Methods and apparatus for intelligent selection of goods and services in telephonic and electronic commerce

• US 7,996,279 B1
• Filed: 09/24/2007
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: West Interactive Services Corporation (West Corporation)
• Original Assignee: West Corporation
• Inventors: Barker, Thomas B, West, Gary L, Katz, Ronald A
• Primary Examiner(s): Garg; Yogesh C
• Application Number:
  US11/859,933
• Time in Patent Office: 1,415 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 705/26, 705/27, 705/26.7, 705/26.1, 455/105
• US Class Current: 705/26.7
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0223 based on inventory
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0629 for generating comparisons
• 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 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers

Abstract

Providing offers of an item constituting a good or a service to users of a system, utilizing an electronic communications device, comprises at least the following: establishing a communication via the electronic communications device between a given user and the system for purpose of a primary transaction for a first good or service, obtaining primary transaction data with respect to the primary transaction, including the purpose of the primary transaction, obtaining the identity of the given user, utilizing at least in part the primary transaction data including the purpose of the primary transaction and the identity of the user, and determining at least one item for offer to the given user, and offering the item to the given user.

Claims

1. A method for providing offers of an item constituting a good or a service to users of a system, utilizing an electronic communications device, comprising at least the following:

establishing a communication via the electronic communications device between a buyer and the system for purpose of a primary transaction for a first good or service,

receiving primary transaction data with respect to the primary transaction, including the purpose of the primary transaction, wherein the obtaining of primary transaction data is received as a plurality of inputs into a database of the system,

obtaining the identity of the buyer,

determining a coded designator from the identity of the buyer, the coded designator being indicative of processed data from a financial institution of the buyer;

processing in at least one computing device of the system at least in part the primary transaction data including the purpose of the primary transaction and the coded designator, and determining from the primary transaction data and the coded designator an output including at least one item for offer to the buyer, and

offering the item to the buyer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein obtaining the identity of the user includes obtaining the given user'"'"'s social security number.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein obtaining the identity of the buyer includes obtaining the given user'"'"'s electronic address.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein obtaining the buyer'"'"'s electronic address includes obtaining an electronic mail (e-mail) address.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein obtaining the buyer'"'"'s electronic address includes obtaining an internet service provider identification.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein obtaining the identity of the user includes obtaining the given user'"'"'s customer number.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein obtaining the identity of the user includes obtaining the given user'"'"'s electronic signature.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein obtaining the identity of the user includes obtaining the given user'"'"'s billing data.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein offering the item to the buyer includes offering the item to the buyer in real time with the primary transaction.

10. Apparatus for providing offers of an item constituting a good or a service to users of a system, utilizing an electronic communications device, the apparatus comprising at least the following:

means for establishing a communication via the electronic communications device between a buyer and the system at least to initiate a primary transaction for a first good or service,

means for obtaining primary transaction data with respect to the primary transaction, including a purpose of the primary transaction, wherein the obtaining of primary transaction data is received as a plurality of inputs into a database,

means for obtaining a coded designator from the identity of the buyer, the coded designator being indicative of processed data from a financial institution of the buyer,

means for utilizing at least in part the primary transaction data including the purpose of the primary transaction and the coded designator and determining from the primary transaction data and the coded designator an output including at least one item for offer to the buyer, and

means for offering the item to the buyer.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the means for offering the item are adapted to offer the item to the buyer in real time with the primary transaction.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the means for offering the item are adapted to offer the item to the given user in lieu of the primary transaction.