Central Server Item Aggregation with Data Conversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current delivery systems require end users to submit separate orders and make multiple trips for items from different service providers, such as restaurants and liquor stores, due to the heterogeneous nature of item data formats, making it inefficient and cumbersome to integrate and present items from various providers to users.
Innovation Solution
A central server computer receives and converts item data from different service providers into a unified format, allowing for seamless display and selection of items from multiple providers on a user device, enabling a single transaction for combined item fulfillment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If separate orders are submitted for items from different service providers, then each service provider can fulfill their specific items, but the user must make multiple trips and the process becomes cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate orders from different service providers into a single aggregated order. The central server receives item data from multiple service providers, converts it to a unified format, and presents all items to the user in a single interface, allowing the user to place one order that consolidates items from multiple providers, thereby reducing the number of trips and simplifying the user experience
Solution Approach 2:
The central server acts as an intermediary between the user and multiple service providers. It receives heterogeneous item data from different providers, converts it to a unified data format, manages the aggregation of items, and coordinates the fulfillment process, thereby enabling seamless integration of multiple service provider items without requiring the user to interact with each provider separately
2Adaptability or versatility
If item data from different service providers is integrated, then items from multiple providers can be displayed together, but the heterogeneous data formats make integration difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by converting item data from different service provider formats into a unified data format. The central server receives item data in various heterogeneous formats from different providers and transforms it into a standardized parameter set, enabling consistent storage, processing, and display of items from multiple providers without requiring complex format-specific handling
Solution Approach 2:
The central server serves as a data translation intermediary that receives heterogeneous item data from multiple service providers, converts each provider's specific data format into a unified standard format, and stores the standardized data. This intermediary layer abstracts the complexity of multiple data formats away from the user interface and fulfillment system
3Productivity
If multiple trips are made for different items, then each item can be obtained from its specific provider, but the delivery process becomes inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple delivery trips into a single consolidated delivery operation. By aggregating items from multiple service providers into a single order, the system enables one delivery trip to fulfill multiple item requests simultaneously, thereby improving delivery efficiency and reducing the total time required to obtain all items compared to making separate trips for each item
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes receiving, by a central server computer, first item data in a first data format provided by first service providers and second item data in a second data format provided by second service providers. The method also includes converting the second item data in the second data format to the first data format. The central server computer can then receive a selection of a first service provider from a user device. The central server computer can then provide a display of first items provided by a first service provider and provide a display of second items provided by a second service provider. The method can then include receiving, by the central server computer from the user device, a selection of the displayed first items and the displayed second items. The method can then include initiating a fulfillment of the selection for first and second items.