Floral network methods and systems for processing floral arrangements

• US 7,835,948 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2006
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Golub Corporation
• Original Assignee: Golub Corporation
• Inventors: Golub, Jerel T., Strom, Raymond J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pond; Robert M.
• Application Number:
  US11/470,778
• Publication Number:
  US 20080065499A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,531 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27
• US Class Current: 705/26.8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers

Abstract

A floral network system and method allows for collecting, storing and retrieving data regarding the processing of personalized or custom floral arrangements linked to personal accounts for a plurality of customers. For example, a floral network method and system may store one or more close-up or detailed images of a personalized or custom-made floral arrangement for a customer along with data regarding the order, the customer, and a recipient. The next time that the customer places an order, the close-up or detailed images and data on past orders can be retrieved and viewed by the customer and used by the florist in the preparing a subsequent floral arrangement. Reminders may also be sent to the customers for important events where floral arrangements may be desired.

Claims

1. A computerized method for use in processing a plurality of floral arrangements for a customer, the computerized method comprising:

receiving at least one detailed image of an actual prepared floral arrangement made for the customer prior to delivery of the actual prepared floral arrangement to a recipient;

forwarding the at least one detailed image of the actual prepared floral arrangement to the customer along with a request for approval to send the actual prepared floral arrangement to the recipient;

receiving approval from the customer to send the actual prepared floral arrangement to the recipient prior to delivery of the actual prepared floral arrangement to the recipient;

receiving at least the number of the flowers and type of the flowers forming the actual prepared floral arrangement;

receiving data regarding the customer;

storing and associating the at least one detailed image of the actual prepared floral arrangement, the at least the number of the flowers and type of the flowers forming the actual prepared floral arrangement, and the data regarding the customer in at least one data storage unit;

retrieving the at least one stored detailed image of the actual prepared floral arrangement for the customer from the at least one data storage unit; and

forwarding the at least one stored detailed image for display on a display for use by the customer in purchasing another floral arrangement.

2. The computerized method of claim 1 further comprising retrieving and forwarding the number of the flowers and type of flowers along with the display of the at least one stored detailed image for use in preparing another floral arrangement.

3. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein the storing and associating further comprises storing and associating data regarding materials and information on constructing the actual prepared floral arrangement for the customer.

4. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein the actual prepared floral arrangement comprises an actual prepared personalized floral arrangement.

5. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein the storing and associating further comprises storing and associating data regarding an occasion for the actual prepared floral arrangement in the at least one data storage unit, and further comprising reminding the customer of the occasion for the floral arrangement.

6. The computerized method of claim 1 further comprising accessing a database of floral arrangement designs selected from a plurality of actual prepared floral arrangements for a plurality of customers, and forwarding at least one detailed image from the database of floral arrangement designs to the customer for use in purchasing a floral arrangement.

7. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein the receiving at least one detailed image comprises receiving at least one detailed image for each of a plurality of actual prepared floral arrangements made for the customer prior to delivery of the plurality of actual prepared floral arrangement to a plurality of recipients, the storing and associating comprises storing and associating the at least one detailed image for each of the plurality of actual prepared floral arrangements in at least one data storage unit, the retrieving comprises retrieving at least some of the at least one stored detailed image of each of the plurality of actual prepared floral arrangements for the customer from the at least one data storage unit, and the forwarding comprises forwarding the at least some of the at least one stored detailed image of each of the plurality of actual prepared floral arrangements to the customer for use in purchasing another floral arrangement.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein said processor is operable to retrieve for display the number of the flowers and type of flowers along with the display of the at least one stored detailed image for use in preparing another floral arrangement.

8. A system for use in processing a plurality of floral arrangements for a customer, the system comprising:

a processor;

at least one storage unit operably connected to said processor;

said processor configured to receive at least one detailed image of an actual prepared floral arrangement made for a customer prior to delivery of the actual prepared floral arrangement to a recipient, at least the number of the flowers and type of the flowers forming the actual prepared floral arrangement, and data regarding the customer;

said processor configured to forward the at least one detailed image of the actual prepared floral arrangement to the customer along with a request for approval to send the actual prepared floral arrangement to the recipient;

said processor configured to receive approval from the customer to send the actual prepared floral arrangement to the recipient prior to delivery of the actual prepared floral arrangement to the recipient;

