Warranty tracking systems and methods

• US 20060095289A1
• Filed: 11/01/2005
• Published: 05/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Michel L. Bunning
• Original Assignee: Michel L. Bunning
• Inventors: Bunning, Michel L.
• Application Number:
  US11/263,118
• Publication Number:
  US 20060095289A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/302
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/012 Providing warranty services

Abstract

A warranty tracking system associates products and/or their sub-components with warranties and/or guarantees on them, and with the consumer who owns the product. When the consumer needs to investigate whether a warranty claim can be made on the product, the system provides information on the warranty, and optionally can provide the materials necessary to return the product to the manufacturer. Registration of the product can be optionally enhanced by associating the customer'"'"'s system ID with the product at the retailer'"'"'s point-of-sale.

Claims

1. A system for tracking product warranty information, the system comprising:

a database configured and arranged to store data representative of a product warranty and of a customer'"'"'s unique account identifier;

logic in communication with the database to read data from and write data to the database, the logic configured to

communicate data via the internet to a customer computing device;

generate a user interface on the customer computing device; and

present to the customer on the customer computing device data representative of a product warranty.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the logic is also configured to communicate with a retailer computing device to permit the retailer to upload data into the database representative of a unique product identifier and a customer'"'"'s unique account identifier.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the logic is also configured to communicate with a manufacturer computing device to permit the manufacturer to upload data into the database representative of a plurality of unique product identifiers and an unique account identifier, the unique account identifier being the manufacturer'"'"'s or the customer'"'"'s.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the logic is also configured to permit the customer to request materials be delivered to the customer for the return of the product.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein the materials are selected from the group consisting of packing materials, labels, return forms, and combinations thereof.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein the logic is also configured to permit the customer to request replacement parts of the product to be delivered to the customer.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the logic is also configured to read data from and write data to the database representative of product information, consumer information, or both, selected from the group consisting of:

biographic information;

demographic information;

product name;

product UPC;

product serial number;

retailer ID;

product warranty time;

description of warranty;

product manual;

list of parts of the product;

pointers to parts of the product;

return information;

repair instructions;

indicator that the product has been returned;

indicator that a warranty claim has been made for the product;

rebate amount given;

rebate date given; and

combinations thereof.

8. A system according to claim 1 wherein the logic is also configured to generate mail to the customer including information concerning problems with or benefits from the product.

9. A system for tracking product warranty information, the system comprising:

database means for storing data representative of a product warranty and of a customer'"'"'s unique account identifier;

means for communicating with the database, for reading data from, and writing data to, the database, said means for

communicating data via the internet to a customer computing device;

generating a user interface on the customer computing device; and

presenting to the customer on the customer computing device data representative of a product warranty.

10. A system according to claim 9, wherein the means is also for communicating with a retailer computing device to permit the retailer to upload data into the database representative of a unique product identifier and a customer'"'"'s unique account identifier.

11. A system according to claim 9, wherein the means is also for communicating with a manufacturer computing device to permit the manufacturer to upload data into the database representative of a plurality of unique product identifiers and an unique account identifier, the unique account identifier being the manufacturer'"'"'s or the customer'"'"'s.

12. A system according to claim 9, wherein the means is also for permitting the customer to request materials be delivered to the customer for the return of the product.

13. A system according to claim 12, wherein the materials are selected from the group consisting of packing materials, labels, return forms, and combinations thereof.

14. A system according to claim 9, wherein the means is also for permitting the customer to request replacement parts of the product to be delivered to the customer.

15. A system according to claim 9, wherein the means is also for reading data from and writing data to the database representative of product information, consumer information, or both, selected from the group consisting of:

biographic information;

demographic information;

product name;

product UPC;

product serial number;

retailer ID;

product warranty time;

description of warranty;

product manual;

list of parts of the product;

pointers to parts of the product;

return information;

repair instructions;

indicator that the product has been returned;

indicator that a warranty claim has been made for the product;

rebate amount given;

rebate date given; and

combinations thereof.

16. A system according to claim 9 wherein the means is also for generating mail to the customer including information concerning problems with or benefits from the product.