Method, system and computer product for auction of deliverable prepared food via the internet

• US 7,505,929 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2004
• Issued: 03/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Andrew M. Harris, Charles D. Angert
• Original Assignee: Andrew M. Harris, Charles D. Angert
• Inventors: Harris, Andrew Mitchell, Angert, Charles D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gart; Matthew S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zare; Scott A
• Application Number:
  US10/857,831
• Publication Number:
  US 20060010037A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,750 Days
• Field of Search: 705/15, 705/26
• US Class Current: 705/26.3
• 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 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation

Abstract

A method and system for auctioning or sales of deliverable prepared food via the Internet permit customers to purchase or bid on prepared food items. A food preparation and delivery portion of the system includes a delivery vehicle, which may have a mobile kitchen for the preparation of food items en-route. The location of the delivery vehicle is determined from a global positioning system (GPS) receiver in the vehicle or via another location-finding mechanism. Food items with an estimated time of arrival (ETA) is displayed on a web page that provides an interface for purchase or bidding. Bidding may be made for the actual food item purchase or for a scheduled delivery time. Items may be re-auctioned, causing the delivery of a food item to be transferred to another bidder. Audio and/or visual communication with an ordering point and/or delivery vehicle may be provided in the user interface.

Claims

1. A method for delivering a prepared food item to one of multiple customers, the method comprising:

first determining geographical locations of multiple users of a network, wherein the first determining determines a first geographical location of a first customer and a second geographical location of a second customer;

offering a prepared food item for bid by displaying offers on devices coupled to the network to the multiple customers in conformity with the determined geographical locations;

first receiving a first bid for the prepared food item from a first customer over the network;

scheduling delivery of the prepared food item to the first customer at the first geographical location in response to receiving the first bid

second receiving a second bid for the prepared food item from a second customer;

while the delivery is in transit to the first customer, re-scheduling the delivery of the prepared food item to the second customer at the second geographical location in response to receiving the second bid; and

wherein the first receiving receives the first bid, the second receiving receives the second bid, and wherein the method further comprises second determining whether or not the second bid is a currently winning bid, and wherein the re-scheduling is performed only in response to the second bid being a currently winning bid.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the offering displays a first estimated time of arrival for the prepared food item to the first customer as part of a first offer, and wherein the offering displays a second estimated time of arrival to the second customer as part of a second offer.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

delivering the prepared food item to the second customer; and

offering a replacement prepared food item to the first customer to replace the prepared food item delivered to the second customer.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

setting a bid timer that ends a bidding process on expiration; and

third determining whether or not the bid timer has expired, and wherein the re-scheduling is performed further in response to the third determining having determined that the bid timer has not expired, whereby the rescheduling is prevented after expiration of the bid timer.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising first computing a first slack time for preparation and delivery of the prepared food item to the first customer, and wherein the setting sets the bid timer to a value determined in conformity with the first slack time.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

second computing a second slack time in preparation and delivery of the prepared food item to the second customer if the second bid exceeds the first bid and the bid timer has not expired; and

resetting the bid timer in conformity with the second slack time.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a bid increment in conformity with a second geographical location of the second customer, wherein the second determining further determines whether or not the second bid exceeds the first bid by the bid increment, to determine whether or not the second bid is a currently winning bid.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first receiving receives the first purchase request, the second receiving receives the second purchase request, and wherein the method further comprises automatically scheduling delivery of a replacement food item for delivering to the first customer in response to the re-scheduling.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising preparing the prepared food item within a vehicle that delivers the prepared food item.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising transmitting a video image of the preparing within the vehicle to the first customer over the network.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the geographical locations are seats on an aircraft, wherein the prepared food item is a food item provided for consumption on the aircraft, and wherein the first customer and the second customer are passengers on the aircraft.

