Apparatus and method for providing and/or for fulfilling subscription services

• US 7,970,646 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2007
• Issued: 06/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GTJ Ventures, LLC (Raymond Anthony Joao)
• Original Assignee: Raymond Anthony Joao
• Inventors: Joao, Raymond Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Gart; Matthew S
• Assistant Examiner(s): CRAWLEY, TALIA F
• Application Number:
  US11/891,733
• Publication Number:
  US 20070276737A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,415 Days
• Field of Search: 709/250, 709/201, 705/28, 705/16, 705/14, 705/5
• US Class Current: 705/14.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/045 using payment protocols involving tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/123 Shopping for digital content
• 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 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/40 for devices for accepting orders, advertisements, or the like

Abstract

A computer-implemented method, including receiving a request to receive or pick-up a good, a service, or a printed issue of at least one of a periodical, a newspaper, and a magazine, at a retail facility or a store pursuant to a subscription, processing information regarding the request with a processing device, wherein the processing device determines whether the subscription is active or not active or determines whether any good, any service, or any issue or any issues of the at least one of a periodical, a newspaper, and a magazine, remain to be fulfilled pursuant to the subscription, and transmitting a message in response to the request, wherein the message contains an authorization or a denial of the request, and further wherein the message is transmitted to a point-of-sale transaction device located at the retail facility or the store.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving a request to receive or pick-up a good, a service, or a printed issue of at least one of a periodical, a newspaper, and a magazine, at a retail facility or a store pursuant to a subscription;

processing information regarding the request with a processing device, wherein the processing device determines whether the subscription is active or not active or determines whether any good, any service, or any issue or any issues of the at least one of a periodical, a newspaper, and a magazine, remain to be fulfilled pursuant to the subscription; and

transmitting a message in response to the request, wherein the message contains an authorization or a denial of the request, and further wherein the message is transmitted to a point-of-sale transaction device located at the retail facility or the store.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

processing information for at least one of renewing the subscription, extending the subscription, and canceling or terminating the subscription.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

processing information for creating or initiating the subscription.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the subscription is for a specified number of goods, services, or printed issues and is for a specified time period, and further wherein one or more of the goods, services, or printed issues can be skipped or foregone in or during the specified time period while allowing a subscriber to be able to pick-up or receive all of the specified number of goods, services, or printed issues in or during the specified time period.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

swiping an account card associated with the subscription using a scanner device or a reader device to obtain information stored on the account card.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

processing information regarding a search for the subscription or a search for a second subscription.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the subscription is not active; and

processing information for re-opening or renewing the subscription.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a second message, wherein the second message contains information regarding at least one of an availability of a subscription and a subscription sale or special; and

transmitting the second message to the point-of-sale transaction device or to a communication device associated with an individual or a subscriber, wherein, if the second message is transmitted to the communication device, the second message is transmitted to the communication device on or over at least one of the Internet and the World Wide Web or on or over a wireless communication network.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a second message, wherein the second message contains information regarding at least one of an availability of a subscription good, service, or issue, a shipment of a subscription good or issue to the retail facility or the store, and an arrival of a subscription good or issue at the retail facility or the store; and

transmitting the second message to the point-of-sale transaction device or to a communication device associated with an individual or a subscriber.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second request to receive or pick-up a ticket or tickets to or for a sporting event, sporting events, an entertainment event, entertainment events, a movie, movies, a show, shows, a theater performance, or theater performances, at the retail facility or the store pursuant to a second subscription;

processing information regarding the second request;

determining whether the second subscription is active or not active or determining whether any ticket or any tickets remain to be fulfilled pursuant to the second subscription; and

transmitting a second message in response to the second request, wherein the second message contains information regarding an authorization or a denial of the second request, and further wherein the second message is transmitted to the first point-of-sale transaction device or to a second point-of-sale transaction device located at the retail facility or the store.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

processing information regarding a changing of the retail facility or the store from which a good, a service, or a printed issue of the at least one of a periodical, a newspaper, and a magazine, can be received or picked-up.

38. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the service is a professional service or a contracted for service.

41. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the service is a professional service or a contracted for service.

12. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

processing a request to create or initiate a subscription which allows for goods, services, or printed issues of at least one of a periodical, a newspaper, and a magazine, to be picked-up or received at a retail facility or a store or at another retail facility or another store, wherein the request is transmitted from a communicaton device or from a transaction device associated with the retail facility or the store, wherein the request contains information regarding a specified number of goods, services, or printed issues of the at least one of a periodical, a newspaper, and a magazine, to be picked-up or received at the retail facility or the store or at another retail facility or another store in or during a specified time period, wherein one or more of the goods, services, or printed issues can be skipped or foregone in or during the specified time period while ensuring that a subscriber is able to pick-up or receive all of the specified number of the goods, services, or printed issues at the retail facility or the store or at another retail facility or another store in or during the specified time period, wherein the request is processed with a processing device;

creating or initiating a subscription in response to the request; and

transmitting a message to the communication device or to the transaction device associated with the retail facility or the store, wherein the message contains information regarding the subscription which was created or initiated.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising:

processing information for at least one of renewing the subscription, extending the subscription, and canceling or terminating the subscription.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising:

processing information regarding a search for the subscription or a search for a second subscription.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising:

generating a second message, wherein the second message contains information regarding at least one of an availability of a subscription, an availability of a subscription good, service, or issue, a shipment of a subscription good or issue to the retail facility or the store or to another retail facility or another store, and an arrival of a subscription good or issue at the retail facility or the store or at another retail facility or another store; and

transmitting the second message to the point-of-sale transaction device or to a communication device associated with an individual or the subscriber.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising:

processing a second request, wherein the second request is a request to create or initiate a second subscription, wherein the second subscription allows for a ticket or tickets to be picked-up or received at the retail facility or the store or at another retail facility or another store, wherein the second request is transmitted from the communication device or from the transaction device, or the second request is transmitted from a second communication device or from a second transaction device associated with the retail facility or the store or associated with another retail facility or another store;

creating or initiating a second subscription in response to the second request; and

transmitting a second message to the communication device or to the transaction device, or transmitting the second message to the second communication device or to the second transaction device, wherein the second message contains information regarding the second subscription which was created or initiated.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, wherein the second subscription is a subscription for a ticket or tickets to or for a sporting event, sporting events, an entertainment event, entertainment events, a movie, movies, a show, shows, a theater performance, or theater performances.

39. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the services are professional services or contracted for services.

18. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

processing a request to create or initiate a subscription which allows for goods, services, or printed issues of at least one of a periodical, a newspaper, and a magazine, to be picked-up or received at a retail facility or a store, wherein the request is transmitted from a communication device or from a transaction device associated with a retail facility or a store, wherein the request contains information regarding a specified number of goods, services, or printed issues of at least one of a periodical, a newspaper, and a magazine, to be picked-up or received in or during a specified time period, and a retail facility or a store from which the goods, services, or printed issues can be picked-up or received, wherein the request is processed with a processing device;

creating or initiating a subscription in response to the request; and

transmitting a message to the communication device or to the transaction device associated with the retail facility or the store, wherein the message contains information regarding the subscription which was created or initiated.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, wherein one or more of the goods, services, or printed issues can be skipped or foregone in or during the specified time period while allowing a subscriber to be able to pick-up or receive all of the specified number of the goods, services, or printed issues in or during the specified time period.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, further comprising:

processing information for at least one of renewing the subscription, extending the subscription, and canceling or terminating the subscription.

40. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, wherein the services are professional services or contracted for services.

21. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving a request to receive or pick-up a good or a service at a retail facility or a store pursuant to a subscription;

processing information regarding the request with a processing device, wherein the processing device determines whether the subscription is active or not active or determines whether any good or any service remain to be fulfilled pursuant to the subscription; and

transmitting a message in response to the request, wherein the message contains an authorization or a denial of the request, and further wherein the message is transmitted to a point-of-sale transaction device located at the retail facility or the store.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, further comprising:

processing information for at least one of renewing the subscription, extending the subscription, and canceling or terminating the subscription.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, further comprising:

processing information for creating or initiating the subscription.

24. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, wherein the subscription is for a specified number of goods or services, and further wherein one or more of the goods or services can be skipped or foregone in or during the a specified time period while allowing a subscriber to be able to pick-up or receive all of the specified number of goods or services in or during the specified time period.

25. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, further comprising:

swiping an account card associated with the subscription using a scanner device or a reader device to obtain information stored on the account card.

26. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, further comprising:

processing information regarding a search for the subscription or a search fora second subscription, processing information for determining that the subscription is not active, processing information for re-opening or renewing the subscription, processing information regarding a changing of the retail facility or the store from which a good or a service can be received or picked-up, or generating a second message, wherein the second message contains information regarding at least one of an availability of a subscription and a subscription sale or special and transmitting the second message to the point-of-sale transaction device or to a communication device associated with an individual or a subscriber, wherein, if the second message is transmitted to the communication device, the second message is transmitted to the communication device on or over at least one of the Internet and the World Wide Web or on or over a wireless communication network.

27. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, further comprising:

generating a second message, wherein the second message contains information regarding at least one of an availability of a subscription good or service, a shipment of a subscription good to the retail facility or the store, and an arrival of a subscription good at the retail facility or the store; and

transmitting the second message to the point-of-sale transaction device or to a communication device associated with an individual or a subscriber.

28. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, further comprising:

processing a request to create or initiate the subscription, wherein the request is transmitted from the point-of-sale transaction device, from a communication device, or from a transaction device associated with the retail facility or the store, wherein the request contains information regarding a specified number of goods or services to be picked-up or received at the retail facility or the store or at another retail facility or another store in or during a specified time period, wherein one or more of the goods or services can be skipped or foregone in or during the specified time period while ensuring that a subscriber is able to pick-up or receive all of the specified number of the goods or services at the retail facility or the store or at another retail facility or another store in or during the specified time period, wherein the request is processed with the processing device or with a second processing device;

creating or initiating the subscription in response to the request; and

transmitting a second message to the point-of-sale transaction device, to the communication device, or to the transaction device associated with the retail facility or the store, wherein the second message contains information regarding the subscription which was created or initiated.

29. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving a request to receive or pick-up a good or a service at a retail facility, a store, or a location of a service provider, pursuant to a subscription;

processing information regarding the request with a processing device, wherein the processing device determines whether the subscription is active or not active or determines whether any good or any service remain to be fulfilled pursuant to the subscription; and

transmitting a message in response to the request, wherein the message contains an authorization or a denial of the request, and further wherein the message is transmitted to a transaction device located at the retail facility, the store, or the location of the service provider.

30. The computer-implemented method of claim 29, further comprising:

processing information for at least one of renewing the subscription, extending the subscription, and canceling or terminating the subscription.

31. The computer-implemented method of claim 29, further comprising:

processing information for creating or initiating the subscription.

32. The computer-implemented method of claim 29, wherein the subscription is for a specified number of goods or services, and further wherein one or more of the goods or services can be skipped or foregone in or during a specified time period while allowing a subscriber to be able to pick-up or receive all of the specified number of goods or services in or during the specified time period.

33. The computer-implemented method of claim 29, further comprising:

swiping an account card associated with the subscription using a scanner device or a reader device to obtain information stored on the account card.

34. The computer-implemented method of claim 29, further comprising:

processing information regarding a search for the subscription or a search for a second subscription, processing information for determining that the subscription is not active, processing information for re-opening or renewing the subscription, processing information regarding a changing of the retail facility, the store, or the location of the service provider, from which a good or a service can be received or picked-up, or generating a second message, wherein the second message contains information regarding at least one of an availability of a subscription and a subscription sale or special and transmitting the second message to the transaction device or to a communication device associated with an individual or a subscriber, wherein, if the second message is transmitted to the communication device, the second message is transmitted to the communication device on or over at least one of the

Internet and the World Wide Web or on or over a wireless communication network.

35. The computer-implemented method of claim 29, further comprising:

generating a second message, wherein the second message contains information regarding at least one of an availability of a subscription good or service, a shipment of a subscription good to the retail facility, the store, or the location of the service provider, and an arrival of a subscription good at the retail facility, the store, or the location of the service provider; and

transmitting the second message to the transaction device or to a communication device associated with an individual or a subscriber.

