Method and apparatus for communicating with a card distribution center for management, selection, and delivery of social expression cards
DCFirst Claim
1. A method for on-going management, selection, and delivery of social expression cards, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) storing data in one or more databases, the data including recipient data and social expression card data;
(b) linking the recipient data with the social expression card data thereby forming linked data to facilitate the on-going management, selection, and delivery of the social expression cards;
(c) providing a user interface to permit a user to access the data to permit the user to manage, select, and facilitate the delivery of the social expression cards;
(d) receiving and accepting a social expression card order from the user, the social expression card order indicating a user-selected method of delivering the social expression card; and
(e) delivering the social expression card to a recipient according to the user-selected method of delivery.
2 Assignments
Litigations
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for communicating with a card distribution center for selecting, ordering, and sending social expression cards using a personal computer. The user can enter names and addresses of card recipients into the system wherein the information is maintained in a database. The system displays digitized images of the cards on a display screen which are retrieved from a card database. From the cards displayed, the user can select cards for designated recipients and enter personalized messages and a digitized signature. The user may then send the order to a card distribution center, which processes the order, retrieves and prints the selected card images, including any user messages or user signature, and mails the cards to designated recipients or customers. The system maintains a database of all recipients, addresses, associated occasions and dates, card preferences, relationships and order history.
284 Citations
85 Claims
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1. A method for on-going management, selection, and delivery of social expression cards, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) storing data in one or more databases, the data including recipient data and social expression card data; (b) linking the recipient data with the social expression card data thereby forming linked data to facilitate the on-going management, selection, and delivery of the social expression cards; (c) providing a user interface to permit a user to access the data to permit the user to manage, select, and facilitate the delivery of the social expression cards; (d) receiving and accepting a social expression card order from the user, the social expression card order indicating a user-selected method of delivering the social expression card; and (e) delivering the social expression card to a recipient according to the user-selected method of delivery. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A computer program product for causing a computer to provide a user interface to permit a user to direct the management, selection, and delivery of social expression cards, the computer program product comprising:
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a) a computer-usable medium having encoded therein b) a first computer-readable program code to cause the computer to store data, including at least recipient data and social expression card data, in one or more databases; c) a second computer-readable program code to cause the computer to link at least the recipient data with the social expression card data thereby forming linked data to facilitate on-going management, selection, and delivery of the social expression cards; d) a third computer-readable program code to cause the computer to provide a user interface to permit the user to access at least a portion of the recipient data and the social expression card data to permit the user to manage, select, and facilitate the delivery of the social expression card to a recipient; e) a fourth computer-readable program code encoded therein to cause the computer to permit the user to select a recipient to whom the social expression card is to be sent; f) a fifth computer-readable program code encoded therein to cause the computer to permit the user to select a send-by-date representing a date by which the social expression card is to be sent to the recipient; g) a sixth computer-readable program code encoded therein to cause the computer to permit the user to place a social expression card order so that the social expression card is sent to the recipient and received by the recipient by the send-by-date, the send-by-date selected to be a predetermined number of days prior to a date of a recipient occasion associated with the recipient; and h) a seventh computer-readable program code encoded therein to cause the computer to facilitate sending a gift to the recipient by the send-by-date. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A computer program product for causing a computer to provide a user interface to permit a user to direct the management, selection, and delivery of social expression cards, the computer program product comprising:
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a) a computer-usable medium having encoded therein b) a first computer-readable program code to cause the computer to store data, including at least recipient data and social expression card data, in one or more databases; c) a second computer-readable program code to cause the computer to link at least the recipient data with the social expression card data thereby forming linked data to facilitate on-going management, selection, and delivery of the social expression cards, d) a third computer-readable program code to cause the computer to provide a user interface to permit the user to access at least a portion of the recipient data and the social expression card data, to permit the user to manage, select, and facilitate the delivery of the social expression card to a recipient; e) a fourth computer-readable program code encoded therein to cause the computer to accept a social expression card order from the user, the social expression card order indicating a user-selected method of delivering the social expression card; and f) a fifth computer-readable program code encoded therein to cause the computer to facilitate the delivery of the social expression card to the recipient according to the user-selected method. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A computer program product for causing a computer to provide a user interface to permit a user to direct the management, selection, and delivery of social expression cards, the computer program product comprising:
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a) a computer-usable medium having encoded therein; b) a first computer-readable program code to cause the computer to store data, including at least recipient data and social expression card data, in one or more databases; c) a second computer-readable program code to cause the computer to link at least the recipient data with the social expression card data thereby forming linked data to facilitate on-going management selection, and delivery of the social expression cards; d) a third computer-readable program code to cause the computer to provide a user interface to permit the user to access at least a portion of the recipient data and the social expression card data, to permit the user to manage, select, and facilitate the delivery of the social expression card to a recipient; and e) a fourth computer-readable program code encoded therein to cause the computer to link the recipient data and the social expression card data with recipient occasion identification data and recipient order history data, to operatively associate the recipient occasion identification data and the recipient order history data with the social expression card data.