12. A system for scheduling delivery of a prepared food item to one of multiple customers and including at least one server coupled via an electronic network to client devices having displays for displaying offers of the prepared food item to customers, wherein the at least one server comprises a processor for executing program instructions and a memory for storing the program instructions, and wherein the program instructions comprise program instructions for:

first determining geographical locations of multiple users of a network, wherein the program instructions for first determining determine a first geographical location of a first customer and a second geographical location of a second customer;

offering a prepared food item for bid by displaying offers on devices coupled to the network to the multiple customers in conformity with the determined geographical locations;

first receiving a first bid for the prepared food item from a first customer over the network;

scheduling delivery of the prepared food item to the first customer at the first geographical location in response to receiving the first bid;

second receiving a second bid for the prepared food item from a second customer;

while the delivery is in transit to the first customer, re-scheduling the delivery of the prepared food item to the second customer at the second geographical location in response to receiving the second bid; and

wherein the first receiving receives the first bid, the second receiving receives the second bid, and wherein the method further comprises second determining whether or not the second bid is a currently winning bid, and wherein the re-scheduling is performed only in response to the second bid being a currently winning bid.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the program instructions for offering transmit a first estimated time of arrival for the prepared food item to the first customer as part of a first offer, and wherein the program instructions offering further transmit a second estimated time of arrival to the second customer as part of a second offer.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising program instructions for determining a bid increment in conformity with a second geographical location of the second customer, wherein the program instructions for second determining further determine whether or not the second bid exceeds the first bid by the bid increment, to determine whether or not the second bid is a currently winning bid.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the program instructions further comprise program instructions for offering a replacement prepared food item to the first customer to replace the prepared food item re-scheduled for delivery to the second customer.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the program instructions further comprise program instructions for:

setting a bid timer that ends a bidding process on expiration; and

third determining whether or not the bid timer has expired, and wherein the program instructions for re-scheduling are executed further in response to the program instructions for third determining having determined that the bid timer has not expired, whereby the program instructions for rescheduling are not executed after expiration of the bid timer.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising program instructions for first computing a first slack time for preparation and delivery of the prepared food item to the first customer, and wherein the program instructions for setting set the bid timer to a value determined in conformity with the first slack time.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising program instructions for:

second computing a second slack time in preparation and delivery of the prepared food item to the second customer if the second bid exceeds the first bid and the bid timer has not expired; and

resetting the bid timer in conformity with the second slack time.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the program instructions for first receiving receive the first purchase request, the program instructions for second receiving receive the second purchase request, and wherein the program instructions further comprise program instructions for automatically scheduling delivery of a replacement food item for delivering to the first customer in response to the re-scheduling.

20. The system of claim 12, further comprising program instructions for transmitting a video image of preparation of the prepared food item within a vehicle to the first customer.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the geographical locations are seats on an aircraft, wherein the prepared food item is a food item provided for consumption on the aircraft, and wherein the first customer and the second customer are passengers on the aircraft.

22. A computer program product comprising program instructions embedded on a memory for storing the program instructions for execution on at least one server coupled to an electronic network, wherein the program instructions are for scheduling delivery of a prepared food item to one of multiple customers, wherein the at least one server comprises a processor for executing program instructions and a memory for storing the program instructions, and wherein the program instructions comprise program instructions for:

first determining geographical locations of multiple users of a network, wherein the program instructions for first determining determine a first geographical location of a first customer and a second geographical location of a second customer;

offering a prepared food item for bid by transmitting offers to client devices coupled to the network to the multiple customers in conformity with the determined geographical locations;

first receiving a first bid for the prepared food item from a first customer over the network;

scheduling delivery of the prepared food item to the first customer at the first geographical location in response to receiving the first bid;

second receiving a second bid for the prepared food item from a second customer;

while the delivery is in transit to the first customer, re-scheduling the delivery of the prepared food item to the second customer at the second geographical location in response to receiving the second bid; and

wherein the first receiving receives the first bid, the second receiving receives the second bid, and wherein the method further comprises second determining whether or not the second bid is a currently winning bid, and wherein the re-scheduling is performed only in response to the second bid being a currently winning bid.