METHODS FOR PROVIDING ENHANCED TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICES

• US 20120309368A1
• Filed: 08/14/2012
• Published: 12/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Van Erlach, Julian
• Granted Patent: US 8,971,925 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A method for processing a product identifying code. The product identifying code that identifies a product is received from a wireless device. A location of the wireless device is received. An item that comprises information pertaining to the product is obtained. The obtained item is transmitted to the wireless device. The information pertaining to the product includes a name of each establishment of a plurality of establishments from which the product is available and informational selected from the group consisting of a contact address for each establishment, driving instructions to each establishment, a price of the product at each establishment, a geocoded location of one establishment of the plurality of establishments relative to the location of the wireless device, descriptive information specific to the product, and combinations thereof.

Claims

1. A method for processing a product identifying code, said method comprising:

receiving, by an apparatus from a wireless device, the product identifying code that identifies a product;

said apparatus receiving a location of the wireless device;

said apparatus obtaining an item that comprises information pertaining to the product;

said apparatus transmitting the obtained item to the wireless device,

wherein the information pertaining to the product comprises a name of each establishment of a plurality of establishments from which the product is available and informational content selected from the group consisting of a contact address for each establishment, driving instructions to each establishment, a price of the product at each establishment, a geocoded location of one establishment of the plurality of establishments relative to the location of the wireless device, descriptive information specific to the product, and combinations thereof.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the informational content comprises the descriptive information specific to the product.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the informational content comprises the geocoded location.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein a distance from the one establishment to the wireless device may be determined from the geocoded locaton.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the information pertaining to the product is specific to a geographic region in which the wireless device is located.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the information pertaining to the product does not comprise the price of the product at each establishment.

7. The method of claim 1, said method comprising receiving a request for the item.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the item is stored in a database, wherein said obtaining the item comprises obtaining the item from the database through use of the product identifying code, wherein the item stored in the database is an identifiable item that comprises the information pertaining to the product, wherein the database stores items and codes, wherein the stored codes are referenced to the stored items, and wherein the stored items comprise the identifiable item.

9. The method of claim 8, said method comprising obtaining the item from the database as a result of the received product identifying code having been matched against codes stored in the database to determine from the stored codes a matched code referenced to the item stored in the database.

10. A method for processing a product identifying code, said method comprising:

receiving, by an apparatus from a wireless device, the product identifying code that identifies a product;

said apparatus receiving a geographic position of the wireless device;

said apparatus obtaining an item that comprises information pertaining to the product,

wherein the information pertaining to the product is specific to a geographic location relating to the received geographic position of the wireless device;

said apparatus transmitting the obtained item to the wireless device,

wherein the information pertaining to the product comprises informational content selected from the group consisting of (i) a name of each establishment of at least one establishment in the geographic location, (ii) a contact address for each establishment, (iii) driving instructions to each establishment, (iv) an availability of the product at each establishment, (v) a price for purchasing the product at each establishment, (vi) descriptive information specific to the product, and (vii) combinations thereof.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said receiving comprises receiving a request for the item.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the geographic position of the wireless device is received by the apparatus from a global positioning means.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the item is stored in a database, wherein said obtaining the item comprises obtaining the item from the database through use of the product identifying code, wherein the item stored in the database is an identifiable item that comprises the information pertaining to the product, wherein the database stores items and codes, wherein the stored codes are referenced to the stored items, and wherein the stored items comprise the identifiable item.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the item is obtained as a result of the received product identifying code having been matched against codes stored in the database to determine from the stored codes a matched code referenced to the item stored in the database.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the method comprises:

matching the received product identifying code against the stored codes in the database to determine a matched code from the stored codes; and

obtaining the identifiable item from the database by referencing the matched code to the item stored in the database.

16. A method, said method comprising:

an apparatus associating, in a database, a product identifying code with a product; and

said apparatus associating, in the database, at least one location with the product.

17. The method of claim 16, said method further comprising:

said apparatus associating with the product, in the database, information pertaining to the product, said information pertaining to the product selected from the group consisting of a location of the product, an availability of the product, a price of the product, and combinations thereof.

18. The method of claim 16, said method further comprising:

said apparatus receiving, from a wireless device, a request for the information pertaining to the product; and

in response to the request, said apparatus cross referencing the information pertaining to the product in the database with the request.