Automated florist system allowing direct contact with delivering florist
First Claim
1. A computerized, automated florist system, for use at a customer ordering location remote from a florist shop, providing twenty-four hour, florist-like services using a number of remotely located, associated florists for remotely located deliveries, comprising:
- a display and dispensing cooler having discrete cells for displaying for viewing at least pre-made flower arrangements and being equipped with refrigeration to cool the pre-made flower arrangements and located away from any human vending flower operation; and
an order taking control unit physically associated with said cooler for automated vending, order placement and order fulfillment assignment specifically for at least flower arrangements and gift items, said order taking control unit being pre-programmed using computer logic, allowing a human customer located adjacent to said cooler to select from a variety of pre-made flower arrangements located in said discrete cells for immediate purchase without the need for vendor human intervention or assistance, or, alternatively, a selection may be made, and information entered, for remote delivery at a specified, distantly located place of an ordered item using credit card or other smart card or other financial authorization, again without the need for vendor human intervention or assistance at said cooler, with said order taking control unit itself, in the case of an order for remote delivery of the customer selected item at a customer specified, distantly located place, assigning an associated florist for fulfillment of the order for actually making the remote delivery at the customer specified, distantly located place.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An automated florist system, including an associated cooler (20, FIG. 1) and order taking control unit (22, FIG. 2) for automated vending and order placements specifically for flowers and gift items. The system, with the control unit being pre-programmed using appropriate logic (FIG. 3), allows a walk-up or drive-up customer to select from a variety of pre-made flower arrangements from discrete cells equipped with the necessary refrigeration for immediate purchase, or, alternatively, a selection may be made, and information entered, for remote delivery at a specified time and place (note displayed "order form" of FIG. 5). Further, the operating, host florist of the vending system can remotely monitor and conduct all business with the vending machine from the operating florist'"'"'s shop (FIG. 4), with the sole exception of stocking the machine with items for immediate purchase; while the sending of an order to an affiliated florist for a distant delivery is fully automated; see FIG. 6.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A computerized, automated florist system, for use at a customer ordering location remote from a florist shop, providing twenty-four hour, florist-like services using a number of remotely located, associated florists for remotely located deliveries, comprising:
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a display and dispensing cooler having discrete cells for displaying for viewing at least pre-made flower arrangements and being equipped with refrigeration to cool the pre-made flower arrangements and located away from any human vending flower operation; and an order taking control unit physically associated with said cooler for automated vending, order placement and order fulfillment assignment specifically for at least flower arrangements and gift items, said order taking control unit being pre-programmed using computer logic, allowing a human customer located adjacent to said cooler to select from a variety of pre-made flower arrangements located in said discrete cells for immediate purchase without the need for vendor human intervention or assistance, or, alternatively, a selection may be made, and information entered, for remote delivery at a specified, distantly located place of an ordered item using credit card or other smart card or other financial authorization, again without the need for vendor human intervention or assistance at said cooler, with said order taking control unit itself, in the case of an order for remote delivery of the customer selected item at a customer specified, distantly located place, assigning an associated florist for fulfillment of the order for actually making the remote delivery at the customer specified, distantly located place. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of automatically vending flowers, gift items and other items at a location significantly away from a florist'"'"'s site, comprising the steps of:
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(a) using an automated ordering system including a display and dispensing cooler having discrete cells for displaying for viewing at least pre-made flowers arrangements and being equipped with refrigeration to cool the pre-made flower arrangements and being located away from any human vending flower operation, and an order taking control unit physically associated with said cooler for automated vending and order placement specifically for at least flower arrangements and gift items, said order taking control unit being pre-programmed using computer logic, allowing a human customer located adjacent to said cooler to select from a variety of pre-made flower arrangements located in said discrete cells for immediate purchase without the need for vendor human intervention or assistance, or, alternatively, a selection may be made, and information entered, for remote delivery at a specified, distantly located place using credit card or other smart card or other financial authorization, again without the need for vendor human intervention or assistance at said cooler; (b) having said order taking control unit programmed to allow the customer physical access to the appropriate display cell containing a customer selected item after an acceptable financial payment arrangement has been made, and having it programmed to directly transmit electronically the order data, after an acceptable financial payment arrangement has been made, to the location of a remotely located, associated florist determined and assigned by the order taking control unit itself for the fulfillment of a customer placed order involving the remote delivery of a customer selected item to a location at a substantial distance from said display cooler. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of automatically vending flower arrangements, gift items or other items at a location significantly away from a florist'"'"'s site for delivery of a customer selected item to a customer determined remote location at least a number of miles away from where the customer is located when placing the order, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing an automated ordering system for use by the customer including an order taking control unit for automated order placement by the customer specifically for a customer selected item, said order taking control unit being pre-programmed using computer logic, allowing the customer located adjacent to said control unit to select and enter information for remote delivery of the customer selected item at a specified, distantly located place determined by the customer, using credit card or other smart card or other financial authorization to pay for the order, without the need for vendor human intervention or assistance at said unit; (b) having said order taking control unit programmed to allow the customer to place an order for a customer selected item for remote delivery determined by the customer of the customer selected item, and having said order taking control unit further programmed to transmit electronically the order data, after an acceptable financial payment arrangement has been made, to the location of a remotely located, associated florist determined and assigned by the order taking control unit itself for fulfillment of the customer placed order involving the remote delivery of the customer selected item to the customer determined location located at a substantial distance of at least a number of miles from said order taking unit wherein the order taking control unit is programmed to allow the customer to talk directly to the remotely located, associated florist, who was assigned by the control unit to fulfill the remote delivery of the customer selected item, via telephonic link from the location of the order taking control unit to the associated florist. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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Specification