Method and system for controlling warranty-related data and services
First Claim
1. A process for controlling a repair of a product under warranty, the process comprising the steps of:
- compiling information in a host system regarding a sale of the product under warranty, the information identifying the product, a vendor of the product, a purchaser of the product, and a warranty plan for the product;
providing the purchaser with a set of instructions for initiating a repair of the product via a transmission of data over a computer network;
providing the purchaser with access to the host system via a computer network;
receiving a request for a repair to be made to the product in the host system;
notifying a parcel delivery service to pick up the product from the customer and deliver the product to a repair center;
notifying the repair center that the product will be delivered for repair;
generating a report regarding the repair of the product;
storing the report in a document maintained within the host system;
receiving one or more status updates from the parcel delivery service or the repair center containing information regarding the repair of the product;
amending the report to reflect the information contained in the one or more status updates;
providing the purchaser with access to the report over a computer network.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method of controlling warranty-related data and services provides centralized management of warranty programs for product vendors and purchasers. Data related to sales of products covered by warranties is compiled and processed and user-specific documents are generated. The documents are stored in the system and can be accessed over a computer network such as the Internet. A system server and control application provide a web site that allows a product purchaser to request a repair of a product under warranty, and then automatically arranges for the repair to be made by contacting a parcel delivery service and a repair center. The system receives period updates regarding the repair of the product, and makes the updates available to the system users in the form of accessible documents. The purchaser is able to quickly and easily obtain a repair for a product and be kept informed as to the status of the repair without expending much effort.
66 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A process for controlling a repair of a product under warranty, the process comprising the steps of:
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compiling information in a host system regarding a sale of the product under warranty, the information identifying the product, a vendor of the product, a purchaser of the product, and a warranty plan for the product;
providing the purchaser with a set of instructions for initiating a repair of the product via a transmission of data over a computer network;
providing the purchaser with access to the host system via a computer network;
receiving a request for a repair to be made to the product in the host system;
notifying a parcel delivery service to pick up the product from the customer and deliver the product to a repair center;
notifying the repair center that the product will be delivered for repair;
generating a report regarding the repair of the product;
storing the report in a document maintained within the host system;
receiving one or more status updates from the parcel delivery service or the repair center containing information regarding the repair of the product;
amending the report to reflect the information contained in the one or more status updates;
providing the purchaser with access to the report over a computer network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A process for controlling warranty-related data and services for a plurality of products, the process comprising the steps of:
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receiving one or more data transmissions into a host system over a computer network, each one of the one or more data transmissions containing an assemblage of information corresponding to at least one sale of at least one of the plurality of products;
identifying within each assemblage of information each one of the at least one of the plurality of products sold;
identifying within each assemblage of information a vendor, a purchaser, and a warranty plan corresponding to each one of the at least one of the plurality of products sold;
establishing an association between each one of the at least one of the plurality of products and the vendor, the purchaser, and the warranty plan corresponding thereto;
generating a vendor account for each vendor identified in the one or more assemblages of information, the vendor account comprising a display of each one of the at least one product sold by the vendor, where the display includes the purchaser of each one of the at least one product sold by the vendor and the warranty plan for each one of the at least one product sold by the vendor;
storing the vendor account as a document in the host system;
providing the vendor with access to the vendor account via a computer network;
generating a purchaser account for each purchaser identified in the one or more assemblages of information, the purchaser account comprising a display of each of the at least one of the plurality of the products bought by the purchaser, where the display includes the vendor of each of the at least one of the plurality of the products bought by the purchaser and the warranty plan for each of the at least one of the plurality of the products bought by the purchaser;
storing the purchaser account in a database in the host system;
providing the purchaser with access to the purchaser account via a computer network;
transmitting a set of instructions to the purchaser over a computer network, the set of instructions including an instruction for accessing the host system via a computer network. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A system for controlling warranty-related data and services, the system comprising:
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a user interface accessible over a computer network for a plurality of users;
a data input/output component for receiving data containing warranty-related information over a computer network, transferring the data within the system, and transmitting the data over a computer network;
a database for storing the data within the system;
logic for processing the data containing warranty-related information to identify a product, and also identify a vendor, a purchaser, and a warranty plan corresponding to the product;
logic for establishing an association between the product, the vendor, the purchaser, and the warranty plan;
logic for generating a vendor account document and a purchaser account document;
logic for transmitting an electronic message to the purchaser upon receipt of the data containing warranty-related information;
logic for processing a request for a repair to the product and notifying a parcel delivery service and a repair center of the request;
logic for generating a repair report corresponding to the request for a repair;
logic for processing one or more status updates containing data regarding the status of the repair;
logic for amending the report to reflect the data regarding the repair;
logic for generating a parcel delivery service account document and a repair center account document; and
logic for displaying the vendor account document to the vendor, the purchaser account document to the purchaser, the parcel delivery service account document to the parcel delivery service, and the repair center account to the repair center, all over a computer network.
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Specification