs conveying customer-selected shipping options identify an origin and a destination for the shipment of the commodity, the method further comprising transporting the commodity by rail from the origin to the destination. 
     
     
         8 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the GUI is implemented via a web browser. 
     
     
         9 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein adapting the GUI includes providing a control component for receiving an input by the customer to place an order to fulfill a shipment according to the customer-selected shipping options. 
     
     
         10 . A method for customizing a web page implemented on a computer device for performing an online transaction to order a rail-shipment, the method comprising:
 i. creating in a customer profile database a customer profile associated with a specific customer;   ii. storing customer-specific information in association with the customer profile, the customer-specific information allowing distinguishing in a pool of railcars used for performing rail shipments, actual railcars associated with the specific customer from actual railcars in the pool associated with other customers that also have profiles in the customer profile database;   iii. in response to reception of a customer login at the web page which corresponds to the specific customer profile, customizing the web page by displaying a customer-specific list of actual railcars associated with the specific customer and derived at least in part from the customer-specific information in the customer profile, each actual railcar in the customer-specific list being of a particular type, the customer specific list including actual railcars that are owned by the specific customer;   iv. configuring the web page to accept inputs conveying customer-selected shipping options identifying one or more railcars from the customer-specific list to be used for a shipment of a commodity;   v. in response to the customer-selected shipping options identifying one or more railcars from the customer-specific list, adapting the GUI to deliver additional information to the customer about the shipment or request from the customer additional input in order to complete the online transaction.   
     
     
         11 . A method as defined in  claim 10 , wherein the step of adapting the GUI to present additional information to the customer includes computing price information for the customer-selected shipping options and presenting to the customer the computed price information through the GUI. 
     
     
         12 . A method as defined in  claim 10 , wherein the customer-specific list of actual railcars is derived by performing a filtering operation on the basis of the customer-specific information. 
     
     
         13 . A method as defined in  claim 12 , wherein the filtering operation omits from the customer-specific list, railcars in the pool associated with other customers. 
     
     
         14 . A method as defined in  claim 10 , wherein the customer-specific list of actual railcars includes railcars that are owned by the specific customer. 
     
     
         15 . A method as defined in  claim 10 , wherein the web page is configured to display the customer-specific list of actual railcars as individually selectable items, the web page being responsive to a selection of at least one railcar in the customer-specific list to accept the selection of the at least one railcar as part of the inputs conveying customer-selected shipping options. 
     
     
         16 . A method as defined in  claim 10 , wherein the inputs conveying customer-selected shipping options identify an origin and a destination for the shipment of the commodity. 
     
     
         17 . A server arrangement for conducting an online transaction to fulfill a rail-shipment service inquiry or a rail-shipment service ordering, the server arrangement being configured for:
 (a) directing a customer system to implement a Graphical User Interface (GUI) configured to receive as an input a customer login which identifies a specific customer profile in a customer profile database;   (b) in response to the input of the customer login, configuring the GUI to display customer-specific information including a customer-specific list of actual railcars that are associated with the specific customer profile, each railcar being of a particular railcar type, the customer-specific list including actual railcars that are owned by the customer associated with the specific customer profile;   (c) the GUI being configured to accept inputs conveying customer-selected shipping options, the customer-selected shipping options identifying one or more actual railcars from the customer-specific list to be used for a shipment of a commodity;   (d) in response to the input conveying the customer-selected shipping options, adapting the GUI to deliver additional information to the customer about the shipment or request from the customer additional input in order to complete the online transaction.   
     
     
         18 . A server arrangement as defined in  claim 17 , wherein the server is configured to adapt the GUI to present to the customer price information corresponding to the customer selected shipment option. 
     
     
         19 . A server arrangement as defined in  claim 17 , wherein the customer-specific list of actual railcars is derived by a filtering operation performed using information contained in the specific customer profile. 
     
     
         20 . A server arrangement as defined in  claim 19 , wherein the filtering operation omits from the customer-specific list of actual railcars, railcars associated with other customer profiles in the customer profile database. 
     
     
         21 . A server arrangement as defined in  claim 17 , wherein the GUI is configured to display the customer-specific list of actual railcars as individually selectable items, the GUI being responsive to a selection of at least one railcar in the customer-specific list to accept the selection of the at least one railcar as part of the inputs conveying the customer-selected shipping options. 
     
     
         22 . A server arrangement as defined in  claim 17 , wherein the inputs conveying customer-selected shipping options identify an origin and a destination for the shipment of the commodity. 
     
     
         23 . A server arrangement as defined in  claim 17 , wherein the GUI is implemented via a web browser. 
     
     
         24 . A server arrangement as defined in  claim 17 , wherein the server is configured to adapt the GUI to provide a control component for receiving an input by the customer to place an order to fulfill a shipment according to the customer-selected shipping options. 
     
     
         25 . A server arrangement for conducting an online transaction to fulfill a rail-shipment service inquiry or a rail-shipment service ordering, the server arrangement being configured for:
 i. creating in a customer profile database a customer profile associated with a specific customer;   ii. storing customer-specific information in association with the customer profile, the customer-specific information allowing distinguishing in a pool of railcars used for performing rail shipments, actual railcars associated with the specific customer from actual railcars in the pool associated with other customers that also have profiles in the customer profile database;   iii. in response to reception of a customer login at the web page which corresponds to the specific customer profile, customizing the web page by displaying a customer-specific list of actual railcars associated with the specific customer and derived at least in part from the customer-specific information in the customer profile, each actual railcar in the customer-specific list being of a particular type, the customer specific list including actual railcars that are owned by the specific customer;   iv. configuring the web page to accept inputs conveying customer-selected shipping options identifying one or more railcars from the customer-specific list to be used for a shipment of a commodity;   v. in response to the customer-selected shipping options identifying one or more railcars from the customer-specific list, adapting the GUI to deliver additional information to the customer about the shipment or request from the customer additional input in order to complete the online transaction.   
     
     
         26 . A server arrangement as defined in  claim 25 , wherein adapting the GUI to present additional information to the customer includes computing price information for the customer-selected shipping options and presenting to the customer the computed price information through the GUI. 
     
     
         27 . A server arrangement as defined in  claim 25 , wherein the customer-specific list of actual railcars is derived by performing a filtering operation on the basis of the customer-specific information. 
     
     
         28 . A server arrangement as defined in  claim 27 , wherein the filtering operation omits from the customer-specific list, railcars in the pool associated with other customers. 
     
     
         29 . A server arrangement as defined in  claim 25 , wherein the customer-specific list of actual railcars includes railcars that are owned by the specific customer. 
     
     
         30 . A server arrangement as defined in  claim 25 , wherein the web page is configured to display the customer-specific list of actual railcars as individually selectable items, the web page being responsive to a selection of at least one railcar in the customer-specific list to accept the selection of the at least one railcar as part of the inputs conveying customer-selected shipping options.