60/173,713 filed December 30,1999, the disclosure which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to conducting electronic commercial transactions on-line, i. e. over a computer network. More particularly, the present invention relates to automatically pricing items in accordance with various pricing schedules for a particular customer or end user.

Recent advances in communication, the Internet in particular, have facilitated on-line commerce by exposing purchasers to more information relating to vendors and the goods for sale by the vendors. The Internet is a worldwide network of computers linked together by various hardware communication links all running a standard suite of protocols known as TCP/IP (transmission control protocol/Internet protocol). growth of the Internet over the last several years has been explosiv, fueled in the most part by the widespread use of software viewers known as browsers and HTTP (hypertext transfer protocol) which allow a simple graphical user interface (GUI) to communicate over the Internet. Browsers generally reside on the computer used to access the Internet, i. e. the client computer. HTTP is a component of TCP/IP and provides users access to files of various formats using a standard page description language known as HTML (hypertext markup language). The collection of servers on the Internet using HTTP has become known as the"World Wide Web"or simply the "Web".

Through HTML, and interactive programming protocols, the author of a particular web page, or pages, is able to make information available to viewers of the web page by placing the web pages on an Internet web server in HTML format. The network path to the server is identified by a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) and,

generally, any client running a web browser can access the web pages by the URL.

The Web has become ubiquitous in businesses and homes because it has proven to be convenient for various applications, such as news and data delivery, conducting banking and investment transactions, and the like. The Web and its authoring, transmission, and display protocols, such as browsers, HTML, CGI, Active Server Pages and JavarM, have become a worldwide standard for information exchange.

Further, the Web has become a primary vehicle for purchasing goods and services. The increased speed at which information is exchanged and purchases are made has the potential to render markets more efficient. Electronic commerce systems for conducting on-line commercial transactions are disclosed in numerous U. S. Patents, including U. S. Patent 5,963,915 to Kirsch et al., U. S. Patent 5,319,542 to King et al., and U. S. Patent 5,710,887 to Chelliah et al.

U. S. Patent 5,963,915 to Kirsch et al. discloses a system and method for performing Internet transactions between a client browser and a merchant server. The method includes establishing a coded identifier on the browser which corresponds to an account record stored on the server; providing a Web page including a URL identifying an item for sale to the browser; receiving the URL, with a reference to the coded identifier, at the merchant server; validating the coded identifier; and recording the identity of the corresponding item. The method is intended to avoid redundant user input, to provide for secure transactions, and to increase transaction efficiencies.

The patent further discloses techniques for providing additional levels of authentication and security, restrictions on shipping destination, and e-mail confirmation of orders.

U. S. Patent 5,319,542 to King et al. discloses a system for ordering items from a supplier through and electronic catalog. The system includes an electronic catalogue and an electronic requisition facility. The catalogue includes a public- access portion, stored on a publicly-accessible database for access by customers, and a private portion, stored on a customer's computer system. The private portion contains unique pricing data based on pricing agreements between the purchaser, i. e. the customer, and the merchant. Customers use the electronic requisition facility to

create purchase requisitions based on the information in the electronic catalogue. The requisitions are routed through an appropriate approval process, processed through the customer's procurement system, and transmitted to the supplier. This system does not provide for identification of, and pricing for, end users that are not the purchaser.

U. S. Patent 5,710,887 to Chelliah et al. Discloses a system for facilitating commercial transactions over a network. The system includes a pricing engine that applies incentives to determine pricing of an item for a purchaser. This system also does not provide for identification of, and pricing for, end users that are not the purchasers.

While the systems described above, and other known systems, describe a variety of ways of conducting commercial transactions electronically and pricing items accordingly, there are many types of transactions to which the systems above offer little or no practical utility. For example, purchasers of bulk items for industrial or other uses, such as chemicals, are not efficiently accommodated by conventional electronic commerce techniques. Typically, when industrial items, such as resins used to make molded products, are sold, the items may be purchased under various pricing schedules. For example, if an item is purchased by an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) such as a molder, it is often desirable to price the item based on the purchaser and/or the end user Eased on pre-negotiated pricing schedules for the purchaser or the end user. Accordingly, the identity of the purchaser and the identity of the end user should be ascertained in a secure manner and pricing schedules should be determined and applied based on the determined identities. Conventional systems do not provide this flexibility and thus do not facilitate on-line sales of industrial items.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A first aspect of the invention is a method for determining pricing of items in an on-line purchasing system, comprising the steps of storing, on a computer system, end user pricing schedules for end users of items; identifying a purchaser by communicating purchaser identification information to the computer system over a computer network, selecting an item to be purchased by the purchaser by

