Goods and services referring by location

• US 20010034660A1
• Filed: 02/09/2001
• Published: 10/25/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Vantage Technology Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Vantage Technology Holdings LLC
• Inventors: Heumann, Heinz
• Application Number:
  US09/780,141
• Publication Number:
  US 20010034660A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0639 Item locations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers

Abstract

A method and computer program for communicating business information to a user are described. A request from a user is processed for the identity of at least one product provider, which is: (i) located within a selected distance of a user location, and (ii) identified as providing a user-specified product. Based on the request, information is retrieved from a product provider database information associated with the product provider. The information includes the location of the at least one product provider. The retrieved information is then communicated to the user.

Claims

1. A method of communicating business information to a user, the method comprising:

processing a request from a user for the identity of at least one product provider, which is;

(i) located within a selected distance of a user location, and

(ii) identified as providing a user-specified product;

retrieving from a product provider database information associated with the least one product provider, the information including the location of the at least one product provider; and

communicating the retrieved information to the user.

2. A method according to

claim 1

, further comprising:

determining a path from the user location to the location of the at least one product provider, and communicating the path to the user.

3. A method according to

claim 2

, wherein communicating the path to the user includes providing a graphical representation of the path.

4. A method according to

claim 2

, wherein communicating the path to the user includes providing audio instructions.

5. A method according to

claim 2

, wherein communicating the path to the user includes providing text instructions.

6. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein processing the request includes performing automatic speech recognition of a spoken request from the user to produce a representative text request.

7. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein processing the request includes performing automatic translation of the request from a first language to a second language.

8. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein the user location is specified by the user in the request.

9. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein the user location is provided by a satellite positioning process.

10. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein the user location is provided by a cellular positioning process.

11. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein the user location is provided by a dead reckoning process.

12. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein information associated with each of at least two product providers is retrieved and communicated.

13. A method according to

claim 12

, wherein communicating the retrieved information to the user includes ranking the at least two product providers according to a user-specified ranking criterion.

14. A method according to

claim 13

, wherein the user-specified ranking criterion is cost of the product.

15. A method according to

claim 13

, wherein the user-specified ranking criterion is distance from the user location to each of the at least two product providers.

16. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein the information includes price of the user-specified product.

17. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein the selected distance is userspecified.

18. A computer program for communicating business information to a user, the program comprising:

request processing logic for processing a request from a user for the identity of at least one product provider, which is;

(i) located within a selected distance of a user location, and

(ii) identified as providing a user-specified product;

information retrieving logic for retrieving from a product provider database information associated with the least one product provider, the information including the location of the at least one product provider; and

user communicating logic for communicating the retrieved information to the user.

19. A computer program according to

claim 18

, further comprising:

path determining logic for determining a path from the user location to the location of the at least one product provider, and communicating the path to the user.

20. A computer program according to

claim 19

, wherein the user communicating logic includes logic for providing a graphical representation of the path.

21. A computer program according to

claim 19

, wherein the user communicating logic includes logic for providing audio instructions.

22. A computer program according to

claim 19

, wherein the user communicating logic includes logic for providing text instructions.

23. A computer program according to

claim 18

, wherein the request processing logic includes logic for performing automatic speech recognition of a spoken request from the user to produce a representative text request.

24. A computer program according to

claim 18

, wherein the request processing logic includes logic for performing automatic translation of the request from a first language to a second language.

25. A computer program according to

claim 18

, wherein the user location is specified by the user in the request.

26. A computer program according to

claim 18

, wherein the user location is provided by a satellite positioning process.

27. A computer program according to

claim 18

, wherein the user location is provided by a cellular positioning process.

28. A computer program according to

claim 18

, wherein the user location is provided by a dead reckoning process.

29. A computer program according to

claim 18

, wherein information associated with each of at least two product providers is retrieved and communicated.

30. A computer program according to

claim 29

, wherein the user communicating logic includes logic for ranking the at least two product providers according to a user-specified ranking criterion.

31. A computer program according to

claim 30

, wherein the user-specified ranking criterion is cost of the product.

32. A computer program according to

claim 30

, wherein the user-specified ranking criterion is distance from the user location to each of the at least two product providers.

33. A computer program according to

claim 18

, wherein the information includes price of the user-specified product.

34. A computer program according to

claim 18

, wherein the selected distance is user-specified.