Claims
- 1) A computer readable storage medium including a program element for execution by a CPU, said program element comprising:
a) a first program component for causing a computer to deliver first information to a user, the first information prompting the user to enter at the computer a parameter, the parameter specifying a given characteristic of a transportation service; b) a second program component operative to interact with a database of promotional events, the database of promotional events including a plurality of entries, each entry mapping a discount eligibility criterion to a promotional event, said second program component being operative for identifying an entry in the database of promotional events associated to a certain promotional event and to a certain discount eligibility criterion, wherein the certain discount eligibility criterion would be satisfied if the parameter was altered; and c) a third program component for causing the computer to deliver second information to the user indicative of the certain promotional event.
- 2) A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 1, wherein said certain promotional event includes a certain discount data element.
- 3) A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 2, wherein the delivering of the first information to the user is done by displaying information on a screen.
- 4) A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 3, wherein the user provides the parameter specifying a given characteristic of a transportation service through an input device selected in the group consisting of keyboard, pointing device, touch sensitive surface and speech recognition unit.
- 5) A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 4, wherein said third program element is operative for prompting the user to select at the computer at least one data element providing the user with an option to modify the parameter.
- 6) A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 4, wherein the program element includes a fourth program component operative for:
a) deriving an initial price quote for the transportation service at least in part on the basis of the parameter; and b) deriving a promotional price quote at least in part on the basis of the initial price quote and the certain discount data element, the promotional price quote being a price quote for a transportation service that would be obtained if the parameter was altered to satisfy the certain discount eligibility criterion.
- 7) A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 6, wherein the program element includes a fifth program component for causing the computer to display to the user on a screen the initial price quote and the promotional price quote.
- 8) A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 7, wherein said third program element is operative for prompting the user to enter at the computer a selection data element, the selection data element causing either one of the initial price quote and the promotional price quote to be selected.
- 9) A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 8, wherein the program element includes a sixth program component responsive to the selection data element, the sixth program element being operative to alter the parameter such that the certain discount eligibility criterion is satisfied when the selection data element causes the promotional price quote to be selected.
- 10) A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 4, wherein:
a) each entry in the database of promotional events maps information identifying a discount eligibility criterion and an altered eligibility criterion to a promotional event; and b) said second program component is operative for identifying an entry in the database of promotional events associated to a certain altered eligibility criterion and to a certain promotional event, the parameter satisfying the certain altered eligibility criterion.
- 11) A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 4, wherein:
a) the parameter is a first parameter; and b) said second program component is operative for:
i) interacting with a set of rules to generate a second parameter on the basis of the first parameter, the second parameter being an altered version of the first parameter; and ii) identifying at least one entry in the database of promotional events associated to a certain discount eligibility criterion and to a certain promotional event, wherein the second parameter satisfies the certain discount eligibility criterion.
- 12) A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 4, wherein each entry in the database of promotional events maps a plurality of discount eligibility criteria to a promotional event, and wherein the first information prompts the user to enter at the computer a plurality of parameters, each parameter specifying a given characteristic of a transportation service, said second program component being operative for identifying an entry in the database of promotional events associated to a certain plurality of discount eligibility criteria and to a certain promotional event, wherein each discount eligibility criterion in the certain plurality of discount eligibility criteria would be satisfied if at least one parameter of the plurality of parameters was altered.
- 13) A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 4, wherein the transportation service is a transportation service for shipment of goods.
- 14) A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 13, wherein at least one entry in the database of promotional events includes a discount eligibility criterion indicative of an equipment type.
- 15) A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 13, wherein at least one entry in the database of promotional events includes a discount eligibility criterion indicative of an origin of transportation location.
- 16) A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 13, wherein at least one entry in the database of promotional events includes a discount eligibility criterion indicative of a destination of transportation location.
- 17) A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 13, wherein at least one entry in the database of promotional events includes a discount eligibility criterion indicative of distance data.
- 18) A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 13, wherein at least one entry in the database of promotional events includes a discount eligibility criterion indicative of a commodity type.
- 19) A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 13, wherein at least one entry in the database of promotional events includes a discount eligibility criterion indicative of time data.
- 20) A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 19, wherein time data is selected from the group consisting of a day of the year, a time of the day, a day of the month, a day of the week and a month of the year.
- 21) A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 13, wherein the transportation service is a rail transportation service.
- 22) A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 2, wherein the CPU resides on a server machine and the computer is a client machine in a network arrangement with the server machine.
- 23) A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 22, wherein the first program component generates control messages to the client machine to cause the client machine to display the first information to the user.
- 24) A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 23, wherein the control messages are HTTP messages and the client machine displays the first information to the user through a browser.
- 25) A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 2, wherein the CPU resides on a server machine.
- 26) A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 2, wherein the CPU resides in the computer.
