WO2006132646A1

WO2006132646A1 - Ordering method utilizing instant messaging

Info

Publication number: WO2006132646A1
Application number: PCT/US2005/026089
Authority: WO
Inventors: Keith B. Nowak
Original assignee: Nowak Keith B
Priority date: 2005-06-03
Filing date: 2005-07-25
Publication date: 2006-12-14

Abstract

A method for ordering goods and services which makes use of the attributes of Instant Messaging (IM). A vendor desiring IM customers creates (11) an IM account with an IM service provider and selects (11) a screen name which is provided to customers. To place an order, the customer adds (14) the vendor's screen name to the customer's Buddy List and simply clicks (15) on the vendor's screen name to create a direct connection between the customer and the vendor. Custom software resident in the vendor's computer then generates (19) a list of goods and services which is sent (19) to the customer allowing instant placement of an order with the vendor.

Description

Ordering Method Utilizing Instant Messaging

Cross Reference to Related Application

This application claims priority to provisional patent application, No. 601686,897 filed June 3, 2005

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an ordering and delivery system for goods and services and, more particularly, to an ordering and delivery system that operates exclusively through an Instant Messaging (IM) system.

Background of the Invention

Instant Messaging or IM has, in recent years, become of one of the most popular ways of communicating over the internet replacing, in some applications, the use of even rapid response email. With email or other services such as fax, you have no way of knowing if the entity to whom you are sending the email or fax is available and immediately receiving your message. Lacking a response you may not ever be sure if the message was received. This lack of an immediate response is especially important when ordering goods and/or services that require fast delivery such as, for example when ordering food from a restaurant or fast food outlet. In contrast IM allows true real time communication as there is direct contact between the users of the service.

A known method for direct connection is the traditional telephone. However, in the context of ordering goods and services a telephone connection requires physical attention and may not be able to keep pace with demand. For example, a Chinese restaurant, with the vast majority of its business being pick up/delivery, needs multiple telephones to keep up with the volume of orders. This requires a person to be designated to answering phones and taking down orders and communicating them to the cooks. EVI can alleviate the problem of manning the phones as well as allowing multiple orders to be handled simultaneously.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an ordering and delivery system which allows direct and simultaneous contact between a plurality of users to achieve rapid and efficient communication for the placement of orders and delivery of goods and services.

Utilizing DVI for communicating between one or more users is fast and easy to use. With HVI the user goes on line and connects to a server provided by the BVI service provider. Log In is accomplished by entering your name and a previously chosen password, at which time the server obtains the connection information which identifies the user's location. The server also provides the user a list of the user's previously selected contact list, known as a "Buddy List." The server creates a temporary file that contains the contact information for the user and entities on the Buddy List. The server then checks to see if anyone from the Buddy List is on line, and if so, notifies the user who from their Buddy List is on line. The user can then simply "click" on the name of the entity from the Buddy List who is on line and all further communication can occur directly between the user and the entity selected from the Buddy List. Because the connection is direct both parties can be sure that all information being sent is immediately received.

Various prior art publications describe methods for ordering goods and services. One such publication is U.S. Patent Publication No. 2002/0198790A1. This publication is directed to a system and method of ordering goods and services including receiving a request for the goods and services from a user, accessing a database having information relevant to the user then forwarding an order for the goods or services to a provider. An acknowledgment regarding the order is sent from the provider to the user and this publication mentions that the acknowledgment may be sent using Instant Messaging.

Although this reference does mention the use of Instant Messaging for ordering goods and services, it does not show or suggest how Instant Messaging would be used and does not make use of the advantages provided by know Instant Messaging services. Similar systems are also described in Publication No. U.S. 21004/0107144Al and U.S. Patent No. 6,597,769.

It is, therefore, another object of this invention to utilize the existing capabilities of existing Instant Messaging services to directly connect a customer and a vendor of goods and services.

