Cross Channel Delivery System and Method

• US 20070282708A1
• Filed: 08/21/2007
• Published: 12/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Music Choice
• Original Assignee: Music Choice
• Inventors: ROSENBERG, Jeremy
• Granted Patent: US 8,332,276 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0253 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0637 Approvals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

Methods and systems consistent with the present invention provide a cross channel fulfillment system that enables consumers to purchase and receive items using different transmission mediums. The fulfillment system is a centralized distribution system that maintains information relating to consumers and has access to multiple transmission mediums. Specifically, the fulfillment system contains a database of consumer contact information relating to each transmission medium. The fulfillment system uses a remote device to provide information to consumers. The remote device transmits and receives broadcast messages including information relating to purchasable items. The fulfillment system may deliver a purchased item to the consumer using a medium different from that used to purchase the item.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

simultaneously transmitting information to a two or more remote devices, the information identifying an item available for acquisition;

presenting information about the item to a user of one of the two or more remote devices;

receiving at said one of the two or more remote devices input from the user, wherein the input indicates the user'"'"'s desire to acquire the item;

transmitting a message from said one remote device to a system remote from said one remote device after receiving the input from the user;

processing, at the remote system, the message;

as a result of processing the message, electronically transmitting a file containing the item from the remote system to a device that is separate from said one remote device that transmitted the message to the remote system;

receiving the file at said separate device; and

storing the file in a storage unit of said separate device automatically in response to receiving the file at said separate device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the message comprises a device identifier identifying said one remote device and said step of processing the message comprises using said device identifier to retrieve a previously stored delivery address, which delivery address is associated with the device identifier, and the step of transmitting the file to the separate device comprises transmitting the file to the delivery address.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the message comprises a user identifier identifying the user and said step of processing the message comprises using said user identifier to retrieve a previously stored delivery address, which delivery address is associated with the user identifier, and the step of transmitting the file to the separate device comprises transmitting the file to the delivery address.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the user identifier is a personal identification number.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the message includes a delivery instruction indicating a delivery method.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of maintaining at the remote system information associating each said two or more remote devices with at least one user.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of maintaining at the remote system information associating said one remote device with said separate device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of processing the message includes determining whether the user is permitted to acquire the item.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the determining step includes the step of accessing payment information associated with the user using a user identifier associated with the user.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the user identifier is included in the message transmitted to the remote system.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said one remote device maintains a set of previously broadcasted information for a predetermined period of time.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the information is broadcast using a cable television network.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the information is broadcast using an IP enabled transmission network.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the information is broadcast using a wireless communication network.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of electronically transmitting the file containing the media content from the remote system to the separate device comprises transmitting the file immediately after processing the message.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of electronically transmitting the file containing the media content from the remote system to the separate device comprises transmitting the file a later time after processing the message.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of electronically transmitting the file containing the media content from the remote system to the separate device comprises transmitting the file by electronic mail.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of electronically transmitting the file containing the media content from the remote system to a third device in response to processing the message, wherein the third device is different than said separate device and said one remote device that transmitted the message to the remote system.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the separate device implements an e-mail server.

20. A method comprising:

broadcasting information to a plurality of remote devices, the information identifying an item available for electronic acquisition, wherein the information is broadcast to the plurality of remote devices without any of the plurality of remote devices requesting the information;

receiving from one of said plurality of remote devices a message identifying the item and identifying the remote device and/or a user of the remote device;

processing the message; and

transmitting the item by electronic mail to an e-mail address associated with said remote device and/or said user as a result of processing the message.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the message comprises a device identifier identifying said remote device and said step of processing the message comprises using said device identifier to retrieve a previously stored delivery address, which delivery address is associated with the device identifier.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the message comprises a user identifier identifying the user and said step of processing the message comprises using said user identifier to retrieve a previously stored delivery address, which delivery address is associated with the user identifier.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the user identifier is a personal identification number.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the message includes a delivery instruction indicating a delivery method.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of maintaining information associating each said remote device with at least one user.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of processing the message includes accessing payment information associated with said user using a user identifier associated with said user.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the user identifier is included in the message transmitted to the fulfillment system.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein said one remote device maintains a set of previously broadcasted information for a predetermined period of time.

29. The method of claim 20, wherein the information is broadcast using a cable television network.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said one remote device comprises a set-top box, a personal computing device and/or a wireless communication device.

31. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of transmitting the item electronically from the fulfillment system to a second device after processing the message, wherein the second device is different than said one remote device that transmitted the message to the fulfillment system.

32. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of transmitting the item by electronic mail to the e-mail address comprises transmitting an e-mail message to an e-mail server associated with the e-mail address, wherein the item is attached to the e-mail message.

33. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of processing the message comprises determining whether the item is available to be purchased by the user.

34. A media content delivery method, comprising:

using a first device to receive broadcasted media content;

while the first device is receiving the broadcasted media content, using the first device to transmit a first message to a fulfillment system, wherein the first message includes a device identifier associated with the first device and/or a user identifier associated with a user of the first device, wherein, after receiving the first message, the fulfillment system uses the device identifier and/or the user identifier to retrieve from a database an address associated with the device identifier and/or the user identifier and sends to the retrieved address a second message comprising a purchasable item corresponding to the broadcast media content; and

using a second device to read the second message and obtain the purchasable item.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the second message is an e-mail message.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the purchasable item is a file and the file is attached to the e-mail message.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein, in response to receiving and processing the first message, the fulfillment system uses the device identifier to retrieve the address from the database.

38. The method of claim 34, wherein the first device is a set-top box.

39. The method of claim 34, wherein the second device is a personal computer.