Apparatus and methods for inventory, sale, and delivery of digitally transferable goods

• US 8,140,398 B1
• Filed: 09/24/2004
• Issued: 03/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Digital Patent LLC
• Inventors: Boesjes, Eimar M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Boyce, Akiba Robinson
• Application Number:
  US10/950,366
• Time in Patent Office: 2,734 Days
• Field of Search: 705/28, 705/27, 705/26, 705/1, 705/39, 705/26.1, 705/26.7, 705/26.8, 705/26.81, 705/27.1, 705/27.2, 705/26.9
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• 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 30/0639 Item locations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers

Abstract

A system comprises: a) storage and distribution means; b) inventory upload means; c) product information download means; d) order upload means; and e) delivery download means. A method comprises: (a) digitally transferring the goods and pertinent product information from a provider of the goods to a storage and distribution means; (b) storing the goods, pertinent product information, order information, sales information, or marketing information on the storage and distribution means; (c) digitally transferring product information to a shopper; (d) digitally transferring order information from a buyer of goods to the storage and distribution means; and (e) digitally transferring the goods to the buyer. The storage and distribution means may be provided with a network connection for access by providers, shoppers, and buyers.

Claims

1. A method of distributing digital goods, the method comprising:

(a) receiving, by a processor, at a connection to a globally accessible computer network, digital goods of a plurality of independent, remotely located digital goods providers and product information related to the received digital goods;

(b) electronically storing in centrally-administered digital goods storage the received digital goods and the related product information;

(c) for each of the plurality of digital goods providers, providing, by the processor, to the digital goods provider and to an administrator of digital goods distribution, access to the stored digital goods and product information received from that digital goods provider;

(d) in response to a request for information received at a connection to the globally accessible computer network from a remotely located shopper, transmitting, by the processor, to a connection to the globally accessible computer network, directed to the shopper, selected stored product information pertaining to at least a portion of the stored digital goods of a plurality of the multiple providers; and

(e) in response to a purchase request identifying at least one item of the stored digital goods, received at a connection to the globally accessible computer network from a remotely located purchaser, transferring, by the processor, from the centrally-administered digital goods storage to a connection to the globally accessible computer network, directed to the purchaser, a digital reproduction of the item of digital goods identified in the purchase request.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising accepting, at a connection to the globally accessible computer network, from one of the digital goods providers, updates of the corresponding stored digital goods or product information.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising automatically accepting, at a connection to the globally accessible computer network, from one of the digital goods providers, updates of the corresponding stored digital goods or product information.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising, during a digital goods provider access session after step (a), receiving, at a connection to the globally accessible computer network, and storing in the centrally-administered digital goods storage additional digital goods of the corresponding digital goods provider or additional related product information.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising, during a digital goods provider access session after step (a), in response to a command received at a connection to the globally accessible computer network from the corresponding digital goods provider, removing from the centrally-administered digital goods storage selected stored digital goods or selected stored product information.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein restricting access to stored goods and product information includes validating the corresponding digital goods provider by:

(i) establishing a corresponding digital goods provider account;

(ii) assigning to the corresponding digital goods provider corresponding account identification data or a corresponding password;

(iii) receiving, at a connection to the globally accessible computer network, an electronic mail address, financial information, or identification information for the corresponding digital goods provider; and

(iv) verifying the electronic mail address, the financial information, or the identification information for the corresponding digital goods provider.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(i) maintaining marketing or sales information pertaining to shopper or buyer activity related to the stored digital goods of at least one of the digital goods providers; and

(ii) in response to a request for information received at a connection to the globally accessible computer network from the at least one digital goods provider, transmitting to a connection to the globally accessible computer network, directed to the requesting digital goods provider, maintained marketing or sales information.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the product information is stored on the globally accessible computer network in a searchable database, the method further comprising searching the database to select the transmitted product information.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising validating the purchase request by:

(i) receiving, at a connection to the globally accessible computer network, an electronic mail address, financial information, or identification information for the corresponding requesting shopper;

(ii) verifying the electronic mail address, the financial information, or the identification information for the corresponding requesting shopper;

(iii) assigning to the corresponding requesting shopper corresponding purchase request identification data or a corresponding purchase request password; and

(iv) transmitting to a connection to the globally accessible computer network, directed to the corresponding requesting shopper, the purchase request identification data or the purchase request password.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

(i) logging the electronic mail address, the financial information, or a date/time/network address corresponding to the purchase request; and

(ii) storing as product sales information the purchase request, the electronic mail address, the date/time/network address, or the financial information.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(i) allocating a corresponding purchased digital goods storage region to the corresponding requesting shopper;

(ii) providing and restricting, to the corresponding requesting shopper and an administrator of digital goods distribution, access to the corresponding purchased digital goods storage region;

(iii) receiving, at a connection to a globally accessible computer network, the digital reproduction of the item identified in the purchase request, and storing the digital reproduction of the identified item in the corresponding purchased digital goods storage region; and