said processor configured to store and associate the at least one detailed image of the actual prepared floral arrangement, the at least the number of the flowers and type of the flowers forming the actual prepared floral arrangement, and the data regarding the customer in the at least one storage unit;

a display operably connected to the processor; and

said processor configured to retrieve the at least one stored detailed image from the at least one data storage unit for display on the display for use by the customer in purchasing another floral arrangement.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein said processor is operable to store and associate data regarding materials and information on constructing the actual prepared floral arrangement.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the actual prepared floral arrangement comprises an actual prepared personalized floral arrangement.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein said processor is configured to receive data regarding an occasion for the actual prepared floral arrangement, and said processor configured to send a reminder to the customer of the occasion for the floral arrangement.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein said at least one data storage unit comprises a database of floral arrangement designs selected from a plurality of actual floral arrangements prepared for a plurality of customers, and further comprising displaying one of more detailed images from the floral arrangement designs on the display to the customer for use in purchasing a floral arrangement.

14. The system of claim 8 wherein said processor configured to receive at least one detailed image comprises said processor operable to receive at least one detailed image for each of a plurality of actual prepared floral arrangements made for the customer prior to delivery of the plurality of actual prepared floral arrangement to a plurality of recipients, said processor configured to store and associate comprises said processor operable to store and associate the at least one detailed image for each of the plurality of actual prepared floral arrangements in at least one data storage unit, said processor configured to retrieve comprises said processor configured to retrieve at least some of the at least one stored detailed image of each of the plurality of actual prepared floral arrangements for the customer from the at least one data storage unit, and said processor configured to display comprises said processor configured to display the some of the at least one stored detailed image on the display for the customer for use in purchasing another floral arrangement.

15. A computerized system for use in processing a plurality of floral arrangements for a customer, the computerized system comprising:

means for receiving at least one detailed image of an actual prepared floral arrangement made for a customer prior to delivery of the actual prepared floral arrangement to a recipient;

means for receiving at least the number of and type of the flowers forming the actual prepared floral arrangement;

means for receiving data regarding the customer;

means for forwarding the at least one detailed image of the actual prepared floral arrangement to the customer along with a request for approval to send the actual prepared floral arrangement to the recipient;

means for receiving approval from the customer to send the actual prepared floral arrangement to the recipient prior to delivery of the actual prepared floral arrangement to the recipient;

means for storing and associating the at least one detailed image of the actual prepared floral arrangement, the at least the number of the flowers and type of the flowers forming the actual prepared floral arrangement, and the data regarding the customer in at least one data storage unit;

means for retrieving the at least one stored detailed image from the means for storing; and

means for forwarding the at least one retrieved detailed image for display and use by the customer in purchasing another floral arrangement.

16. The computerized system of claim 15 wherein the means for receiving at least one detailed image comprises means for receiving at least one detailed image for each of a plurality of actual prepared floral arrangements made for the customer prior to delivery of the plurality of actual prepared floral arrangement to a plurality of recipients, the means for storing and associating comprises means for storing and associating the at least one detailed image for each of the plurality of actual prepared floral arrangements in at least one data storage unit, the means for retrieving comprises means for retrieving at least some of the at least one stored detailed image of each of the plurality of actual prepared floral arrangements for the customer from the at least one data storage unit, and the means for forwarding comprises means for forwarding the at least some of the at least one stored detailed image of each of the plurality of actual prepared floral arrangements to the customer for use in purchasing another floral arrangement.

17. At least one program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying at least one program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for use in processing a plurality of floral arrangements for a customer, the method comprising:

receiving at least one detailed image of the actual prepared floral arrangement made for the customer prior to delivery of the actual prepared floral arrangement to a recipient;

receiving at least the number of the flowers and type of the flowers forming the actual prepared floral arrangement;

receiving data regarding the customer;

forwarding the at least one detailed image of the actual prepared floral arrangement to the customer along with a request for approval to send the actual prepared floral arrangement to the recipient;

receiving approval from the customer to send the actual prepared floral arrangement to the recipient prior to delivery of the actual prepared floral arrangement to the recipient;

storing and associating the at least one detailed image of the actual prepared floral arrangement, the at least the number of the flowers and type of the flowers forming the actual prepared floral arrangement, and the data regarding the customer in at least one data storage unit; and

forwarding the at least one stored detailed image for display and use by the customer in purchasing another floral arrangement.

