User interface for simultaneous management of owned and unowned inventory

• US 6,693,236 B1
• Filed: 12/28/1999
• Issued: 02/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cedar Lane Technologies Inc.
• Original Assignee: MONKEYmedia, Inc.
• Inventors: Gould, Eric J., West, Nick, McCaskill, Donald, Cark, Alice, Trisnadi, Paulus
• Primary Examiner(s): Donels, Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US09/473,901
• Time in Patent Office: 1,512 Days
• Field of Search: 844/77.R, 846/00, 846/15, 846/53, 434/307.A, 705/26-29, 700/214, 700/234
• US Class Current: 84/477.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation

Abstract

The present invention provides a user configurable computer interface for managing inventory. The interface provides a list, generated according to a user-defined organization. The list includes both owned and un-owned items and provides a means for sampling and purchasing the un-owned items directly from the list. The present invention contemplates a user interface for managing an entertainment play lists such as music play lists, video play lists etc. In addition the present invention contemplates management of vehicle maintenance and goods such as groceries, toys, or books.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for storing a music play list comprising:

receiving an unfiltered play list created by another party including a plurality of music titles utilizing a network, said one or more of said titles pertaining to a first category of music which is owned by a user and one or more of said music titles pertaining to a second category of music which has yet to be purchased by the user;

storing said play list in a database, said database including both said first and second categories;

filtering said titles of said unfiltered play list to distinguish between those titles which are owned and those titles which are un-owned;

displaying a combination of said owned and un-owned titles on a single graphical user interface for allowing a user to determine which of said titles must be purchased by quick inspection;

displaying first indicia on said single graphical user interface for identifying said titles pertaining to said first category;

displaying second indicia on said single graphical user interface for identifying said titles pertaining to said second category;

providing a first link such that selection of a title of said first category will initiate play of music identified by said selected title; and

providing a second link such that selection of a title of said second category will initiate a purchasing process;

wherein one or more of said titles of said play list pertain to a third category of music which has been purchased by said user but has yet to be received.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the party includes a music dealer.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the purchasing process includes:

(a) displaying more information about the title of said second category,

(b) identifying vendors of the title of said second category,

(c) selecting a preferred one of the vendors of the title of said category, and

(d) allowing the purchase of the music identified by said selected title from the preferred one of the vendors.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said play list is received from the party in response to sending the party an empty play list including a plurality of music genres.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 and further comprising grouping the combination of owned and un-owned titles in a plurality of music genres.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein each grouping is represented by an icon that is capable of displaying the associated titles upon the selection thereof.

7. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein the grouping is user configured.

8. A computer implemented system allowing a user to organize and maintain items of mixed ownership, the system comprising:

a computerized display presenting indicia representative of each of the items to a user, and

a status indication, incorporated into said computerized display and indicative of whether or not each individual represented item is owned by the user;

wherein the computerized display is coupled to a processor capable of;

(a) receiving an unfiltered list created by another party including a plurality of items utilizing a network, said one or more of said items pertaining to a first category which is owned by a user and one or more of said items pertaining to a second category which has yet to be purchased by the user;

(b) storing said list in a database, said database including both said first and second categories;

(c) filtering said items of said unfiltered list to distinguish between those items which are owned and those items which are un-owned;

(d) displaying a combination of said owned and un-owned items on a single graphical user interface for allowing a user to determine which of said items must be purchased by quick inspection;

(e) displaying first indicia on said single graphical user interface for identifying said items pertaining to said first category;

(f) displaying second indicia on said single graphical user interface for identifying said items pertaining to said second category; and

(g) providing a link such that selection of an item of said second category will initiate a purchasing process;

(h) wherein one or more of said items of said list pertain to a third category which has been purchased by said user but has yet to be received.

9. A system as recited in claim 8 further comprising:

a means for selecting one of said indicia representative of said items; and

a link providing retrieval of an item represented by said selected indicia if said item is owned by the user.

10. A system as recited in claim 8 further comprising grouping the combination of owned and un-owned items in a plurality of genres.

11. A system as recited in claim 8 wherein said items are music and wherein said list is a library of said music.

12. A system as recited in claim 8 wherein said items are video files.

13. A system as recited in claim 8 wherein said items are books.

14. A system as recited in claim 8 wherein said items are toys.

15. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for presenting items of mixed ownership for viewing and manipulation by a user, the computer program comprising:

(a) computer code for receiving an unfiltered list created by another party including a plurality of items utilizing a network, said one or more of said items pertaining to a first category which is owned by a user and one or more of said items pertaining to a second category which has yet to be purchased by the user;

(b) computer code for storing said list in a database, said database including both said first and second categories;

(c) computer code for filtering said items of said unfiltered list to distinguish between those items which are owned and those items which are un-owned;

(d) computer code for displaying a combination of said owned and un-owned items on a single graphical user interface for allowing a user to determine which of said items must be purchased by quick inspection;

(e) computer code for displaying first indicia on said single graphical user interface for identifying said items pertaining to said first category;

(f) computer code for displaying second indicia on said single graphical user interface for identifying said items pertaining to said second category; and

(g) computer code for providing a link such that selection of an item of said second category will initiate a purchasing process;

(h) wherein one or more of said items of said list pertain to a third category which has been purchased by said user but has yet to be received.

16. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 15 wherein said items are music files.

17. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 16 wherein said music files include MP3 files.

18. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 15 wherein said items are video files.

19. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 15 wherein said items are pictures.

20. A system, comprising:

(a) means for receiving an unfiltered list created by another party including a plurality of items utilizing a network, said one or more of said items pertaining to a first category which is owned by a user and one or more of said items pertaining to a second category which has yet to be purchased by the user;

(b) means for storing said list in a database, said database including both said first and second categories;

(c) means for filtering said items of said unfiltered list to distinguish between those items which are owned and those items which are un-owned;

(d) means for displaying a combination of said owned and un-owned items on a single graphical user interface for allowing a user to determine which of said items must be purchased by quick inspection;

(e) means for displaying first indicia on said single graphical user interface for identifying said items pertaining to said first category;

(f) means for displaying second indicia on said single graphical user interface for identifying said items pertaining to said second category; and

(g) means for providing a link such that selection of an item of said second category will initiate a purchasing process;

(h) wherein one or more of said items of said list pertain to a third category which has been purchased by said user but has yet to be received.