Coordinating delivery of a gift
First Claim
1. A method in a computer system for coordinating delivery of a gift given by a gift giver to a recipient, the method comprising:
- receiving an order from the gift giver, the order identifying the gift to be delivered to the recipient and including an electronic mail address of the recipient, wherein the gift giver is separate from the recipient;
sending an electronic mail message addressed to the electronic mail address included in the received order, the electronic mail message requesting delivery information,receiving the requested delivery information; and
directing delivery of the identified gift in accordance with the received delivery information.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method in a computer system for coordinating the delivery a gift given by a gift giver to a recipient when the gift giver did not provide sufficient delivery information. The gift delivery system initially receives an order from the gift giver. The order identifies a gift to be delivered to the recipient and has contact information describing the recipient. The gift delivery system stores the received order in an order database along with an order tracking number. The gift delivery system then determines whether sufficient delivery information has been provided by the recipient. If the delivery information is not sufficient, the gift delivery system sends a communications to the recipient based on the contact information. The communications requests delivery information for the gift. The communications preferably includes the order tracking number so that the recipient can include the order tracking number in a response to the communications. When the recipient does not respond to the communications, the gift delivery system attempts to collect additional information that may be relevant to the recipient from various databases. When the delivery information is sufficient, the gift delivery system verifies whether the potential delivery information is valid. When the delivery information has been verified as being valid, the gift delivery system sends the gift based on the delivery information and notifies the gift giver that the gift has been sent to the recipient. In this way, the gift giver can send the gift to recipients even when the gift giver does not know or provide sufficient delivery information.
56 Citations
42 Claims
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1. A method in a computer system for coordinating delivery of a gift given by a gift giver to a recipient, the method comprising:
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receiving an order from the gift giver, the order identifying the gift to be delivered to the recipient and including an electronic mail address of the recipient, wherein the gift giver is separate from the recipient; sending an electronic mail message addressed to the electronic mail address included in the received order, the electronic mail message requesting delivery information, receiving the requested delivery information; and directing delivery of the identified gift in accordance with the received delivery information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method in a computer system for ordering a gift for delivery from a gift giver to a recipient, the method comprising:
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receiving from the gift giver an information that the gift is to be delivered to the recipient and an electronic mail address of the recipient, wherein the gift giver is separate from the recipient; and sending to a gift delivery computer system an indication of the gift and the received electronic mail address wherein the gift delivery computer system coordinates delivery of the gift by sending an electronic mail message addressed to the electronic mail address of the recipient, the electronic mail message requesting that the recipient provide delivery information for the gift; and upon receiving the delivery information, directing delivery of the gift in accordance with the received delivery information. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method in a computer system for coordinating delivery of a gift given by a gift giver to a recipient, the method comprising;
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sending to the gift giver a web page that allows the gift giver to identify a gift; receiving from the gift giver an identification of a gift; sending to the gift giver a request for contact information for the recipient of the gift; receiving from the gift giver an electronic mail address of the recipient, wherein the gift giver is separate from the recipient; sending to the recipient an electronic mail message addressed to the electronic mail address of the recipient, the electronic mail message requesting delivery information; receiving from the recipient the requested delivery information, directing delivery of the identified gift in accordance with the received delivery information; and sending to the gift giver an electronic mail message indicating that the identified gift is being delivered to the recipient. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for causing a computer system to coordinate delivery of a gift given by a gift giver to a recipient, by a method comprising:
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receiving an identification of a gift; receiving identification information for the recipient, wherein the gift giver is separate from the recipient; locating an electronic mail address associated with the identification information; sending an electronic mail message addressed to the located electronic mail address, the electronic mail message requesting delivery information; receiving the requested delivery information; and delivering the identified gift in accordance with the received delivery information. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39)
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40. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for causing a computer system to deliver gifts given by gift givers to recipients, by a method comprising:
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sending a web page that allows a gift giver to identify a gift; receiving from the gift giver an identification of a gift; sending a request for identification information for the recipient of the gift; receiving identification information of the recipient;
wherein the gift giver is separate from the recipient;when the received identification information is not an electronic mail address, locating an electronic mail address associated with the identification information; sending an electronic mail message addressed to the electronic mail address, the electronic mail message requesting delivery information; receiving the requested delivery information; delivering the identified gift in accordance with the received delivery information; and sending an electronic mail message indicating that the identified gift is being delivered. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42)
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Specification