Configuring a product with user settings during a network purchase

• US 20030236707A1
• Filed: 06/19/2002
• Published: 12/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Cheney, Douglas A.
• Application Number:
  US10/174,757
• Publication Number:
  US 20030236707A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26.5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization

Abstract

A network store for selling products to purchasers interacting with the network store through an electrical communication link is disclosed herein. The network store comprises a product configuration program that allows a purchaser to select user settings for a product purchased through the network store. The network store further comprises a link to a configuration installer that configures the product according to the selected user settings.

Claims

1. A network store for selling a product to a purchaser interacting with the network store via an electrical communication link, the network store comprising:

a product configuration program adapted to allow the purchaser to select user settings for the product purchased through the network store; and

a link connecting the product configuration program to a configuration installer, adapted to configure the product according to the user settings selected by the purchaser.

2. The network store recited in claim 1, wherein the product includes a printing device.

3. The network store recited in claim 2, wherein the user settings include at least one paper handling setting.

4. The network store recited in claim 2, wherein the user settings include at least one print quality setting.

5. The network store recited in claim 2, wherein the user settings include at least one printer setting.

6. The network store recited in claim 2, wherein the user settings include at least one input/output setting.

7. The network store recited in claim 2, wherein the user settings include at least one configuration setting.

8. The network store recited in claim 2, wherein the user settings include a plurality of paper handling settings, a plurality of printer quality settings, a plurality of printing settings, a plurality of input/output settings, and a plurality of configuration settings.

9. A method for selling a product with pre-configured user settings, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a request from a purchaser to select one of a number of available products;

presenting a plurality of user settings options of the selected product;

receiving a selection of the presented user settings options;

configuring the selected product with the selected user settings; and

shipping the configured product to the purchaser.

10. The method recited in claim 9, further comprising the step of establishing a record of the selected user settings.

11. The method recited in claim 10, wherein the step of establishing a record comprises establishing a record that is accessible to the purchaser.

12. The method recited in claim 9, wherein the step of receiving a request to select one of a number of available products comprises receiving a request to select a printer model from a number of available printers.

13. The method recited in claim 12, wherein the step of presenting a plurality of user settings options comprises presenting user settings selected from the group consisting of paper handling options, print quality options, print setting options, input/output settings options, and configuration options for the requested printer.

14. The method recited in claim 9, further comprising a step of receiving payment for the configured product.

15. A user interface for a network store, comprising:

means for presenting a number of electronic devices to a customer;

means for allowing the customer to select one of the electronic devices for purchase; and

means for allowing the customer to choose user settings for the selected electronic device.

16. The user interface recited in claim 15, wherein the means for allowing the customer to choose user settings further comprises means for presenting the customer with a plurality of user settings options from which to choose.

17. The user interface recited in claim 16, wherein the plurality of user settings options includes at least one default option.

18. The user interface recited in claim 16, wherein the electronic device includes a printer and the user settings options are selected from the group consisting of paper handling options, print quality options, print setting options, input/output settings options, and configuration options for the printer.

19. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave transmitted between a buyer and a seller, comprising:

a seller segment comprising product information data; and

a buyer segment comprising product selection data and product configuration selection data that instructs the seller to configure a selected product for sale, based on selected user settings.

20. The computer data signal recited in claim 19, wherein the product for sale comprises a printing device and the user settings are selected from the group consisting of paper handling settings, print quality settings, input/output settings, and configuration settings for the printing device.

21. A computer-readable medium, comprising:

logic configured to receive a product order from a customer;

logic configured to present the customer with a plurality of user settings options for the ordered product;

logic configured to receive from the customer a selection of the presented user settings options; and

logic configured to instruct a configuration installer to configure the ordered product according to the selected user settings options.

22. The computer-readable medium recited in claim 21, wherein the user settings options include at least one default setting.

23. The computer-readable medium recited in claim 22, wherein the product is a printing device and the user settings options are selected from the group consisting of paper handling options, print quality options, print setting options, input/output settings options, and configuration options for the requested printer.

24. A method of conducting an electronic sales transaction, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a signal indicative of a selected product for purchase;

receiving a signal indicative of selected option of the selected product;

receiving a signal indicative of user settings of the selected product and options;

configuring the selected product with the selected user settings;

establishing a record of the selected user settings; and

distributing the configured product to a product user.

25. The method recited in claim 24, wherein the electronic sales transaction is conducted on-line.

26. The method recited in claim 25, wherein the on-line transaction comprises the communication of a buyer and a seller over the Internet.

27. The method recited in claim 24, wherein the electronic sales transaction is conducted using a wireless network.