Method and apparatus for processing orders from customers in a mobile environment
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for processing orders, comprising:
- receiving an order associated with a mobile unit;
receiving information reflecting a location of the mobile unit;
identifying a facility capable of fulfilling the order based on an estimated time until arrival of the mobile unit at the facility derived at least in part from the information reflecting the location of the mobile unit and an estimated time required by the facility to process the order; and
transmitting information indicating the identified facility to the mobile unit.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system that enables service providers to receive an order from a mobile customer, receive customer location information from a location determination system, and schedule the completion of the customer'"'"'s order to coincide with the customer'"'"'s arrival at a local facility able to satisfy the customer'"'"'s order. In one embodiment, the mobile customer is associated with a tracking device connected to a mobile location determination system that determines the customer'"'"'s location, which is then given to the service provider. The service provider uses the customer'"'"'s location to determine a local facility that can satisfy the customer'"'"'s order. The service provider transmits the order to the local facility and schedules the fulfillment of the order to coincide with the customer'"'"'s arrival at the local facility. To further expedite the order, customers may pay electronically for the service in advance. The service provider also may maintain a database of customer transactions that can be used to determine customer preferences.
1122 Citations
63 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for processing orders, comprising:
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receiving an order associated with a mobile unit; receiving information reflecting a location of the mobile unit; identifying a facility capable of fulfilling the order based on an estimated time until arrival of the mobile unit at the facility derived at least in part from the information reflecting the location of the mobile unit and an estimated time required by the facility to process the order; and transmitting information indicating the identified facility to the mobile unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A computer-implemented method for processing orders, comprising:
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receiving an order from a personal assistant agent acting on behalf of a customer, wherein the order includes customer identifying information; receiving information reflecting a location of a mobile unit associated with the order; identifying a facility capable of fulfilling the order, based on an estimated time until arrival of the mobile unit at the facility derived at least in part from the information reflecting the location of the mobile unit and an estimated time required by the facility to process the order; and transmitting information describing the determined facility to the mobile unit. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. A computer-implemented method for processing orders, comprising:
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receiving an order from a personal assistant agent on behalf of a mobile customer, wherein the order includes customer identifying information; and identifying a facility capable of fulfilling the order from among a plurality of facilities based on the customer'"'"'s desired time for fulfillment of the order and an estimated time required by the facility to fulfill the order.
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25. A computer-implemented method for placing orders, comprising:
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transmitting an order associated with a customer from a mobile unit; transmitting information reflecting a location of the mobile unit; and receiving information identifying a facility able to fulfill the order, the identified facility having been identified based on an estimated time until arrival of the mobile unit at the the facility and an estimated time required by the facility to process the order, wherein the estimated time until arrival of the mobile unit is derived at least in part from the information reflecting the location of the mobile unit. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 31, 32)
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- 29. The method of 28, wherein the order payment information includes payment for the order.
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33. The method of 32, wherein the order status information is periodically updated based on the information reflecting the location of the mobile unit.
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34. A system for processing orders comprising:
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a memory having program instructions that receive an order associated with a mobile unit, receive information reflecting a location of the mobile unit, identify a facility capable of fulfilling the order based on a time of arrival of the mobile unit at the facility derived at least in part from the information reflecting the location of the mobile unit and an estimated time required by the facility to process the order, and transmit information describing the determined facility to the mobile customer; and a processor for executing the program instructions. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A system for processing orders, comprising:
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a memory having program instructions that receive an order from a personal assistant agent acting on behalf of a customer, wherein the order includes customer identifying information, receive information reflecting a location of a mobile unit associated with the order, identify a facility capable of fulfilling the order based on an estimated time until arrival of the mobile unit at the facility derived at least in part from the information reflecting the location of the mobile unit and an estimated time required by the facility to process the order, and transmit information describing the identified facility to the mobile unit; and a processor for executing the program instructions. - View Dependent Claims (52)
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53. A system for processing orders comprising:
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a memory having program instructions that receive an order from a personal assistant agent on behalf of a mobile customer, wherein the order includes customer identifying information and identify a facility capable of fulfilling the order from among a plurality of facilities based on the customer'"'"'s desired time for fulfillment of the order and an estimated time required by the facility to fulfill the order; and a processor for executing the program instructions.
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54. A system for placing orders with a service provider, comprising:
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a memory having program instructions that transmit an order associated with a customer to a service provider from a mobile unit; transmit information to the service provider reflecting a location of the mobile unit; and receive information identifying a facility that is able to fulfill the order, the identified facility having been identified based on an estimated time until arrival of the mobile unit at the the facility and an estimated time required by the facility to process the order, wherein the estimated time until arrival of the mobile unit is derived at least in part from the information reflecting the location of the mobile unit; and a processor for executing the program instructions. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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61. A method for using a computer to process orders comprising:
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inputting into the computer an order associated with a mobile unit, the order including customer identifying information; inputting into the computer information reflecting a location of the mobile unit; identifying a facility from among a plurality of facilities capable of fulfilling the order based on an estimated time until arrival of the mobile unit at the facility derived at least in part from the information reflecting the location of the mobile unit and an estimated time required by the facility to process the order; and transmitting information indicating the identified facility to the mobile unit.
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62. A system for using a computer to processing orders comprising:
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a memory having program instructions that enable inputting into the computer of an order associated with a mobile unit, the order including customer identifying information, enable inputting into the computer information reflecting a location of the mobile unit, and identify a facility capable of fulfilling the order based on an estimated time until arrival of the mobile unit at the facility derived at least in part from the information reflecting the location of the mobile unit and an estimated time required by the facility to process the order, and transmit information indicating the identified facility to the mobile unit; and a processor for executing the program instructions.
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63. A memory for storing data for access by a process being executed by a processor, the memory comprising:
a structure for maintaining information associated with an order corresponding to a mobile unit, wherein the information includes data representing a customer and data identifying a facility capable of fulfilling the order based on an estimated time until arrival of a mobile unit at the facility derived at least in part from information reflecting a location of the mobile unit and an estimated time required by the facility to process the order.
Specification