Mobile order fulfillment
First Claim
1. A method of processing an order for a resource, wherein the order is initiated by a consumer through a communications device, the method comprising:
- receiving from the communications device an order code associated with the order for the resource, the order code being entered by the consumer into the communications device;
translating the order code to generate a vendor order message specifying the resource and a fulfillment location;
transmitting the vendor order message to a vendor to request fulfillment of the order at the specified fulfillment location; and
receiving an acceptance of the order by the vendor, wherein the acceptance confirms that the vendor agrees to fulfill the order at the specified fulfillment location.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A mobile order fulfillment system communicates and processes advance orders, such that the order is ready or delivered at a time and place agreed upon in the transaction. A consumer can enter an order message into a mobile device. The order message is received and processed by an order processing server that prepares the order for transmission to a vendor. The order processing server then forwards the order to the vendor. If the vendor can commit to the order, a confirmation will be sent from the vendor to the consumer, directly or through the order processing server. Payment can be processed electronically. Provision of the product/service at the fulfillment location is timed to substantially coincide with the expected arrival of the consumer at the fulfillment location. As such, the ordering consumer'"'"'s wait at the fulfillment location can be substantially reduced or eliminated.
164 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method of processing an order for a resource, wherein the order is initiated by a consumer through a communications device, the method comprising:
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receiving from the communications device an order code associated with the order for the resource, the order code being entered by the consumer into the communications device; translating the order code to generate a vendor order message specifying the resource and a fulfillment location; transmitting the vendor order message to a vendor to request fulfillment of the order at the specified fulfillment location; and receiving an acceptance of the order by the vendor, wherein the acceptance confirms that the vendor agrees to fulfill the order at the specified fulfillment location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of processing an order for a resource, wherein the order is initiated by a consumer through a communications device at an order location, the method comprising:
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receiving from a communications device located at the ordering location an order message specifying the order; generating a vendor order message based on the order message, wherein the vendor order message specifies the resource and a fulfillment location, and the order location differs from the fulfillment location; transmitting the vendor order message to a vendor to request fulfillment of the order at the specified fulfillment location; and receiving an acceptance of the order by the vendor, wherein the acceptance confirms that the vendor agrees to fulfill the order at the specified fulfillment location. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of processing an order for a resource, wherein the order is initiated by a consumer through a communications device, the method comprising:
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receiving from a communications device an order message specifying the order; generating a vendor order message based on the order message, wherein the vendor order message specifies the resource, a vendor, a fulfillment location, and a desired fulfillment time; transmitting the vendor order message to the specified vendor to request fulfillment of the order at the specified fulfillment location and the specified fulfillment time; and receiving an acceptance of the order by the vendor, wherein the acceptance confirms that the vendor agrees to fulfill the order for the resource at the specified fulfillment location in compliance with the specified fulfillment time. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. An order processing computer system for processing an order for a resource, wherein the order is initiated by a consumer through a communications device, the order processing computer system comprising:
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a message manager that receives from the communications device an order code associated with the order for the resource, the order code being entered by the consumer into the communications device; an order code datastore associating a textual order code with the order; an order validator that translates the order code to generate a vendor order message specifying the resource and a fulfillment location, wherein the message manager further transmits the vendor order message to a vendor to request fulfillment of the order at the specified fulfillment location and receives an acceptance of the order by the vendor, and the acceptance confirms that the vendor agrees to fulfill the order at the specified fulfillment location.
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Specification