Non-serialized electronic product registration system and method of operating same

• US 20030126034A1
• Filed: 10/30/2002
• Published: 07/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: e2Interactive Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Nintendo of America, Inc. (Nintendo Company Limited)
• Inventors: Cheney, Brian, Junger, Peter J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,209,226 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/012 Providing warranty services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing

Abstract

A non-serialized electronic product registration (ER) system and method which enables return qualification information to be provided upon request for non-serialized products. Retailer specific return policies are enforced by providing the ER system with retailer return policies for UPCs, SKUs, model numbers and/or other non-unique product identifiers. The retailer periodically provides information to the ER system that indicates the last date on which products having a particular non-unique identifier have been sold. The ER system then determine the last date on which such products can be returned and provides non-serialized return qualification information to the retailer upon request.

Claims

1. A electronic product registration method for use with non-serialized products, comprising:

periodically transmitting product information to an electronic registration system, wherein the product information identifies at least one non-serialized product that has been sold;

determining based on the product information and applicable return criteria the last date on which the at least one non-serialized product can be accepted for return under the applicable return criteria; and

providing in response to an inquiry to the electronic registration system an indication as to whether or not it is possible for a non-serialized product to qualify for return under the applicable return criteria at the time of the inquiry.

2. The electronic product registration method of claim 1, wherein periodically transmitting includes transmitting the product information to the electronic product registration system on a daily basis including a product identifier for each type of product sold that day.

3. The electronic product registration method of claim 1, wherein periodically transmitting includes transmitting the product registration with a period that is less than a return period defined by the applicable return criteria.

4. The electronic product registration method of claim 1, wherein periodically transmitting includes transmitting a UPC for the at least one non-serialized product.

5. The electronic product registration method of claim 1, further including using the indication from the electronic registration system to decide whether or not to accept the non-serialized product for return.

6. The electronic product registration method of claim 1, wherein the indication indicates the last date on which the non-serialized product can be accepted for return under the applicable return criteria.

7. The electronic product registration method of claim 1, further including using the electronic product registration system to handle serialized return transactions in addition to non-serialized return transactions.

8. The electronic product registration method of claim 7, wherein the electronic registration system determines if the inquiry is a serialized or non-serialized inquiry based on the content of the inquiry.

9. The electronic product registration method of claim 1, wherein the inquiry is sent to an electronic registration system located remotely from a location where the non-serialized product is presented for return.

10. An electronic registration system for products, comprising:

a first computer system that collects non-serialized product information from a product that is being presented for return;

a database containing product identifiers for respective classes of products and associated return criteria, wherein the database includes information that indicates when a product of each class was last purchased;

a second computer system having access to the database and receiving non-serialized information collected by the first computer system, said second computer system being operable upon receipt of the non-serialized information to return information to the first computer system that indicates whether it is possible for the product being presented for return to qualify for return under the applicable return criteria.

11. The electronic registration system of claim 10, wherein the first computer system is operable to periodically transmit sales information to the second computer system for entry into the database, wherein the sales information indicates when a sale has occurred and the non-serialized identifier corresponding to such sales.

12. The electronic registration system of claim 10, wherein the information returned to the first computer system indicates the last date on which the non-serialized product can be accepted for return under the applicable return criteria.

13. The electronic registration system of claim 10, wherein the system is operable to handle serialized return transactions in addition to non-serialized return transactions.

14. The electronic registration system of claim 13, wherein the electronic registration system determines if the inquiry is a serialized or non-serialized inquiry based on the content of an inquiry thereto.

15. The electronic registration system of claim 10, wherein the second computer system is located remotely to the first computer system.