- 27) A method for providing price quotation information for shipping goods, comprising:
a) causing a computer to deliver first information to a user, the first information prompting the user to enter at the computer a parameter, the parameter specifying a given characteristic of a transportation service, b) in response to an entry by the user indicative of the parameter, interacting with a database of promotional events, the database of promotional events including a plurality of entries, each entry mapping a discount eligibility criterion to a promotional event, for identifying an entry in the database of promotional events associated to a certain promotional event and to a certain discount eligibility criterion, wherein the certain discount eligibility criterion would be satisfied if the parameter was altered; and c) causing the computer to deliver second information to the user indicative of the certain promotional event; d) causing the computer to deliver third information to the user indicative of price quotation information.
- 28) A method as defined in claim 27, wherein the certain promotional event includes a certain discount data element.
- 29) A method as defined in claim 28, wherein the delivering of the first information to the user is done by displaying information on a screen.
- 30) A method as defined in claim 29, wherein the user provides the parameter specifying a given characteristic of a transportation service through an input device selected in the group consisting of keyboard, pointing device, touch sensitive surface and speech recognition unit.
- 31) A method as defined in claim 30, wherein said method comprises prompting the user to enter at the computer at least one data element, in response to said second information indicative of the certain promotional event, providing the user with an option to modify the parameter.
- 32) A method as defined in claim 30, wherein said method comprises:
a) deriving an initial price quote for the transportation service at least in part on the basis of the parameter; and b) deriving a promotional price quote at least in part on the basis of the initial price quote and the certain discount data element, the promotional price quote being a price quote for a transportation service that would be obtained if the parameter was altered to satisfy the certain discount eligibility criterion.
- 33) A method as defined in claim 32, wherein said method comprises causing the computer to display to the user on a screen the initial price quote and the promotional price quote.
- 34) A method as defined in claim 33, wherein the method comprises prompting the user to enter at the computer a selection data element, the selection data element causing either one of the initial price quote and the promotional price quote to be selected.
- 35) A method as defined in claim 34, wherein the method comprises altering the parameter such that the certain discount eligibility criterion is satisfied when the selection data element causes the promotional price quote to be selected.
- 36) A method as defined in claim 30, wherein each entry in the database of promotional events maps information identifying a discount eligibility criterion and an altered eligibility criterion to a promotional event, said method comprising identifying an entry in the database of promotional events associated to a certain altered eligibility criterion and to a certain promotional event, the parameter satisfying the certain altered eligibility criterion.
- 37) A method as defined in claim 30, wherein the parameter is a first parameter, said method comprising:
i) interacting with a set of rules to generate a second parameter on the basis of the first parameter, the second parameter being an altered version of the first parameter; and ii) identifying at least one entry in the database of promotional events associated to a certain discount eligibility criterion and to a certain promotional event, wherein the second parameter satisfies the certain discount eligibility criterion.
- 38) A method as defined in claim 30, wherein each entry in the database of promotional events maps a plurality of discount eligibility criteria to a discount data element, and wherein the first information prompts the user to enter at the computer a plurality of parameters, each parameter specifying a given characteristic of a transportation service, said method comprising identifying an entry in the database of promotional events associated to a certain plurality of discount eligibility criteria and to a certain promotional event, wherein each discount eligibility criterion in the certain plurality of discount eligibility criteria would be satisfied if at least one parameter of the plurality of parameters was altered.
- 39) A method as defined in claim 30, wherein the transportation service is a transportation service for shipment of goods.
- 40) A method as defined in claim 39, wherein at least one entry in the database of promotional events includes a discount eligibility criterion indicative of an equipment type.
- 41) A method as defined in claim 39, wherein at least one entry in the database of promotional events includes a discount eligibility criterion indicative of an origin of transportation location.
- 42) A method as defined in claim 39, wherein at least one entry in the database of promotional events includes a discount eligibility criterion indicative of a destination of transportation location.
- 43) A method as defined in claim 39, wherein at least one entry in the database of promotional events includes a discount eligibility criterion indicative of distance data.
- 44) A method as defined in claim 39, wherein at least one entry in the database of promotional events includes a discount eligibility criterion indicative of a commodity type.
- 45) A method as defined in claim 39, wherein at least one entry in the database of promotional events includes a discount eligibility criterion indicative of time data.
- 46) A method as defined in claim 45, wherein time data is selected from the group consisting of a day of the year, a time of the day, a day of the month, a day of the week and a month of the year.
- 47) A method as defined in claim 39, wherein the transportation service is a rail transportation service.
- 48) A method for requesting a price quotation information for shipping goods by rail, comprising:
a) displaying first information at a client system prompting a user to enter at the client system information about a rail transportation service for shipment of goods, said information including at least one parameter specifying a given characteristic of the rail transportation service for shipment of goods; b) sending to a server system the at least one parameter; c) receiving at the client system from the server system information about a certain promotional event; d) displaying to the user at the client system information about a certain promotional event; e) prompting the user to enter a selection data element allowing the user to indicate whether a modification to the at least one parameter is desired; f) sending to the server system the selection data element; g) receiving at the client system from the server system pricing information about the price for the shipment of the goods and displaying to the user at the client system the price information for the rail transportation service for the shipment of the goods.
