Remote ordering system for mobile commerce
First Claim
1. A remote ordering system for use by at least one customer in placing an order for fulfillment at one of a plurality of affiliated merchants, said merchants operating a plurality of different merchant locations, comprising one or more servers for receiving and processing an order from said customer, said order identifying a specific one of said merchant locations for fulfillment of said order, and for transmitting said order to said specific one of said merchant locations for fulfillment by said specific merchant location.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A remote ordering system particularly suited to mobile customers placing remote orders with any one of a group of affiliated merchants for pick up by the customer at a specific merchant location. The system includes a database or store information directory that contains information characterizing order-processing features for each location. The information is preferably organized according to a schema corresponding to the organizational structure of the group of merchants. The information may include order fulfillment capability, menus, prices, payment features, taxes, security protocols and system administration privileges specific to each merchant location or sub-groups of merchant locations. The system of the invention allows the remote ordering system to effectively pre-clear, pre-process and pre-pay remote orders and to effect post-sale settlement and reporting according to guidelines applicable to each specific location in the merchant group, leaving the specific location to complete only the actual order fulfillment.
596 Citations
24 Claims
- 1. A remote ordering system for use by at least one customer in placing an order for fulfillment at one of a plurality of affiliated merchants, said merchants operating a plurality of different merchant locations, comprising one or more servers for receiving and processing an order from said customer, said order identifying a specific one of said merchant locations for fulfillment of said order, and for transmitting said order to said specific one of said merchant locations for fulfillment by said specific merchant location.
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13. A remote ordering system comprising:
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a plurality of affiliated merchants, said merchants operating a plurality of different merchant locations;
one or more servers for receiving and processing an order from a customer, said order identifying a specific one of said merchant locations for fulfillment of said order, and for transmitting said order to said specific one of said merchant locations for fulfillment by said specific merchant location;
a database associated with said one or more servers, said database comprising information specific to each of said merchant locations, said information being organized in a hierarchy corresponding to a hierarchy of said merchant locations within said plurality of merchant locations.
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14. A method for processing a product or service order from a wireless device for fulfillment at a specific outlet location in a chain of associated outlets, comprising:
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maintaining a database of products or services offered at each outlet in said chain, said database including information identifying items as being offered by several pluralities of said associated outlets, the characterization of said pluralities corresponding to the organizational structure of said chain of associated outlets; and
,communicating to said wireless device a list of items available at said specific outlet location.
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17. A method for processing a product or service order from a wireless device for fulfillment at a specific outlet location in a chain of associated outlets, comprising:
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maintaining a database of products or services offered at each outlet in said chain, said database including product or service availability criteria, said criteria being associated with said associated outlets according to each of said associated outlet'"'"'s relationship with said chain; and
,communicating to said wireless device a list of items available at said specific outlet location.
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21. A method for processing a product or service order from a wireless device for fulfillment at a specific outlet location in a chain of associated outlets, comprising:
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maintaining a centralized database of products or services offered at each outlet in said chain; and
,communicating to said wireless device a list of items available at said specific outlet location. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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24. A method for a specific merchant outlet location in a chain of associated outlets to fulfill a product or service order from a mobile customer, comprising:
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prior to receiving said order, communicating to a remote ordering system a plurality of criteria governing order fulfillment at said specific outlet location;
receiving said order;
fulfilling said order;
dispatching to said remote ordering system an acknowledgement of fulfillment of said order; and
,said specific outlet location not engaging in the delivery of order fulfillment capability information directly to said customer or in the processing of payment from said customer.
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Specification