Product registration system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for reporting to a central station information associated with an apparatus and identifying information relating to a purchaser of the apparatus, the apparatus having a port for connection to a communications circuit, said system comprising:
- inhibit means for rendering said apparatus partially inoperable until at least some of the identifying information relating to the purchaser has been entered into said apparatus;
storage means for storing the identifying information relating to the purchaser; and
communication means for automatically causing said apparatus to contact said central station via said communications circuit and, after said central station has responded to said contact, outputting the identifying information relating to the purchaser and the information associated with the apparatus thereby informing the central station of the information associated with the apparatus and the identifying information relating to a purchaser of the apparatus.
22 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for reporting to a central station identifying information associated with a product, such as a programmed apparatus. The apparatus has a port for connection to a telephone line. The apparatus may be programmed to render itself temporarily inoperable until certain identifying information has been acquired. After receipt of such identifying information, the system initiates a telephone call to the central station and reports the entered identifying information thereto.
98 Citations
108 Claims
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1. A system for reporting to a central station information associated with an apparatus and identifying information relating to a purchaser of the apparatus, the apparatus having a port for connection to a communications circuit, said system comprising:
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inhibit means for rendering said apparatus partially inoperable until at least some of the identifying information relating to the purchaser has been entered into said apparatus; storage means for storing the identifying information relating to the purchaser; and communication means for automatically causing said apparatus to contact said central station via said communications circuit and, after said central station has responded to said contact, outputting the identifying information relating to the purchaser and the information associated with the apparatus thereby informing the central station of the information associated with the apparatus and the identifying information relating to a purchaser of the apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of obtaining a list of customers who have acquired a product comprising the steps of:
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(a) allowing a customer to enter identifying information after acquiring the product into an apparatus associated with the product, said apparatus and said product having, in combination, a CPU and a port for connection to a communications network; and (b) in response to the entry of said identifying information, contacting an address accessible via said communications network and transferring said identifying information via said port. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A product which assists in collecting information at a central station regarding an acquiring party of the product after the product has been acquired by the party, said product, in cooperation with a CPU, (i) being responsive to an entry of information pertaining to the acquiring party;
- (ii) retrieving a programmed network address of said central station;
(iii) connecting to said network address; and
(iv) transferring said information pertaining to the acquiring party of the product to said central station. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
- (ii) retrieving a programmed network address of said central station;
- 18. A system for reporting to a central station identifying information associated with a person or entity who previously acquired an apparatus, the apparatus having a port for connection to a telephone line, said apparatus being initially at least partially disabled, the apparatus being programmed to (i) detect the entry of the identifying information from a user, the user supplying information regarding the person or entity who previously acquired the apparatus and, after receipt of said identifying information, (ii) initiate a network connection to the central station, (iii) report the entered identifying information to the central station and (iv) further enable said apparatus.
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21. A system for collecting a customer list at a station, said system identifying for a first time customers who have acquired certain products, said system comprising:
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a central station which is accessible from a communications network at an address; and remote portions of the system incorporated in said products to permit each product to cooperate with the system, said portions enabling each product to (i) allow a customer, who has previously acquired said product, to input certain information regarding the customer into a device operatively associated with the product, (ii) initiate at least an indirect network connection with the station, (iii) report, for a first time the information to the station via said network connection; said central station (a) responding to connections from a plurality of products, and (b) collecting said information from each product to establish said customer list. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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- 25. Software running on a processor which is operatively coupled with an interface to a communications network, said software (i) allowing entry, by a user, of information regarding a party who acquired said software, (ii) generating data associating said party with said software, and (iii) transmitting at least some of the data associating said party with said software during a use of said software to a preprogrammed network address via said interface, said software, during subsequent use thereof, functioning without a necessity of transmitting data associating the party with the software to said network address.