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46. A computer program product for causing a computer to provide a user interface to permit a user to direct the management, selection, and delivery of social expression cards, the computer program product comprising:
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a) a computer-usable medium having encoded therein; b) a first computer-readable program code to cause the computer to store data, including at least recipient data and social expression card data, in one or more databases; c) a second computer-readable program code to cause the computer to link at least the recipient data with the social expression card data thereby forming linked data to facilitate on-going management, selection, and delivery of the social expression cards; d) a third computer-readable program code to cause the computer to provide a user interface to permit the user to access at least a portion of the recipient data and the social expression card data, to permit the user to manage, select, and facilitate the delivery of the social expression card to a recipient; e) a fourth computer-readable program code encoded therein to cause the computer to store the social expression card data and gift data; and f) a fifth computer-readable program code encoded therein to cause the computer to link the gift data to the recipient data to maintain an on-going history of social expression cards and gifts received over time by the recipients.
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47. A computer program product for causing a computer to provide a user interface to permit a user to direct the management, selection, and delivery of social expression cards, the computer program product comprising:
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a) a computer-usable medium having encoded therein; b) a first computer-readable program code to cause the computer to store data, including at least recipient data and social expression card data, in one or more databases; c) a second computer-readable program code to cause the computer to link at least the recipient data with the social expression card data thereby forming linked data to facilitate on-going management, selection, and delivery of the social expression cards; d) a third computer-readable program code to cause the computer to provide a user interface to permit the user to access at least a portion of the recipient data and the social expression card data, to permit the user to manage, select, and facilitate the delivery of the social expression card to a recipient; and e) a fourth computer-readable program code encoded therein to cause the computer to notify the user when an occasion for which a social expression card is to be sent is approaching, the notification occurring prior to a date of the occasion. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50)
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51. A computer system for on-going management, selection, and delivery of social expression cards, the system comprising:
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a) storage means for storing data, including at least card recipient data and social expression card data, in one or more databases; b) linking means coupled to the storage means, for linking the card recipient data with the social expression card data thereby forming linked data to facilitate on-going management of social expression card selection and social expression card delivery; c) a user interface coupled to the storage means permitting a user to access said at least card recipient data and the social expression card data to permit the user to manage, select, and facilitate the delivery of the social expression card; d) social expression card order means for accepting a social expression card order from the user, the social expression card order indicating a user-selected method of delivering the social expression card to the recipient; and e) delivery means responsive to the social expression card order means for facilitating delivery of the social expression card to the recipient according to the user-selected method. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67)
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68. A computer system for on-going management, selection, and delivery of social expression cards, the system comprising:
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a) storage means for storing data, including at least card recipient data and social expression card data, in one or more databases; b) linking means coupled to the storage means, for linking the card recipient data with the social expression card data thereby forming linked data to facilitate on-going management of social expression card selection and social expression card delivery; c) a user interface coupled to the storage means permitting a user to access said at least card recipient data and the social expression card data to permit the user to manage, select, and facilitate the delivery of the social expression card; and d) second linking means for linking the card recipient data and the social expression card data with recipient occasion identification and recipient order history data, to associate the recipient occasion identification and the recipient order history data with the social expression card data. - View Dependent Claims (69, 70, 71)
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72. A computer system for on-going management, selection, and delivery of social expression cards, the system comprising:
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a) storage means for storing data, including at least card recipient data and social expression card data, in one or more databases; b) linking means coupled to the storage means, for linking the card recipient data with the social expression card data thereby forming linked data to facilitate on-going management of social expression card selection and social expression card delivery; c) a user interface coupled to the storage means permitting a user to access said at least card recipient data and the social expression card data to permit the user to manage, select, and facilitate the delivery of the social expression card, d) second storage means for storing social expression card data and gift data; and e) second linking means for linking the gift data to the recipient data to maintain an on-going history of social expression cards and gifts received by a recipient over time.
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73. A computer system for on-going management, selection, and delivery of social expression cards, the system comprising:
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a) a memory configured to store at least card recipient data and social expression card data, in one or more databases; b) a processor coupled to the memory programmed to link the card recipient data with the social expression card data thereby forming linked data to facilitate on-going management of social expression card selection and social expression card delivery; c) a user interface coupled to the memory and to the processor, configured to permit a user to access at least a portion of the card recipient data and the social expression card data to permit the user to manage, select, and facilitate the delivery of the social expression card; d) first display means for displaying a recipient name on the display device, the recipient name corresponding to the recipient data; e) second display means for displaying an icon on the display device, the icon representative of a recipient occasion, the recipient occasion associated with the recipient name; and f) third display means for displaying a graphical representation of an envelope on the display device, the graphical representation indicating a social expression card status for the recipient occasion associated with the recipient name. - View Dependent Claims (74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80)
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81. A computer system for on-going management, selection, and delivery of social expression cards, the system comprising:
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a) a memory configured to store at least card recipient data and social expression card data, in one or more databases; b) a processor coupled to the memory programmed to link the card recipient data with the social expression card data thereby forming linked data to facilitate on-going management of social expression card selection and social expression card delivery; c) a user interface coupled to the memory and to the processor, configured to permit a user to access at least a portion of the card recipient data and the social expression card data to permit the user to manage, select, and facilitate the delivery of the social expression card; and d) notifying means for notifying the user when an occasion for which a card is to be sent is approaching. - View Dependent Claims (82, 83, 84, 85)
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Specification