Method and system of converting a generic tool and customer service system into a specific tool and specific customer service system

• US 9,123,051 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2010
• Issued: 09/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innova Electronics Corporation (Innova Telematics Solutions)
• Original Assignee: Innova Electronics Corporation (Innova Telematics Solutions)
• Inventors: Chen, Ieon
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilder, Hunter
• Application Number:
  US12/768,630
• Publication Number:
  US 20110264322A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,953 Days
• Field of Search: 701/31.5, 701/34.4, 701/34.2, 705/7.11, 705/304, 705/500, 705/902
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

Provided is a method for converting a generic system into a specifically-branded system after the sale of an item. The method alleviates a supplier'"'"'s inventory burdens by allowing the supplier to inventory generic items, rather than items specifically branded for a particular retailer. The items may be branded with the selling retailer'"'"'s logo or indicia after the sale of the item. Furthermore, the item may be associated with a customer service system, which may also be branded with the selling retailer'"'"'s logo after the sale of the item. The conversion of the item and customer service system from a generic item and system into a specifically-branded item and system may foster the relationship between the supplier and retailer and entice the retailer to maintain the relationship with the supplier.

Claims

1. A method of associating a specific private label retailer with an electronic automotive diagnostic device sold by a plurality of retailers and provided by a provider, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing, by the provider, a generically configured version of the electronic automotive diagnostic device for sale to a plurality of private label retailers separate from the provider, the electronic automotive diagnostic device provided to each of the plurality of private label retailers being substantially the same and being configured to retrieve diagnostic data from an onboard computer located on a vehicle;

b) providing to an end user of the electronic automotive diagnostic device, after retail sale of the electronic automotive diagnostic device to the end user by the specific private label retailer of the plurality of private label retailers, a list of the plurality of private label retailers;

c) receiving retailer data on the electronic automotive diagnostic device from an end user identifying the specific private label retailer from which the electronic automotive diagnostic device was purchased;

d) configuring the electronic automotive diagnostic device to a branded variant thereof to display first identification indicia specifically associated with the specific private label retailer of the plurality of private label retailers to increase the end user'"'"'s association with the identified specific private label retailer, in response to receipt of the retailer data;

e) providing a customer service system including a base website with at least one database and a plurality of portals in operative communication with the at least one database, each of the plurality of portals having identification indicia associated with a respective one of the plurality of private label retailers; and

f) configuring the customer service system by correlating the branded variant of the electronic automotive diagnostic device with one of the plurality of portals having second identification indicia associated with the identified specific private label retailer, the one of the plurality of portals including a graphical interface having an appearance of being a private label retailer website of the identified specific private label retailer and providing a unified user experience in conjunction with functionalities as modified and tailored by the specific private label retailer, in response to receipt of the retailer data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step b) includes displaying the list of the plurality of private label retailers on the electronic automotive diagnostic device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein step b) includes displaying the list of the plurality of private label retailers on a computer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein step b) includes displaying the list of the plurality of private label retailers on the base website.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein step b) includes displaying the list of the plurality of private label retailers on a kiosk.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein step c) includes receiving the retailer data from the end user via input on the electronic automotive diagnostic device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein step c) includes receiving the retailer data from the end user via input on a computer.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein step c) includes receiving the retailer data from the end user via input on the base website.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein step c) includes receiving the retailer data from the end user via input on a kiosk.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying the first identification indicia on the electronic automotive diagnostic device.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying the second identification indicia on a computer.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying the second identification indicia on the one of the plurality of portals of the base website.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying the second identification indicia on a kiosk.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of portals represent a plurality of customer service websites hosted by the base website and each display the identification indicia associated with the respective one of the plurality of private label retailers.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising displaying the respective one of the plurality of customer service websites associated with the identified specific private label retailer.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of customer service websites has a specific graphical interface including the identification indicia associated with the respective one of the plurality of private label retailers.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein each specific graphical interface includes a respective electronic address associated therewith.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising displaying the specific graphical interface associated with the identified specific private label retailer on one of the plurality of customer service websites associated with the respective one of the plurality of private label retailers.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein step c) includes retrieving the retailer data from the electronic automotive diagnostic device.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein step b) includes providing a diagnostic website configured to analyze the diagnostic data retrieved from the onboard computer located on the vehicle.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the diagnostic website includes a diagnostic database, the method further comprising the step of comparing the diagnostic data with the diagnostic database to determine a diagnostic solution.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of configuring the customer service system to display the second identification indicia associated with the specific private label retailer in response to subsequent establishment of a communication link between the electronic automotive diagnostic device and the customer service system, independent of any requirement to repeat steps b) or c).

