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

• US 8,812,399 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2008
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kopin Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kopin Corporation
• Inventors: Jacobsen, Jeffrey J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nigh, James D
• Application Number:
  US12/152,458
• Publication Number:
  US 20080288408A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,288 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26.1, 705/26.7, 705/50, 705/39
• 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 in a wireless manner, the business method comprising:

transmitting, over a wireless interface, a request to a first wireless device from a second wireless device, the request from the second wireless device representing a request for access by the second wireless device to information stored by the first wireless device, the information including a shopping history from a purchasing history of an entity associated with the first wireless device;

receiving, over the wireless interface, a response to the request, the response including an identification of a vendor and an identification of a cost associated with items associated with the shopping history, the identification of vendor providing a hyperlink to at least one vendor across the Internet associated with each item in the shopping history;

receiving, from an entity associated with the second wireless device, selection of a designated item by an entity associated with the second wireless device from the shopping history;

sending, from the second wireless device to the vendor device indicated by the hyperlink, a request to purchase the designated item;

electronically transferring funds from the entity associated with the second wireless device to the vendor; and

electronically paying a referral fee to the entity associated with the first wireless device.

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

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

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

5. The business method of claim 1, further comprising electronically requesting delivery of the item from the vendor to the entity associated with the second wireless device through a shipper or by a download of content, the shipper being different from the vendor, the first entity, and the second entity.

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

purchasing a second designated item by an entity associated with a third wireless device from a second shopping history stored by the second wireless device;

sending a message requesting delivery of the item from the vendor to the entity associated with the third wireless device;

electronically transferring funds from the entity associated with the third wireless device to the vendor; and

electronically paying a second referral fee to the entity associated with the second wireless device.

7. The business method of claim 1, further comprising automatically storing the shopping history in the first wireless device from the purchasing history of the entity associated with the first wireless device.

8. The business method of claim 1, further wherein the shopping history comprises a parameter of at least one of personal property, real property, and services.

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

storing the shopping history in the first wireless device includes storing information concerning at least two vendors including parameters with a higher cost vendor and a lower cost vendor for the same item.

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

electronically 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;

electronically deducting the referral fee from the funds; and

electronically delivering a remainder of the funds to the vendor.

11. The business method of claim 1, wherein the shopping history comprises at least one of graphical information, audio information, textual information, a hyperlink, metadata, and any combination thereof.

12. 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.

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

14. The business method of claim 1, further comprising electronically paying the referral fee only after a predetermined number of transactions.

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

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

electronically waiving the referral fee; and

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

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

electronically recording the referral fee; and

electronically 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.

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

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

electronically the credit to a predetermined sum; and

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

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

20. The business method of claim 1, further comprising encrypting communications between the first wireless device, and the second wireless device, and the vendor device.

21. The business method of claim 1, further comprising sending data product reviews relating to the items from the first wireless device and the entity associated with the second wireless device.

22. The business method of claim 1, the first wireless device is a different type of device relative to the second wireless device.

23. The business method of claim 1, wherein the first wireless device, or the second wireless 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.

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

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

26. The method of claim 1 wherein the item comprises digital content, further comprising:

purchasing a designated content file by an entity associated with the second wireless device from the content history, by accessing the first memory via the first and second wireless interfaces, to enable the second mobile device to select a content file in the content within the first memory of the first mobile computing device; and

downloading the content file to the second mobile computing device.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the digital content is 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.

28. 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 storing 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 purchasing history further providing information relating to one or more past transactions performed by the first wireless device including at least an identification of a vendor and an identification of cost of an item in the shopping history;

the second mobile device configured to send a request message over the second wireless interface to the first wireless interface, the request message requesting the first mobile computing device to obtain the shopping history as stored in the first memory;

the second mobile device then receiving a response message over the second wireless interface from the first wireless interface;

the response message including information relating to a past transaction performed by the first wireless device;

the second mobile device further configured to communicate a purchase transaction message to a third computing device associated with the vendor; and

the purchase transaction message representing a request configured to;

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

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

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

29. The system of claim 28, 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.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the third computing device is associated with a vendor website on a server.

31. The system of claim 28, further comprising a payment provider configured to electronically transfer funds from the entity associated with the second mobile computing device to the vendor.

32. The system of claim 28, further comprising a payment provider configured to electronically pay the referral fee to the entity associated with the first mobile computing device.

33. The system of claim 28, further comprising a shipper configured to electronically receive a request 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.

34. A business method for mobile commerce comprising:

purchasing an item from a Internet-based vendor by a second mobile computing device associated with a second mobile consumer, using information previously stored by a first mobile computing device and received over a direct wireless link between the first mobile computing device associated and the second mobile computing device; 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.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising paying the referral fee by invoicing a mobile phone subscription plan associated with the mobile computing device associated with the first mobile consumer.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the item is digital content.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the digital 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.