Methods and systems for automated product registration

• US 8,768,775 B1
• Filed: 10/28/2011
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Inventors: Roper, Colin John, Dalit, Christian Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender, Ryan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Haider, Fawaad
• Application Number:
  US13/284,760
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 705/16, 39/16
• US Class Current: 705/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/01 Customer relationship services

Abstract

Systems, methods and articles for automating the process of registering a product purchased by a consumer from a merchant in a purchase transaction. Product data including product identification data is obtained from a merchant electronic point of sale system as the consumer checks out. The product data is then automatically transmitted to a product registration system, such as via a consumer'"'"'s mobile communication device having a product registration app. An auto-registration database is accessed to see if auto-registration is available for the product. If auto-registration is available for the product, then a request is made to the consumer to authorize auto-registration for the product. If the consumer accepts the auto-registration, then consumer data, such as the consumer name and contact information, is sent to the product registration system. The product registration system then creates a product registration record using the product data and the consumer data.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for registering a product purchased by a consumer from a merchant in a purchase transaction, the method being performed by a product registration system including a computer and comprising the steps of:

the product registration system electronically receiving product data including product identification data, the product data being received from one of a merchant electronic point of sale system and a mobile communication device of the consumer, the product data having been obtained by the one of the merchant electronic point of sale system and the mobile communication device substantially concurrently with the purchase transaction;

the product registration system determining that the product is eligible for registration using a database of registrable products;

the product registration system identifying information needed to register the product;

the product registration system electronically sending a first message to the mobile communication device requesting authorization to access consumer data;

the product registration system electronically receiving consumer data including personal information of the consumer after receiving an authorization from the consumer to access consumer data, the consumer data and product data related to each other as part of the purchase transaction;

the product registration system electronically sending a second message to the mobile communication device requesting authorization to register the product to the consumer;

the product registration system receiving an authorization from the consumer to register the product to the consumer; and

the product registration system creating a registration record relating the consumer to the product using the product data and the consumer data received by the product registration system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the consumer data is received from the mobile communication device of the consumer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the product data received by the product registration system is received from the mobile communication device after being transferred from the merchant electronic point of sale system to the mobile communication device and then being transferred from the mobile communication device to the product registration system.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising electronically transmitting the registration record to a provider of the product.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the provider is one of a manufacturer, a distributor, a reseller and a retailer of the product.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the product data is received by the product registration system via a communication network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the product is a software computer program, and the product data includes a serial number.

8. A system for facilitating registration of a product purchased by a consumer from a merchant in a purchase transaction, comprising:

a product registration system comprising at least one computer and a database of registrable products, the product registration system operably coupled to a communication network for providing communication between the product registration system and at least one of a merchant electronic point of sale system and a mobile communication device of the consumer, the product registration system configured to;

electronically receive product data including product identification data from one of the merchant electronic point of sale system and the mobile communication device, the product registration system being configured to obtain the product data substantially concurrently with the purchase transaction;

determine that the product is eligible for registration using the database;

identify information needed to register the product;

electronically send a first message to the mobile communication device requesting authorization to access consumer data;

electronically receive consumer data including personal information of the consumer after receiving an authorization from the consumer to access consumer data, the consumer data and product data related to each other as part of the purchase transaction;

electronically send a second message to the mobile communication device requesting authorization to register the product to the consumer;

electronically receive an authorization from the consumer to register the product to the consumer; and

create a registration record relating the consumer to the product using the product data and the consumer data received by the product registration system.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the product registration system is configured to create the registration record by transmitting the product data and consumer data to a product provider registration system.

11. The system of claim 8, the product registration system being configured to receive the consumer data from the mobile communication device of the consumer.

12. The system of claim 8, the product registration system being configured to receive the product data from the mobile communication device after being transferred from the merchant electronic point of sale system to the mobile communication device and then being transferred from the mobile communication device to the product registration system.

13. The system of claim 8, the product registration system being configured to transmit the registration record to a provider of the product.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the provider is one of a manufacturer, a distributor, a reseller and a retailer of the product.

15. The system of claim 8, the product registration system being configured to receive the product data via a communication network.

16. The system of claim 8, wherein the product is a software computer program, and the product data includes a serial number.

10. An article of manufacture comprising a non-transitory computer program carrier readable by a computer and embodying instructions executable by the computer to perform the method steps of registering a product purchased by a consumer from a merchant in a purchase transaction, comprising:

electronically receiving product data including product identification data, the product data received from one of a merchant electronic point of sale system and a mobile communication device of the consumer, the product data having been obtained by the merchant electronic point of sale system or the mobile communication device substantially concurrently with the purchase transaction;

determining that the product is eligible for registration using a database of registrable products;

identifying information needed to register the product;

electronically sending a first message to the mobile communication device requesting authorization to access consumer data;

electronically receiving consumer data including personal information of the consumer, the consumer data and product data related to each other as part of the purchase transaction;

electronically sending a second message to the mobile communication device requesting authorization to register the product to the consumer;

electronically receiving an authorization from the consumer to register the product to the consumer; and

creating a registration record relating the consumer to the product using the product data and the consumer data received by the product registration system.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 10, wherein the consumer data is received from the mobile communication device of the consumer.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 10, wherein the product data received by the product registration system is received from the mobile communication device after being transferred from the merchant electronic point of sale system to the mobile communication device and then being transferred from the mobile communication device to the product registration system.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 10, the method steps further comprising electronically transmitting the registration record to a provider of the product.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein the provider is one of a manufacturer, a distributor, a reseller and a retailer of the product.

21. The article of manufacture of claim 10, wherein the product data is received by the product registration system via a communication network.

22. The article of manufacture of claim 10, wherein the product is a software computer program, and the product data includes a serial number.