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic automotive diagnostic device has a digital display which displays the first identification indicia associated with the specific private label retailer in response to receipt of the retailer data.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising displaying the first identification indicia associated with the specific private label retailer in response to subsequent establishment of communication between the electronic automotive diagnostic device and the customer service system, independent of any requirement to repeat steps b) or c).

25. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

generating a sale of a product on the customer service system; and

sharing income derived from the sale between the private label retailer and the provider of the electronic automotive diagnostic device.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of generating the sale includes directing the end user to a website where the private label retailer markets products or services.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of generating the sale includes directing the end user to a website wherein the provider markets products or services.

28. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

generating an advertising sale on the customer service system; and

sharing income derived from the advertising sale between the specific private label retailer and the provider of the electronic automotive diagnostic device.

29. A method of associating a specific private label retailer with an electronic device sold by a plurality of private label retailers, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a generically configured version of the electronic device for sale to the plurality of private label retailers, the electronic device provided to a first one of the plurality of retailers being substantially similar to the electronic device provided to a second one of the plurality of retailers;

b) providing an input field to an end user allowing the end user to enter retailer data identifying the specific private label retailer of the plurality of private label retailers from which the electronic device was purchased;

c) receiving the retailer data from the end user;

d) configuring the electronic device to a branded variant thereof to display first identification indicia specifically associated with the identified specific private label retailer, to increase the end user'"'"'s association with the identified specific private label retailer in response to receipt of the retailer data;

e) providing a customer service system including a base website with at least one database and a plurality of portals in operative communication with the at least one database, each of the plurality of portals having identification indicia associated with a respective one of the plurality of private label retailers; and

f) configuring the customer service system by correlating the branded variant of the electronic device with one of the plurality of portals having second identification indicia associated with the identified specific private label retailer so as to display the second identification indicia specifically associated with the identified specific private label retailer, the one of the plurality of portals having an appearance of being a private label retailer website of the identified specific private label retailer and providing a unified user experience in conjunction with functionalities as modified and tailored by the specific private label retailer, in response to receipt of the retailer data.

30. A method of associating a specific private label retailer of a plurality of private label retailers with an electronic device sold by the plurality of private label retailers, the method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving retailer data on the electronic device from an end user identifying the specific private label retailer of the plurality of private label retailers from which the electronic device was purchased, the electronic device purchased by the end user being substantially the same as other electronic devices sold by other private label retailers of the plurality of private label retailers, and the retailer data being selected from a list of the plurality of private label retailers;

b) reconfiguring the electronic device to display first identification indicia specifically associated with the specific private label retailer corresponding to the received retailer data to increase the end user'"'"'s association with the identified specific private label retailer, in response to receiving the retailer data; and

c) outputting from the electronic device a link to a customer service system including a based website with at least one database and a plurality of portals in operative communication with the at least one database, each of the plurality of portals having identification indicia associated with a respective one of the plurality of private label retailers, the link establishing operative communication between the electronic device and the at least one database through one of the plurality of portals having second identification indicia associated with the identified specific private label retailer to create an appearance of being on a private label retailer website of the identified specific private label retailer and provides a unified user experience in conjunction with functionalities of the electronic device as modified and tailored by the specific private label retailer.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the retailer data is received in a data input field displayed on a computer to which the electronic device is connected.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the retailer data is received in a data input field displayed on the electronic device.