Method and apparatus for selling an aging food product as a substitute for an ordered product

• US 6,052,667 A
• Filed: 09/21/1998
• Issued: 04/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Inventor Holdings LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Van Luchene, Andrew S., Rogers, Joshua D., Walker, Jay S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tkacs, Stephen R.
• Application Number:
  US09/157,837
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/7, 705/14, 705/15, 705/16, 705/20, 705/21, 705/22, 705/24
• US Class Current: 705/15
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/00 Payment architectures, schemes or protocols apparatus for performing or posting payment transactions G07F7/08, G07F19/00; electronic cash registers G07G1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/201 Price look-up processing, e.g. updating
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 15/005 with dispensing of lottery tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/24 with change-giving
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/02 Devices for alarm or indication, e.g. when empty; Advertising arrangements in coin-freed apparatus alarms or warning devices indicating the interruption of flow to be metered G07F15/10
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0036 Checkout procedures
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/12 electronically operated digital data processing aspects G06Q20/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 5/00 Receipt-giving machines cash registers giving receipts G07G1/00

Abstract

A POS terminal receives an order for a food product. The POS terminal in turn selects a complementary product based on the food product. The selected complementary product has an age within a predetermined age range, such as between seven and ten minutes since the product was assembled. The POS terminal outputs an offer to substitute the complementary product for the food product. In one embodiment, the substitution is performed with no additional charge, so the customer will pay the price of the food product for the complementary product if he accepts the offer. The customer'"'"'s response to the offer is received. If the response indicates acceptance of the offer, then the complementary product is sold in place of the food product.

Claims

1. A computer based method for selling an aging food product, comprising:

receiving an order for a food product;

selecting a complementary product based on the food product, the complementary product having an age within a predetermined age range;

outputting an offer to substitute the complementary product for the food product;

receiving a response to the offer; and

selling the complementary product in place of the food product if the response indicates acceptance of the offer.

2. The method of claim 1, in which the step of selecting a complementary product comprises:

identifying a complementary product that has been assembled.

3. The method of claim 1, in which the step of selecting a complementary product comprises:

accessing a first database to determine a complementary product that corresponds to the food product.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

accessing a second database to determine whether the complementary product has an age within the predetermined age range.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining if the food product is available.

6. The method of claim 5, in which the step of selecting a complementary product is performed if the food product is not available.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

deleting the food product from the order; and

adding the complementary product to the order.

8. The method of claim 7, in which the step of adding the complementary product to order comprises:

adding the complementary product to the order for price of the food product.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

registering the complementary product as sold.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

increasing an order price by a predetermined surcharge.

11. The method of claim 10, in which the predetermined surcharge is based on the age of the complementary product.

12. The method of claim 10, in which the predetermined surcharge is based on an amount of change due.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the food product has an age within a second predetermined age range.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

performing the step of selling if the food product does not have an age within a second predetermined age range.

15. A computer based method for selling an aging food product, comprising:

receiving an order for a food product, the food product having a price;

determining that the food product is unavailable;

selecting a complementary product based on the food product, the complementary product having an age within a predetermined age range;

determining that the complementary product that has been assembled;

outputting an offer to substitute the complementary product for the food product;

receiving a response to the offer;

deleting the food product from the order; and

adding the complementary product to the order for the price of the food product.

16. The method of claim 15, in which the step of selecting a complementary product comprises:

identifying a complementary product that has been assembled.

17. The method of claim 15, in which the step of selecting a complementary product comprises:

accessing a first database to determine a complementary product that corresponds to the food product.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

accessing a second database to determine whether the complementary product has an age within the predetermined age range.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

registering the complementary product as sold.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

increasing an order price by a predetermined surcharge.

21. The method of claim 20, in which the predetermined surcharge is based on the age of the complementary product.

22. The method of claim 20, in which the predetermined surcharge is based on an amount of change due.

23. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining whether the food product has an age within a second predetermined age range.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

performing the step of adding the complementary product to the order if the food product does not have an age within a second predetermined age range.

25. An apparatus for selling an aging food product, comprising:

a processor,

a storage device connected to the processor; and

the storage device storing a program for controlling the processor; and

the processor operative with the program to;

receive an order for a food product;

select a complementary product based on the food product, the complementary product having an age within a predetermined age range;

output an offer to substitute the complementary product for the food product;

receive a response to the offer; and

sell the complementary product in place of the food product if the response indicates acceptance of the offer.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, in which the processor is further operative with the program to:

identify a complementary product that has been assembled.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, in which the processor is further operative with the program to:

access a first database to determine a complementary product that corresponds to the food product.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, in which the processor is further operative with the program to:

access a second database to determine whether the complementary product has an age within the predetermined age range.

29. The apparatus of claim 25, in which the processor is further operative with the program to:

determine if the food product is available.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, in which the processor is further operative with the program to select a complementary product if the food product is not available.

31. The apparatus of claim 25, in which the processor is further operative with the program to:

delete the food product from the order; and

add the complementary product to the order.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, in which the processor is further operative with the program to:

add the complementary product to the order for price of the food product.

33. The apparatus of claim 25, in which the processor is further operative with the program to:

register the complementary product as sold.

34. The apparatus of claim 25, in which the processor is further operative with the program to:

increase an order price by a predetermined surcharge.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, in which the predetermined surcharge is based on the age of the complementary product.

36. The apparatus of claim 34, in which the predetermined surcharge is based on an amount of change due.

37. The apparatus of claim 25, in which the processor is further operative with the program to:

determine whether the food product has an age within a second predetermined age range.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, in which the processor is further operative with the program to:

perform the step of selling if the food product does not have an age within a second predetermined age range.

39. An apparatus for selling an aging food product, comprising:

a processor,

a storage device connected to the processor; and

the storage device storing a program for controlling the processor; and

the processor operative with the program to;

receive an order for a food product, the food product having a price;

determine that the food product is unavailable;

select a complementary product based on the food product, the complementary product having an age within a predetermined age range;

determine that the complementary product that has been assembled;

output an offer to substitute the complementary product for the food pro duct;

receive a response to the offer;

delete the food product from the order; and

add the complementary product to the order for the price of the food product.

40. The apparatus of claim 39, in which the processor is further operative with the program to:

identifying a complementary product that has been assembled.

41. The apparatus of claim 39, in which the processor is further operative with the program to:

accessing a first database to determine a complementary product that corresponds to the food product.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, in which the processor is further operative with the program to:

accessing a second database to determine whether the complementary product has an age within the predetermined age range.

43. The apparatus of claim 39 in which the processor is further operative with the program to:

registering the complementary product as sold.

44. The apparatus of claim 39, in which the processor is further operative with the program to:

increasing an order price by a predetermined surcharge.

45. The apparatus of claim 44, in which the predetermined surcharge is based on the age of the complementary product.

46. The apparatus of claim 44, in which the predetermined surcharge is based on an amount of change due.

47. The apparatus of claim 39, in which the processor is further operative with the program to:

determining whether the food product has an age within a second predetermined age range.

48. The apparatus of claim 47, in which the processor is further operative with the program to:

performing the step of adding the complementary product to the order if the food product does not have an age within a second predetermined age range.