Service plan product and associated system

• US 7,797,252 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2007
• Issued: 09/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Target Brands Inc. (Target Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Target Brands Inc. (Target Corporation)
• Inventors: Rosskamm, Daniel, Brenny, Joseph, Orzel, Steven, Eastman, Stephen L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender; F. Ryan
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROJAS, HAJIME S
• Application Number:
  US11/678,366
• Publication Number:
  US 20080095441A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,299 Days
• Field of Search: 705/18, 705/28, 705/1, 705/26, 235/487, 235/462.01, 235/375
• US Class Current: 705/302
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/012 Providing warranty services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A service plan product providing a tangible representation of a service plan includes a support backer and a tag removably coupled with the backer. The tag includes service plan account identification means corresponding to a service plan account stored in a database and plan administrator contact indicia. The tag is configured to be removed from the backer and applied to a primary product for which the service plan is provided, and wherein only the service plan account identification means is required for the service plan administrator to access the database to identify details regarding the service plan account. Related systems and methods are also disclosed and provide additional advantages.

Claims

1. A warranty plan system comprising:

a primary product offered for retail sale, wherein the primary product is tangible and includes;

a product bar code including data representing an identification of the primary product, wherein the product bar code is tangible;

a warranty plan product provided separately from the primary product and displayed for retail sale in a physical retail store, wherein the warranty plan product is tangible and includes;

a first bar code for the warranty plan product, the first bar code indicating a level of warranty based on a purchase price of the primary product, wherein the level of warranty is one of a plurality of levels of warranty, and

a second bar code for the warranty plan product, the second bar code indicating an individual account with the level of warranty indicated by the first bar code,

wherein the individual account provides for repair or replacement of the primary product, and the first bar code, the second bar code and the product bar code are all separate from one another; and

a point-of-sale terminal positioned within the physical retail store, wherein the primary product and the warranty plan product are separately and selectively displayed in the physical retail store;

wherein, when the primary product and the warranty plan product are brought to the point-of-sale terminal the point-of-sale terminal is configured to machine read the first bar code, the second bar code and the product bar code to automatically associate the individual account with the primary product, wherein the first bar code and the second bar code exist prior to processing the primary product and the warranty plan product at the point-of-sale terminal,

wherein the warranty plan product further comprises a sticker, wherein the sticker includes an account identifier indicating the individual account linked to the warranty plan product, wherein the sticker is configured to be readily removed from the warranty plan product and secured to the primary product, and the account identifier is separate from the first bar code and the second bar code, and

wherein the warranty plan product includes a support backer supporting the sticker, the first bar code and the second bar code, and defining a pocket containing a tangible contract sheet providing details regarding terms of the individual account such that the tangible contract sheet is substantially enclosed by the support backer.

2. The warranty plan system of claim 1, wherein the support backer includes a foldable flap configured to selectively cover the sticker and defines a window to allow viewing of a portion of the contract sheet through the support backer.