US 8,285,645 B2 · Remote product ordering using mobile phones

Abstract

Systems and methods for placing and fulfilling orders for products that include visual content using a mobile telephone. An image processing operator provides a unique authenticator in return for a monetary payment. A user of the system provides a message that includes a digital image with an order indicator, a delivery address and the unique authenticator. The image processing operator extracts the message components and checks the validity of the authenticator. If the authenticator is valid, the image processor generates the desired image that includes at least a portion of the digital image and a portion of another digital image to produce a completed product. The completed combined image can be provided as any of a digital image, a printed image, and an image rendered on a physical object. The completed product is sent to the user or to a third party as the user directs.

Claims39

Dependent claims

A method of ordering a product having visual content, comprising the steps of:

receiving a unique authenticator;
preparing a message comprising:
a digital image of a first physical object, at least a portion of said digital image of said first physical object to be incorporated into a product, said product comprising at least a portion of a digital image of a second physical object;
an order designator comprising a prearranged alphanumeric code used to designate a specific product to be ordered;
a delivery instruction;
and
an indicator portion comprising said unique authenticator;
transmitting said message using a cellular telephone or a mobile telephone to a receiving address;
and
receiving a completed product, said completed product comprising at least a portion of said digital image of said first physical object combined with at least a portion of said digital image of said second physical object rendered on a physical object.

7 more elements

A method of processing an order for a product having visual content, comprising the steps of:

providing a unique authenticator;
receiving a message communicated by cellular telephone or mobile telephone, said message comprising:
a digital image of a first physical object, at least a portion of said digital image of said first physical object to be incorporated into a product, said product comprising at least a portion of a digital image of a second physical object;
an order designator comprising a prearranged alphanumeric code used to designate a specific product to be ordered;
a delivery instruction;
and
an indicator portion comprising said unique authenticator;
comparing said unique authenticator against a list of one or more valid unique authenticators, to produce a state designated valid if said unique authenticator is found in the list of unique authenticators, and otherwise to produce a state designated invalid;
in response to a state designated as valid, performing the steps of:
processing said digital image according to said order designator to produce a physical product having rendered thereon at least a portion of said digital image of said first physical object combined with at least a portion of said digital image of said second physical object;
and
delivering said product according to said delivery instruction.

9 more elements

A system for producing products having visual content, comprising:

an authenticator generator configured to generate one or more unique authenticators;
a memory module comprising a module configured to record one or more valid unique authenticators and a module configured to record one or more used, no longer valid unique authenticators;
a message receiver and decoder module configured to receive an electronic message communicated by cellular telephone or mobile telephone and to extract from said electronic message:
a digital image of a first physical object, at least a portion of said digital image of said first physical object to be incorporated into a product, said product comprising at least a portion of a digital image of a second physical object;
an order designator comprising a prearranged alphanumeric code used to designate a specific product to be produced;
a delivery instruction;
and
an indicator portion comprising a purported unique authenticator;
an authenticator comparison module configured to compare said purported unique authenticator against said one or more valid unique authenticators, to produce a state designated valid if said purported unique authenticator is found among said one or more valid unique authenticators, and otherwise to produce a state designated invalid;
an authenticator updating module configured to change the status of a matched valid unique authenticator in memory to a used, no longer valid unique authenticator in response to the designation of a purported unique authenticator as valid;
and
an order fulfillment module configured to produce a completed physical product comprising at least a portion of said digital image of said first physical object combined with at least a portion of said digital image of said second physical object rendered thereon, and configured to send said completed product according to said delivery instruction.

9 more elements

A method of processing an order for a product having visual content, comprising the steps of:

providing a system comprising:
an authenticator generator configured to generate one or more unique authenticators;
a memory module comprising a module configured to record one or more valid unique authenticators and a module configured to record one or more used, no longer valid unique authenticators;
a message receiver and decoder module configured to receive an electronic message communicated by cellular telephone or mobile telephone and to extract from said electronic message:
a digital image of a first physical object, at least a portion of said digital image of said first physical object to be incorporated into a product, said product comprising at least a portion of a digital image of a second physical object;
an order designator comprising a prearranged alphanumeric code used to designate a specific product to be produced;
a delivery instruction;
and
an indicator portion comprising a purported unique authenticator;
an authenticator comparison module configured to compare said purported unique authenticator against said one or more valid unique authenticators, to produce a state designated valid if said purported unique authenticator is found among said one or more valid unique authenticators, and otherwise to produce a state designated invalid;
an authenticator updating module configured to change the status of a matched valid unique authenticator in memory to a used, no longer valid unique authenticator in response to the designation of a purported unique authenticator as valid;
and
an order fulfillment module configured to produce a completed physical product comprising at least a portion of said digital image of said first physical object combined with at least a portion of said digital image of said second physical object rendered thereon, and configured to send said completed product according to said delivery instruction;
providing a unique authenticator;
receiving a message communicated by cellular telephone or mobile telephone comprising:
a digital image of a first physical object, at least a portion of said digital image of said first physical object to be incorporated into a product, said product comprising at least a portion of a digital image of a second physical object;
an order designator comprising a prearranged alphanumeric code used to designate a specific product to be ordered;
a delivery instruction;
and
an indicator portion comprising said unique authenticator;
comparing said unique authenticator against a list of one or more valid unique authenticators, to produce a state designated valid if said unique authenticator is found in the list of unique authenticators, and otherwise to produce a state designated invalid;
in response to a state designated as valid, performing the steps of:
processing said digital image according to said order designator to produce a product;
and
delivering said product according to said delivery instruction;
whereby a completed product comprising at least a portion of said digital image of said first physical object combined with at least a portion of said digital image of said second physical object is produced and sent according to said delivery instruction.

23 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Remote product ordering using mobile phones

Life of this patent

Remote product ordering using mobile phones

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims39