US 20070208625A1

(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2007/0208625 A1 (19) United States

Walker et al. (43) Pub. Date: Sep. 6, 2007

(54) RETAIL SYSTEM FOR SELLING PRODUCTS BASED ON A FLEXIBLE PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

(76) Inventors: Jay S. Walker, Ridge?eld, CT (US); Peter Kim, Stamford, CT (US); James A. J orasch, Stamford, CT (US); Magdalena Mik, Greenwich, CT (US); Daniel E. Tedesco, Westport, CT (US); Russell Pratt Sammon, Stamford, CT (US); Andrew P. Golden, NeW York, NY (US); Raymod J. Mueller, Weston, CT (US); Keith Bemer, NeW York, NY (US); Kathleen Van Luchene, NorWalk, CT (US)

Correspondence Address: WALKER DIGITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC 2 HIGH RIDGE PARK STAMFORD, CT 06905 (US)

(21) Appl. No.: 11/746,714

(22) Filed: May 10, 2007

Related US. Application Data

(60) Division of application No. 09/ 540,035, ?led on Mar. 31, 2000, and Which is a continuation-in-part of application No. 08/889,503, ?led on Jul. 8, 1997, noW Pat. No. 6,249,772, and Which is a continuation-in part of application No. 08/997,170, ?led on Dec. 22, 1997, noW Pat. No. 6,356,878, and Which is a con

tinuation-in-part of application No. 09/220,191, ?led on Dec. 23, 1998, and Which is a continuation-in-part of application No. 09/337,906, ?led on Jun. 22, 1999, noW Pat. No. 6,754,636, and Which is a continuation in-pait of application No. 09/359,265, ?led on Jul. 22, 1999, and Which is a continuation-in-part of applica tion No. 09/388,723, ?led on Sep. 2, 1999, noW abandoned.

(60) Provisional application No. 60/ 165,435, ?led on Nov. 15, 1999.

Publication Classi?cation

(51) Int. Cl. G06Q 30/00 (2006.01)

(52) U.S. c1. ............................................... ..705/17; 705/26

(57) ABSTRACT

According to one described embodiment, a method is pro vided in Which transaction information is determined. The transaction information is associated With (i) a buyer Who has arranged to purchase a product from a central controller at a ?rst price established between the buyer and the central controller and (ii) a merchant that offers the product for sale at a second price, different from the ?rst price, Without offering the product for sale to buyers at the ?rst price. Information is transmitted that facilitates the acquisition of the product by the buyer, in exchange for payment provided by the buyer to the central controller. An amount based on the second price is provided to the merchant.

100 /

RETAIL SYSTEM CONTROLLER

m

COMMUNICATION NETWORK

m

CUSTOMER DEVICE

E

CUSTOMER DEVICE

CUSTOMER DEVICE

@ E

Patent Application Publication Sep. 6, 2007 Sheet 1 0f 27 US 2007/0208625 A1

100 f

RETAIL SYSTEM CONTROLLER

@

COMMUNICATION NETWORK

0

CUSTOMER CUSTOMER CUSTOMER DEVICE DEVICE DEVICE

22 23 m

FIG. 1

Patent Application Publication Sep. 6, 2007 Sheet 2 0f 27 US 2007/0208625 A1

200 /

DISPLAY INPUT DEVICE

PROCESSOR

290

PROGRAM

COMMUNICATION PORT

260

m0 mo mo

OFFER DATABASE

CUSTOMER DATABASE

FLEXIBILITY DATABASE

A0 0

PRODUCT PRICING DATABASE

@ PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

DATABASE I $0 10000

RETAILER DATA DATABASE

PRODUCT DATABASE

PURCHASE TERMS DATABASE m

REDEMPTION DATABASE @

FIG. 2

Patent Application Publication Sep. 6, 2007 Sheet 3 0f 27 US 2007/0208625 A1

220 /'

