System apparatus and method for conducting an online transaction to fulfill a rail-shipment service inquiry or a rail-shipment service ordering

Abstract

A method, as wells as an associated server arrangement and a computer, for conducting an online transaction to fulfill a rail-shipment service inquiry or a rail-shipment service ordering are described. A customer system is directed to implement a Graphical User Interface (GUI) to accept a customer identifier. In response to a specific customer identifier, the GUI displays an adapted set of individual commodities extracted from a customer profile. The GUI also presents customer-selectable shipment options configured to accept options conveying an identification of a specific commodity to be shipped from the adapted set of individual commodities and a quantity of the specific commodity to be shipped. The GUI may also be configured to deliver additional information to the user of the GUI in response to specific customer-selected shipping options and/or to provide a control component configured for allowing a user to place an order to fulfill a shipment according to the specific customer-selected shipping options. The rail-shipment service may then be performed for according to the specific customer-selected shipping options.

1 . A method for conducting an online transaction to fulfill a rail-shipment service inquiry or a rail-shipment service ordering, the method comprising:
 a. directing a customer system to implement a Graphical User Interface (GUI) configured to receive as an input a customer login which identifies a specific customer profile in a customer profile database that contains multiple customer profiles;   b. in response to the input of the customer login, configuring the GUI to display customer-specific information including a customer-specific list of commodities that is associated with the specific customer profile, the customer-specific list of commodities including a plurality of commodities and being a subset of a set of commodities that the rail transportation company has the ability to transport, at least one of the commodities on the customer-specific list being a commodity that the rail transportation company has previously transported for the customer associated with the specific customer profile;   c. the GUI being configured to accept inputs conveying customer-selected shipping options, the customer-selected shipping options identifying a selected commodity from the customer-specific list that is to be shipped;   d. in response to the input conveying the customer-selected shipping options, adapting the GUI to deliver additional information to the customer about the shipment or request from the customer additional input in order to complete the online transaction.   
     
     
         2 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the step of adapting the GUI to present additional information to the customer includes computing price information for the customer-selected shipping options and presenting to the customer the computed price information through the GUI. 
     
     
         3 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the customer selected shipping options identify a quantity of the selected commodity to be shipped. 
     
     
         4 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the customer selected shipping options identify a weight of the selected commodity to be shipped. 
     
     
         5 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the GUI is configured to display the customer-specific list of commodities as individually selectable items, the GUI being responsive to a selection of at least one commodity in the customer-specific list to accept the selection of the at least one commodity as part of the inputs conveying the customer-selected shipping options. 
     
     
         6 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the inputs conveying the customer-selected shipping options identify a rail route for transporting the selected commodity, the rail route being selectable by the customer associated with the specific customer profile at the GUI among a plurality of rail routes in a railway network between an origin and a destination, the method further including transporting by rail the selected commodity over the selected rail route identified by the customer-selected shipping options. 
     
     
         7 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the customer-selected shipping options identify a date for the shipment of the selected commodity. 
     
     
         8 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the GUI is implemented via a web browser. 
     
     
         9 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein adapting the GUI includes providing a control component for receiving an input by the customer to place an order to fulfill a shipment according to the customer-selected shipping options. 
     
     
         10 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the customer-selected shipping options identify particulars of an intermodal transport service including a transport of the selected commodity, which is to be shipped by rail. 
     
     
         11 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the customer-specific list of commodities omits one or more commodities that are part of the set of commodities. 
     
     
         12 . A method for customizing a graphical user interface (GUI) implemented on a computer device for performing an online transaction to order a rail-shipment, the method comprising:
 a. creating in a customer profile database a customer profile associated with a specific customer;   b. storing customer-specific information in association with the customer profile, the customer-specific information conveying one or more items of information characterizing one or more prior shipments the customer associated with the specific customer profile has previously ordered the rail transportation company to carry out via the server arrangement;   c. in response to reception at the GUI of a customer login corresponding to the specific customer profile, customizing the GUI by displaying customer-specific information derived from the customer profile associated with the specific customer including the one or more items of information characterizing the one or more prior shipments;   d. configuring the GUI to accept inputs that convey customer-selected shipping options, the customer-selected shipping options defining particulars of a desired shipment the specific customer wants to order from the rail transportation company, the particulars including a plurality of data elements, specifying:
 1. a selected commodity to be shipped; 
 2. a quantity of the commodity to be shipped; 
 3. a selected rail route over which the shipment is to be made selected at the GUI among multiple possible rail routes in the rail network between an origin and a destination of the shipment; 
 wherein at least one of the plurality of data elements is selected among the one or more items of information characterizing the one or more prior shipments; 
   e. in response to the customer-selected shipping options, adapting the GUI to deliver additional information to the customer about the shipment or request from the customer additional input in order to complete the online transaction.   
     
     
         13 . A method as defined in  claim 12 , wherein the step of adapting the GUI to present additional information to the customer includes computing price information for the customer-selected shipping options and presenting to the customer the computed price information through the GUI. 
     
     
         14 . A method as defined in  claim 12 , wherein the customer-specific information derived from the customer profile associated with the specific customer includes a plurality of items of information characterizing the one or more prior shipments, the GUI being configured to display the one or more items of information as individually selectable items in a list, the GUI being responsive to a selection of at least one of the items of information in the list to accept the selection as part of the inputs conveying the customer-selected shipping options. 
     