(iv) in response to a request received at a connection to the globally accessible computer network, transmitting from the corresponding purchased digital goods storage region to a connection to the globally accessible computer network, directed to the requesting shopper, the digital reproduction of the identified item.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein restricting access to the corresponding purchased digital goods storage region includes validating the corresponding requesting shopper by:

(i) establishing a corresponding shopper account;

(ii) assigning to the corresponding requesting shopper corresponding shopper account identification data or a corresponding shopper password;

(iii) receiving, at a connection to the globally accessible computer network, an electronic mail address, financial information, or identification information for the corresponding requesting shopper;

(iv) verifying the electronic mail address, the financial information, or the identification information for the corresponding requesting shopper; and

(v) transmitting to a connection to the globally accessible computer network, directed to the corresponding requesting shopper, the shopper account identification data or the shopper password,

wherein the received request includes the shopper account identification data or the shopper password.

25. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing for the corresponding digital goods provider an accounting record of the transfer of the digital reproduction of the identified item.

26. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing for the requesting shopper an accounting record of the transfer of the digital reproduction of the identified item.

32. The method of claim 1 wherein the digital goods available for purchase and download comprise music, books, video, film, and executable code in digitally transferable form.

33. The method of claim 1 wherein the digital goods include images in digitally transferable form.

34. The method of claim 1 wherein the digital goods include, in digitally transferable form, music or sounds.

35. The method of claim 1 wherein the digital goods include, in digitally transferable form, video or film.

36. The method of claim 1 wherein the digital goods include, in digitally transferable form, text or books.

37. The method of claim 1 wherein the digital goods include, in digitally transferable form, executable code or object code.

38. The method of claim 1 wherein transferring in part (e) includes directing the digital reproduction of the item of digital goods to the remotely located purchaser via a wireless link.

13. A system for distributing digital goods, the system comprising:

(a) at least one computer that is structured and connected (i) to receive, at a connection to a globally accessible computer network, digital goods of a plurality of independent, remotely located digital goods providers and product information related to the received digital goods, (ii) to electronically store in centrally-administered digital goods storage the digital goods and the related product information, and (iii) for each of the plurality of digital goods providers, to provide to the digital goods provider and to an administrator of the system, access to the stored digital goods and product information received from that digital goods provider;

(b) at least one computer that is structured and connected to transmit, in response to a request for information received at a connection to the globally accessible computer network from a remotely located shopper, to a connection to the globally accessible computer network, directed to the requesting shopper, selected stored product information pertaining to at least a portion of the stored digital goods of a plurality of the multiple providers;

(c) at least one computer that is structured and connected to transfer, in response to a purchase request received at a connection to the globally accessible computer network from a remotely located purchaser and identifying at least one item of the stored digital goods, a digital reproduction of the item identified in the purchase request, the digital reproduction being transferred from the centrally-administered digital goods storage to a connection to the globally accessible computer network and directed to the requesting purchaser.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the at least one computer of part (a) is structured and connected to accept, at a connection to the globally accessible computer network, updates of the corresponding stored digital goods or product information.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the at least one computer of part (a) is structured and connected to automatically accept, at a connection to the globally accessible computer network, updates of the corresponding stored digital goods or product information.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein the at least one computer of part (a) is programmed and connected to receive, at a connection to the globally accessible computer network after receiving the digital goods and the related product information, and store in the centrally-administered digital goods storage additional digital goods of the corresponding digital goods provider or additional related product information.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein the at least one computer of part (a) is programmed and connected to remove from the centrally-administered digital goods storage, in response to a command received at a connection to the globally accessible computer network from the corresponding digital goods provider after receiving the digital goods and the related product information, selected stored digital goods or selected stored product information.

18. The system of claim 13 wherein the at least one computer of part (a) is programmed and connected to validate the corresponding digital goods provider by:

(i) establishing a corresponding digital goods provider account;

(ii) assigning to the corresponding digital goods provider corresponding account identification data or a corresponding password;

(iii) receiving, at a connection to the globally accessible computer network, an electronic mail address, financial information, or identification information for the corresponding digital goods provider; and

(iv) verifying the electronic mail address, the financial information, or the identification information for the corresponding digital goods provider.

19. The system of claim 13 further comprising at least one computer that is programmed and connected to:

(i) maintain marketing or sales information pertaining to shopper or buyer activity related to the stored digital goods of the corresponding digital goods provider; and

(ii) transmit, in response to a request for information received at a connection to the globally accessible computer network from the corresponding digital goods provider, to a connection to the globally accessible computer network, directed to the corresponding digital goods provider, requested marketing or sales information.

20. The system of claim 13 wherein the product information is stored on the globally accessible computer network in a searchable database, and the at least one computer of part (b) is structured and connected to search the database to select the transmitted product information.

