SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AUTOMATED GIFT DELIVERY
First Claim
1. A method of providing gift-providing services for a gift event, comprising the acts of:
- receiving gift event information from a gift-giver comprising information regarding a plurality of events for which a gift is to be provided, said information sufficient to associate a date with each event;
receiving information regarding the gift recipient, including the delivery information of the gift recipient;
receiving information regarding each gift to be delivered, said information comprising for each said gift event of said plurality of events, a gift type to be delivered, and a gift price range selection for said gift type selection;
receiving information regarding the gift-giver, said information comprising a payment method for the gifts;
in advance of a gift event date, identifying a proposed gift selection to the gift-giver, said gift selection made in accordance with said received gift type selection and gift price range selection, which gift selection will be sent to the gift recipient in the absence of an alternative instruction; and
arranging for delivery of a gift to the gift recipient in accordance with either said proposed gift selection or such an alternative instruction.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for automated selective gift delivery whereby a gift-giver is provided the opportunity to register as a user of the system and with respect to each desired recipient of one or more gifts for one or more events, typically recurring, to provide information to the system about the recipient and the events such that the system may select, or cause to be automatically selected, a gift suitable for the recipient and event based upon the parameters provided by the gift-giver, and cause the gift to be automatically delivered to the recipient without further action or intervention by the gift-giver. Alternative modes of the invention provide for the gift-giver to be given the option of sending an alternative gift selected by the system, or caused to be selected by the system, as suitable for the recipient and event. Another additional mode permits the gift-giver to decline to have a gift sent to a recipient for a particular event. Another additional mode permits the gift-giver to select from among the available inventory of gifts suitable for the recipient and event. Another mode of the invention permits the user to have a gift automatically and selectively delivered for a one-time, rather than recurring, event.
-
Citations
18 Claims
-
1. A method of providing gift-providing services for a gift event, comprising the acts of:
-
receiving gift event information from a gift-giver comprising information regarding a plurality of events for which a gift is to be provided, said information sufficient to associate a date with each event; receiving information regarding the gift recipient, including the delivery information of the gift recipient; receiving information regarding each gift to be delivered, said information comprising for each said gift event of said plurality of events, a gift type to be delivered, and a gift price range selection for said gift type selection; receiving information regarding the gift-giver, said information comprising a payment method for the gifts; in advance of a gift event date, identifying a proposed gift selection to the gift-giver, said gift selection made in accordance with said received gift type selection and gift price range selection, which gift selection will be sent to the gift recipient in the absence of an alternative instruction; and arranging for delivery of a gift to the gift recipient in accordance with either said proposed gift selection or such an alternative instruction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A method of providing gift-providing services for a recurring event, comprising the acts of:
-
receiving electronic data communication of gift event information comprising information regarding events for which a gift is to be provided, said information including the date of each event; identifying the interval of recurrence of the event; receiving an electronic data communication of information regarding the gift recipient, including the delivery address of the gift recipient; receiving an electronic data communication of information regarding the gift to be sent, said information comprising for each said gift, a gift type to be delivered, said gift type selected from a plurality of possible gift categories; receiving electronic data communication of information regarding the gift giver, said information comprising a payment method for the gifts in advance of the gift event, electronically transmitting a proposed gift selection to the gift giver, said gift selection identifying a date by which the selected gift will be sent to the gift recipient in the absence of an alternative instruction; and arranging for delivery of a gift to the gift recipient in accordance with either said proposed gift selection or said alternative instruction, and wherein the arranging comprises, arranging for the gift to be sent by a first vendor if it is a type selected from a first category, and arranging for the gift to be sent by a second vendor if it is a type selected from a second category.
