Method and apparatus for facilitating the locating of an item

• US 20020174026A1
• Filed: 05/18/2001
• Published: 11/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Pickover, Clifford A., Moskowitz, Paul A., Grey, William, Boies, Stephen J.
• Application Number:
  US09/861,243
• Publication Number:
  US 20020174026A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

A method, system, apparatus and computer code for locating an item enables a person who desires or needs to locate an item to obtain assistance from another person or a group of people who may be unknown to the person or located geographically disparate from the person. A method includes providing a notification to one or more devices regarding an item to be located, receiving a notification regarding a location of the item, and providing another notification to a different device regarding the location of the item.

Claims

6-1. The method of claim 1, wherein said providing a third notification to a second device includes at least one of the following:

sending an electronic communication via a communications network to said second device;

sending an email message via the Internet;

sending a signal via a wireless network;

sending an electronic communication that includes said third notification; and

transmitting an electronic signal containing said third notification via a communications network.

21. A method for facilitating the locating of an item, comprising:

determining an item to be located and an instruction associated with said item;

providing a first notification, said first notification including data indicative of said item and said instruction;

receiving a second notification, said second notification including data indicative of a location of said item; and

providing a third notification, said third notification including data indicative of at least one of said location of said item and a receipt of said second notification.

22. A method for facilitating the locating of an item, comprising:

providing a notification of an item to be located, said item having an associated instruction;

providing a notification of a single action that can be performed to implement said instruction; and

receiving a notification of a completion of said single action.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

providing a notification of said completion of said single action.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

in response to only said single action, providing a notification that includes data indicative of a location of said item.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

in response to a notification that said single action has been completed, providing a notification that includes data indicative of said location of said item.

27. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

in response to a notification that said single action has been completed, providing a notification that includes data indicative of a completion of said single action.

28. The method of claim 24, further comprising at least one of the following:

sending said item; and

receiving said item.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein completion of said single action will cause at least one of the following to occur:

said item being sent to a designated postal address;

said item being sent to a designated electronic address;

a notification being sent regarding completion of said single action;

a notification being sent regarding said item;

said item being purchased;

said item being placed in an electronic shopping cart;

a bid being placed on said item;

an reservation being made for said item; and

an order being placed for said item.

30. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

receiving a notification that said item is to be located.

31. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

determining that said item is to be located.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein said instruction associated with said item includes one of the following:

an instruction that said item should be purchased when said item is located;

an instruction regarding a single action that should be completed when said item is located;

an instruction that said item should be placed in an electronic shopping cart when said item is located;

an instruction that said item should be ordered when said item is located;

an instruction that a reservation for said item should be made when said item is located;

an instruction that a bid should be placed on said item;

an instruction that a notification should be sent when said item is located, said notification including data indicative of a location of said item;

an instruction that a notification should be sent when said item is located, said notification including data indicative of a description of said item;

an instruction that a notification should be sent when said item is located, said notification including data indicative of a payment term associated with said item;

an instruction that a notification should be sent when said item is located, said notification including data indicative of a delivery requirement associated with said item;

an instruction that a notification should be sent when said item is located, said notification including data indicative of a shipping requirement associated with said item;

an instruction that a notification should be sent when said item is located, said notification including data indicative of a price of said item; and

an instruction that a notification should be sent when said item is located, said notification including data indicative of an availability of said item.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein said single action is one of the following:

clicking a mouse button when a cursor is positioned over a designated area of an identifier associated with said item;

clicking on a mouse button when a cursor is positioned over a designated area of a Web page;

clicking on a mouse button when a cursor is positioned over a link displayed on a Web page;

selecting a designated URL;

selecting a specific channel using a television remote control;

making a specific command using a television remote control;

contacting a specific portion of a touchscreen;

calling a specific telephone number;

detecting a presence of said item;

determining a characteristic of said item;

detecting a unique identifying characteristic of said item;

depressing of a key on a key pad;

providing a designated signal;

detecting an identifier associated with said item;

scanning an identifier associated with said item;

selecting an identifier associated with said item;

moving said item within a designated proximity of another item;

moving said item to a designated location;

moving said item within range of a device capable of detecting a presence of said item;

scanning a code associated with said item;

scanning an image associated with said item;

navigating to a designated Web page;

entering a designated code;

making an designated sound;

selecting using a pointing device; and

moving a cursor over a designated area of an identifier associated with said item.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein said designated event includes at least one of the following:

a notification regarding said item being sent to a designated postal address;

a notification regarding said item being sent to a designated electronic address;

said item being sent to a designated postal address;

said item being sent to a designated electronic address;

said item being purchased;

said item being placed in an electronic shopping cart;

a bid being placed on said item;

an reservation being made for said item; and

an order being placed for said item.

24. A method for facilitating the locating of an item, comprising:

providing information identifying an item to be located; and

providing information regarding a single action to be performed when said item is located.

32. A method for facilitating the locating of an item, comprising:

determining an item to be located and an instruction associated with said item that is to be completed when said item is located; and

providing a notification to a first device, said notification including data indicative of said item and said instruction.

34. A method for facilitating transfer of an item, comprising:

receiving a notification regarding an item to be located and a single action associated with said item, wherein completion of said single action will cause a designated event to occur;

determining a location of said item; and

completing said single action when said location of said item is determined.

37. A system for facilitating locating of an item, comprising:

a memory;

a communication port; and

a processor connected to said memory and said communication port, said processor being operative to;

provide a first notification to a first device, said first notification including data indicative of an item;

receive a second notification, said second notification including data indicative of a location of said item; and

provide a third notification to a second device, said third notification including data indicative of said location of said item.

38. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for facilitating locating of an item, comprising:

first instructions for sending data indicative of an item to a first device;

second instructions for receiving data indicative of a location of said item; and

third instructions for sending data indicative of said location of said item to a second device.