36. The computer-implemented method of claim 29, further comprising:

processing a request to create or initiate the subscription, wherein the request is transmitted from the transaction device or from a communication device associated with the retail facility, the store, or the location of the service provider, wherein the request contains information regarding a specified number of goods or services to be picked-up or received at the retail facility, the store, or the location of the service provider, or at another retail facility, another store, or another location of the service provider or another service provider, in or during a specified time period, wherein one or more of the goods or services can be skipped or foregone in or during the specified time period while ensuring that a subscriber is able to pick-up or receive all of the specified number of the goods or services at the retail facility, the store, the location of the service provider, or at another retail facility, another store, or another location of the service provider or another service provider, in or during the specified time period, wherein the request is processed with the processing device or with a second processing device;

creating or initiating the subscription in response to the request; and

transmitting a second message to the transaction device or to the communication device associated with the retail facility, the store, or the location of the service provider, wherein the second message contains information regarding the subscription which was created or initiated.

37. The computer-implemented method of claim 29, wherein the service is a professional service or a contracted for service.

42. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving a request to receive a service at a location of a service provider, a retail facility, or a store, pursuant to a subscription;

processing information regarding the request with a processing device, wherein the processing device determines whether the subscription is active or not active or determines whether any service or services remain to be fulfilled pursuant to the subscription; and

transmitting a message in response to the request, wherein the message contains an authorization or a denial of the request, and further wherein the message is transmitted to a transaction device located at the location of the service provider, the retail facility, or the store, or to a transaction device associated with the service provider, the retail facility, or the store.

43. The computer-implemented method of claim 42, further comprising:

processing information for at least one of renewing the subscription, extending the subscription, and canceling or terminating the subscription.

44. The computer-implemented method of claim 42, further comprising:

processing information for creating or initiating the subscription.

45. The computer-implemented method of claim 42, wherein the subscription is for a specified number of services, and further wherein one or more of the services can be skipped or foregone in or during a specified time period while allowing a subscriber to be able to receive all of the specified number of services in or during the specified time period.

46. The computer-implemented method of claim 42, further comprising:

swiping an account card associated with the subscription using a scanner device or a reader device to obtain information stored on the account card.

47. The computer-implemented method of claim 42, further comprising:

processing information regarding a search for the subscription or a search for a second subscription, processing information for determining that the subscription is not active, processing information for re-opening or renewing the subscription, processing information regarding a changing of the location of the service provider from which a service can be received, or generating a second message, wherein the second message contains information regarding at least one of an availability of a subscription and a subscription sale or special and transmitting the second message to the transaction device or to a communication device associated with an individual or a subscriber, wherein, if the second message is transmitted to the communication device, the second message, is transmitted to the communication device on or over at least one of the Internet and the World Wide Web or on or over a wireless communication network.

48. The computer-implemented method of claim 42, further comprising:

generating a second message, wherein the second message contains information regarding at least one of an availability of a subscription service, a shipment of a good to the location of the service provider, the retail facility, or the store, and an arrival of a good at the location of the service provider, the retail facility, or the store; and

transmitting the second message to the transaction device or to a communication device associated with an individual or a subscriber.

49. The computer-implemented method of claim 42, further comprising:

processing a request to create or initiate the subscription, wherein the request is transmitted from the transaction device or from a communication device associated with the location of the service provider, the retail facility, or the store, wherein the request contains information regarding services to be received at the location of the service provider, the retail facility, or the store, or at another location of the service provider or another service provider, in or during a specified time period, wherein one or more of the services can be skipped or foregone in or during the specified time period while ensuring that a subscriber is able to receive all services at the location of the service provider or at another location of the service provider or another service provider, in or during the specified time period, wherein the request is processed with the processing device or with a second processing device;

creating or initiating the subscription in response to the request; and

transmitting a second message to the transaction device or to a communication device, wherein the second message contains information regarding the subscription which was created or initiated.

50. The computer-implemented method of claim 42, wherein the service is a professional service or a contracted for service.