System and method for automated execution of device-related services

• US 10,528,992 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2018
• Issued: 01/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Yost, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khai
• Application Number:
  US16/013,721
• Publication Number:
  US 20180300776A1
• Time in Patent Office: 566 Days
• Field of Search: 375224, 705 1416, 705 44
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination

Abstract

Described herein is a platform and method for enabling electronic devices to initiate device-related services automatically (e.g., without user interaction), which may be services related to a primary function of the electronic device. In some embodiments, this may involve receiving a number of details from the electronic device (which may include performance metrics), identifying one or more third-party entities capable of providing a service, identifying a format or structure (e.g., a template) associated with the one or more third-party entities, populating the identified format with the details from the electronic device, and obtaining the service from one of the third-party entities.

Claims

1. A method of obtaining a device-related service comprising:

receiving, at a service computer, a request to obtain the device-related service for a device;

receiving, at the service computer from the device, information related to the device;

identifying, by the service computer, a number of third-party computers capable of providing the device-related service;

providing, by the service computer, requests for the device-related service to the number of third-party computers, each of the requests including the information related to the device by;

identifying a number of templates, each template of which is associated with a third-party computer of the number of third-party computers;

populating, by the service computer, the number of templates with the information related to the device; and

providing, by the service computer, the populated number of templates to the number of third-party computers;

receiving, at the service computer, a number of responses from the number of third-party computers;

selecting, by the service computer from the number of responses, a most-favorable response; and

initiating, by the service computer, a process to obtain the device-related service from a third-party computer associated with the most-favorable response.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the information related to the device comprises an estimated value of the device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the device-related service is insurance coverage for the device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the number of third-party computers are computers operated by insurance providers.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the number of responses comprises a number of quotes for coverage of the device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating the process to obtain the device-related service from a third-party computer associated with the most-favorable response comprises providing payment information to the third-party computer associated with the most-favorable response.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the device-related service is a service to sell the device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the number of third-party computers comprise at least one electronic retailer server.

9. A service computer comprising:

a processor; and

a memory including instructions that, when executed with the processor, cause the service computer to, at least;

receive a request to obtain the device-related service for a device;

receive, from the device, information related to the device;

identify a number of third-party computers capable of providing the device-related service;

provide requests for the device-related service to the number of third-party computers, each of the requests including the information related to the device by;

identifying a number of templates, each template of which is associated with a third-party computer of the number of third-party computers;

populating the number of templates with the information related to the device; and

providing the populated number of templates to the number of third-party computers;

receive a number of responses from the number of third-party computers;

select, from the number of responses, a most-favorable response; and

initiate a process to obtain the device-related service from a third-party computer associated with the most-favorable response.

10. The service computer of claim 9, wherein the information related to the device includes one or more of a model information, a current ownership status of the device, an age of the device, an image of the device, or an estimated value of the device.

11. The service computer of claim 9, wherein the most-favorable response is determined based on user preferences stored on the service computer.

12. The service computer of claim 11, wherein the most-favorable response is determined without interaction with an owner of the device.

13. The service computer of claim 9, wherein the most-favorable response is determined by providing the number of responses to a user device associated with an owner of the device and receiving a selection of the most-favorable response from the number of responses.

14. The service computer of claim 9, wherein the request to obtain the device-related service for a device is received via a user device associated with an owner of the device.

15. The service computer of claim 9, wherein the request to obtain the device-related service for a device is received from the device.

16. The service computer of claim 9, wherein the number of third-party computers capable of providing the device-related service are determined based at least in part on a category into which the device belongs.

17. A method of changing ownership of a device comprising:

receiving, at the device, a request for the device to sell itself;

estimating, by the device, an appropriate value of the device based on a current performance level for the device;

advertising the device to a number of proximate devices at the estimated appropriate value;

receiving, by the device from a proximate device of the number of proximate devices, a request to conduct a transaction, the request including information to be used in conducting the transaction;

conducting the transaction using the received information; and

updating an ownership status of the device based on the conducted transaction.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the advertising the device to the number of proximate devices also includes providing a location of the device to the number of proximate devices.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the number of proximate devices are detected using one or more device discovery techniques performed using a short range communication means.