Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • G06Q30/00—Commerce
  • G06Q30/06—Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • G06Q30/00—Commerce
  • G06Q30/06—Buying, selling or leasing transactions
  • G06Q30/0601—Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Definitions

• the invention relates to a method for ordering, preferably at least partially manufactured products via a communication network, in particular motor vehicles, in which a product order is entered via at least one decentralized terminal device and sent to a central device via a built-up communication link, and a device for ordering, preferably at least in part at the customer's request, products, in particular motor vehicles, with a central device to which data from a product order can be sent via a communication link from decentralized terminal devices.
• An interactive communication device for at least one provider and / or at least one user is known, for example, from German utility model DE 2000 09 547 U1.
• the communication system described has at least one center and a plurality of devices provided with at least one screen surface with at least one data input device in each case with at least one user and / or with at least one provider or data input devices from storage media with at least one provider using at least one connecting the center and the devices with one another Data network.
• a method and a device for making purchases via a communication network is known from US Pat. No. 5,960,411.
• the potential customer sends an order for goods to a central server via a terminal device.
• the order contains a customer identification; Information about the payment and shipping method.
• the central server assigns a buyer identification to the buyer system, links this with the order and sends the buyer identification to the customer system with an HTML document that contains an order button. By selecting the order button, the buyer sends a definitive order to the central server for acceptance.
• a car configurator is known at www.scaninarket.de/scandicar/index/Handlinq Carconfiq.htm (23.02.2001), which uses a terminal device Vehicles can be configured by brand, model and equipment options.
• the payment request can be specified.
• the provider When sending this data together with a customer identification to the central server, the provider will create a binding offer and send it to the customer by post.
• the object of the invention is to create a method and a device for ordering products with a wide range of variants, in particular motor vehicles, via a data communication network.
• a method for operating a central device which can be connected to a decentralized terminal device, in which a product order is sent electronically to the central device at the seller or product manufacturer via a terminal device and a data communication link, in the central device, the product order in Comparison with stored data is automatically checked at least for manufacturability and, depending on the result, a request for the production of the ordered product is automatically sent to a production control device and / or via retrieval via the data communication network and / or the result of the check is automatically communicated to the decentralized terminal device.
• the request for production of the ordered product is only sent by the central facility if at least the test for manufacturability was positive and it was a binding order.
• the terminal device and, accordingly, the customer are informed of the result of the test and, if necessary, further data. If the result of the plausibility check was negative, in addition to the result, help for changing the order is preferably given at the same time, so that the customer can repeat his order process.
• the customer is preferably also given an indication if the ordered product is technically producible, but for other reasons the equipment configuration does not meet the plausibility criteria stored in the central facility.
• the manufacturing and / or delivery times of the ordered product can be checked in the central facility and communicated to the decentralized terminal facility that sent the product order to the central facility.
• the order will only be registered as binding by the central facility when it receives a message via the decentralized terminal facility that the later delivery date will be accepted by the customer.
• a similar communication process can take place if the customer has not specified a delivery request.
• the central device communicates with the production control device.
• the production control device stores and / or generates data relating to the production capacities and / or the production sequence control, and thus the production and / or delivery time of a specific product can be determined and sent to the central device.
• An advantageous embodiment of the invention further provides that the central device forwards the data of a product order received from the decentralized terminal devices directly or prepared to the production control device, the production control uses the data obtained to derive the technical feasibility and / or manufacturing and / or delivery times and notifies the central facility. The product order is therefore not checked in the central facility, but in the production control facility.
• Another development of the invention provides that data of product variants and / or additional equipment and / or variants of additional equipment are stored in the central device and a product via a communication between the central device and one of the decentralized terminal devices depending on the in data stored in the central facility can be configured.
• menu control is preferably provided on the terminal device through communication with the central device. It can preferably be provided that for the configuration of products, video sequences of product variants and / or additional equipment and / or Variants of additional equipment are stored in the central facility and can be called up and displayed by the decentralized terminal facilities.
• the data of the product configured on the terminal device can be sent to the central device via the communication network and, on request, which can be input into the terminal device, can be stored in the central device and / or the configured product can be ordered.
