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US 8,510,171 B2Granted
Electronic product registration system with customizable return/warranty programs
AssigneeNintendo of America Inc.
InventorsJon Pederson, Peter J. Junger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electronic product registration (ER) system which enables a retailer, preferable in cooperation with its vendors, to provide a customized return/warranty program for customers on a product-by product basis. The original policy(ies) in the ER system can be modified for a particular product and the modified policy is stored in the ER system so that the modified policy can be accessed if the product is again presented for a return/warranty transaction.
Claims18
A method of operating an electronic product registration system with a customizable return program, the method comprising:
- defining an original return policy for a set of serialized products in the electronic product registration system, wherein the electronic product registration system comprises at least a computer processor;
- receiving, in connection with the electronic product registration system, a first serialized product of the set of serialized products presented for a first return request, the first serialized product having a first unique identifier associated with the pre-defined original return policy;
- verifying, via the electronic product registration system, the first unique identifier, wherein the verifying comprises determining that the first serialized product does not qualify for return under the pre-defined original return policy or any other pre-defined return policy;
- defining, using the electronic product registration system, a customized return policy for the first serialized product, the customized return policy being different from the original return policy and reflecting a planned course of action for the received first serialized product;
- handling, in cooperation with the electronic product registration system, the first return request based on the customized return policy;
- storing, in the electronic product registration system, the customized return policy, wherein the storing comprises overriding the pre-defined original return policy to create and store a modified return policy in the electronic product registration system, wherein the modified return policy acts as a pre-defined return policy for future returns of other serialized products in the set of serialized products;
- receiving, in connection with the electronic product registration system, a second serialized product of the set of serialized products presented for a second return request, the second serialized product having a second unique identifier associated with the pre-defined original return policy;
- accessing, using the electronic product registration system, the modified return policy upon receiving the second return request;
- and
- handling, in cooperation with the electronic product registration system, the second return request based on the modified return policy.
7 more elements
A method of operating an electronic product registration system with a customizable warranty program, the method comprising:
- defining an original warranty policy for a set of serialized products in the electronic product registration system, wherein the electronic product registration system comprises at least a computer processor;
- receiving, in connection with the electronic product registration system, a first serialized product of the set of serialized products presented for a first warranty request, the first serialized product having a first unique identifier associated with the pre-defined original warranty policy;
- verifying, via the electronic product registration system, the first unique identifier, wherein the verifying comprises determining that the first serialized product does not qualify for warranty under the pre-defined original warranty policy or any other pre-defined warranty policy;
- defining, using the electronic product registration system, a customized warranty policy for the first serialized product, the customized warranty policy being different from the original warranty policy and reflecting a planned course of action for the received first serialized product;
- handling, in cooperation with the electronic product registration system, the first warranty request based on the customized warranty policy;
- storing, in the electronic product registration system, the customized warranty policy, wherein the storing comprises overriding the pre-defined original warranty policy to create and store a modified warranty policy in the electronic product registration system, wherein the modified warranty policy acts as a pre-defined warranty policy for future warranty requests of other serialized products in the set of serialized products;
- receiving, in connection with the electronic product registration system, a second serialized product of the set of serialized products presented for a second warranty request, the second serialized product having a second unique identifier associated with the pre-defined original warranty policy;
- accessing, using the electronic product registration system, the modified warranty policy upon receiving the second warranty request;
- and
- handling, in cooperation with the electronic product registration system, the second warranty request based on the modified warranty policy.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.