COMMUNICATION INPUT PORT DEVICE DISPLAY

Q a m

PROCESSOR

@

225

® OPERATING SYSTEM @

WEB BROWSER @

V

FIG. 3

Patent Application Publication Sep. 6, 2007 Sheet 5 0f 27 US 2007/0208625 A1

v/P 400

OFFER CUSTOMER OFFER OFFERED IDENTIFIER IDENTIFIER STATUS PRICE

Q % M M

T-101556 0-3334321 CFL’JESQgIAB/IIER $200

T-100333 06769555 Ag?ggii? $150

T-654123 07654321 REDEEMED $10 gEEiilTLHAN

T-876999 05666777 gigging ZQZ’TQIFLF

T-642753 06234123

FIG. 4B

FIG. 5

Patent Application Publication Sep. 6, 2007 Sheet 6 0f 27 US 2007/0208625 A1

f»- 500

CUSTOMER CUSTOMER CUSTOMER CONTACT PAYMENT IDENTIFIER NAME INFORMATION IDENTIFIER

& m E E 170 CENTER ST. CC-4444-3333

04321333 JANE DOE NOWHERE, CA 90210 2222-1111

01234222 CLIFFORD CBROWN IE@ CC-5555-4444 BROWNIE ADDRESSCOM 3333-2222

MILES CC-6666-5555 C-6789555 D AVE (555) 222-1221 4 4 4 46333

1 SMART WAY C-1234567 ELIE PAUL NY, NY 10023 PAID

05888777 STINGFORD 2 CEDAR LANE CC-7777-6666 FALL STAMFORD, CT 06900 5555-4444

Patent Application Publication Sep. 6, 2007 Sheet 7 0f 27 US 2007/0208625 A1

600 F

PRODUCT CATEGORY: STANDARD TV

FLEXIBILITY CONDITION POINTS

i i

MANUFACTURER +10 EACH

FEATURE -5 EACH

PICKUP LOCATION +10 EACH

PRODUCT STATE +15 EACH

FIG. 6A

Patent Application Publication Sep. 6, 2007 Sheet 8 0f 27 US 2007/0208625 A1

600 f

PRODUCT CATEGORY: STANDARD TV

CONDITION FLEXIBILITY WEIGHTING VALUE POINTS FACTOR

m m @

SONY +10 5

MAGNAVOX +10 0.5

TOSHIBA +10 1

STEREO SOUND -5 4

V-CHIP -5 1

PIP -5 3

STAMFORD +10 2

HARTFORD +10 3

NEW +15 1

FLOOR MODEL +15 4

FIG. 6B

Patent Application Publication Sep. 6, 2007 Sheet 9 0f 27 US 2007/0208625 A1

f- 700

PRODUCT CATEGORY: STANDARD TV

FLEXIBILITY SALE SCORE PRICE

m E

61-80 $150

41-60 $200

21-40 $250

0-20 $300

-15-0 $400

FIG. 7A

Patent Application Publication Sep. 6, 2007 Sheet 10 0f 27 US 2007/0208625 A1

f- 700

PRODUCT CATEGORY: STANDARD TV

FLEXIBILITY 0 SCORE /0 DISCOUNT

m E

61-80 30%

41-60 25%

21-40 20%

0-20 15%

-15-0 10%

FIG. 7B

Patent Application Publication Sep. 6, 2007 Sheet 11 0f 27 US 2007/0208625 A1

K- 700

SALE PRICE

FLEéEQE'TY FOR PRODUCT P-100

l m

61-80 $150

41-00 $200

21-40 $250

0-20 $300

-15-0 $350

FIG. 7C

Patent Application Publication Sep. 6, 2007 Sheet 12 0f 27 US 2007/0208625 A1

700 f’

PRODUCT CATEGORY: STANDARD TV

CONDITION REQUIREMENT % DISCOUNT

E E m

MANUFACTURER 1 VALUE 0%

2 VALUES 5%

3 VALUES 10%

FEATURE 1 VALUE 10%

2 VALUES 5%

3 OR MORE 00/ VALUES °

PICKUP 0 LOCATION 1 VALUE 0/0

MORE THAN 0 1 VALUE 5 /°

STATE OF 0 PRODUCT 1 VALUE 0 /0

MORE THAN 0 1 VALUE 5 /°

FIG. 7D

Patent Application Publication Sep. 6, 2007 Sheet 13 0f 27 US 2007/0208625 A1

800 v/

PRODUCT CATEGORY: STANDARD TV

DESCRIPTION BROADENING RULES

w 20

1 MANUFACTURER 0-10% 3 GUARANTEED FEATURES

1 PICKUP LOCATION

% DISCOUNT

2 MANUFACTURERS 11-20% 2 GUARANTEED FEATURES

2 PICKUP LOCATION

3 MANUFACTURERS 21-30% 1 GUARANTEED FEATURE

2 PICKUP LOCATIONS

5 MANUFACTURERS 1 GUARANTEED FEATURE

5 PICKUP LOCATIONS 2 STATES OF PRODUCT

30% OR MORE

FIG. 8

Patent Application Publication Sep. 6, 2007 Sheet 14 0f 27 US 2007/0208625 A1

v/f 900

PRODUCT CATEGORY: STANDARD TV

FORECASTED CURRENT CURRENT/

MANUFACTURER CURRENT INVENTORY INVENTORY FORECASTED

w % % %

SONY 50 UNITS 10 UNITS 5.0

MAGNAVOX 20 UNITS 40 UNITS 0.5

TOSHIBA 20 UNITS 20 UNITS 1.0

FIG. 9A

Patent Application Publication Sep. 6, 2007 Sheet 15 0f 27 US 2007/0208625 A1

900 /

PRODUCT CURRENT FORECASTED CURRENT/ IDENTIFIER SALES CURRENT SALES FORECASTED

m % ? %

P-1000 14 UNITS 16 UNITS 0.875

P-1002 25 UNITS 20 UNITS 1.25

FIG. 9B

Patent Application Publication Sep. 6, 2007 Sheet 17 0f 27 US 2007/0208625 A1

3 .0I 8% a2}? £531 ._ a >28 5E5 a E51 8% $20; MERE l8: '3: '8:

221B @555 M2515 mmmmwwmg 221E EEMMZMQ @2122 00: K

Patent Application Publication Sep. 6, 2007 Sheet 18 0f 27 US 2007/0208625 A1

NF OE

29:69 >z< @965 $5658 - - -

262 @365 @2551 82 1 $3? E 588 1

E2525 2 Em__>_>§ - -

wEzoz m z_ 1365 wzE<>>< 32: E 3&8 m g Q 8Q g %

292212; @525 $525 Emu/“EH9 KNEE/mg 205551 295551 638% @2515 295551 com? |\

Patent Application Publication Sep. 6, 2007 Sheet 19 0f 27 US 2007/0208625 A1

1 300

/ RECEIVE A PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

FROM A CUSTOMER 1 2

DETERMINE A SALE PRICE BASED ON THE DESCRIPTION

I TRANSMIT THE SALE PRICE

TO THE CUSTOMER

DOES THE CUSTOMER AGREE TO

PURCHASE A PRODUCT FOR THE SALE PRICE?

NO

SELECT A PRODUCT THAT CONFORMS TO THE PRODUCT DESCRIPTION 1 0

TRANSMIT REDEMPTION INFORMATION TO THE CUSTOMER

I PROCESS A PRODUCT REDEMPTION

BY THE CUSTOMER

1312

1 4

END 4

FIG. 13