communicating purchase information to the computer system over the computer network, determining if the item is included in the end user pricing schedules by comparing the item to the end user pricing schedules, identifying an end user of the item by communicating end user identification information to the computer system over the network if the item is determined to be included in an end user pricing schedule in said determining step; and if one of the end user pricing schedules corresponds to the end user identified, pricing the item in accordance with the one of the end user pricing schedules.

An second aspect of the invention is an apparatus for determining pricing of items in an on-line purchasing system, comprising means for storing, on a computer system, end user pricing schedules for end users of items, means for identifying a purchaser to the computer system over a computer network, means for selecting an item to be purchased over the computer network, means for determining if the item is included in the end user pricing schedules, means for identifying an end user of the item if the item is determined to be included in the end user pricing schedules by the means for determining, and means for pricing the item in accordance with one of the end user pricing schedules if the one of the end user pricing schedules corresponds to the end user identified.

A third aspect of the invention is a coma luter readable medium having a program for determining prices of items in an on-line purchasing system. The computer program comprises: instructions for identifying a purchaser, instructions for selecting an item to be purchased by the purchaser, instructions for determining if the item is included in end user pricing schedules stored on a computer system, instructions for identifying an end user of the item if the item is determined to be included in an end user pricing schedule, and instructions for pricing the item in accordance with one of the end user pricing schedules if the one of the end user pricing schedules corresponds to the end user indicated.

A fourth aspect of the invention is a computer architecture for determining pricing of items in an on-line purchasing system comprising, a computer network, a client computer system coupled to the network and running a browser application, a

server computer system coupled to the network and having a storage device storing end user pricing schedules for end users of items, the server computer system running a server application containing instructions for identifying the client computer system over the computer network, instructions for prompting the client computer system to select an item to be purchased over the computer network, instructions for determining if the item is included in the end user pricing schedules, instructions for causing the client computer system to identify an end user of the item if the item is determined to be included in the end user pricing schedules, and instructions for pricing the item in accordance with one of the end user pricing schedules if the one of the end user pricing schedules corresponds to the end user identified by the client computer system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention is described through a preferred embodiment and the attached drawing in which: Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a computer architecture of the preferred embodiment; and Fig. 2 is a flow chart of the method of the preferred embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A computer architecture 10 of the preferred embodiment is illustrated in FIG.

1. A conventional client computer system 12, executing a client browser application that supports the HTTP protocol, is connected typically through an Internet Service Provider (ISP) to the Internet 14. A server computer system 16 is also coupled, typically through an Internet Service Provider, to the Internet 14. The server computer system 16, controlled by a local console 18, executes a Web server application, known as an HTTP server, stored in a memory device 20. In addition, the server computer system 16 preferably has at least one, though typically many, Web pages stored in the memory device 20 as files in HTML format and/or other formats.

Finally, a plurality of pricing schedules 22 can be stored in memory device 20. The pricing schedules 22 are described below.

The client computer system 12 requests a display of a Web page stored on the server computer system 18 by issuing a URL request through the Internet 14 to the server computer system 16. A URL consistent with the present invention may be a simple URL of the form: <protocol identifiers> ://<server path>/<web page path> A"protocol identifier"of"http"specifies the conventional hyper-text transfer protocol. A URL request for a secure Internet transaction typically utilizes the secure protocol identifier"https,"assuming that the client browser application and Web server application are presumed to support and implement the secure sockets layer.

The"server path"is typically of the form"prefix. domain,"where the prefix is typically"www"to designate a Web server and the"domain"is the standard Internet sub-domain. top-level-domain of the server computer system 16. The optional"web page path"is provided to specifically identify a particular hyper-text page maintained by the Web server.

