Method and apparatus for collecting, aggregating and providing post-sale market data for an item
First Claim
1. A computer-based method, comprising:
- obtaining via a computer operational data for each of a multiplicity of items each equipped with measurement instrumentation, the operational data being based at least in part on at least one physical quantity other than time measured by the measurement instrumentation, wherein the multiplicity of items are used by a multiplicity of different respective individual end-user consumers remote from the computer, and the operational data is automatically obtained and automatically transmitted to the computer;
storing via the computer the operational data in a database;
receiving from a requesting individual end-user consumer via the computer a request for data based upon an analysis of at least a portion of the operational data corresponding to at least a plurality of the multiplicity of items; and
generating via the computer the data based upon the analysis,wherein the computer is operated by a party whose interest in the use of the items includes none of ownership, operation, service, maintenance, legal regulation, manufacture, distribution, and insurance of the item, and wherein further, the data based upon the analysis is generated as a service to a requesting individual end-user consumer having an interest in using an item of a same group as the multiplicity of items.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Various systems for collecting individual post-sale market data for products or services, and determining aggregate post-sale market data therefrom, are provided. In such systems, a sale of a product or service may trigger a third party, such as a payment provider, to arrange for the collection of individual post-sale market data from the consumer. Alternatively, such post-sale market data may be directly provided by smart devices and the like. Dependent upon the type of product or service involved, a schedule for continuously submitting post-sale market data for the product or service may be provided and the consumer may be encouraged to submit post-sale market data in accordance therewith through a variety of incentives. The received, individual, post-sale market data may be aggregated by one or more sources to determine aggregate post-sale market data for the product or service. Individual post-sale market data may be normalized based on identifiable traits of the individual submitting the post-sale market data prior to such aggregation. The submitted individual data and/or the determined aggregate post-sale market data may then be provided to consumers in order to assist them in making purchasing decisions. The collection and dissemination of post-sale market data may be accomplished, for example, via a software agent, such as a shopping bot, which may provide desired post-sale market data to a consumer prior to a sale and which may initiate collection of individual post-sale market data after a sale is recognized. Various other on-line and off-line embodiments are proposed for the collection, aggregation and dissemination of such post-sale market data.
105 Citations
48 Claims
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1. A computer-based method, comprising:
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obtaining via a computer operational data for each of a multiplicity of items each equipped with measurement instrumentation, the operational data being based at least in part on at least one physical quantity other than time measured by the measurement instrumentation, wherein the multiplicity of items are used by a multiplicity of different respective individual end-user consumers remote from the computer, and the operational data is automatically obtained and automatically transmitted to the computer; storing via the computer the operational data in a database; receiving from a requesting individual end-user consumer via the computer a request for data based upon an analysis of at least a portion of the operational data corresponding to at least a plurality of the multiplicity of items; and generating via the computer the data based upon the analysis, wherein the computer is operated by a party whose interest in the use of the items includes none of ownership, operation, service, maintenance, legal regulation, manufacture, distribution, and insurance of the item, and wherein further, the data based upon the analysis is generated as a service to a requesting individual end-user consumer having an interest in using an item of a same group as the multiplicity of items. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A computer-based method, comprising:
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obtaining via a computer operational data for each of a multiplicity of items each equipped with measurement instrumentation, over a communication network, the operational data being based at least in part on at least one physical quantity other than time measured by the measurement instrumentation, wherein the multiplicity of items are used by a multiplicity of different respective individual end-user consumers remote from the computer, and the operational data is automatically obtained and automatically transmitted to the computer; generating via the computer an analysis of at least a portion of the operational data corresponding to at least a plurality of the multiplicity of items; communicating data based on the analysis to a plurality of individual end-user consumers; and wherein the computer is operated by a third party information provider whose interest in the use of the multiplicity of items includes none of ownership, operation, service, maintenance, legal regulation, manufacture, distribution, and insurance of at least one of the multiplicity of items, and wherein further, the data based on the analysis is generated as a service to a requesting individual end-user consumer having an interest in using an item of a same group as the multiplicity of items.
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Specification