Managing the purchase of multiple items with multiple modes of fulfillment

• US 9,311,667 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2013
• Issued: 04/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DoorDash, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Narayanaswami, Chandrasekhar, Sangireddy, Ram
• Primary Examiner(s): Allen, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOHARIKAR, ANAND R
• Application Number:
  US14/069,560
• Publication Number:
  US 20150127492A1
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 705 261- 272, 705/14.16, 705/319
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders

Abstract

A method for managing an electronic purchase of items. Multiple modes of fulfillment are identified for the items of the electronic purchase. A schedule for the multiple modes of fulfillment is also identified. Payment is received for the electronic purchase. Responsive to receiving the payment, the electronic purchase of the items is processed based on the schedule.

Claims

1. A method for managing an electronic purchase of multiple items via a network, the method comprising:

receiving, by a point of sale data processing system, an electronic purchase of at least a device functionality item and a software item;

determining, by the point of sale data processing system, a specific mode of fulfillment for each item being purchased;

assigning, by the point of sale data processing system in response to the determining, a first mode of fulfillment to the device functionality item of the electronic purchase, the first mode of fulfillment comprising device enablement;

assigning, by the point of sale data processing system in response to the determining, a second mode of fulfillment to the software item of the electronic purchase, the second mode of fulfillment comprising electronic distribution;

determining, by the point of sale data processing system, a schedule for the first mode and the second mode of fulfillment;

receiving, by the point of sale data processing system, payment for the electronic purchase; and

responsive to receiving the payment for the electronic purchase, fulfilling the electronic purchase based on the schedule such that;

in accordance with the first mode of fulfillment, the point of sale data processing system enables one or more features of a device associated with a customer of the electronic purchase, changes a clock speed of the device associated with the customer of the electronic purchase, or, changes a storage capacity of the device associated with the customer of the electronic purchase; and

,

in accordance with the second mode of fulfillment, electronically distributing, by the point of sale data processing system, the software item to the device associated with the electronic purchase.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating, by the point of sale data processing system, orders for the electronic purchase based on the schedule for the first mode and the second mode of fulfillment for the multiple items; and

processing, by the point of sale data processing system, the orders using the payment for the electronic purchase.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the point of sale data processing system is a cash register.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the schedule includes scheduled dates for the first mode and the second mode of fulfillment for one or more portions of the multiple items of the electronic purchase.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the schedule is selected based on user input defining the scheduled dates.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the user input further specifies repeating cycles for the scheduled dates selected from daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, annually, and other suitable repeating cycles.

7. A point of sale data processing system for managing an electronic purchase of multiple items via a network, the point of sale data processing system comprising:

a bus system;

one or more computer readable storage devices connected to the bus system, wherein at least one of the one or more computer readable storage devices stores program instructions; and

one or more processor units connected to the bus system, wherein at least one of the one or more processor units executes the program instructions to;

receive an electronic purchase of at least a device functionality item and a software item;

determine a specific mode of fulfillment for each item being purchased;

assign, in response to determining, a first mode of fulfillment to the device functionality item of the electronic purchase, the first mode of fulfillment comprising device enablement;

assign, in response to determining, a second mode of fulfillment to the software item of the electronic purchase, the second mode of fulfillment comprising electronic distribution;

determine a schedule for the first mode and the second mode of fulfillment;

receive a payment for the electronic purchase; and

fulfill, in response to receiving the payment for the electronic purchase, the electronic purchase based on the schedule such that;

in accordance with the first mode of fulfillment, the point of sale data processing system enables one or more features of a device associated with a customer of the electronic purchase, changes a clock speed of the device associated with the customer of the electronic purchase, or, changes a storage capacity of the device associated with the customer of the electronic purchase; and

,

in accordance with the second mode of fulfillment, electronically distributing, by the point of sale data processing system, the software item to the device associated with the electronic purchase.

8. The point of sale data processing system of claim 7, wherein the at least one of the one or more processor units further executes the program instructions to:

create orders for the electronic purchase based on the schedule for the first mode and the second mode of fulfillment for the multiple items; and

process the orders using the payment for the electronic purchase.

9. The point of sale data processing system of claim 7, wherein the point of sale data processing system is a cash register.

10. The point of sale data processing system of claim 7, wherein the schedule includes scheduled dates for of the first mode and the second mode of fulfillment for one or more portions of the multiple items of the electronic purchase.

11. A computer program product for managing an electronic purchase of multiple items via a network, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage device having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a point of sale data processing system to cause the point of sale data processing system to perform a method comprising:

receiving, by the point of sale data processing system, an electronic purchase of at least a device functionality item and a software item;

determining, by the point of sale data processing system, a specific mode of fulfillment for each item being purchased;

assigning, by the point of sale data processing system in response to the determining, a first mode of fulfillment to the device functionality item of the electronic purchase, the first mode of fulfillment comprising device enablement;

assigning, by the point of sale data processing system in response to the determining, a second mode of fulfillment to the software item of the electronic purchase, the second mode of fulfillment comprising electronic distribution;

determining, by the point of sale data processing system, a schedule for the first mode and the second mode of fulfillment;

receiving, by the point of sale data processing system, payment for the electronic purchase; and

responsive to receiving the payment for the electronic purchase, fulfilling the electronic purchase based on the schedule such that;

in accordance with the first mode of fulfillment, the point of sale data processing system enables one or more features of a device associated with a customer of the electronic purchase, changes a clock speed of the device associated with the customer of the electronic purchase, or, changes a storage capacity of the device associated with the customer of the electronic purchase; and

,

in accordance with the second mode of fulfillment, electronically distributing, by the point of sale data processing system, the software item to the device associated with the electronic purchase.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising:

creating, by the point of sale data processing system, orders for the electronic purchase based on the schedule for the first mode and the second mode of fulfillment for the multiple items; and

processing, by the point of sale data processing system, the orders using the payment for the electronic purchase.