In response to a received URL identifying an existing Web page, the server system 16 returns the Web page, subject to the HTTP protocol, to the client computer system 12 for display on client computer system 12. This Web page typically incorporates both textural and graphical information including embedded hyper-text links that permit the user of client computer system 12 to readily select a next URL or send other data over the Internet 14.

The URL issued from the client computer system 12 may also be of a complex iorm that identifies a common gateway interface (CGI) program on server computer system 16. Such a HTML hyperlink reference is typically of the form: <form action-http ://www. vendor. com/cgi-bin/logon. cgi method = post> A hyper-text link of this form directs the execution of the logon. cgi program on an HTTP, such as the server computer system 16 server in response to a client side selection of a hyperlink. A logon form supported by a logon CGI program is typically used to obtain a client user login name and password, or other identification data, to

initiate an authenticated session between the client computer system 12 and the server computer system 16 for purposes of supporting, for example, a purchase transaction.

Fig. 2 is a flow chart of a method for processing an order for an item over a network, for example the Internet using the protocols discussed above. This method can be implemented by a software program, such as a Web server application, resident in one or more servers (such as the server computer system 16) associated with a supplier. In the preferred embodiment, it is assumed that the client computer system 12 is associated with the purchaser and the server computer system 16 is associated with the supplier. It will become apparent below that the party purchasing items is not necessarily the same party as the end user of the items. Accordingly, the term"purchaser"as used herein, refers to the party requesting and/or directing a purchase of items. The phrase"end user"as used herein, refers to the party who will use the item or a product made from the item. The end user and the purchaser can, but need not be, the same. All communication of the preferred embodiment is conducted over the Internet 14 using standard interfaces and protocols. Of course, there can be plural client computer systems 12 and plural server computer systems 16.

The server computer system 16 and/or the client computer system 12 can be constituted of plural computers coupled to one another over the Internet 14 or any other communications channel The preferred embodiment assumes the use of a so- called"shopping cart"purchase model, in which a user can select any number ol desired items, which are then separately stored as a list (or"cart") of desired items.

When the purchaser is ready to complete the transaction, the list is recalled and the purchaser can then proceed to purchase the items. It will of course be appreciated that other purchasing models may be used.

In step 200, the purchaser accesses an order entry Web page stored on the server computer 16 via the Internet 14 as a network by issuing a URL from the client computer system 12. In step 202, the identity of the purchaser is determined (from, e. g., the purchaser's login information, (a user name and ID, for example) a previously-established cookie, or other identification information transmitted over Internet 14). In step 204, it is determined whether the purchaser has any orders currently awaiting processing (e. g., in a"shopping cart"or list of desired items which

the purchaser has not yet purchased). If it is determined that the purchaser does have orders awaiting processing, the method proceeds to step 236 described below. If it is determined in step 204 that the purchaser does not have any orders awaiting processing, the method continues to step 206, where the server computer system 16 causes an entry order page to be displayed to the purchaser on the client computer system 12. In this embodiment, the entry order page presents the purchaser using client computer system 12 with the option of using a previously entered order template, in which one or more portions of an order entry form are automatically supplied with previously entered data.

In step 208, if the purchaser selects the order template option, the method proceeds to step 209 described below. If, on the other hand, the purchaser does not select the order template option, the method proceeds to step 210, where the purchaser enters purchase information, i. e. information designating items to be purchased through the client computer system 12, and the server computer systems 16 of the supplier receives this purchase information. In step 212, the purchase indicates that they have finished entering the purchase information. If the use of an order template was selected in step 208, then in step 209 the server computer system 16 causes purchase information to be populated from the template in a known manner, and in step 211 the purchaser is allowed to modify the purchase information populated from the template and to enter additional information such as a requested delivery date.

In step 214, the server computer system 16 determines if all required fields (that is, all information squired to process the order) have been entered. If required information is missing, the customer is informed (e. g., by flagging the fields that require information) in step 215, and the method returns to step 212. If there is no required information missing, the method continues to step 216, where the server computer system 16 examines an inventory database to determine whether the ordered item (s) are presently in inventory, and determines an estimated delivery date for the ordered item (s). In step 218, a list of potential delivery dates or times is determined for the ordered item (s).

