METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SELECTING A PICKUP LOCATION BASED ON CUSTOMER LOCATION

• US 20090187489A1
• Filed: 01/22/2008
• Published: 07/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: SMITH, CHRISTOPHER, MALLICK, MARTYN
• Granted Patent: US 8,392,262 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

A method and apparatus for determining a pickup location for an item selected in an online transaction based on location information or data. The method comprises obtaining location data for the mobile communication device and determining availability of the selected item at one or more locations based on proximity to the location. According to an embodiment, one of the locations with item availability is selected and the online transaction is completed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for using a mobile communication device to determine a location for pickup of an item for purchase in an on-line transaction with a retailer system the retailer system being associated with one retailer having a plurality of locations associated with the retailer system, said method comprising the steps of:

obtaining location data associated with the mobile communication device;

obtaining data for said plurality of locations associated with the retailer system;

processing said device location data and said retailer system associated location data to determine, based on proximity of said retailer system associated locations to said device location data, one or more retailer system associated locations as a pickup location of an item of purchase;

determining whether the item is currently in inventory at said one or more retailer system associated locations;

selecting from the mobile communication device one of said one or more retailer system associated locations with item availability; and

completing the on-line transaction and making location data for said selected one of the retailer system associated locations available at the mobile communication device.

2. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of obtaining a location data associated with the mobile communication device comprises determining a current location based on one or more of GPS location data or cellular tower location data associated with the mobile communication device.

3. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of obtaining location data comprises utilizing data provided by a client.

4. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of obtaining location data comprises receiving data for a client location from the mobile communication device.

5. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 1, further including the step of providing the mobile communication device with directions to said selected one of the retailer system associated locations.

6. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of determining one or more retailer system associated locations is executed in response to an in-store pickup request from the client.

7. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 1, further including the step of providing an option of a future pickup if the item is not available at said selected one of the retailer system associated locations.

8. A computer-implemented method for using a network enabled device to determine a location for pickup of an item for purchase in an on-line transaction with a retailer system, the retailer system being associated with one retailer having a plurality of locations associated with the retailer system, said method comprising the steps of:

obtaining location data associated with the network enabled device;

obtaining data for the plurality of locations associated with the retailer system;

processing said retailer system location associated data to determine a number of said retailer system associated locations having the item available for pickup;

providing location data for said number of said retailer system associated locations determined as having item availability;

processing said location data for said number of said retailer system associated locations and the device associated location data to determine, based on proximity of said number of retailer system associated locations to said device associated location, one or more of said retailer system associated locations as a pickup location for the item;

selecting from the mobile communication device one of said one or more retailer system associated locations; and

completing the on-line transaction and making location data for said selected one of the retailer system associated locations available to the network enabled device.

9. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 8, further including the step of providing directions for said selected one of the retailer system associated locations.

10. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 8, further including the step of providing an option of a future pickup if the item is not available.

11. A server for determining a pickup location for an item selected in an online transaction with a retailer system, the retailer system being associated with one retailer having a plurality of locations associated with the retailer system, said server comprising:

a computer configured for executing modules, the computer being connected to a network;

a module configured to obtain location data for a location associated with an electronic device configured to process the online transaction;

a module configured to obtain data for a plurality of locations associated with the retailer system;

a module configured to process said device associated location data and said retailer system associated location data to determine one or more retailer system associated locations as a pickup location for an item based on proximity of said one or more retailer system associated locations to said associated location;

a module configured to determine availability of the selected item at said one or more retailer system associated locations;

a module configured to select one of said one or more retailer system associated locations with availability of the selected item in response to an input from the electronic device;

a module configured to complete the on-line transaction; and

a module configured to make location data for said selected one of the retailer system associated locations available at the electronic device.

12. The server as claimed in claim 11, further including a module configured to provide directions to said selected one of the retailer system associated locations.

13. The server as claimed in claim 11, further including a module configured to provide an option of a future pickup if the item is not available at said selected one of the retailer system associated locations.

14. An electronic device configured to conduct an online transaction with a retailer server, the retailer server being associated with a retailer having a plurality of locations associated with the retailer server, said device comprising:

a component configured to transmit data comprising an item selection to the retailer server;

a component configured to receive data comprising a plurality of locations associated with the retailer server having the selected item;

a component configured to obtain data comprising a location associated with the electronic device;

a component configured to receive an input for selecting one of said one or more locations associated with the retailer server based on proximity of said one or more retailer server associated locations to said device associated location; and

a component configured to transmit data comprising said selected retailer server associated location to the retailer server.

15. The device as claimed in claim 14, wherein said location associated with the client comprises a current physical location for the device.

16. The device as claimed in claim 15, wherein said location associated with the device comprises a physical location defined using the device.

17. The device as claimed in claim 16, wherein said device comprises a mobile communication device operatively coupled to a communication network with the retailer server.

18. A computer readable medium containing executable instructions for determining a location for pickup of an item for purchase in an on-line transaction with a retailer by a client using a mobile communication device, the retailer having a plurality of retailer associated locations, said computer program product comprising:

a storage medium configured to store computer readable instructions executable by a processor;

said computer readable instructions comprising,

obtaining location data associated with the mobile communication device;

obtaining data for the plurality of retailer associated locations;

processing said device location data and said retailer associated location data to determine, based on proximity of said retailer associated locations to said device location data, one or more retailer associated locations as a pickup location of an item of purchase;

determining availability of the item at said one or more retailer associated locations;

selecting from the mobile communication device one of said one or more retailer system locations based on the availability of the item; and

completing the on-line transaction and making location data for said selected one of the retailer system associated locations available at the mobile communication device.

19. The computer readable medium as claimed in claim 18, wherein said executable instruction of obtaining location data comprises determining a current location based on GPS location data associated with the mobile communication device.

20. The computer readable medium as claimed in claim 18, wherein said executable instruction of obtaining location data comprises receiving location data defined at the mobile communication device.

21. The computer readable medium as claimed in claim 18, further including the executable instruction of providing the mobile communication device with directions to said selected one of the retailer system associated locations.

22. A computer-implemented method for selecting a pickup location of an item purchased during an on-line transaction with a retailer system using a mobile communication device, wherein the retailer system comprises a retailer with a plurality of retailer locations, said method comprising the steps of:

selecting the item for purchase in the retailer system using the mobile communication device;

obtaining location data associated with the mobile communication device;

determining whether the selected item is available at one or more of the plurality of retailer locations;

obtaining retailer location data for said one or more of the plurality of retailer locations having the selected item available;

processing said device location data and said retailer location data to determine, based on proximity of said device location to said one or more retailer locations having the selected item available, one or more pickup locations for the selected item;

choosing one of said one or more pickup locations from the mobile communication device; and

completing the on-line transaction.

23. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 22, wherein said step of obtaining retailer location data comprises utilizing data provided from the mobile communication device.

24. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 23, further including the step of providing an option of a future pickup if the selected item is not available at the retail location provided by the mobile communication device.