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  System for utilizing redemption informationRelated Patent Categories: Data Processing: Financial, Business Practice, Management, Or Cost/price Determination, Automated Electrical Financial Or Business Practice Or Management Arrangement, Electronic Shopping (e.g., Remote Ordering)The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20080052186. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/850,328 filed May 7, 2001, for "System for Utilizing Redemption Information", which claims the benefit of U.S. Patent Application No. 60/184,799 filed Feb. 24, 2000, for "Redemption Feedback Loop For Priceline For Gas", the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein for all purposes. [0002] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/540,709 filed Mar. 31, 2000, for "System To Establish A Customer-Specified Price Of A Product And To Manage Redemption Of The Product At The Established Price", the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein for all purposes. [0003] This application is related to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/889,503 filed Jul. 8, 1997, for "Systems And Methods Wherein A Buyer Purchases A Product At A First Price And Acquires The Product From A Merchant That Offers The Product For Sale At A Second Price", U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/388,723 filed Sep. 2, 1999, for "Redemption Systems And Methods Wherein A Buyer Takes Possession At A Retailer Of A Product Purchased Using A Communication Network", U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/337,906 filed Jun. 22, 1999, for "Purchasing Systems And Methods Wherein A Buyer Takes Possession At A Retailer Of A Product Purchased Using A Communication Network", U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/370,291 filed Aug. 9, 1999, for "Supplemental Offers Wherein A Buyer Takes Possession At A Retailer Of A Primary Product Purchased Through A Purchasing System", and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/412,930 filed Oct. 5, 1999, for "Methods And Apparatus Wherein A Buyer Arranges To Purchase A First Product Using A Communication Network And Subsequently Takes Possession Of A Substitute Product At A Retailer", the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein for all purposes. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0004] 1. Field Of The Invention [0005] The present invention is related to systems for utilizing information generated during a product redemption. [0006] 2. Description Of The Related Art [0007] The U.S. Patent Applications listed above describe various systems for remotely purchasing a product and for subsequently retrieving the product at a local retailer. For example, a customer may access an "online" retailer using his home computer, purchase a product from the retailer and pick up the product at a nearby "brick and mortar" retailer. As a result, these systems advantageously provide the ease and convenience of online shopping as well as the near-immediate gratification of traditional shopping. [0008] In order to facilitate the foregoing process, certain embodiments utilize a central controller with which the customer interacts. Specifically, the customer purchases a product from an entity operating the central controller and the central controller identifies a retailer at which the customer may pick up the product. Accordingly, an arrangement exists between the entity and the retailer to allow customer pick-up of products sold by the entity. This arrangement benefits the entity by capturing some sales which would otherwise be lost to traditional retailers. In addition, the retailer benefits by receiving a commission or other revenue based on sales which would otherwise be completely lost to online retailers, and by experiencing increased customer traffic. [0009] Although the above-described systems are believed to be beneficial, it would be advantageous to utilize information generated and/or made available to the controller and the retailer before, during or after product redemption in various alternative ways. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0010] In view of the foregoing, Applicants have invented a system including arrangement for a customer to redeem a product from a third party, reception of information relating to a redemption of the product by the customer, and determination of whether to accept an offer based on the received information. Along these lines, the inventive system may be embodied in means for preparing for a customer to redeem a product from a third party, means for obtaining of information relating to a redemption of the product by the customer, and means for deciding whether to accept an offer based on the received information. [0011] In another aspect, the invention concerns arrangement for a customer to redeem a product from a third party, reception of information relating to a redemption of the product by the customer, and determination of an offer based on the received information. [0012] The invention also relates to arrangement for a customer to redeem a product from a third party, reception of information relating to a redemption of the product by the customer and determination, based on the received information, of an assigned third party at which an agreement product may be redeemed. [0013] In another embodiment, the invention includes reception of a redemption identifier from a customer, provision of a product to the customer according to an agreement associated with the redemption identifier, transmission of information relating to the providing step to an entity, and reception of authorization from the entity to provide a product according to a second agreement, the authorization based on the transmitted information. [0014] In a further embodiment, the invention includes arrangement for a customer to redeem a product from a third party, reception of information relating to a redemption of the product by the customer from the third party, reception of an offer to purchase an offer product, determination to accept the offer based on the received information, determination of an assigned third party at which the offer product may be redeemed based on the received information, and transmission of an acceptance of the offer and an indication of the assigned third party. [0015] The present invention also concerns means for preparing for a customer to redeem a product from a third party, means for obtaining information relating to a redemption of the product by the customer, and means for deciding to accept an offer based on the obtained information. [0016] By virtue of the foregoing aspects, a relationship with a third party may be utilized to assist in better evaluating and/or formulating future offers. [0017] With these and other advantages and features of the invention that will become hereinafter apparent, the nature of the invention may be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims and to the several drawings attached hereto. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0018] FIG. 1A is a block diagram of a system according to one embodiment of the present invention; [0019] FIG. 1B is a block diagram of a system according to one embodiment of the present invention; [0020] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a controller according to one embodiment of the present invention; Continue reading... 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