MULTI-DEVICE DISTRIBUTED PROCESSING OF ORDERS FROM A REFERRAL SERVICE

• US 20110040654A1
• Filed: 03/16/2010
• Published: 02/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CFPH LLC (Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.)
• Original Assignee: CFPH LLC (Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.)
• Inventors: Sims, Colin, Jordan, Jesse, LUTNICK, Howard W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,150,737 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/27.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• 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

Method and apparatus regarding referral services are described. Further embodiments are described.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving information identifying respective food items offered by each of a plurality of restaurants;

providing a web page to a user through which the user may view the food items and order at least one of the food items from a restaurant of the plurality of restaurants to be delivered to the user;

receiving, from the user, an electronic message identifying a selection, using the web page, of the at least one food item that is associated to be delivered to the user;

in response to receiving the electronic message, determining an SMS message that includes a description of the at least one food item; and

transmitting the SMS message to a remote device of the restaurant.

2. The method of claim 1, in which the remote device includes an SMS printer.

3. The method of claim 2, in which the SMS message includes multiple SMS. messages and in which the SMS printer is configured to print the multiple SMS messages as one output.

4. The method of claim 3, in which transmitting the SMS messages includes transmitting the SMS messages such that the SMS messages include an indication that the SMS messages should be printed as one output by the SMS printer.

5. The method of claim 1, in which determining the SMS message includes determining a plurality of SMS messages.

6. The method of claim 5, in which the at least one food item includes a plurality of food items and the plurality of SMS messages includes SMS messages with message breaks that do not occur in the middle of an item description.

7. The method of claim 1, in which the SMS message includes a confirmation code.

8. The method of claim 7, in which the method further comprises receiving an indication of the confirmation code.

9. The method of claim 8, in which receiving includes receiving through an automated telephone system.

10. The method of claim 8, in which receiving includes receiving through a SMS message

11. The method of claim 8, in which receiving includes receiving through an email.

12. The method of claim 7, in which the method further comprises not receiving an indication of the confirmation code for a threshold period of time, and in response to not receiving the indication, retransmitting the SMS message.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising facilitating delivery of the food item from the restaurant to the user.

14. The method of claim 13, in which facilitating includes transmitting an SMS message to a delivery agent.

15. The method of claim 14, in which the SMS message includes a confirmation code.

16. The method of claim 15, in which the method further comprises receiving an indication of the confirmation code.

17. The method of claim 15, in which the method further comprises not receiving an indication of the confirmation code for a threshold period of time, and in response to not receiving the indication, retransmitting the SMS message.