Information Acquisition System

• US 20090030773A1
• Filed: 03/10/2006
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ronald P.F. Kamhoot
• Original Assignee: Ronald P.F. Kamhoot
• Inventors: Kamhoot, Ronald P.F.
• Application Number:
  US11/908,052
• Publication Number:
  US 20090030773A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0203 Market surveys; Market polls
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

An information acquisition system (10) includes a collection system (12) for collecting information relating to and/or from a target (30); a notification system (14) for notifying the target (30); a collaboration system (16) for collaborating with the target (30); and a data storage engine (18) for storing data relating to the target (30). The system can be used for at least one of the following functions: research and direct marketing; merchandise auditing; surveying the products in a store; merchandise ordering; market intelligence acquisition; sales representative management; and stock taking. The functions are performed in real time. The target (30) is a customer or a store, including a retail store and/or a wholesale store. The information relates to products in a retail store or shop.

Claims

1. An information acquisition system for real-time business representative tracking, for capturing market information dynamically, for conducting market research, for capturing stock levels and for product ordering, which includes

(a) at least one mobile device associated with at least one business representative, the mobile device being adapted to collect information relating to at least one selected from the group consisting of products and/or services of the business real-time and remotely onsite at premises of the business;

(b) a collection system being adapted to receive and process the information from the mobile device(s),

(c) a data system being adapted to receive information from the collection system, to store the Information as data, and to retrieve at least one selected from the group consisting of the information and data for at least one selected from the group consisting of further processing and analyzing, the data system including at least one selected from the group consisting of data storage engines, computer tile systems and database management systems;

(d) a notification system associated with the collection system and the data system which Is adapted to send real-time at least one selected from the group consisting of confirmations, reports and data analysis relating to at least one selected from the group consisting of the information and data to at least one user of the business accessing the information acquisition system; and

(e) data control application being adapted to assist the user to perform at least one function selected from the group consisting of to operate, manage and analyze the data acquisition system and the associated data and information;

the system being adapted to enable the mobile device(s) to log-on to the collection system and retrieve at least one selected from the group consistinlof information, configurations and software from at least one selected from the group consisting of the collection system and the data system to assist the mobile device(s) to update at least one selected from the group consisting of data and software on the mobile device(s) and to assist the mobile device(s) collect the information relating to at least one selected from the group consisting of the products, services, the configurations, software market research questions, product and service data, and re-ordering data;

the system being adapted to allow the user to perform at least one functon selected from the group consisting of extract data and create reports relating to the collected Information;

at least one selected from the group consisting of the collected information, processed information, data and reports being adapted to be analyzed, to provide the business with real-time market research information, business representative tracking information including business representative location; and

the system being adapted to enable the mobile device(s) to capture at least one selected from the guconsisting of actual product and actual service quantities onsite at the premises and to generate orders for at least one selectd from the group consisting of merchandising, products andy services to be supplied by the business to the premises.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, which is adapted to be used for at least one of the functions selected from the group consisting of:

(a) auditing of merchandise;

(b) surveying of at least one selected from the group consisting of products and services;

(c) ordering of merchandise and/or products

(d) acquisition of market intelligence;

(e) managing of sales representatives; and

(f) stock-taking.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which all functions are performed real-time.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which the premises is at least one selected from the group consisting of a store, a retail store and a wholesale store.

5. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which the information includes at east one selected from te group consisting of opinions, product experience from customers, personnel and, management of the premises.

6. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which the information includes at least one selected from the group consisting of photographs and videos of at east one selected from the group consisting of products, location of products and display of products.

7. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which the confirmations, reports orders are sent via at least one selected from the group consisting of telefax, e-mail;

SMS, telephonically, GPRS;

3G;

WAP, and the internet.

8. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which the orders generated by the mobile device(s) are at least one selected from the group consisting of adapted to be confirmed andy adapted to be transmitted to at least one selected from-the-gro consisfim of a tele-sales call centre and a sales office associated with the business.

9. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which the mobile device is a smartphone (a combined mobile phone and personal digital assistant (PDA)).

10. A system as claimed in claim 1, which includes a messaging device to assist the system in communicating messages.

11. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which the business representative facilitates at least one selected from the group consisting of the input and collection of information by the mobile device(s) at at least one selected from the group consisting of the premises, from a customer at the premises, personnel and management of the premises.

12. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which the information includes at least one selected from the group consisting of digital information, digital photographs and/or feedback on questions.

13. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which the mobile device(s) includes a mobile cell phone with at least one selected from the group consisting of digital camera, PDA, PDA &

computer, laptop/notebook computer and strategically placed desktop computer with web browser.

14. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which the mobile device(s) is(are) adapted to asynchronously or synchronously network to broadcast captured Information to the collection system.

15. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which the business representative assists at least one selected from the group consisting of a customer, personnel and management of the premises to either directly by capturing the required information on behalf of the target or indirectly by inviting the target to enter responses himself give feedback on stimuli or questions so that information is captured onto the mobile device(s).

16. A system as claimed in claim 12, which is adapted to perform at least one function selected from the group consisting of prompt, interact and communicate directly with at least one selected from the group consisting of the customers, personnel, management of the store and a, communication device of at least one selected from the group consisting of the customer, personnel, management of the premises.

17. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which the information or data 15 transmitted using mobile device specific networking protocols, including TCP/IP, WAP, SMS, MMS, IM, GPRS, G3, Edge, SMTP, HTTP, XML, WebServlces, SOAP.

18. A system as claimed in a claim 1, which is adapted to utilize data queues and gateways including at least one selected from the group consisting of common email protocols (SMTP, POP3, IMAP), mobile phone messaging protocols (SMS, MMS), and messaging gateways.

19. A system as claimed in claim 16, in which an invitation message/notification is transmitted to at least one selected from the group consisting of the customer, personnel, management of the store requesting interaction.

20. A system as claimed in claim 19, in which the message/notification is sent as at least one selected from the group consisting of SMS, MMS, Instant Messaging, and email.

21. A system as claimed in claim 19, in which the customer, personnel or management of the premises follows instructions of the message/notification in order to Interact with the data acquisition system.

22. A system as claimed in claim 21, in which interaction is facilitated by a dynamic web application accessible by a common Internet (HTML) browser.

23. (canceled)

24. (canceled)