REMOTE PURCHASING SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20090070230A1
• Filed: 11/14/2008
• Published: 03/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gula Consulting Limited Liability Company (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Barmonger LLC
• Inventors: Silverstein, Todd, Whiteman, Aaron
• Granted Patent: US 8,751,319 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/24 Credit schemes, i.e. "pay after"
• 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 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing

Abstract

A scheme for enabling the remote purchasing of products or services based on a recipient'"'"'s location. In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method for enabling a purchaser to purchase a product or service for a specified recipient different from the purchaser includes: (a) receiving location-based information obtained from a device or token associated with the recipient; (b) generating a list of one or more possible venues based on the location-based information; (c) presenting to the purchaser, via a first communications device, the list of one or more possible venues; (d) receiving from the purchaser a selection of a set of one or more venues from the list of one or more possible venues; (e) receiving, via the first communications device, an instruction from the purchaser to purchase at least one selected product or service for the recipient, the at least one selected product or service to be provided to the recipient in person at any venue in the set of one or more venues; and (f) providing to the recipient, via a second communications device, a notification corresponding to the instruction.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for enabling a purchaser to purchase a product or service for a specified recipient different from the purchaser, the method comprising:

(a) receiving location-based information obtained from a device or token associated with the recipient;

(b) generating a list of one or more possible venues based on the location-based information;

(c) presenting to the purchaser, via a first communications device, the list of one or more possible venues;

(d) receiving from the purchaser a selection of a set of one or more venues from the list of one or more possible venues;

(e) receiving, via the first communications device, an instruction from the purchaser to purchase at least one selected product or service for the recipient, the at least one selected product or service to be provided to the recipient in person at any venue in the set of one or more venues; and

(f) providing to the recipient, via a second communications device, a notification corresponding to the instruction.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein the notification comprises an identifier that the recipient presents or redeems in person at any venue in the set of one or more venues to receive the at least one selected product or service.

3. The invention of claim 1, wherein the set of one or more venues includes two or more venues.

4. The invention of claim 3, wherein the two or more venues comprise a plurality of sites associated with a chain of establishments.

5. The invention of claim 1, wherein the instruction specifies a plurality of selected products or services, each at a different set of one or more venues associated with the same recipient.

6. The invention of claim 1, wherein the instruction specifies a specific product or service for each of a plurality of different recipients associated with the set of one or more venues.

7. The invention of claim 1, wherein the device or token is an RFID tag.

8. The invention of claim 1, wherein the device or token is a location-enabled mobile telephone.

9. The invention of claim 1, wherein the device or token is a device operating according to an 802.11 standard.

14. The invention of claim 1, wherein the instruction specifies a plurality of selected products or services, each at a different set of one or more venues associated with the same recipient.

15. The invention of claim 1, wherein the instruction specifies a specific product or service for each of a plurality of different recipients associated with the set of one or more venues.

16. The invention of claim 1, wherein the device or token is an RFID tag.

17. The invention of claim 1, wherein the device or token is a location-enabled mobile telephone.

18. The invention of claim 1, wherein the device or token is a device operating according to an 802.11 standard.

10. A computer-implemented system for enabling a purchaser to purchase a product or service for a specified recipient different from the purchaser, the system adapted to:

(a) receive location-based information obtained from a device or token associated with the recipient;

(b) generate a list of one or more possible venues based on the location-based information;

(c) present to the purchaser, via a first communications device, the list of one or more possible venues;

(d) receive from the purchaser a selection of a set of one or more venues from the list of one or more possible venues;

(e) receive, via the first communications device, an instruction from the purchaser to purchase at least one selected product or service for the recipient, the at least one selected product or service to be provided to the recipient in person at any venue in the set of one or more venues; and

(f) provide to the recipient, via a second communications device, a notification corresponding to the instruction.

11. The invention of claim 10, wherein the notification comprises an identifier that the recipient presents or redeems in person at any venue in the set of one or more venues to receive the at least one selected product or service.

12. The invention of claim 10, wherein the set of one or more venues includes two or more venues.

13. The invention of claim 12, wherein the two or more venues comprise a plurality of sites associated with a chain of establishments.

19. A machine-readable medium, having encoded thereon program code, wherein, when the program code is executed by a machine, the machine implements a method for enabling a purchaser to purchase a product or service for a specified recipient different from the purchaser, the method comprising:

(a) receiving location-based information obtained from a device or token associated with the recipient;

(b) generating a list of one or more possible venues based on the location-based information;

(c) presenting to the purchaser, via a first communications device, the list of one or more possible venues;

(d) receiving from the purchaser a selection of a set of one or more venues from the list of one or more possible venues;

(e) receiving, via the first communications device, an instruction from the purchaser to purchase at least one selected product or service for the recipient, the at least one selected product or service to be provided to the recipient in person at any venue in the set of one or more venues; and

(f) providing to the recipient, via a second communications device, a notification corresponding to the instruction.

20. The invention of claim 19, wherein the notification comprises an identifier that the recipient presents or redeems in person at any venue in the set of one or more venues to receive the at least one selected product or service.