COMPUTERIZED FAMILY ADVISING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MAKING FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method permitting a user to electronically plan a funeral on a computer comprising:
- employing on the computer a funeral planning routine comprising processes adapted to generate a funeral plan;
receiving via the computer planning data from the user, said planning data including biographical information, period of execution, and funeral arrangement information;
utilizing said planning data in said funeral planning routine to generate said funeral plan; and
outputting via the computer at least a summary of said funeral plan to the user such that the user may determine whether to revise or accept said funeral plan as represented by said received planning data.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A computerized family advising system and method comprising a World Wide Web home page and associated script files for making funeral arrangements. The system is configured to allow families to gain knowledge and ask questions about every aspect of the funeral planning process. The system is also designed to help funeral directors, through a virtual showroom, both in the planning of at-need or pre-need funeral services and in allowing an increased inventory of funeral products. The system is a browser-based computer client application installed on a multimedia computer in a funeral home showroom, office or conference room. The system, if desirable, is accessible by a user through the Internet using any standard Internet browser. The system is capable of both recognizing user-initiated events and accepting user-defined queries in order to take a defined action and/or return queried funeral related information from a remote database.
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Citations
43 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method permitting a user to electronically plan a funeral on a computer comprising:
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employing on the computer a funeral planning routine comprising processes adapted to generate a funeral plan; receiving via the computer planning data from the user, said planning data including biographical information, period of execution, and funeral arrangement information; utilizing said planning data in said funeral planning routine to generate said funeral plan; and outputting via the computer at least a summary of said funeral plan to the user such that the user may determine whether to revise or accept said funeral plan as represented by said received planning data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A computer-implemented method permitting a user to electronically plan a funeral on a computer comprising:
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employing on the computer a funeral planning routine comprising processes adapted to generate a funeral plan; retrieving via the computer information requested by the user associated with a plurality of products and services; receiving via the computer planning data from the user, said planning data including biographical information, period of execution, and funeral arrangement information comprising desired products and services; utilizing said planning data in said funeral planning routine to generate said funeral plan; and outputting via the computer at least a summary of said funeral plan to the user such that the user may determine whether to revise or accept said funeral plan as represented by said received planning data. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
storing said information in a database; customizing said information by; selecting which of said information in said database to display to the user; customizing said information as it should appear to the user; and updating said database.
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35. The computer-implemented method according to claim 25 further comprising:
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storing said information in a database; updating said database by downloading from a database server updated information in response to a user selection inventory update; and updating said database with said information update.
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36. The computer-implemented method of claim 25 further comprising entering said biographical information on an electronically displayed biographical entry form.
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37. The computer-implemented method claim 25 further comprising presenting electronically a package page enabling user selection of various packages of preselected funeral products and/or services.
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38. The computer-implemented method of claim 25 wherein said desired products and services include cremation selection, burial selection, transportation selection, caskets selection, urns selection, marker selection, funeral related merchandise selection, and combinations thereof.
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39. The computer-implemented method according to claim 25 further comprising forwarding an order generated from said summary to a server of a distributor for processing delivery of said order.
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40. The computer-implemented method according to claim 37, further comprising sending a confirmation from said server to the user confirming said order.
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41. The computer-implemented method according to claim 25 further comprising displaying a multimedia presentation corresponding to user action for particular information when said user action for said particular information is selected.
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42. The computer-implemented method of according to claim 41 wherein said particular information includes urn products, casket products, marker products, funeral related merchandise, explanations of disposition processes, and explanations of services.
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43. A funeral arrangement planning system adapted to permit a user to electronically plan a funeral comprising:
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a computer running a funeral planning routine comprising processes for generating a funeral arrangement plan for a period of execution; an input device for inputting to the funeral planning routine planning data, said planning data including biographical information, period of execution, and funeral arrangement information; a display for presenting visual objects related to said funeral planning routine and said planning data; a memory device storing information related to funeral products and services; a communication device for connecting to a remote server of a distributor of said funeral products and services to update said information and to provide an order to said distributor; said computer utilizes said funeral planning routine to interactively guide the user through the planning of the funeral by accepting funeral arrangement data from the user and, when necessary, accessing said information stored in said memory device and storing said funeral arrangement data to said memory device, and said computer utilizes said funeral planning routine and said planning data to generate a summary such that the user may determine whether to revise or accept the funeral arrangement plan as represented by said input planning data, if revising then the user may edit any portion of said planning data, and if accepting then said funeral planning routine is capable of sending said order to said distributor.
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Specification