It is a still further object of the instant invention to directly connect a customer and a vendor through an Instant Messaging system by making the vendor the equivalent of a member of the customer's Buddy List

Summary of the Invention.

The present invention describes and claims a method of utilizing the advantages of EVI to provide a unique service allowing a customer to instantly order goods and services from a vendor via the direct connection provided by IM.

A vendor desiring to receive orders in accordance with the present invention signs on with an EVI service provider and chooses a screen name which is made available to consumers.

It is a feature of the present invention that the vendor utilizes custom software resident in the vendor's computer, which custom software can generate a list of goods and services available from the vendor along with pricing information.

A customer desiring to order goods or services from a particular vendor adds the vendor's screen name to the customer's Buddy List. In order to place an order the customer must simply "click" on the vendor's screen name.

It is a further feature of the present invention that when the customer "clicks" on the vendor's screen name, the vendor's custom software generates the list of goods and services available from the vendor and transmits that list to the customer along with pricing information. It is another feature of the present invention that upon receiving a list of goods and services from a vendor, the customer must only "click" on the desired items of goods and services available from the vendor and transmit the list of desired items as an order to the vendor.

It is a still further feature of the invention that after receiving the order the vendor's custom software prepares a message to the customer confirming the order and supplying information to the customer as to how the ordered goods and/or services will be supplied to the customer.

The above objects and features of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best made for carrying out the invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

Brief Description of the Drawing

Fig. 1 depicts, in a simplified and representative form, a flow chart for demonstrating a method for ordering goods and services from a vendor through utilization of the attributes of Instant Messaging.

Detailed Description

Referring now to Fig. 1 and Step 11 a vendor desiring to obtain IM customers creates an account with an BVI service provider and selects an EVI screen name to uniquely identify its business. The vendor, as set forth in Step 12, then installs custom software on its computer to provide information to an IM customer. For the example set forth herein, the vendor is a restaurant or fast food outlet whereby the custom software can be designed to generate a menu listing the food items available, along with pricing information, hi order to generate business the vendor must advertise, or take other appropriate steps to make its screen name available to consumers, as set forth in Step 13.

A customer wishing to order from a particular vendor adds the vendor screen name to the customer's Buddy List which can be listed in the Buddy List under a particular category such as vendor, restaurant, fast food, etc. (Step 14). To place an order all the customer has to do is "click" on the vendor screen name as set forth in Step 15.

Once the customer "clicks" on the vendor's screen name, the custom software resident in the vendor's computer will generate a menu screen, along with pricing information to send to the customer who had "clicked" on the vendor's screen name (Step 16). It is to be understood that, based on standard IM protocol, at this time there is a direct connection between the vendor's computer and the customer's computer.

The menu screen, along with the pricing information is received by the customer at Step 17. At this time all the customer has to do place an order is to "click" on the desired items set forth on the menu screen and place the desired order with the vendor at Step 18. It is to be understood that placing the order may require the customer to "click" on a send icon or similar action to transmit the order to the vendor. Upon receiving the order at Step 19, the custom software resident in the vendor's computer will generate a message confirming the order and supply delivery information to the customer. In the example of a fast food outlet, the delivery information could include information indicating delivery time, etc. In the example of other goods or services, the delivery information could include a delivery date, the vendor's address or other information necessary for the customer to receive the goods or services. In particular, the customer would receive the order confirmation at Step 20 and arrange for the transfer of the goods or services at Step 21.

It is to be understood that other features could be added to the method of the preset invention without limiting the time and intended scope and spirit thereof. For example, the custom software resident in the vendor's computer could be arranged to print out each order received for use by the vendor to fill and deliver the order. AU other steps performed by the vendor's computer would not require any action the part of the vendor. Also, the vendor's computer could store the customer's address and perhaps travel directions based on the customer's screen name which would also be printed on the order slip to further facilitate delivery of the order.