21. The system of claim 13 wherein the at least one computer of part (c) is structured and connected to validate the purchase request by:

(i) receiving, at a connection to the globally accessible computer network, an electronic mail address, financial information, or identification information for the corresponding requesting shopper;

(ii) verifying the electronic mail address, the financial information, or the identification information for the corresponding requesting shopper;

(iii) assigning to the corresponding requesting shopper corresponding purchase request identification data or a corresponding purchase request password; and

(iv) transmitting to a connection to the globally accessible computer network, directed to the corresponding requesting shopper, the purchase request identification data or the purchase request password.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the at least one computer of part (c) is programmed and connected to:

(i) log the electronic mail address, the financial information, or a date/time/network address corresponding to the purchase request; and

(ii) store as product sales information the purchase request, the electronic mail address, the date/time/network address, or the financial information.

23. The system of claim 13 wherein the at least one computer of part (d) is structured and connected to:

(i) allocate a corresponding purchased digital goods storage region to the corresponding requesting shopper;

(ii) provide and restrict, to the corresponding requesting shopper and an administrator of the system, access to the corresponding purchased digital goods storage region;

(iii) receive, at a connection to a globally accessible computer network, the digital reproduction of the item identified in the purchase request, and stores the digital reproduction of the identified item in the corresponding purchased digital goods storage region; and

(iv) in response to a request received at a connection to the globally accessible computer network, transmit from the corresponding purchased digital goods storage region to a connection to the globally accessible computer network, directed to the requesting shopper, the digital reproduction of the identified item.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the at least one computer of part (d) is programmed and connected to validate the corresponding requesting shopper by:

(i) establishing a corresponding shopper account;

(ii) assigning to the corresponding requesting shopper corresponding shopper account identification data or a corresponding shopper password;

(iii) receiving, at a connection to the globally accessible computer network, an electronic mail address, financial information, or identification information for the corresponding requesting shopper;

(iv) verifying the electronic mail address, the financial information, or the identification information for the corresponding requesting shopper; and

(v) transmitting to a connection to the globally accessible computer network, directed to the corresponding requesting shopper, the shopper account identification data or the shopper password,

wherein the received request includes the shopper account identification data or the shopper password.

27. The system of claim 13 further comprising at least one computer structured and connected to provide for the corresponding digital goods provider an accounting record of the transfer of the digital reproduction of the identified item.

28. The system of claim 13 further comprising at least one computer structured and connected to provide for the requesting shopper an accounting record of the transfer of the digital reproduction of the identified item.

39. The system of claim 13 wherein the digital goods available for purchase and download comprise music, books, video, film, and executable code in digitally transferable form.

40. The system of claim 13 wherein the digital goods include images in digitally transferable form.

41. The system of claim 13 wherein the digital goods include, in digitally transferable form, music or sounds.

42. The system of claim 13 wherein the digital goods include, in digitally transferable form, video or film.

43. The system of claim 13 wherein the digital goods include, in digitally transferable form, text or books.

44. The system of claim 13 wherein the digital goods include, in digitally transferable form, executable code or object code.

45. The system of claim 13 further comprising at least one computer structured and connected to direct the digital reproduction of the item of digital goods to the remotely located purchaser via a wireless link.

29. A system for distributing digital goods, the system comprising:

(a) centrally-administered computer-accessible digital goods data storage coupled to at least one computer that is on the globally accessible computer network;

(b) a computer-stored database accessible over the globally accessible computer network and containing a multitude of entries, each entry containing indicia of information associated with an item of a multitude of digital goods received from multiple remotely located digital goods providers and stored in the centrally-administered data storage;

(c) a computer security system allowing access privileges to revise, through the globally accessible computer network, each item of the multitude of digital goods and the corresponding entries in the database, to, and only to, (i) an administrator of the system, and (ii) a corresponding one of the multiple remotely located digital goods providers who is independent of the administrator and who transmitted the item of the multitude of digital goods for storage in the centrally-administered data storage;

(d) a computerized search and retrieval engine accessible over the globally accessible computer network and coupled to the database, configured to retrieve and transmit to a requester information from entries matching a search request, which entries pertain to at least a portion of the stored digital goods of a plurality of the multiple providers;

(e) a computerized order-taking system coupled to the globally accessible computer network structured to accept orders from remotely located purchasers for specified items of the digital goods stored in the centrally-administered data storage; and

(f) a centrally-administered server responsive to the order-taking system, coupled to the globally accessible computer network, and configured to serve digital reproductions of items of the digital goods identified in the orders directed to the respective purchasers.

30. The system of claim 29 further comprising a computerized accounting system coupled to the globally accessible computer network structured to provide for the corresponding digital goods providers accounting records of the corresponding served digital reproductions.

31. The system of claim 29 further comprising a computerized accounting system coupled to the globally accessible computer network structured to provide for the corresponding purchasers accounting records of the corresponding served digital reproductions.