Method and apparatus for managing subscriptions

• US 8,818,869 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2012
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Inventor Holdings LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Walker, Jay S., Mik, Magdalena, Jorasch, James A., Van Luchene, Andrew S., Koyabashi, Michiko, Gelman, Geoffrey M., Sammon, Russell P., Golden, Andrew P., Stevenson, Adam
• Primary Examiner(s): Gart, Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): CRAWLEY, TALIA F
• Application Number:
  US13/646,145
• Publication Number:
  US 20140012755A1
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: 705/16, 705/77, 705/14.13
• US Class Current: 705/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/085 involving remote charge determination or related payment systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/22 Payment schemes or models
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0231 Awarding of a frequent usage incentive independent of the monetary value of a good or service purchased, or distance travelled
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0284 Time or distance, e.g. usage of parking meters or taximeters
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

A subscription system allows a customer to establish a subscription to a product with one or more retailers (e.g., by establishing the subscription through a controller or central system). In one embodiment, a subscription may be established after receiving information that identifies a product. Terms of a subscription for the product are established, such as a frequency and a duration of the subscription.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a controller device from a customer, via a web site, information that identifies a product selected by the customer;

establishing, by the controller device, a subscription of the customer for the product, wherein terms of the subscription include;

a first subscription price of the product,

a first frequency of the subscription that indicates a first period of time,

wherein the customer is required to purchase a unit of the product in the first period of time;

authorizing, by the controller device, purchase by the customer of a unit of the product at the first subscription price;

tracking, by the controller device, a fulfillment of the subscription;

determining, by the controller device, that the customer did not comply with the first frequency that indicates the first period of time;

determining, by the controller device, a modified subscription of the customer for the product, in which terms of the modified subscription include;

a second subscription price of the product,

a second frequency of the subscription that indicates a second period of time,

wherein the customer is required to purchase a unit of the product in the second period of time;

authorizing, by the controller device, purchase by the customer of a unit of the product at the second subscription price; and

tracking, by the controller device, a fulfillment of the modified subscription.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the controller device is operated by a retailer fulfilling the subscription.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the controller device comprises a web server.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prompting the customer to provide, via the web site, the information that identifies the product selected by the customer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first subscription price is less than a retail price of a unit of the product.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first subscription price comprises a discount off of a retail price of a unit of the product.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first subscription price is different than the second subscription price.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first frequency is different than the second frequency.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first period of time is different than the second period of time.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication of acceptance of the terms of the subscription by the customer.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the customer did not comply with the first frequency that indicates the first period of time comprises:

determining that the customer did not purchase at least one unit of the product during the first period of time.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the customer did not comply with the first frequency that indicates the first period of time comprises:

determining that the customer did not purchase at least one respective unit of the product in each of a plurality of the first periods of time.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the customer did not comply with the first frequency that indicates the first period of time comprises:

receiving from the customer a request to terminate the subscription.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving from the customer a modification request to modify at least one term of the subscription.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device in communication with the processor, the storage device storing instructions configured such that when executed by the processor the instructions direct the processor to perform;

receiving from a customer, via a web site, information that identifies a product selected by the customer;

establishing a subscription of the customer for the product, wherein terms of the subscription include;

a first subscription price of the product,

a first frequency of the subscription that indicates a first period of time,

wherein the customer is required to purchase a unit of the product in the first period of time;

authorizing purchase by the customer of a unit of the product at the first subscription price;

tracking a fulfillment of the subscription;

determining that the customer did not comply with the first frequency that indicates the first period of time;

determining a modified subscription of the customer for the product, in which terms of the modified subscription include;

a second subscription price of the product,

a second frequency of the subscription that indicates a second period of time,

wherein the customer is required to purchase a unit of the product in the second period of time;

authorizing purchase by the customer of a unit of the product at the second subscription price; and

tracking a fulfillment of the modified subscription.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, embodied as a web server.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, the instructions being further configured such that when executed by the processor the instructions direct the processor to perform:

prompting the customer to provide the information that identifies the product via the web site.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first subscription price is less than a retail price of a unit of the product.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first subscription price comprises a discount off of a retail price of a unit of the product.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first subscription price is different than the second subscription price.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first frequency is different than the second frequency.

22. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first period of time is different than the second period of time.

23. The apparatus of claim 15, the instructions being further configured such that when executed by the processor the instructions direct the processor to perform:

receiving an indication of acceptance of the terms of the subscription by the customer.

24. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein determining that the customer did not comply with the first frequency that indicates the first period of time comprises:

determining that the customer did not purchase at least one unit of the product during the first period of time.

25. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein determining that the customer did not comply with the first frequency that indicates the first period of time comprises:

determining that the customer did not purchase at least one respective unit of the product in each of a plurality of the first periods of time.

26. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein determining that the customer did not comply with the first frequency that indicates the first period of time comprises:

receiving from the customer a request to terminate the subscription.

27. The apparatus of claim 15, the instructions being further configured such that when executed by the processor the instructions direct the processor to perform:

receiving from the customer a modification request to modify at least one term of the subscription.

28. A non-transitory computer readable storage device storing instructions configured to direct a controller to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving, by a controller device from a customer, via a web site, information that identifies a product selected by the customer;

establishing, by the controller device, a subscription of the customer for the product, wherein terms of the subscription include;

a first subscription price of the product,

a first frequency of the subscription that indicates a first period of time,

wherein the customer is required to purchase a unit of the product in the first period of time;

authorizing, by the controller device, purchase by the customer of a unit of the product at the first subscription price;

tracking, by the controller device, a fulfillment of the subscription;

determining, by the controller device, that the customer did not comply with the first frequency that indicates the first period of time;

determining, by the controller device, a modified subscription of the customer for the product, in which terms of the modified subscription include;

a second subscription price of the product,

a second frequency of the subscription that indicates a second period of time,

wherein the customer is required to purchase a unit of the product in the second period of time;

authorizing, by the controller device, purchase by the customer of a unit of the product at the second subscription price; and

tracking, by the controller device, a fulfillment of the modified subscription.