Apparatus and method for purchasing floral arrangements

• US 5,440,479 A
• Filed: 03/22/1994
• Issued: 08/08/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Glenn W. Hutton
• Original Assignee: Glenn W. Hutton
• Inventors: Hutton, Glenn W.
• Primary Examiner(s): McElheny, Jr., Donald E.
• Application Number:
  US08/216,170
• Time in Patent Office: 504 Days
• Field of Search: 364/401, 364/403, 364/404, 364/408, 364/405, 364/464.01, 364/468
• US Class Current: 705/26.5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/00 Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/40 for devices for accepting orders, advertisements, or the like

Abstract

The present invention relates to a floral kiosk system which interacts with a floral ordering network and which allows users to either select a particular floral arrangement or create a floral arrangement from an assortment of flowers, flower configurations and flower holders. Once the purchase order is completed the system of the present invention interacts with a floral network to complete the transaction.

Claims

1. Apparatus for purchasing floral arrangements, which comprises:

a user station having user interface means for interfacing with a user, payment means for facilitating payment of the purchase and printing means for printing purchase data;

database means positioned within said user station and having stored data representing floral information; and

processing means associated within said user station and having stored programs and memory, said processing means being connected to;

a) said user interface means so as to permit a user to select the floral information and to configure the floral information to create a customized floral arrangement;

b) said payment means for receiving payment data therefrom;

c) said printing means for transmitting purchase data thereto; and

d) said database means for receiving the floral information therefrom.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said user interface means comprises a display having a touch sensitive screen.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said payment means comprises a magnetic card reader.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said predefined floral information includes flower configurations within a flower holder.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said predefined floral information includes assorted flowers, assorted flower configurations and assorted flower holders, wherein the user can select which flowers, flower configuration and holder to form the floral arrangement.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising remote interface means operatively connected to said central processing means for interfacing said user station with remote floral networks.

7. Apparatus for purchasing floral arrangements, which comprises:

a portable housing;

data storage and retrieval means positioned within said portable housing for storing predefined floral data and for retrieving at least a portion of said predefined floral data;

display means connected to said portable housing for displaying said retrieved floral data;

user interface means connected to said portable housing for permitting selection of said displayed floral data;

processing means positioned within said portable housing and operatively connected to said data storage and retrieval means, said display means and said user interface means for coordinating the operation thereof; and

means operatively connected to said processing means for interfacing said processing means to remote floral networks so as to facilitate transfer of said selected floral data to the remote network.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising means for accepting payment of said selected floral data.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said predefined floral data includes flower configurations within a flower holder.

10. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said predefined floral data includes assorted flowers, assorted flower configurations and assorted flower holders, wherein the user can select which flowers, flower configuration and holder to form the floral arrangement.

11. A system for purchasing floral arrangements, which comprises:

data storage and retrieval means for storing predefined floral data and for retrieving at least a portion of said predefined floral data;

display means for displaying said retrieved floral data;

user interface means for permitting selection of said displayed floral data;

processing means operatively connected to said data storage and retrieval means, said display means and said user interface means for coordinating the operation thereof; and

means for interfacing said processing means to a central station so as to facilitate transfer of said selected floral data to remote floral networks;

said central station being configured to receive said selected floral data from said means for interfacing said processing means and to interface with remote floral networks so as to facilitate transfer of said selected floral data to the remote networks.

12. A method for purchasing predefined floral arrangements from remote locations, comprising:

storing a plurality of predefined floral arrangements in a database of a portable user station;

selectively retrieving at least one of said predefined floral arrangements from said database and displaying said retrieved arrangements on display means integrally associated with said portable user station;

selecting at least one of said displayed floral arrangements; and

ordering said at least one selected floral arrangement from said portable user station using network interface means integrally associated therewith and connected to a remote floral network.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising paying for said ordered floral arrangement using payment accepting means integrally associated with said user station.

14. A method for purchasing user created floral arrangements from remote locations, comprising:

storing predefined floral data in a database of a user station, said floral data including a plurality of individualized flowers, and a plurality of flower configurations;

retrieving said floral data from said database and displaying said retrieved floral data on display means integrally associated with said user station;

selecting floral data displayed on said display means such that at least one of said plurality of flowers, and at least one of said flower configurations are selected to create a customized floral arrangement; and

ordering said created floral arrangement from said user station using network interface means integrally associated therewith and connected to a remote floral network.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising paying for said ordered floral arrangement using payment accepting means integrally associated with said user station.