Methods and software for enabling custom pricing in an electronic commerce system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12190359-B2
Application number	US-202217877103-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 29, 2022
Priority date	May 20, 2014
Publication date	Jan 7, 2025
Grant date	Jan 7, 2025

Abstract

Methods and software that allow one or more users to utilize custom pricing in the context of an electronic marketplace. Such custom pricing can be implemented by transmitting specifications of custom pricing engines and/or custom design document interrogator engines to the marketplace along with or independently from one or more design documents containing structures to be priced. Various corresponding and related methods and software are described.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for producing a price for fabricating a structure, the system comprising:
a computing device, wherein the computing device is configured to: receive, from a user, a request for pricing, wherein receiving the request for pricing further comprises:
generating a graphical user interface (GUI), the graphical user interface including a data structure including a form having a first user input for receiving a user command to upload a computer aided design (CAD) file;
receiving an instruction to upload a CAD file containing a representation of a structure with a surface finish thereon to be manufactured, using the user input;
uploading the CAD file over an electronic network;
performing, using an interrogator engine, a geometric analysis and extraction algorithm on the representation of the structure with the surface finish thereon to be manufactured, wherein the geometric analysis further comprises:
identifying, using the interrogator engine, at least a geometric datum associated with the structure including the surface finish thereon, wherein the interrogator engine is customized by transmitting information to a marketplace through at least a custom pricing interface, and wherein the interrogator engine is caused to generate standardized and custom pricing inputs as a function of the CAD file; and
retrieving at least a pricing variable datum using the at least a geometric datum, wherein the at least a pricing variable datum includes a first pricing variable datum comprising a plurality of costs for working one or more materials required for the structure with the surface finish thereon to be manufactured, received directly from the supplier and a second pricing variable datum determined from a third-party device, wherein the third-party device is distinct from the supplier;
generating, by the interrogator engine and as a function of the structure and the surface finish represented in the CAD file, the geometric analysis, and the extraction algorithm, at least one second pricing input in the form, the at least a second pricing input configured to receive at least a pricing input value from a user;
transmitting, to the user a form configured to accept, from the user, the at least a pricing input value; and
receiving, from the user and using the form, at the at least a second pricing input, the at least a pricing input value; produce a price for fabricating the structure with the surface finish thereon based on the request for pricing, the geometric analysis, as a function of the at least a first pricing variable datum, the at least a second pricing variable datum, and the at least a pricing input value;
generate a pricing output in the GUI for displaying the price for fabricating the structure with the surface finish thereon; and display, using the pricing output, the price.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein producing the price further comprises calculating the price as a function of a material thickness.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein producing the price further comprises calculating the price as a function of a type of cut.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computing device is further configured to generate a second graphical user interface, wherein the second graphical user interface is configured to receive, from at least a supplier, a supplier pricing input.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the computing device is further configured to calculate the price as a function of the supplier pricing input.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the second graphical user interface is configured to display, to the at least a supplier, the calculated price.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computing device is further configured to: generate a pricing variable as a function of past supplier activity; and produce the price as a function of the pricing variable.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the price is produced as a function of a desired lead time.

9. A method for producing a price for fabricating a structure, the method comprising:
receiving, from a user, a request for pricing, wherein receiving the request for pricing further comprises:
generating a graphical user interface (GUI), the graphical user interface including a data structure including a form having a first user input for receiving a user command to upload a computer aided design (CAD) file;
receiving an instruction to upload a CAD file containing a representation of a structure with a surface finish thereon to be manufactured, using the first user input;
uploading the CAD file over an electronic network;
performing, using an interrogator engine, a geometric analysis and extraction algorithm on the representation of the structure with a surface finish thereon to be manufactured, wherein the geometric analysis further comprises:
identifying, using the interrogator engine, at least a geometric datum associated with the structure including the surface finish thereon, wherein the interrogator engine is customized by a supplier by transmitting information to a marketplace through at least a custom pricing interface, and wherein the interrogator engine is caused to generated standardized and custom pricing inputs as a function of the CAD file; and
retrieving at least a pricing variable datum using the at least a geometric datum, wherein the at least a pricing variable datum includes a first pricing variable datum comprising a plurality of costs for working one or more materials required for the structure with the surface finish thereon to be manufactured, received directly from the supplier and a second pricing variable datum determined from a third-party device, wherein the third-party device is distinct from the supplier;
generating, by the interrogator engine and as a function of the structure and the surface finish represented in the CAD file, the geometric analysis, and the extraction algorithm, at least one second pricing input in the form, the at least a second pricing input configured to receive at least a pricing input value from a user;
transmitting, to the user a form configured to accept, from the user, the at least a pricing input value; and
receiving, from the user and using the form, at the at least a second pricing input, the at least a pricing input value; producing a price for fabricating the structure with the surface finish thereon based on the request for pricing, the geometric analysis as a function of the at least a first pricing variable datum, the at least a second pricing variable datum, and the at least a pricing input value;
generating a pricing output in the GUI for displaying the price for fabricating the structure with the surface finish thereon; and displaying, using the pricing output, the price.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein producing the price further comprises calculating the price as a function of a material thickness.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein producing the price further comprises calculating the price as a function of a type of cut.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising generating a second graphical user interface, wherein the second graphical user interface is configured to receive, from at least a supplier, a supplier pricing input.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the computing device is further configured to calculate the price as a function of the supplier pricing input.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the second graphical user interface is configured to display, to the at least a supplier, the calculated price.

15. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
generating a pricing variable as a function of past supplier activity; an

Assignees

• Desprez Llc

Inventors

• Jacobs Ii James L

Classifications

• G05B2219/49007

  Making, forming 3-D object, model, surface · CPC title

• G05B19/4099

  Surface or curve machining, making three-dimensional [3D] objects, e.g. desktop manufacturing · CPC title

• G06F30/00

  Computer-aided design [CAD] · CPC title

• G06Q30/02

  Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising · CPC title

• G06Q10/06 Primary

  Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling · CPC title