In the context of ordering food from a restaurant or fast food outlet the list of goods would be a menu. The menu appearing on the customer's screen may also provide the customer the option to include individual requests such as to include dressing on the side or cook the meat medium rare. Also included on this screen may be space to enter the customer's name and address (needed for delivery), ability to designate pick up or delivery as well as payment method, and necessary space to provide credit card information if so needed. It is to be understood that the credit card information will be protected in the transaction by security software. This fixed information is able to be stored in a server so that in future transactions the vendor's computer will recognize the customer's screen name and access the necessary stored information without the customer entering it again.

The custom software may also provide the vendor with the ability to include pertinent information in "Buddy Info", which is an option available with IM providers to provide information further detailing the user of the screen name. Such information could be address, phone number, vendor insignia, etc. Additionally, the software may interact with the BVI program to provide the vendor with only necessary information and options, present the vendor's screen name with a utilitarian and "business oriented" look, as well as protect the vendor from non-business related interactions with customers.

Also with the custom software it is possible to have a website link in the instant message box that appears when the restaurant is clicked on that takes the consumer to a website that has all the menu items and prices as well as a place to enter personal information, delivery address, and payment information. This information can then be transformed into text that can be sent as an instant message. Another possibility at this point is to send the information from the website to the vendor in the form of a file because AOL instant messenger service can support file transfers. By creating a server that stores all the information it may be easier to store the consumer's information because he/she can register the screen name with the server and then every time he/she is routed to a vendor's website the server can recognize the consumer's screen name and fill in any stored information. The transfer of information between consumer and vendor will still be via instant messaging and the vendor's screen name will still be on the consumer's buddy list.

It is further understood that the present invention is intended to be defined solely by the appended claims, as may be amended during the pendency of this application for patent and all equivalents thereof.

Claims

1) A method for a consumer to order goods and/or services and to receive same from vendor through use of an instant messaging service, the method comprising the steps of;

requiring a vendor of goods and/or services to sign on with an instant messaging service and provide to the instant messaging service a unique identifier such as a vendor screen name,

making the vendor screen name available to a plurality of consumers so that one or more of said consumers may communicate with said vendor through said instant messaging service by use of the vendor screen name,

providing a list of goods and/or services available from said vendor to said consumer at the time the consumer utilizes the vendor screen name to contact said vendor,

allowing the consumer to select from said list the goods and/or services the consumer desires to order from said vendor and to communicate said order to said vendor through said instant messaging service,

providing from said vendor to said consumer a message through said instant messaging service, said message confirming that the consumer's order has been received and information on how the order will be provided to the consumer, and providing the ordered goods and/or services from the vendor to the consumer.

2) A method in accordance with Claim 1 wherein said step of providing a list of goods and/or services includes the steps of installing custom software in a computer used by the vendor to communicate with the instant messaging service, said custom software generating said list of goods and/or services along with pricing information for said goods and/or services.

3) A method in accordance with Claim 2 wherein said vendor is a restaurant and said list of goods and/or services includes a menu from the restaurant along with pricing information for the items on the menu.

4) A method in accordance with Claim 3 wherein said list of goods and/or services provided to said consumer can include a section to permit the customer to enter personal information unique to the customer.

5) A method in accordance with Claim 4 wherein said consumer's personal information can be stored in the vendor's computer.

6) A method in accordance with Claim 5 wherein the vendor's computer is arranged to print out orders received from a customer. 7) A method in accordance with Claim 6 wherein the vendor's computer is arranged to accommodate simultaneous orders from a plurality of consumer's.

8) A method in accordance with Claim 1 wherein the consumer adds the vendor's screen name to a buddy list created by the consumer.

9) A method in accordance with Claim 8 wherein the consumer initiates communication with the vendor by "clicking" on the vendor's screen name as it appears in said consumer's buddy list.

10) A method in accordance with Claim 9 wherein the consumer selects from said list of goods and/or services by clicking on individual items appearing on the list of goods and services.