• data of producible, ordered and / or manufactured products are stored in the central device and can be called up directly or prepared via the terminal devices. This gives the customer the opportunity, for example, to get an overview of which colors of the product or equipment variants of the product are bought often or less often.
• information related to configurable products in particular financing offers, information about new products, equipment features that can be ordered and / or additional equipment is stored in the central device and that the information can be called up directly and / or prepared by the terminal devices , So it is possible, for example, that a specific offer can be requested from the central device via the terminal devices for an ordered or configured product, that it is preferably possible to generate general conditions in the central device depending on inputable conditions via the terminal devices, preferably via a menu control, and / or is generated.
• an advantageous embodiment provides that, for the binding ordering of products after the establishment of a communication link between the central device and one of the decentralized terminal devices via the communication network, a request for data for customer authentication and / or order authorization is entered and / or customer identification is sent.
• a request for data for customer authentication and / or order authorization is entered and / or customer identification is sent.
• the request for order authorization and / or customer identification from the central facility when establishing the communication link between the central facility and one of the decentralized Terminal devices are sent to the terminal device.
• the request from the central device is sent to the central device by the central device only when requesting defined information or functionalities or only when an order is sent.
• the central device If the customer identification and / or order authorization is not sent from the terminal device to the central device, the central device prompts for customer authentication, ie the customer must request access and / or order authorization from the central device via the terminal device.
• a customer authentication received in the central facility is checked in the central facility and, after a successful check, an order authorization and / or customer identification is sent to the requesting terminal facility and stored in the central facility.
• the order authorization and / or customer identification can apply to an individual order process or can also be determined by the central facility for a period of time that can be determined by the central facility and / or depending on certain test criteria.
• Another possibility of transmitting the order authorization and / or customer identification is that after successful verification of the customer authentication, a generated order authorization and / or customer identification is sent to the customer manually, which increases protection against knowledge of the order authorization and / or customer identification by unauthorized persons becomes.
• Product in connection with the transmission of a corresponding order authorization and / or customer identification via one of the decentralized terminal devices can be registered as such in the central device and / or is registered if the customer identification and / or order authorization transmitted by the terminal device with the one stored in the central device Order authorization and / or customer identification matches.
• the central facility Upon receipt of a binding order in the central facility, the central facility automatically sends a production request to the Production control sent, which places a corresponding order in the production process.
• a product and / or order identifier is automatically assigned to a received binding order in the central facility and stored in the central facility and is preferably transmitted electronically to the decentralized terminal facility.
• information about the ordered product can be called up via the decentralized terminal devices.
• Another training provides that information about the ordered product is sent to the customer electronically by the central device at defined time intervals and / or times and / or information changes, for example to a specified e-mail address.
• the information of the ordered product preferably contains information about the production status of the product and / or the location of the product in production.
• the central device communicates with the production control device in order to generate information.
• the information can also include images and / or video sequences that were recorded by the product. However, it can also be virtual images, in particular 3D images, which reflect the location and / or the production status of the product. This gives the customer the opportunity to track the manufacture of the product precisely or at certain locations or at certain intervals.
• the invention further relates to a product which can be loaded directly into an internal storage device of the central device and comprises program code sections with which the method steps according to the invention are carried out and / or can be carried out if the product is executed in the central device or via one with the central device in communication connection terminal device is addressed.
• the invention is described in more detail below using an exemplary embodiment.
• the associated drawings show:
• FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a communication network with a device according to the invention
• the decentralized terminal devices 4a, 4b shown in FIG. 1 can be PCs as well as permanently installed terminal devices in customer centers, sales exhibitions or other locations. Via a communication network 3, today this is preferably the Internet or intranet, communication routes from the individual terminal devices 4a, 4b can be established temporarily or continuously to a central device 1, so that information is communicated between the terminal devices 4a, 4b and the central device 1 for example accessed, requested, exchanged and / or generated.
• the central device 1, which manages a system for the electronic ordering of products, here motor vehicles, can also communicate via a communication network with at least one production control device 2 from one manufacturer or with at least two production control devices from several manufacturers if the system for electronic ordering of products is used to communicate products can be ordered from several manufacturers.