18. The at least one program storage device of claim 17 wherein the receiving at least one detailed image comprises receiving at least one detailed image for each of a plurality of actual prepared floral arrangements made for the customer prior to delivery of the plurality of actual prepared floral arrangement to a plurality of recipients, the storing and associating comprises storing and associating the at least one detailed image for each of the plurality of actual prepared floral arrangements in at least one data storage unit, the retrieving comprises retrieving at least some of the at least one stored detailed image of each of the plurality of actual prepared floral arrangements for the customer from the at least one data storage unit, and the forwarding comprises forwarding the at least some of the at least one stored detailed image of each of the plurality of actual prepared floral arrangements to the customer for use in purchasing another floral arrangement.

19. A computerized method for use in processing a plurality of floral arrangements for a plurality of customers, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of orders for floral arrangements for the plurality of customers via a communication network;

forwarding the plurality of orders to a plurality of florists via the communication network;

receiving, from the plurality of florists via the communication network, a plurality of detailed images of actual prepared floral arrangements based on the plurality of orders, and the number of the flowers and type of flowers forming the actual prepared floral arrangements;

forwarding some of the plurality of detailed images of actual prepared floral arrangements to some of the plurality of customers along with a request for approval to send the actual prepared floral arrangements to the recipient;

receiving approvals from some of the plurality of customers to send the actual prepared floral arrangement to the recipient prior to delivery of the actual prepared floral arrangement to the recipient;

storing and associating the plurality of detailed images of the actual prepared floral arrangements, the number of the flowers and type of flowers forming the actual prepared floral arrangements, and the data regarding the plurality of customers in at least one data storage unit;

retrieving at least one stored detailed image of the actual prepared floral arrangement associated with at least one customer from the at least one data storage unit via the communication network; and

forwarding the at least one stored detailed image for the at least one customer for use in purchasing another floral arrangement.

20. The computerized method of claim 19 further comprising retrieving via the communication network the number of the flowers and type of flowers associated with the at least one stored detailed image and the at least one stored detailed image, and forwarding the number of and type of flowers and the at least one stored detailed image for use in preparing another floral arrangement.

21. The computerized method of claim 19 wherein the storing and associating further comprises storing and associating data regarding materials and information on constructing the plurality of actual prepared floral arrangements.

22. The computerized method of claim 19 wherein the actual prepared floral arrangements comprises a plurality of actual prepared personalized floral arrangements.

23. The computerized method of claim 19 wherein the storing and associating further comprises storing and associating data regarding a plurality of occasions for the plurality of actual prepared floral arrangements in the at least one data storage unit, and further comprising reminding the plurality of customers of the plurality of occasions for the floral arrangements.

24. The computerized method of claim 19 wherein the storing and associating further comprises storing and associating data regarding a plurality of occasions for the plurality of actual prepared floral arrangements in the at least one data storage unit, and further comprising compiling a list for at least one of the plurality of florists of upcoming reminders for a plurality of customers for the at least one of the plurality of florists, and forwarding the list to the at least one of the plurality of florists.

25. The computerized method of claim 19 further comprising accessing a database of floral arrangement designs selected from a plurality of actual prepared floral arrangements for a plurality of customers, and forwarding at least one detailed image from the floral arrangement designs to the customer for use in purchasing a floral arrangement.

26. The computerized method of claim 19 further comprising forwarding the approvals to the plurality of florists for delivery of the plurality of some of prepared arrangements.

27. The computerized method of claim 19 further comprising receiving a plurality of detailed images of prepared substitute floral arrangements from some of the plurality of florists having changes from the number of the flowers and type of flowers based on the order for the plurality of floral arrangements, forwarding the plurality of detailed images of the prepared substitute floral arrangements to some of the plurality of customers, receiving approval from some of the plurality of customers upon their viewing the plurality of detailed images of the prepared substitute floral arrangements, and forwarding approval to some of the plurality of florists for delivery of the plurality of substitute floral arrangements.

28. The computerized method of claim 19 wherein the receiving the plurality of orders comprises receiving some of the plurality of orders from a floral wire service.

29. The computerized method of claim 19 wherein the communication network comprises a global communication network.

30. The computerized method of claim 19 wherein the receiving the plurality of orders comprises receiving some of the plurality of orders from a plurality of florists.