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31. An apparatus comprising:
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(a) a CPU; (b) a telephone interface for connection with a switched telephone network, said interface being operatively controlled by said CPU under control of a program; and (c) means for rendering said apparatus at least partially inoperable until data is entered by a user of said apparatus, said apparatus thereafter being normally useable by either said user or by other users without the need to enter further data; (d) said program including means for collecting the data entered by said user and for communicating the data to a predefined party via said telephone interface. - View Dependent Claims (32)
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33. A method of reporting to a central station receipt of a product acquired by a user thereof, said method comprising:
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(a) allowing the user to enter identifying information regarding the user via a data entry device after the user has acquired said product; (b) after the user has entered said identifying information, automatically contacting the central station via a communications network and transferring said identifying information to said central station via said communication network; and (c) recording, at said central station, information reflecting that the user previously acquired said product and made an initial use thereof. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A method for initially registering with a central station a product previously acquired by a user thereof, said method comprising:
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(a) allowing the user initially using a product previously acquired by the user to enter identifying information regarding the user via a data entry device; (b) contacting the central station via a communications network; (c) transferring said identifying information to said central station via said communication network; and (d) initially registering with the central station the identifying information regarding the user and initially associating said identifying information with said product. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A method for initially registering with a central station a product previously acquired by a user thereof, said method comprising:
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(a) allowing the user to enter identifying information regarding the user by using a data entry device; (b) in response to use of the product, contacting the central station via a communications network and transferring said identifying information to said central station via said communications network; and (c) receiving the identifying information regarding the user at the central station and initially associating the identifying information with said product. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A system for reporting to a central station identifying information associated with an apparatus and identifying information previously unknown at said central station relating to a user of the apparatus, the apparatus having a port for connection to a communications circuit, said system comprising:
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inhibit means for rendering said apparatus partially inoperable until at least some of the identifying information relating to the user has been entered into said apparatus; storage means for storing the identifying information relating to the user; and communication means for automatically causing said apparatus to contact said central station via said communications circuit and, after said central station has responded to said contact, outputting at least some of the identifying information relating to the user and at least some of the identifying information associated with the apparatus thereby initially associating at the central station the apparatus with the new information outputted relating to the user of the apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. A system for collecting information regarding an acquiring party of a product, said information being heretofore unknown by a station and being collected at said station, said product, in cooperation with a CPU, (i) being responsive to entered information pertaining to the acquiring party;
- (ii) retrieving a previously stored network address of said station;
(iii) communicating with said station via said network address, and (iv) transferring the entered information to said station. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58)
- (ii) retrieving a previously stored network address of said station;
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59. A method of collecting information regarding an acquiring party of a product, said information being heretofore unknown by a station and being collected at said station, said method comprising (i) sensing entered information pertaining to the acquiring party;
- (ii) retrieving a previously stored network address of said station;
(iii) communicating with said station via said network address, and (iv) transferring the entered information to said station.
- (ii) retrieving a previously stored network address of said station;
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60. A method of obtaining information regarding parties who have acquired a product comprising the steps of:
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(a) allowing an acquiring party to enter identifying information after acquiring the product via a data input device operatively coupled with the product, said product having a CPU and a port for connection to a communications network; and (b) contacting an address accessible via said communications network and transferring said identifying information via said port. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
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- 66. A method for collecting information regarding a party who has previously acquired a product, said information being heretofore unknown by a station and being collected at said station after said party has acquired said product, said product, after being acquired by said party and in cooperation with a CPU, being responsive to entered information pertaining to the acquiring party, said method comprising the steps of retrieving a previously stored network address of said station, communicating with said station via said network address, and transferring at least some of the entered information to said station.
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71. A method of collecting data, said data including (i) information regarding the identity of the purchaser of a product which has been purchased at a point of purchase and (ii) information regarding the product, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) inputting information regarding the identity of the purchaser of the product via a data input device operatively associated with said product, the inputting of the information occurring after said product has been removed from said point of purchase and after said product has been associated with said data input device; and (b) thereafter transmitting the inputted information regarding the identity of the purchaser of the product and information regarding the product to a data collection station via a communications network. - View Dependent Claims (72, 73, 74)
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75. A method of making a list which, for a first time, associates data related to acquirers of a product with information relating to the product itself, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) receiving data relating to one of the acquirers after said one of the acquirers has the product; and (b) transmitting at least some of the data relating to said one of the acquirers together with information relating to the product itself to a central station. - View Dependent Claims (76, 77)
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- 78. A product which, in use, receives identifying information regarding its owner after the owner has acquired possession of the product and then reports said identifying information to a central station for updating a customer list.
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82. A product which in use is operatively coupled with an interface to a communications network, said product:
- (i) allowing entry, by a user, of information regarding a party who acquired said product, (ii) generating data associating said party with said product, and (iii) transmitting at least some of the data associating said party with said product during a use of said product to a preprogrammed network address via said interface, said product, during subsequent uses thereof, functioning without a necessity of transmitting data associating the party with the product to said network address.
- View Dependent Claims (83, 84, 85)
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86. A software routine to assist in acquisition of customer registration information previously unknown at a central station, said routine when incorporated into a software product which in use is operatively coupled to a communications network enabling said software product to
(i) allow a user to enter information regarding a party who previously acquired said software product, (ii) initiate an at least indirect network connection with said station, and (iii) transmit data to said station including at least some of said information regarding said party, said routine thereby providing data whereby said central station can register said party as a customer for a first time.
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93. A product which assists in acquisition of customer registration information previously unknown at a central station, said product in use being operatively coupled to a communications network and to a data entry device, said product in combination with the network and the data entry device comprising
(i) an input mechanism enabling a user to enter information regarding a party who previously acquired said product, (ii) a connection mechanism which initiates at least an indirect network connection with said station, and (iii) a transmission mechanism which transmits data to said station including at least some of said information regarding said party and some data regarding the product, said product thereby providing data whereby said central station can register said party for a first time as having acquired the product.
- 97. A product which, in use, receives identifying information regarding a purchaser of the product after the purchaser has taken possession of the product and then reports said identifying information regarding the purchaser to a central station for inclusion in a customer list.
Specification