• Each of the production control devices 2, but also the central device 1 can consist of a number of several sub-devices, which are summarized here in terms of their functions.
• the communication between the central device 1 and individual decentralized terminal devices 4a, 4b or also the communication between the central device and a production control device 2 takes place via a fixed or fixed communication link.
• the central device also takes over some storage tasks in addition to program management.
• data from vehicle variants which also include the motorization, and data from equipment, such as colors, data from additional equipment, such as winter packages, data from ordered and / or manufactured motor vehicles, for example statistical data, and average delivery - and / or production times of the individual vehicle variants are stored.
• the central device 1 can also have data relating to a vehicle purchase, in particular financing offers, information about new and / or future products.
• the stored information is updated at intervals or when information changes.
• the production control device 2 takes over the program-related handling of the manufacturing processes or the production sequence control in the production. At least data on production capacities and the inventory of parts are also stored in the production control device. This data is also continuously updated.
• a selection menu 6 appears on the display device of the terminal device 4a, 4b, via which various submenus can be called up.
• the display device 5 of the terminal devices generates a wide variety of information on the products available, such as average delivery times, information from the manufacturer or the manufacturer in communication with the central device 1.
• information and notes are shown on the display device 5, which can possibly assist a customer when ordering the vehicle. For example, overviews of which colors or engines were ordered and how often with which vehicles, the insurance type classes of the vehicles, general financing and leasing offers.
• a vehicle can be configured for information and saved for later functions, for example an order for the vehicle.
• the customer receives communication with the central Facility 1 and a menu structure that can be called to offer assistance.
• the existing and orderable vehicles of one or more manufacturers as well as the additional equipment, for example the individual rims that can be ordered, reproduced on the display 5 of the terminal device.
• menu item 6d By actuating menu item 6d, the customer can initiate an electronic order for a vehicle that has already been configured as a vehicle that is yet to be configured. 3 shows a possible order process for this. After selection of the menu item & d of the display image 8 of the decentralized terminal device 4a, 4b, a display image (not shown) appears, with which the customer is asked to configure his desired vehicle. The display image 9 represents one of the menu items of the vehicle configuration. After the completion of the desired vehicle in communication with the central device 1, various functions are again available to the customer. In this way, the configuration can be saved, additional information about the configured product, for example a financing or leasing offer, can be queried, or the customer can immediately and securely order the desired vehicle electronically.
• a financing or leasing offer for example a financing or leasing offer
• the central device 1 For this purpose, he is asked via the display 10 to enter his customer identification 11. If the customer identification entered and sent to the central device 1 matches a customer identification stored in the central device 1, the central device 1 accepts the vehicle order and the menu picture 11 asks the customer to check his order and missing information, for example regarding of approval and delivery, and to send the order via the "Check order" button to the central facility, which transfers the order as binding to the production control device 2 of the respective manufacturer for adjustment in production.
• the production control device 2 automatically sends a message to the central device 1, which notifies the decentralized terminal device of the customer and asks whether the order should be maintained despite the later delivery time. If necessary, communication between the central device 1 and the production control device 2 can take place before the display image 11 is created and there an earliest possible delivery time can be specified, which only has to be changed if the customer requests a later delivery time.
• the central device 1 sends a corresponding message 12 with an order identifier or number 13 to the customer's terminal device 4a, 4b.
• the customer is able at any time to track the current location of his ordered vehicle until delivery on the display device 5 of one of the decentralized terminal devices 4a, 4b.
• 4 shows a possibility of a display called up by the customer on the terminal device.
• the vehicle 14 ordered by the customer is currently in the paint shop of the manufacturer. Other possibilities of representation up to the video recording of the manufacture of the vehicle and / or the dispatch of the finished product are conceivable.
• the central device 1 can send an active notification, for example to an electronic postal address (e-mail), when the ordered product reaches or exceeds a certain manufacturing and / or shipping stage.
• the invention can preferably be used for the electronic ordering of products which are manufactured at least within a certain framework on customer request.

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• General Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
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Applications Claiming Priority (5)

Publications (1)

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• 2002
  • 2002-01-30 WO PCT/EP2002/000929 patent/WO2002071250A2/fr active Application Filing
  • 2002-01-30 JP JP2002570105A patent/JP2004527032A/ja active Pending
  • 2002-01-30 CN CNA028061918A patent/CN1496520A/zh active Pending
  • 2002-01-30 EP EP02703587A patent/EP1388082A1/fr not_active Ceased
  • 2002-01-30 US US10/471,299 patent/US20040122691A1/en not_active Abandoned

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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