WISH LIST ASSOCIATED WITH BUDDY LIST SCREEN NAME
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for sharing wish list information between users, the method comprising the steps of:
- maintaining a plurality of wish lists for a plurality of users, each of said wish lists being associated with a specific user and comprising at least items offered for sale by a third party not associated with a wish list, said items being identified by an associated user as being desired by said associated user;
making each wish list associated with each user automatically viewable to said associated user and to other users;
associating said items on said wish list with an account;
receiving requests from multiple users to contribute funds towards a purchase of an item on an associated user'"'"'s wish list as a gift for said associated user;
said multiple users contributing funds towards said purchase;
storing an indication of an amount of contributed funds in said account;
electronically executing a purchase of said item as a gift for said associated user when said contributed funds equal a purchase price of said item; and
updating said associated user'"'"'s wish list to delete said purchased item from said wish list.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for connecting wish lists to users, thus making wish lists accessible to such user attributes as buddy lists, or the equivalent. The invention attaches a wish list to an instant messaging name and therefore makes it available to all persons on the user'"'"'s buddy list. In a further embodiment of the invention, the wish list is attached to an account, such as a wallet. As a result, various conveniences are provided. For example, a member of the user'"'"'s buddy list can give a gift to the user from the wish list; a group can contribute incrementally to the giving of a gift to the user; an individual can add incremental amounts to his or her wish list to pay for an item on time (as a type of layaway); and relatives and friends can give gifts that they know will be appreciated because the gifts are on the user'"'"'s wish list.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for sharing wish list information between users, the method comprising the steps of:
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maintaining a plurality of wish lists for a plurality of users, each of said wish lists being associated with a specific user and comprising at least items offered for sale by a third party not associated with a wish list, said items being identified by an associated user as being desired by said associated user; making each wish list associated with each user automatically viewable to said associated user and to other users; associating said items on said wish list with an account; receiving requests from multiple users to contribute funds towards a purchase of an item on an associated user'"'"'s wish list as a gift for said associated user; said multiple users contributing funds towards said purchase; storing an indication of an amount of contributed funds in said account; electronically executing a purchase of said item as a gift for said associated user when said contributed funds equal a purchase price of said item; and updating said associated user'"'"'s wish list to delete said purchased item from said wish list. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A computer readable medium containing a computer program product for sharing wish list information between users, the computer program product comprising:
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program code for maintaining a plurality of wish lists for a plurality of users and comprising at least items offered for sale by a third party not associated with a wish list, said items being identified by an associated user as being desired by said associated user; program code for making each wish list associated with each user viewable to that associated user and to other users; program code for associating each wish list with an account; program code for receiving requests from multiple users to contribute funds towards a purchase of an item on said user'"'"'s wish list as a gift for said user; program code for said multiple users contributing funds toward said purchase of said item; program code for storing an indication of an amount of contributed funds in said account; program code for electronically executing a purchase of said item as a gift for said user when said contributed funds equal a purchase price of said item; and program code for updating said user'"'"'s wish list to delete said purchased item from said wish list. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification