US5832459A — Computerized source searching system and method f…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 309 words

A computerized system for the placement of an order by a user for at least one of a plurality of offers via a terminal having a display, the system comprising: (a) storage means for storing offer information relating to the plurality of offers, and for storing electronic reproductions of a plurality of offer sources, each of the plurality of offer sources containing at least one of the plurality of offers; (b) source searching means for locating one or more of the electronic reproductions of the plurality of offer sources, the source searching means comprising: (i) source display means for displaying a plurality of electronic offer source images, wherein the plurality of electronic offer source images represent identifying portions of the plurality of offer sources; (ii) source filtering means for receiving source search criteria, and for causing the source display means to display those of the plurality of electronic offer source images which meet the source search criteria; and (iii) source selection means for allowing selection of one of the plurality of electronic offer source images which represents an identifying portion of one of the plurality of offer sources; (c) offer searching means for locating the at least one of the plurality of offers associated with the selected electronic offer source image, the offer searching means comprising: (i) source segment display means for displaying, in response to offer search criteria, one or more electronic images of a portion of the offer source represented by the selected electronic offer source image; and (ii) offer selection means for allowing selection of the at least one of the plurality of offers associated with the one or more electronic images displayed, whereby the user is enabled to locate the at least one of the plurality of offers by searching through an electronic equivalent of the offer source used by the person placing the order.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 309 words

A computerized system for the placement of an order by a user for at least one of a plurality of offers via a terminal having a display, the system comprising: (a) storage means for storing offer information relating to the plurality of offers, and for storing electronic reproductions of a plurality of offer sources, each of the plurality of offer sources containing at least one of the plurality of offers; (b) source searching means for locating one or more of the electronic reproductions of the plurality of offer sources, the source searching means comprising: (i) source display means for displaying a plurality of electronic offer source images, wherein the plurality of electronic offer source images represent identifying portions of the plurality of offer sources; (ii) source filtering means for receiving source search criteria, and for causing the source display means to display those of the plurality of electronic offer source images which meet the source search criteria; and (iii) source selection means for allowing selection of one of the plurality of electronic offer source images which represents an identifying portion of one of the plurality of offer sources; (c) offer searching means for locating the at least one of the plurality of offers associated with the selected electronic offer source image, the offer searching means comprising: (i) source segment display means for displaying, in response to offer search criteria, one or more electronic images of a portion of the offer source represented by the selected electronic offer source image; and (ii) offer selection means for allowing selection of the at least one of the plurality of offers associated with the one or more electronic images displayed, whereby the user is enabled to locate the at least one of the plurality of offers by searching through an electronic equivalent of the offer source used by the person placing the order.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 47 words

The computerized system of claim 1, wherein the source filtering means comprises source type filtering means for receiving source type search criteria, and for causing the source display means to display those of the plurality of electronic offer source images which meet the source type search criteria.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 43 words

The computerized system of claim 2, wherein the source type filtering means comprises: source type display means for displaying a selectable list of source types; and source type selection means for allowing selection of one of the source types in the selectable list.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 31 words

The computerized system of claim 3, wherein the source types in the selectable list are selected from a group comprising one or more of catalogs, space ads, billboards, infomercials and television.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 54 words

The computerized system of claim 2, wherein the source filtering means further comprises source group filtering means for receiving source group search criteria, and for causing the source display means to display those of the plurality of electronic offer source images which meet the source type search criteria and the source group search criteria.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 43 words

The computerized system of claim 5, wherein the source group filtering means comprises: source group display means for displaying a selectable list of source groups; and source group selection means for allowing selection of one of the source groups in the selectable list.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 44 words

The computerized system of claim 1, wherein the source filtering means comprises date filtering means for receiving date search criteria, and for causing the source display means to display those of the plurality of electronic offer source images which meet the date search criteria.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 28 words

The computerized system of claim 7, wherein the date filtering means comprises date range means for receiving date search criteria corresponding to a range of source issue dates.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 31 words

The computerized system of claim 7, wherein the date filtering means comprises date order means for receiving date search criteria corresponding to an ascending date order and a descending date order.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 41 words

The computerized system of claim 1, wherein the source filtering means comprises means for causing the source display means to display less than all of the plurality of electronic offer source images which meet the source search criteria at a time.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 57 words

The computerized system of claim 10, wherein: the plurality of electronic offer source images which meet the source search criteria include a first offer source image and a last offer source image; and the source filtering means comprises means for automatically locating at least one of the first offer source image and the last offer source image.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 38 words

The computerized system of claim 10, wherein the source searching means further comprises scroll display means for scrolling through and displaying the remaining ones of the plurality of electronic offer source images which meet the source search criteria.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 60 words

The computerized system of claim 1, wherein the offer selection means comprises: offer choice display means for displaying a list of the plurality of offers associated with the one or more electronic images displayed by the source segment display means; and offer choice selection means for allowing selection of at least one of the plurality of offers from the list.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 45 words

The computerized system of claim 1, wherein: the portion of the offer source corresponds to one or more pages of a multi-page offer source; and the source segment display means comprises page view means for displaying the electronic images of the one or more pages.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 36 words

The computerized system of claim 14, wherein the source segment display means further comprises page scrolling means for scrolling through all of the pages of the offer source represented by the selected electronic offer source image.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 28 words

The computerized system of claim 14, wherein the source segment display means further comprises page indication means for specifying a particular one of the pages to be displayed.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 37 words

The computerized system of claim 1, wherein the source segment display means further comprises source segment scrolling means for scrolling through all of the portions of the offer source represented by the selected electronic offer source image.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 257 words

A computerized method for the placement of an order by a user for at least one of a plurality of offers via a terminal having a display, the method comprising the computer-executed steps of: (a) storing offer information relating to the plurality of offers, and storing electronic reproductions of a plurality of offer sources, each of the plurality of offer sources containing at least one of the plurality of offers; (b) locating one or more of the electronic reproductions of the plurality of offer sources, the step of locating one or more of the electronic reproductions comprising the steps of: (i) displaying a plurality of electronic offer source images, wherein the plurality of electronic offer source images represent identifying portions of the plurality of offer sources; (ii) entering source search criteria; (iii) displaying those of the plurality of electronic offer source images which meet the source search criteria; and (iv) selecting one of the plurality of electronic offer source images which represents an identifying portion of one of the plurality of offer sources; (c) displaying one or more electronic images of a portion of the offer source represented by the selected electronic offer source image, in response to offer search criteria; and (d) selecting the at least one of the plurality of offers which is associated with the one or more electronic images displayed, whereby the user is enabled to locate the at least one of the plurality of offers by searching through an electronic equivalent of the offer source used by the person placing the order.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 257 words

A computerized method for the placement of an order by a user for at least one of a plurality of offers via a terminal having a display, the method comprising the computer-executed steps of: (a) storing offer information relating to the plurality of offers, and storing electronic reproductions of a plurality of offer sources, each of the plurality of offer sources containing at least one of the plurality of offers; (b) locating one or more of the electronic reproductions of the plurality of offer sources, the step of locating one or more of the electronic reproductions comprising the steps of: (i) displaying a plurality of electronic offer source images, wherein the plurality of electronic offer source images represent identifying portions of the plurality of offer sources; (ii) entering source search criteria; (iii) displaying those of the plurality of electronic offer source images which meet the source search criteria; and (iv) selecting one of the plurality of electronic offer source images which represents an identifying portion of one of the plurality of offer sources; (c) displaying one or more electronic images of a portion of the offer source represented by the selected electronic offer source image, in response to offer search criteria; and (d) selecting the at least one of the plurality of offers which is associated with the one or more electronic images displayed, whereby the user is enabled to locate the at least one of the plurality of offers by searching through an electronic equivalent of the offer source used by the person placing the order.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 64 words

The computerized method of claim 18, wherein: the step of entering source search criteria comprises the step of entering source type search criteria; and the step of displaying those of the plurality of electronic offer source images which meet the source search criteria comprises the step of displaying those of the plurality of electronic offer source images which meet the source type search criteria.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 40 words

The computerized method of claim 19, wherein the step of entering source type search criteria comprises the steps of: displaying a selectable list of source types; and selecting one of the source types in the selectable list of source types.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 31 words

The computerized method of claim 20, wherein the source types in the selectable list are selected from a group comprising one or more of catalogs, space ads, billboards, infomercials and television.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 71 words

The computerized method of claim 19, wherein: the step of entering source search criteria further comprises the step of entering source group search criteria; and the step of displaying those of the plurality of electronic offer source images which meet the source search criteria comprises the step of displaying those of the plurality of electronic offer source images which meet the source type search criteria and the source group search criteria.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 40 words

The computerized method of claim 22, wherein the step of entering source group search criteria comprises the steps of: displaying a selectable list of source groups; and selecting one of the source groups in the selectable list of source groups.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 62 words

The computerized method of claim 18, wherein: the step of entering source search criteria comprises the step of entering date search criteria; and the step of displaying those of the plurality of electronic offer source images which meet the source search criteria comprises the step of displaying those of the plurality of electronic offer source images which meet the date search criteria.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 31 words

The computerized method of claim 24, wherein the step of entering date search criteria comprises the step of entering a range of dates corresponding to a range of source issue dates.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 31 words

The computerized method of claim 24, wherein the step of entering date search criteria comprises the step of entering date order search criteria for searching by ascending dates and descending dates.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 49 words

The computerized method of claim 18, wherein the step of displaying those of the plurality of electronic offer source images which meet the source search criteria comprises the step of displaying less than all of the electronic offer source images which meet the source search criteria at one time.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 44 words

The computerized method of claim 27, wherein the step of displaying less than all of the electronic offer source images further comprises the step of scrolling through and displaying the remaining ones of the electronic offer source images which meet the source search criteria.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 65 words

The computerized method of claim 18, wherein the step selecting the at least one of the plurality of offers comprises the steps of: displaying an offer list of the plurality of offers associated with the one or more electronic images displayed by the step of displaying one or more electronic images; and selecting at least one of the plurality of offers from the offer list.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 60 words

The computerized method of claim 18, wherein: the portion of the offer source corresponds to one or more pages of a multi-page offer source; and the step of displaying one or more electronic images of a portion of the offer source comprises the step of displaying electronic page images of the one or more pages of the multi-page offer source.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 30 words

The computerized method of claim 30, wherein the step of displaying electronic page images further comprises the step of scrolling through all of the pages of the multi-page offer source.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 33 words

The computerized method of claim 31, wherein the step of scrolling through all of the pages includes the step of scrolling through the pages one page at a time in an ascending order.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 33 words

The computerized method of claim 31, wherein the step of scrolling through all of the pages includes the step of scrolling through the pages one page at a time in a descending order.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 29 words

The computerized method of claim 31, wherein the step of displaying electronic page images further comprises the step of specifying a particular one of the pages to be displayed.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2001-11-02	2002-05-04	2002-11-03	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2005-11-02	2006-05-04	2006-11-03	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2009-11-02	2010-05-04	2010-11-03	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Computerized source searching system and method for use in an order entry system

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