-
-
13. A method of managing sending of gifts for recurring gift events for a client, comprising the acts of:
-
providing an electronic interface configured to received information from the client; through said interface, receiving information identifying, at least one recipient for a recurring gift, at least one recurring gift event for said gift recipient and the date of said event, at least one selection criteria for the gift to be sent to said gift recipient, wherein the selection criteria comprises at least one of a gift price range and a gift type selected from a plurality of gift types, and payment instructions for the gifts; in advance of the gift event, electronically transmitting to the client a reminder of the gift event and gift recipient including a first gift selection which will be forwarded to the gift recipient proximate the gift event date in the absence of an alternative instruction from the client, said first gift selection made in reference to said at least one selection criteria; and initiating delivery of a gift selection to the gift recipient proximate the gift event date, the gift selection selected in accordance with said first gift selection or said alternative instruction. - View Dependent Claims (14)
-
-
15. A method of operating a system for managing sending of gifts for recurring events on behalf of a plurality of clients, comprising the acts of:
-
providing an electronic interface configured to receive information on behalf of the clients, said interface establishing at least selective communication with a network; through said electronic interface, receiving client registration information, said client identification information sufficient to, identify the client, identify a method to communicate with the client electronically, and establish a payment mechanism for services provided on behalf of the client; through said electronic interface, receiving gift registration information identifying for at least a portion of said clients, at least one recipient for a recurring gift, at least one recurring gift event for said gift recipient and the date of said event, and at least one selection criteria for the gift to be sent to said gift recipient, said electronic interface facilitating selection of a gift type, from a plurality of gift types; maintaining a data store of said received client registration information and gift registration information; periodically accessing said data store to identify gift events within a selected time interval, and identifying at least a first gift event within the selected time; in response to said identified first gift event, identifying a first gift selection in accordance with at least said first selection criteria; electronically communicating a reminder of the gift event and an identification of said first gift selection to the client; providing an interface through which said client may submit an alternative instruction regarding delivery of a gift for said gift event; and in the absence of receipt of an alternative instruction on behalf of said client, initiating transmittal of said first gift selection to said gift recipient.
-
-
16. A system for managing sending of gifts for recurring events on behalf of a plurality of clients, comprising:
-
a processing system comprising at least one processor, said processing system configured to receive data inputs from at least one user interface, and further operable to store and process data received from said user interface; a data store operably coupled to said processing system and configured to provide at least one database of information under the control of said processing system; a first user interface configured to receive client registration information, said client identification information sufficient to identify the client, identify a method to communicate with the client electronically, and to establish a payment mechanism for services provided on behalf of the client, said interface also configured to selectively communicate such client registration electronically to said processing system; a second user interface configured to receive an electronic data communication of gift registration information including at least one recipient for a recurring gift, at least one recurring gift event for said gift recipient, the date of said gift event, and at least one selection criteria for the gift to be sent to said gift recipient, wherein the at least one selection criteria comprises a gift type of a plurality of offered gift types; and a machine-readable storage medium in operable communication with said processing system, said storage medium containing a plurality of instructions which when implemented by said at least one processor in said processing system perform operations which comprise, through first said interface, receiving said client registration information, through said second interface, receiving said gift registration information, periodically referencing said database to identify gift events occurring within a selected time and obtaining data indicating a selected proposed gift for said gift recipient, electronically transmitting to the client a reminder of the gift event and the gift recipient and an identification of the selected proposed gift which will be forwarded to the gift recipient proximate the gift event date in the absence of an alternative instruction from the client, and wherein the proposed gift is selected in reference to said selection criteria, and in the absence of an alternative instruction from the client, transmitting an electronic notification sufficient to initiate delivery of the selected proposed gift to the gift recipient proximate the gift event date.
-
-
17. A method of providing gift-providing services related to a gift event and a gift recipient, comprising the acts of:
-
receiving gift event information comprising information regarding the event for which a gift is to be provided, said information sufficient to associate a date with the event; receiving information regarding the gift recipient, including delivery information relevant to the gift recipient; receiving information regarding the gift to be delivered; in advance of the gift event date, identifying a proposed gift selection to be sent to the gift recipient in the absence of an alternative instruction; and arranging for delivery of a gift to the gift recipient in accordance with said proposed gift selection, wherein said proposed gift will be delivered on behalf of a first vendor if it is of a first gift type, and will be delivered on behalf of a second vendor if it is of a second gift type.
-
-
18. A method for providing services to a gift-giver related to providing a gift to a recipient for a gift event, comprising:
-
receiving gift parameter information, said gift parameter information comprising a gift type selected from a plurality of gift types, and a gift price range; receiving gift delivery information relevant to the intended gift recipient; receiving information sufficient to identify an event for which a gift is to be sent to the intended gift recipient; identifying a gift for the intended gift recipient and event using at least some of the gift parameter and event information; and providing information sufficient to permit delivery of the identified gift to the recipient on or near the associated event without further intervention by the gift-giver.
-
Specification