Method and apparatus for managing subscriptions

• US 8,121,899 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2009
• Issued: 02/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Michiko, Gelman, Geoffrey M., Sammon, Russell Pratt, Golden, Andrew P., Stevenson, Adam, Walker, Jay S., Mik, Magdalena, Jorasch, James A., Van Luchene, Andrew S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gart, Matthew S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Crawley, Talia
• Application Number:
  US12/611,365
• Publication Number:
  US 20100049601A1
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: 705/16
• US Class Current: 705/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/085 involving remote charge determination or related payment systems
• 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 20/22 Payment schemes or models
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• 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 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0231 Awarding of a frequent usage incentive independent of the monetary value of a good or service purchased, or distance travelled
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0284 Time or distance, e.g. usage of parking meters or taximeters
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

A subscription system allows a customer to establish a subscription to a product with one or more retailers (e.g., by establishing the subscription through a controller or central system). In one embodiment, a subscription may be established after receiving information that identifies a product. Terms of a subscription for the product are established, such as a frequency and a duration of the subscription.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving information that identifies a product;

identifying a retailer offering the product; and

establishing, by a controller, a subscription for the product, in which the subscription is valid for the retailer, in which terms of the subscription include;

a subscription price of the product,

a frequency of the subscription that indicates a period of time,

a duration of the subscription, in which the duration of the subscription includes a plurality of the periods of time, and

in which in order to comply with the frequency of the subscription the customer is required to purchase at least one unit of the product in each respective period of time; and

determining, via the controller, that the customer is in compliance with the frequency of the subscription.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving via a point of sale an identifier that identifies the subscription; and

receiving via the point of sale an indication of the product.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

authorizing the customer to purchase a unit of the product at the subscription price.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the subscription prices is less than a retail price of a unit of the product.

5. The method of claim 1, in which the terms of the subscription indicate that the customer is required to purchase at least one unit of the product weekly.

6. The method of claim 1, in which the terms further include a penalty to be assessed against the customer if the customer violates one or more terms of the subscription.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting one or more terms of the subscription to the retailer.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

tracking fulfillment of the subscription.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication of acceptance of the terms of the subscription by the customer.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device in communication with the processor, the storage device storing instructions configured such that when executed by the processor the instructions direct the processor to;

receive information that identifies a product;

identify a retailer offering the product; and

establish a subscription for the product, in which the subscription is valid for the retailer, in which terms of the subscription include;

a subscription price of the product,

a frequency of the subscription that indicates a period of time,

a duration of the subscription, in which the duration of the subscription includes a plurality of the periods of time, and

in which in order to comply with the frequency of the subscription the customer is required to purchase at least one unit of the product in each respective period of time; and

determine that the customer is in compliance with the frequency of the subscription.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, the instructions being further configured to direct the processor to:

receive via a point of sale an identifier that identifies the subscription; and

receive via the point of sale an indication of the product.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, the instructions being further configured to direct the processor to:

authorize the customer to purchase a unit of the product at the subscription price.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the subscription prices is less than a retail price of a unit of the product.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, in which the terms further include a penalty to be assessed against the customer if the customer violates one or more terms of the subscription.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, the instructions being further configured to direct the processor to:

transmit one or more terms of the subscription to the retailer.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, the instructions being further configured to direct the processor to:

track fulfillment of the subscription.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, the instructions being further configured to direct the processor to:

receive an indication of acceptance of the terms of the subscription by the customer.

18. A computer readable storage device storing instructions configured to direct a controller to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving information that identifies a product;

identifying a retailer offering the product; and

establishing, by a controller, a subscription for the product, in which the subscription is valid for the retailer, in which terms of the subscription include;

a subscription price of the product,

a frequency of the subscription that indicates a period of time,

a duration of the subscription, in which the duration of the subscription includes a plurality of the periods of time, and

in which in order to comply with the frequency of the subscription the customer is required to purchase at least one unit of the product in each respective period of time; and

determining, via the controller, that the customer is in compliance with the frequency of the subscription.

19. The computer readable storage device of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving via a point of sale an identifier that identifies the subscription; and

receiving via the point of sale an indication of the product.

20. The computer readable storage device of claim 18, further comprising:

authorizing the customer to purchase a unit of the product at the subscription price.