31. A system for processing a plurality of floral arrangements for a plurality of customers, the system comprising:

a processor;

at least one storage unit operably connected to said processor;

a display operably connected to the processor;

said processor configured to receive a plurality of orders for floral arrangements for the plurality of customers via a communication network, to forward the plurality of orders to a plurality of florists via the communication network, to receive from the plurality of florists via the communication network a plurality of detailed images of actual prepared floral arrangements based on the plurality of orders, the number of the flowers and type of flowers forming the actual prepared floral arrangements, and data regarding the customers, to forward some of the plurality of detailed images of actual prepared floral arrangements to some of the plurality of customers along with a request for approval to send the actual prepared floral arrangements to the recipient, to receive approvals from some of the plurality of customers to send the actual prepared floral arrangement to the recipient prior to delivery of the actual prepared floral arrangement to the recipient, to store and associate the plurality of detailed images of the actual prepared floral arrangements in a data storage unit, the number of the flowers and type of flowers forming the actual prepared floral arrangements, and the data regarding the customers in at least one data storage unit, to retrieve at least one stored detailed image of the actual prepared floral arrangement associated with at least one customer from the at least one data storage unit via the communication network, and to display the at least one stored detailed image on the display for the at least one customer for use in purchasing another floral arrangement.

32. The system of claim 31 wherein said processor is configured to store and associate data regarding a plurality of occasions for the plurality of actual prepared floral arrangements in the at least one data storage unit, and further comprising compiling a list for at least one of the plurality of florists of upcoming reminders for a plurality of customers for the at least one of the plurality of florists, and forwarding the list to the at least one of the plurality of florists.

33. The system of claim 31 wherein said processor is configured to access at least one data storage unit comprising a database of floral arrangement designs selected from a plurality of actual floral arrangements prepared for a plurality of customers, and further configured to display at least one detailed images from the floral arrangement designs on the display to the customer for use in purchasing a floral arrangement.

34. A computerized system for use in processing a plurality of floral arrangements for a plurality of customers, the system comprising:

means for receiving a plurality of orders for floral arrangements for the plurality of customers via a communication network;

means for forwarding the plurality of orders to a plurality of florists via the communication network;

means for receiving, from the plurality of florists via the communication network, a plurality of detailed images of actual prepared floral arrangements based on the plurality of orders, and the number of the flowers and type of flowers forming the actual prepared floral arrangements;

means for forwarding some of the plurality of detailed images of actual prepared floral arrangements to some of the plurality of customers along with a request for approval to send the actual prepared floral arrangement to the recipient;

means for receiving approvals from some of the plurality of customers to send the actual prepared floral arrangement to the recipient prior to delivery of the actual prepared floral arrangement to the recipient;

means for storing and associating the plurality of detailed images of the actual prepared floral arrangements, the number of the flowers and type of flowers forming the actual prepared floral arrangements, and the data regarding the plurality of customers in at least one data storage unit;

means for retrieving at least one stored detailed image of the actual prepared floral arrangement associated with at least one customer from the at least one data storage unit via the communication network; and

means for forwarding the at least one stored detailed image for display on a display for use by the at least one customer in purchasing another floral arrangement.

35. At least one program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying at least one program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for use in processing a plurality of floral arrangements for a customer, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of orders for floral arrangements for the plurality of customers via a communication network;

forwarding the plurality of orders to a plurality of florists via the communication network;

receiving, from the plurality of florists via the communication network, a plurality of detailed images of actual prepared floral arrangements based on the plurality of orders, and the number of the flowers and type of flowers forming the actual prepared floral arrangements;

forwarding some of the plurality of detailed images of actual prepared floral arrangements to some of the plurality of customers along with a request for approval to send the actual prepared floral arrangement to the recipient;

receiving approvals from some of the plurality of customers to send the actual prepared floral arrangement to the recipient prior to delivery of the actual prepared floral arrangement to the recipient;

storing and associating the plurality of detailed images of the actual prepared floral arrangements, the number of the flowers and type of flowers forming the actual prepared floral arrangements, and the data regarding the plurality of customers in at least one data storage unit;

retrieving at least one stored detailed image of the actual prepared floral arrangement associated with at least one customer from the at least one data storage unit via the communication network; and

forwarding the at least one stored detailed image for display on a display for use by the at least one customer in purchasing another floral arrangement.