Method of requesting a customized instance of an object using information contained within an existing instance

Abstract

A system for reselling an object in a client-server environment is disclosed. The method and system also enables a user using a client device can order an object, order a customized object, order a composite object, and order a customized composite object. The system includes an object order form handler, an object order handler, a view objects handler, a reseller form handler, a reseller handler, a reseller permission handler, an add object handler and a server database.

1 . A computer-implemented server device for reselling and customizing an object in a client-server environment including a plurality of client devices comprising:
 a computer-implemented reseller form handler for receiving from a client device a request of a reseller form corresponding to the object, generating the reseller form corresponding to the object and providing the reseller form to the client device;   a computer-implemented reseller handler for receiving a request to be a reseller from the client device that completed the reseller form and forwarding the request to be the reseller to an original seller; and   a computer-implemented reseller permission handler for receiving a determination of the request to be the reseller from the original seller, storing the determination in a database and sending the determination to the client device, wherein if the determination indicates an approval of the request to be the reseller, a user of the client device is able to resell the object to other users at other client devices.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented server device for reselling and customizing according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a computer-implemented view objects handler for receiving a request of viewing the object from a client device, finding the object on a web page, modifying the web page by adding a mark-up to indicate the object can be resold and sending the modified web page to the client device;   a computer-implemented object order form handler for receiving a request of an object order form associated with the object in the modified web page from the client device, generating the object order form of the object and providing the object order form of the object to the client device; and   a computer-implemented object order handler for receiving an order of the object from the client device that completed the object order form of the object and sending the order of the object to a seller.   
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented server device for reselling and customizing according to  claim 2 , wherein the object order form specifies customizations of the object in the modified web page. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented server device for reselling and customizing according to  claim 2 , wherein the object order form is provided to the client device via one or more of: a web site, an email, a phone call, a fax, an instant messaging, a postal mail and a carrier service. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented server device for reselling and customizing according to  claim 2 , wherein the object order form includes information of the seller, information of the user of the client device and information of the object. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented server device for reselling and customizing according to  claim 2 , wherein the object order form is associated with one or more of: a template of the object, an owner of the object, a price of the object, other instances of the object and a version of the object. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented server device for reselling and customizing according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 means for automatically charging an amount of money to the client device based on the price of the object.   
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented server device for reselling and customizing according to  claim 2 , wherein the object comprises one or more subobjects. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented server device for reselling and customizing according to  claim 8 , wherein the object order form specifies customizations of the one or more of subobjects. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented server device for reselling and customizing according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 means for retrieving instances of the subobjects modified based on the specified customizations; and   means for sending the an instance of the object made of the instances of the subobjects to the client device.   
     
     
         11 . The computer-implemented server device for reselling and customizing according to  claim 1 , wherein the object is one or more of: software, hardware and a service. 
     
     
         12 . The computer-implemented server device for reselling and customizing according to  claim 1 , wherein the object include a unique ID. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-implemented server device according to  claim 2 , wherein the object includes one or more subobjects, and the completed object order form specifies customizations of the one or more subobjects in the object, and the computer-implemented server device comprises:
 the computer-implemented object order handler determining which subobject needs to be customized and how the subobject is customized, based on the completed object order form;   the computer-implemented object order handler calculating cost of a customization of each subobject in response to determining that which subobject needs to be customized and how the subobject is customized;   the computer-implemented object order handler determining cost of a customization of the object, based on a customization cost of each subobject; and   the computer-implemented object order handler informing the client of the determined cost of the customization of the object and an expect delivery date of the customized object.   
     
     
         14 . The computer-implemented server device according to  claim 13 , wherein if there exist, in a database, the one or more subobjects that satisfy the specified customizations, the one or more subobjects are retrieved from the database. 
     
     
         15 . The computer-implemented server device, according to  claim 14 , if there exists in the database no customized subobject that satisfies the specified customizations, the computer-implemented object order handler sends to the original seller an order of the one or more subjects with the specified customizations, the original seller creates or designs a customization of each of the one or more subobjects, and the original seller sends the one or more customized subobjects to the computer-implemented object order handler.