In step 220, the server computer system 16 determines whether an off list price (OLP), or other discounted price, is available for one or more of the ordered item (s) based on a pricing schedule for an end user. For example, molders may purchase items for use in goods sold to end users at pricing prenegotiated by the end user. End user pricing schedules having negotiated pricing for the end user and information identifying the end user can be stored in server computer system 16. If an end user price schedule exits for any of the items the method continues to step 221 where the purchaser is requested to identify the end user of the item on whose behalf the purchaser is purchasing the product. This step can include entry of an end user code, or other identification information the like to identify the end user in a secure manner. In step 223, whether or not the purchaser can identify an end user for which the product or item is intended determines whether an end user pricing schedule will be applied. In particular, the end user information in the stored end user pricing schedules is compared to the code or other end user identifying data entered in step 221. If the information and data correspond, the appropriated end user pricing schedule is selected. If a specific end user is identified, the process continues to determine a price based on the end user pricing schedule as will be described in more detail below. If the purchaser is not ordering the item (s) on behalf of an authorized end user, i. e. an end user is not identified the method continues to step 222, where it is determined whether a purchaser oricing schedule, i. e. a price list of prenegotiated prices for the purchaser independ nt of the end user, exists for one or more of the ordered item (s). In particular, the purchaser identification information entered in step 202 is compared with purchaser pricing schedules stored in server computer system 16. If there is a match, the purchaser pricing schedule is selected and used for pricing. If such a purchaser pricing schedule exists, the method jumps to step 230, where a unit price and price breakdown are determined based on the selected purchaser pricing schedule.

If such a purchaser pricing list is determined not to exist in step 222, then the method continues to step 224, where it is determined whether a list price exists for the items. If a list price exists, it is determined whether that list price is a default value (in this example, $99.99) in step 226. If a list price is found not to exist in step 224, or if the list price is found to be a default value, step 228 will cause the purchaser to

be informed that there is no price found for the product, and the process will end. If a list price is found to exist, and the list price is not a default value, or if the purchaser is purchasing product on behalf of another end user having an end user pricing schedule (step 223), the process continues to step 230, where a unit price and price bracket are determined based on either the list price, the purchaser pricing schedule, or the end user pricing schedule. Steps 220 through 230 can be accomplished individually for each item or type of item because certain items may be appropriately priced by an end user pricing schedule, while others may be appropriately priced by using a purchaser pricing schedule or list price.

In step 232, the purchaser is presented with an order verification, and in step 234, the server computer system 16 receives the purchaser's indication to add the order to a shopping cart (e. g., a stored record of purchases). In step 236, the server computer system 16 causes a shopping cart page (e. g., a list of all desired purchases) to be displayed to the purchaser, with an option for the purchaser to purchase all items listed on the page. In step 238, the purchaser selects the shopping cart, in step 240, the pricing determined in steps 220 through 230 for each item can be displayed and the inventory availability, and delivery date can be calculated. In step 242, the purchaser is presented with an order summary.

In step 244, it is determined whether an order confirmation number is available for the purchaser's order. If such a timber is available, it is provided to the purchaser in step 246 (e. g., by automatically causing an electronic mail message to be sent), and if such a number is not available, the order exceptions are resolved, and the number is provided to the customer at a later time,.

Each purchaser pricing schedule can include information identifying the purchaser, items having prenegotiated prices, and the prenegotiated prices for these items. Each end user pricing schedule can include information identifying the end user, items having prenegotiated prices, and the prenegotiated prices. The end user pricing schedules and the purchaser pricing schedules can be stored on server computer system 16 as a single file or as plural files in a standard data base format, spreadsheet format, or any other appropriate format.

The invention can be applied to purchasing of any items. Various hardware and software can be used to implement the invention. The network of the invention can be the Internet or any other communication channel permitting the appropriate data to be communicated between computers. For example, the network can be a local area network (such as network) a wide area network (such as an intranet), a direct computer to computer coupling over phone lines, or the like. Any combination of end user pricing schedules and purchaser pricing schedules can be stored in the server computer system or an associated computer. Known communication protocols and operator interfaces can be implemented to achieve the disclosed functionality.

While the foregoing description includes many details and specificities, it is to be understood that these have been included for purposes of explanation only, and are not to be interpreted as limitations of the present invention. Many modifications to the embodiments described above can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as is intended to be encompassed by the following claims and their legal equivalents.