Mobile consumer-to-consumer personal point of sale system and related business method

• US 20080288408A1
• Filed: 05/14/2008
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kopin Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kopin Corporation
• Inventors: Jacobsen, Jeffrey J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,812,399 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/50
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 2220/00 Business processing using cryptography postage metering system using cryptography G06Q2250/05
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 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 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

A business method for mobile commerce includes a first buyer purchasing an item from a Internet-based vendor using a first mobile computing device. A shopping history is developed. A second buyer, using a second mobile computing device, interrogates the shopping history of the first buyer to discover certain parameters regarding an article of interest to the second buyer owned by the first buyer. The item is then purchased by the second buyer using shopping history information provided by the first mobile computing device. The method also includes electronically transferring funds to the vendor with at least some of the funds being electronically transferred to the first mobile consumer as a referral fee.

Claims

1. A business method for selling good or services in a wireless manner, the business method comprising:

providing a first mobile computing device having a first processor, a first memory, and a first wireless interface;

providing a second mobile computing device having a second processor, a second memory, and a second wireless interface;

storing a shopping history from a purchasing history of an entity associated with the first device;

storing an identification of source and an identification of cost associated with items associated with the shopping history, the identification of source providing a wireless link to at least one vendor across the Internet associated with each item in the shopping history, the link configured to communicate a purchase order to the vendor and a delivery destination;

purchasing a designated item by an entity associated with the second mobile computing device from the shopping history by selecting an item in the shopping history with the first or the second mobile computing device;

delivering the item from the vendor to the entity associated with the second mobile computing device;

transferring funds from the entity associated with the second mobile computing device to the vendor; and

paying a referral fee to the entity associated with the first mobile computing device.

2. The business method of claim 1, further comprising storing the predetermined shopping history remotely relative to the first memory.

3. The business method of claim 1, further comprising storing locally the predetermined shopping history in the first memory or the second memory.

4. The business method of claim 1, further comprising purchasing the item at at the first mobile computing device, at the second mobile computing device, or at a third remote computing device.

5. The business method of claim 1, further comprising transferring funds to the vendor through a payment provider.

6. The business method of claim 1, further comprising paying the referral fee through a payment provider.

7. The business method of claim 1, further comprising calculating the referral fee from a total sale amount of the item.

8. The business method of claim 1, further comprising delivering the item from the vendor to the entity associated with the second mobile computing device through a shipper or by a download of content, the shipper being different from the vendor, the first entity, and the second entity.

9. The business method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a third mobile computing device having a third processor, a third memory, and a third wireless interface;

purchasing a second designated item by an entity associated with the third mobile computing device from a second shopping history stored in the second memory;

delivering the item from the vendor to the entity associated with the third mobile computing device;

transferring funds from the entity associated with the third mobile computing device to the vendor; and

paying a second referral fee to the entity associated with the second mobile computing device.

10. The business method of claim 1, further comprising automatically storing the shopping history in the first memory from the purchasing history of the entity associated with the first mobile computing device.

11. The business method of claim 1, further comprising storing the shopping history that comprises a parameter of at least one of personal property, real property, and services.

12. The business method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the shopping history in the first memory with the shopping history including at least two vendors including parameters with a higher cost vendor and a lower cost vendor for the same item; and

purchasing the designated item from the lower cost vendor.

13. The business method of claim 1, further comprising:

transferring funds from the entity associated with the second mobile device to the entity associated with the first mobile computing device for purchase of the item;

deducting the referral fee from the funds; and

delivering the remainder of the funds to the vendor.

14. The business method of claim 1, further comprising storing the shopping history that comprises at least one of graphical information, audio information, textual information, a hyperlink, metadata, and any combination thereof.

15. The business method of claim 1, further comprising deriving the referral fee from funds transferred from the entity associated with the second mobile device to the vendor.

16. The business method of claim 1, further comprising paying the referral fee after at least two different purchases.

17. The business method of claim 1, further comprising paying a referral fee after a predetermined number of transactions.

18. The business method of claim 1, further comprising sharing the referral fee.

19. The business method of claim 1, further comprising:

waiving the referral fee; and

reducing, if waived, the purchase price of the designated item owed by the entity associated with the second mobile device to the vendor.

20. The business method of claim 1, further comprising:

recording the referral fee; and

applying the recorded referral fee as a discount on a future purchase between the entity associated with the first mobile computing device and the vendor.

21. The business method of claim 1, further comprising:

applying the referral fee as a credit to a future purchase between the entity associated with the first mobile computing device and the vendor;

aggregating the credits to a predetermined sum; and

providing the entity associated with the first mobile computing device with a benefit when the credits meet or exceed the predetermined sum.

