Apparatus and method for using equipment remote monitoring to generate automated product sales offerings

• US 20030046153A1
• Filed: 08/28/2001
• Published: 03/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inventio AG (Schindler Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Inventio AG (Schindler Holding AG)
• Inventors: Robibero, Vincent P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,838,475 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

A method and apparatus for using remote monitoring of customer equipment to generate product sales offers includes an equipment database storing parametric data information related to the operating parameters of the equipment and a product database storing product information related to a plurality of devices and service offered by the service company performing the monitoring. The product information includes limits that are compared with values of the parametric data information in an offer generator to generate a sales offer when the value and the limit have a predetermined relationship. The offer is transmitted to the customer on a web page, by regular mail or e-mail, or by a sales staff of the service company.

Claims

1. An apparatus for using data obtained from remote monitoring of equipment to generate product sales offers comprising:

a source of parametric data information related to operating parameters of customer equipment;

an equipment database for receiving and storing said parametric data information;

a product database for storing product information related to characteristics of a plurality of products related to the customer equipment, said product information for each said characteristic including a limit corresponding to a possible value of said parametric data information of an associated one of said operating parameters; and

an offer generator connected to said equipment database and to said product database for comparing a value of said stored parametric data information of a selected one of said operating parameters with at least one of said stored product information limits corresponding to said selected one operating parameter, said offer generator generating a sales offer for a product associated with said limit directed to the customer associated with the customer equipment when said value and said limit have a predetermined relationship.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 including a customer database connected to said offer generator for receiving said sales offer and a web server connected to said customer database for sending said sales offer to the customer.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said web server generates said sales offer on a web page for viewing by the customer.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said web server generates said sales offer as an e-mail message for transmission to the customer.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 including a customer database connected to said offer generator for receiving said sales offer, said customer database including customer information for verifying the accuracy of said sales offer.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 including a customer database connected to said offer generator for receiving said sales offer, said customer database including customer information for transmitting said sales offer to the customer.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 including an interface for receiving said parametric data information, a data collector connected to said equipment database and data transfer means connected between said interface and said data collector for transferring said parametric data information to said equipment database.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the products include devices and services.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said limit is a threshold and said predetermined relationship occurs when said value exceeds said threshold.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said limit is a range and said predetermined relationship occurs when said value is within said range.

11. A method of using data obtained from remote monitoring of customer equipment to generate product sales offers, comprising the steps of:

a. receiving parametric data information related to an operating parameter of customer equipment;

b. storing the parametric data information in an equipment database;

c. storing in a product database product information related to a characteristic of at least one product including a limit corresponding to a possible value of the parametric data information;

d. comparing a value of the stored parametric data information with the limit; and

e. generating a sales offer directed to a customer associated with the customer equipment when the value and the limit have a predetermined relationship.

12. The method according to claim 11 including a step of storing in a customer database customer information related to the customer and sending the sales offer to the customer based upon the stored customer information.

13. The method according to claim 12 including sending the sales offer to the customer by at least one of regular mail, e-mail and a web page.

14. The method according to claim 12 including using the customer information to verify the accuracy of the sales offer.

15. The method according to claim 11 including a step of monitoring the customer equipment to generate the parametric data information.

16. The method according to claim 11 wherein said step c. is performed by storing in the product database product information related to characteristics of a plurality of devices and services.

17. The method according to claim 11 including performing said steps a. through b. for a plurality of operating parameters of the customer equipment.