- 49) A server system for providing a price quote for shipping goods by rail, said server system including a program element for execution by a CPU, said program element comprising:
a) a first program component for causing a client system connected to the server over a computer network to display first information to a user, the first information prompting the user to enter at the client system a parameter, the parameter specifying a given characteristic of a transportation service; b) a second program component operative to interact with a database of promotional events, the database of promotional events including a plurality of entries, each entry mapping a discount eligibility criterion to a promotional event, said second program component being operative for identifying an entry in the database of promotional events associated to a certain discount eligibility criterion and to a certain promotional event, wherein the certain discount eligibility criterion would be satisfied if the parameter was altered; and c) a third program component for causing the computer to deliver second information to the user indicative of the certain promotional event; d) a fourth program element component for causing the computer to deliver third information to the user indicative of price quotation information.
- 50) A server system as defined in claim 49, the certain promotional event includes a certain discount data element.
- 51) A server system as defined in claim 50, wherein the delivering of the first information to the user is done by displaying information on a screen.
- 52) A server system as defined in claim 51, wherein the user provides the parameter specifying a given characteristic of a transportation service through an input device selected in the group consisting of keyboard, pointing device, touch sensitive surface and speech recognition unit.
- 53) A server system as defined in claim 52, wherein said program element comprises a fifth program element component prompting the user to enter at the computer, in response to said second information indicative of the certain promotional event, at least one data element providing the user with an option to modify the parameter.
- 54) A server system as defined in claim 52, wherein the program element includes a sixth program component operative for:
a) deriving an initial price quote for the transportation service at least in part on the basis of the parameter; and b) deriving a promotional price quote at least in part on the basis of the initial price quote and the certain discount data element, the promotional price quote being a price quote for a transportation service that would be obtained if the parameter was altered to satisfy the certain discount eligibility criterion; c) causing the computer to display to the user on a screen the initial price quote and the promotional price quote.
- 55) A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 54, wherein said sixth program element component is operative for prompting the user to enter at the computer a selection data element, the selection data element causing either one of the initial price quote and the promotional price quote to be selected.
- 56) A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 55, wherein the program element includes a seventh program component responsive to the selection data element, the seventh program element component being operative to alter the parameter such that the certain discount eligibility criterion is satisfied when the selection data element causes the promotional price quote to be selected.
- 57) A client-server system for providing a price quote for shipping goods by rail, comprising:
a) a client system; b) a server system, said client system and said server system operative to exchange messages over a data network; c) a first program component executed on said server system for sending messages to said client system for causing said client system to display first information to a user, the first information prompting the user to enter at said client system a parameter, the parameter specifying a given characteristic of a transportation service; d) said client system being operative to send messages to said server to communicate to said server the parameter; e) a second program component executed on said server for interacting with a database of promotional events, the database of promotional events including a plurality of entries, each entry mapping a discount eligibility criterion to a promotional event, said second program component being operative for identifying an entry in the database of promotional events associated to a certain discount eligibility criterion and to a certain promotional event, wherein the certain discount eligibility criterion would be satisfied if the parameter was altered; and f) a third program component executed on said server for sending messages to said client system for causing said client system to display second information to the user, the second information being indicative of the certain promotional event.
- 58) A client-server system as defined in claim 57, wherein the certain promotional event includes a certain discount data element.
- 59) A client-server system as defined in claim 57, wherein said third program component is operative for:
a) providing an initial price quote for the transportation service derived at least in part on the basis of the parameter; and b) providing a promotional price quote derived at least in part on the basis of the initial price quote and the certain discount data element, the promotional price quote being a price quote for a transportation service that could be obtained if the parameter was altered to satisfy the certain discount eligibility criterion; and c) said program element further comprising a fourth program component executed on said server for sending messages to said client system for causing said client system to display to the user on a screen the initial price and the promotional price.
- 60) A client-server system as defined in claim 57, wherein the data network is the Internet.
- 61) A computer readable storage medium including a program element for execution by a CPU, said program element comprising:
a) a first program component for causing a computer to deliver first information to a user, the first information prompting the user to enter at the computer a parameter, the parameter specifying a given characteristic of a transportation service; b) a second program component operative to derive a first price quote for the transportation service at least in part on the basis of the parameter; c) a third program component operative to interact with a database of promotional events, the database of promotional events including a plurality of entries, each entry mapping a discount eligibility criterion to a promotional event, said third program component being operative for identifying a given entry in the database of promotional events, the given entry being associated to a certain discount data element and to a certain promotional event, the parameter when altered being a match to the certain discount eligibility criterion; and d) a fourth program component for causing the computer to deliver to the user:
i) a second information indicative of the price quote; ii) a third information indicative of the certain promotional event; and iii) a fourth information prompting the user about the acceptance or rejection of a modification to the parameter, the modification to the parameter being such that the when the modification to the parameter is applied, the resulting modified parameter becomes a match to the certain discount eligibility criterion.
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/060,405 filed Feb. 1, 2002 presently pending. This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. provisional patent application 60/436,637 filed Dec. 30, 2002.
[0002] The contents of the above documents are incorporated herein by reference.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60436637 |
Dec 2002 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
10060405 |
Feb 2002 |
US |
Child |
10355210 |
Jan 2003 |
US |