Appeal No. 2005-1033 Page 6
Application No. 10/236,460
The transmission of orders is accomplished via various output devices and
means using analog and/or digital signals and modems to convert between
analog and digital, where appropriate. Transmission occurs over wires (such as
coaxial cable, telephone wires and fiber optic cables) of various private or public
systems including telephone systems and cable TV system. Alternatively,
transmission occurs using electromagnetic waves (such as but not limited to
microwaves and radio waves) through various media (such as air) or no media
(such as the vacuum of space) of various private or public systems including but
not limited to cellular phones, direct satellite transmissions, interactive broadcast
television. In addition, the transmission occurs within private or public networks,
and/or networks of networks, including but not limited to intranets and the
Internet. By way of example, in one embodiment, the transmission of orders is a
fax transmission to a third party merchandise supplier over public telephone
lines. In another embodiment, the transmission of orders is by direct wireless
computer-to-computer data transmission over the cellular phone network.
Various other methods of transmission have been described above.
If the initial data entry device is a desktop PC, terminal, or telephone (or
other entry device intended to be used by one individual), the user is given a list
of items to be shipped on the current day for confirmation. Alternatively, the items
could be shipped with confirmation later sent to the user that the items had in fact
been shipped as previously instructed.
After shipping or dispensing an order, the device checks to see if the order
is for a reoccurring occasion such as a birthday or holiday (step 156). If the
occasion is reoccurring, then the occasion date for the next year is calculated
(step 158) and the order is reentered for the following year (step 160). (In a
stand-alone device, the order would not be reentered unless pre-paid or credit
pre-authorized.)
As new entries are made during the day they are checked to ascertain if
they must be shipped immediately (step 168) and if so, then processed (steps
152 and 154). Alternatively, the device examines the database periodically, at
scheduled times during the day, for new orders that must be shipped immediately
(step 166). If it finds any such orders (step 168), it verifies the payment (step
152) (e.g., prepaid funds on account or valid pre-entered credit card number) as
part of a first subtask. It then ships or dispenses the orders (step 154) as part of
a second subtask. The device checks to see if the orders are for a recurring
occasion (step 156), and if so, calculates the next occurrence (step 158) and
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