Method and apparatus for verifying product sale transactions and processing product returns

• US 8,548,860 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2011
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: e2Interactive Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Nintendo of America, Inc. (Nintendo Company Limited)
• Inventors: Junger, Peter J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kazimi, Hani M
• Application Number:
  US12/929,193
• Publication Number:
  US 20110106714A1
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• Field of Search: 705 21- 24, 235375-385
• US Class Current: 705/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/209 Specified transaction journal output feature, e.g. printed receipt or voice output
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

The present invention relates to a computer-based system that provides a method for real time data storage and retrieval for the purpose of verifying and validating sales transactions and product return/warranty repair eligibility. An electronic product registration system is provided which stores information on purchased products and which enables a retail store or the like to verify compliance with return policies prior to accepting a product for return or replacement, thereby reducing improper or fraudulent product returns under warranty, while also providing related functionality to third parties such as law enforcement agencies and the like.

Claims

1. A method for validating consumer returns of purchased products, the method comprising:

providing a first information processing system comprising at least one processor and a product registration database including information on purchased products and return criteria for purchased products,

said information on purchased products including a unique product identifier and transaction information, including at least a date of sale,

said product registration database being updatable via the at least one processor upon successful product purchases made via one or more second information processing systems respectively located at one or more retailers'"'"' facility;

receiving, at the first information processing system, a unique product identifier for a product presented for return, transmitted from one said second information processing system;

determining whether the product presented for return qualifies for return in connection with a look-up of the received unique product identifier in the product registration database and an examination of any corresponding transaction information and return criteria associated with the product presented for return; and

transmitting to the second information processing system product information indicative of whether the product presented for return qualifies for return for display on a display operably connected to the second information processing system;

wherein said first information processing system includes a customer interface, accessible by a purchaser over the Internet after a purchased product has been registered in said product registration database, which enables a purchaser of the purchased product to enter a unique product identifier for the purchased product and purchaser identification information which identifies the purchaser of the purchased product, said first information processing system being operable to store said purchaser information in said product registration database in association with said product information based on said unique product identifier.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first information processing system is located at a location remote from the second information processing system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second information processing system includes a product scanner operable to generate the input by scanning the product.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique product identifier is a product serial number.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique product identifier is provided on said product in the form of a bar code.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the product information includes at least a date of purchase, location of purchase, and purchase payment information.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the product information further includes a listing of available options with respect to return, replacement, and repair of the product presented for return.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the display facilitates selection of one of the available options, and further comprising:

updating the product registration database based on the option selected.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer interface of said first information processing system prompts the customer to enter validation information that is used by said first information processing system to validate the customer prior to accepting customer identification information through said customer interface.

10. A method for validating consumer returns of purchased products, the method comprising:

providing a first information processing system comprising at least one processor, a customer interface, and a product registration database including information on purchased products and return criteria for purchased products,

said information on purchased products including a unique product identifier and transaction information, including at least a date of sale,

said product registration database being updatable via the at least one processor upon successful product purchases made via one or more second information processing systems respectively located at one or more retailers'"'"' facility, and

said customer interface being accessible by a purchaser over the Internet after a purchased product has been registered in said product registration database, the customer interface being configured to enable a purchaser of the purchased product to enter a unique product identifier for the purchased product and purchaser identification information that identifies the purchaser of the purchased product, said first information processing system being operable to store said purchaser information in said product registration database in association with said product information based on said unique product identifier,

wherein the at least one first information processing system is configured to;

receive a unique product identifier for a product presented for return, transmitted from one said second information processing system,

determine whether the product presented for return qualifies for return in connection with a look-up of the received unique product identifier in the product registration database and an examination of any corresponding transaction information and return criteria associated with the product presented for return; and

transmit to the second information processing system product information indicative of whether the product presented for return qualifies for return for display on a display operably connected to the second information processing system.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising enabling the purchaser to login to the customer interface.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising upon a successful login by the purchaser, presenting to the purchaser, via the customer interface, return/warranty information for the purchased product.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the return/warranty information for the purchased product includes a list of customer options.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the customer options are user selectable and further comprising providing addition return/warranty instructions relevant to a selected customer option.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising upon a successful login by the purchaser, presenting to the purchaser, via the customer interface, operating and/or setup information for the purchased product.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising upon a successful login by the purchaser, presenting to the purchaser, via the customer interface, vendor and/or product information.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the first information processing system is located at a location remote from the second information processing system.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the unique product identifier is a product serial number.

19. The method of claim 10, wherein the product information includes at least a date of purchase, location of purchase, and purchase payment information.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the product information further includes a listing of available options with respect to return, replacement, and repair of the product presented for return.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the display is arranged to facilitate selection of one of the available options, and further comprising:

updating the product registration database based on the option selected.

22. The method of claim 10, further comprising prompting the customer to enter validation information that is used by said first information processing system to validate the customer prior to accepting customer identification information through said customer interface.

23. A system for validating consumer returns of purchased products, comprising:

a first information processing system comprising at least one processor, a customer interface, and a product registration database including information on purchased products and return criteria for purchased products,

said information on purchased products including a unique product identifier and transaction information, including at least a date of sale,

said product registration database being updatable via the at least one processor upon successful product purchases made via one or more second information processing systems respectively located at one or more retailers'"'"' facility, and

said customer interface being accessible by a purchaser over the Internet after a purchased product has been registered in said product registration database, the customer interface being configured to enable a purchaser of the purchased product to enter a unique product identifier for the purchased product and purchaser identification information that identifies the purchaser of the purchased product, said first information processing system being operable to store said purchaser information in said product registration database in association with said product information based on said unique product identifier,

wherein the at least one first information processing system is configured to;

receive a unique product identifier for a product presented for return, transmitted from one said second information processing system,

determine whether the product presented for return qualifies for return in connection with a look-up of the received unique product identifier in the product registration database and an examination of any corresponding transaction information and return criteria associated with the product presented for return; and

transmit to the second information processing system product information indicative of whether the product presented for return qualifies for return for display on a display operably connected to the second information processing system.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein upon a successful login to the customer interface by the purchaser, return/warranty information for the purchased product is presented to the purchaser.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the return/warranty information for the purchased product includes a list of customer options.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the customer options are user selectable and wherein addition return/warranty instructions relevant to a selected customer option is presentable upon selection.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein upon a successful login to the customer interface by the purchaser, operating and/or setup information for the purchased product is presented to the purchaser.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein upon a successful login to the customer interface by the purchaser, vendor and/or product information for the purchased product is presented to the purchaser.

29. The system of claim 23, wherein the first information processing system is located at a location remote from the second information processing system.

30. The system of claim 23, wherein the unique product identifier is a product serial number.

31. The system of claim 23, wherein the product information includes at least a date of purchase, location of purchase, and purchase payment information.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the product information further includes a listing of available options with respect to return, replacement, and repair of the product presented for return.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the display is arranged to facilitate selection of one of the available options, wherein the product registration database is updatable based on the option selected.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the customer interface of said first information processing system is configured to prompt the customer to enter validation information that is used by said first information processing system to validate the customer prior to accepting customer identification information through said customer interface.