Patent · US Expired

Automated purchasing control system

US5621201A · kind A · utility

684Cited by
4References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 5, 1996
Grant dateApr 15, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 5, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG07F9/002
  • WIPO fieldIT methods for management
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An automated purchasing control system which can be customized for a corporate customer. The system receives an authorization request over the phone lines from a remote point-of-sale terminal and processes the request using unique software. The software has a database customized to a corporate user to establish that company hierarchial structure. Elements of the hierarchial structure are independently reconfigurable, so that a company can specify different hierarchial relationships in the software for authorization, billing and reporting purposes. Different authorization tests can be established for each position in a hierarchy, with a particular position being required to pass not only its own test, but the test of elements higher in the hierarchial tree.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.