Electronic registration system for product transactions

• US 6,757,663 B1
• Filed: 07/28/1999
• Issued: 06/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: e2Interactive Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Nintendo of America, Inc. (Nintendo Company Limited)
• Inventors: Junger, Peter Joseph, Rogers, Philip Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Kazimi, Hani M.
• Application Number:
  US09/362,187
• Time in Patent Office: 1,798 Days
• Field of Search: 705/21, 705/22, 705/23, 705/24, 235/375-385
• US Class Current: 705/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/209 Specified transaction journal output feature, e.g. printed receipt or voice output
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/012 Providing warranty services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

An electronic registration system which facilitates authorized product returns and reduces the incidence of improper returns. A retailer sales associate is prompted to enter individual product identification information such as an individual serial number. This individual product identification information is then stored in a data base along with the date on which the product was sold and an appropriate UPC code, SKU number or manufacturer code. A check digit algorithm may be used to verify the serial number prior to storage. A sales receipt may be imprinted with at least the date of the transaction and the serial number. When a product is returned, the retailer may cross-reference the serial number on the product with that on the receipt to verify the sales receipt. Otherwise, the database may be searched for pertinent sales information.

Claims

1. An electronic product return qualification and management system, comprising:

a database; and

a host processing system associated with the database and operable to receive purchase data on product purchases, the purchase data including at least a unique product identifier for each purchased product and a respective date of purchase thereof;

wherein the host processing system is controlled, in response to receiving purchase data, to determine a last date for consumer return and a last date for warranty repair for the product, based on the purchase data and defined criteria available to the host processing system;

wherein the host processing system is operable to store the unique product identifier, date of purchase, last date for consumer return, and last date for warranty repair in the database; and

wherein the host processing system is controlled, in response to a query including a unique product identifier, to access the database and provide return qualification information for the product having the corresponding unique product identifier.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the return qualification information is provided in the form of presently available options based on the date of the query and the last date for consumer return and last date for warranty repair.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the system includes a display and the available options are listed on the display.

4. The system of claim 1, including a plurality of communication channels which enable the host processing system to receive the purchase data from a plurality of different remote locations, respectively.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the purchase data further includes a purchase location for each purchased product, and the host processing system is operable to store the purchase location in the database and provide the purchase location in response to the query.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the host processing system includes a user selectable process which generates reports based on the purchase information received by the host processing system.

7. The system of claim 1, further including at least one transaction processing system operable to obtain the unique product identifier upon purchase of a product and supply the purchase data to the host processing system.

8. The system of claim 1, including at least one transaction database which accumulates the purchase data for a plurality of purchases and periodically provides the purchase data to the host processing system in batch form.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the host processing system is operable to verify validity of the unique product identifier prior to storing data related thereto in the database.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the host processing system is operable to generate a report of valid and invalid unique product identifiers received by the host processing system.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the host processing system is operable to further determine, from the purchase data and the defined criteria, a last date on which a returned product will be accepted for credit by a manufacturer of the product.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the database is a manufacturer'"'"'s product registration database.