     
         15 . A method as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the customer-selected shipping options identify particulars of an intermodal transport service for transporting the selected commodity. 
     
     
         16 . A server arrangement for conducting an online transaction to fulfill a rail-shipment service inquiry or a rail-shipment service ordering, the server arrangement being configured for:
 a. directing a customer system to implement a Graphical User Interface (GUI) configured to receive as an input a customer login which identifies a specific customer profile in a customer profile database that contains multiple customer profiles;   b. in response to the input of the customer login, configuring the GUI to display customer-specific information including a customer-specific list of commodities that is associated with the specific customer profile, the customer-specific list of commodities including a plurality of commodities and being a subset of a set of commodities that the rail transportation company has the ability to transport, at least one of the commodities on the customer-specific list being a commodity that the rail transportation company has previously transported for the customer associated with the specific customer profile;   c. the GUI being configured to accept inputs conveying customer-selected shipping options, the customer-selected shipping options identifying a selected commodity from the customer-specific list that is to be shipped;   d. in response to the input conveying the customer-selected shipping options, adapting the GUI to deliver additional information to the customer about the shipment or request from the customer additional input in order to complete the online transaction.   
     
     
         17 . A server arrangement as defined in  claim 16 , wherein the server is configured to adapt the GUI to present to the customer price information corresponding to the customer selected shipment option. 
     
     
         18 . A server arrangement as defined in  claim 16 , wherein the customer selected shipping options identify a quantity of the selected commodity to be shipped. 
     
     
         19 . A server arrangement as defined in  claim 16 , wherein the customer selected shipping options identify a weight of the selected commodity to be shipped. 
     
     
         20 . A server arrangement as defined in  claim 16 , wherein the GUI is configured to display the customer-specific list of commodities as individually selectable items, the GUI being responsive to a selection of at least one commodity in the customer-specific list to accept the selection of the at least one commodity as part of the inputs conveying the customer-selected shipping options. 
     
     
         21 . A server arrangement as defined in  claim 16 , wherein the inputs conveying the customer-selected shipping options identify a rail route for transporting the selected commodity, the rail route being selectable by the customer associated with the specific customer profile at the GUI among a plurality of rail routes in a railway network between an origin and a destination. 
     
     
         22 . A server arrangement as defined in  claim 16 , wherein the customer-selected shipping options identify a date for the shipment of the selected commodity. 
     
     
         23 . A server arrangement as defined in  claim 16 , wherein the GUI is implemented via a web browser. 
     
     
         24 . A server arrangement as defined in  claim 16 , wherein adapting the GUI includes providing a control component for receiving an input by the customer to place an order to fulfill a shipment according to the customer-selected shipping options. 
     
     
         25 . A server arrangement as defined in  claim 16 , wherein the customer-selected shipping options identify particulars of an intermodal transport service including a transport of the selected commodity, which is to be shipped by rail. 
     
     
         26 . A server arrangement as defined in  claim 16 , wherein the customer-specific list of commodities omits one or more commodities that are part of the set of commodities. 
     
     
         27 . A server arrangement for conducting an online transaction to fulfill a rail-shipment service inquiry or a rail-shipment service ordering using graphical user interface (GUI) implemented on a computer device, the server arrangement being configured for:
 i. creating in a customer profile database a customer profile associated with a specific customer;   ii. storing customer-specific information in association with the customer profile, the customer-specific information conveying one or more items of information characterizing one or more prior shipments the customer associated with the specific customer profile has previously ordered the rail transportation company to carry out via the server arrangement;   iii. in response to reception at the GUI of a customer login corresponding to the specific customer profile, customizing the GUI by displaying customer-specific information derived from the customer profile associated with the specific customer including the one or more items of information characterizing the one or more prior shipments;   iv. configuring the GUI to accept inputs that convey customer-selected shipping options, the customer-selected shipping options defining particulars of a desired shipment the specific customer wants to order from the rail transportation company, the particulars including a plurality of data elements, specifying:
 1. a selected commodity to be shipped; 
 2. a quantity of the commodity to be shipped; 
 3. a selected rail route over which the shipment is to be made selected at the GUI among multiple possible rail routes in the rail network between an origin and a destination of the shipment; 
 wherein at least one of the plurality of data elements is selected among the one or more items of information characterizing the one or more prior shipments; 
   v. in response to the customer-selected shipping options, adapting the GUI to deliver additional information to the customer about the shipment or request from the customer additional input in order to complete the online transaction.   
     
     
         28 . A server arrangement as defined in  claim 27 , wherein the step of adapting the GUI to present additional information to the customer includes computing price information for the customer-selected shipping options and presenting to the customer the computed price information through the GUI. 
     
     
         29 . A server arrangement as defined in  claim 27 , wherein the customer-specific information derived from the customer profile associated with the specific customer includes a plurality of items of information characterizing the one or more prior shipments, the GUI being configured to display the one or more items of information as individually selectable items in a list, the GUI being responsive to a selection of at least one of the items of information in the list to accept the selection as part of the inputs conveying the customer-selected shipping options. 
     
     
         30 . A server arrangement as defined in  claim 29 , wherein the customer-selected shipping options identify particulars of an intermodal transport service for transporting the selected commodity.