22. The business method of claim 1, further comprising encrypting communications between the entity associated with the first computing device and the entity associated with the second computing device.

23. The business method of claim 1, further comprising encrypting communications between at least one of the entity associated with the first computing device, the entity associated with the second computing device, and the vendor.

24. The business method of claim 1, further comprising communicating data product reviews relating to the items between the entity associated with the first mobile computing device and the entity associated with the second mobile computing device.

25. The business method of claim 1, further comprising providing that the first mobile computing device is a different type of device relative to the second mobile computing device.

26. The business method of claim 1, further comprising providing that the first mobile computing device, or the second mobile computing device comprise at least one of:

a mobile phone, a mobile electronic mail retrieval device, a Personal Digital Assistant, a Smartphone, a notebook computer, and an electronic payment device.

27. The business method of claim 1, further comprising providing that the identification of source comprises a hyperlink to a vendor website.

28. The business method of claim 1, further comprising providing a receipt itemizing the transaction.

29. The business method of claim 1, further comprising electronically signing the transaction.

30. A system used in connection with a wireless communication network comprising:

a first mobile computing device having a first processor, a first memory, and a first wireless interface;

a second mobile computing device having a second processor, a second memory, and a second wireless interface;

the first memory including a shopping history recorded from a purchasing history of an entity associated with the first mobile device, or the first memory including a link to obtain the shopping history from a remote network;

the listing providing an identification of source and an identification of cost of an item in the shopping history;

the second mobile device configured to send a message over the second wireless interface to the first wireless interface, and to the first mobile computing device to obtain shopping history, the second mobile device further configured to communicate a signal to a third computing device; and

the signal configured to;

(i) deliver the item from a vendor associated with the third computing device to an entity associated with the second mobile computing device;

(ii) initiate transferring funds from the entity associated with the second mobile computing device to the vendor; and

(iii) initiate paying a referral fee to the entity associated with the first mobile computing device.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the first mobile computing device, or the second mobile computing device comprise at least one of a mobile phone, a mobile electronic mail retrieval device, a Personal Digital Assistant, a Smartphone, a notebook computer, or an electronic payment device.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein the third computing device is associated with a vendor website on a server.

33. The system of claim 30, further comprising a payment provider configured to transfer funds from the entity associated with the second mobile computing device to the vendor.

34. The system of claim 30, further comprising a payment provider configured to pay the referral fee to the entity associated with the first mobile computing device.

35. The system of claim 30, further comprising a shipper configured to ship the item to the entity associated with the second mobile computing device, or in the case of digital content further comprising program instruction to initiate a download of the digital content.

36. A business method for mobile commerce comprising:

purchasing an item from a Internet-based vendor in a mobile manner by a second mobile consumer using information from a remote computing device associated with a first mobile consumer; and

electronically transferring funds to the vendor with at least some of the funds being electronically transferred to the first mobile consumer as a referral fee.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising paying the referral fee by invoicing a mobile phone subscription plan associated with the remote computing device associated with the first mobile consumer.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the item is digital content.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the content is selected from the group consisting of video, audio, text, instructional videos, an e-book, music, a movie, an episode, a digital file, a commercial, or any combination thereof.

40. A business method for selling digital content in a wireless manner, the business method comprising:

providing a first mobile computing device having a first processor, a first memory, and a first wireless interface;

providing a second mobile computing device having a second processor, a second memory, and a second wireless interface;

storing a content history from a purchasing history of an entity associated with the first device;

storing an identification of source and an identification of cost associated with content files associated with the content history, the identification of source providing a wireless link to at least one vendor across the Internet associated with each content file in the content history, the link configured to communicate a purchase order to the vendor and a delivery destination;

purchasing a designated content file by an entity associated with the second mobile computing device from the content history by selecting a content file in the content history with the first or the second mobile computing device;

downloading the content to the second mobile computing device;

transferring funds from the entity associated with the second mobile computing device to the vendor; and

paying a referral fee to the entity associated with the first mobile computing device.

41. A business method for mobile commerce comprising:

purchasing digital content from a Internet-based vendor in a mobile manner by a second mobile consumer using information from a remote computing device associated with a first mobile consumer; and

electronically transferring funds to the vendor with a benefit or at least some of the funds being electronically transferred to the first mobile consumer as a referral fee, the digital content being selected from the group consisting of music files, video files, audio files, text, instructional videos, television episodes, movies, abridged content, program instructions, applications, business applications, data, and any combination thereof.