US 7505929

Patent Overview — US 7,505,929 B2

Title: Method, system and computer product for auction of deliverable prepared food via the internet

Patent number / application: US 7,505,929 B2; application US 10/857,831; early publication US 2006/0010037 A1.

Inventors: Charles D. Angert and Andrew Mitchell Harris.

Assignee: Originally listed as "Individual"; later assignments recorded to Charles D. Angert and to Harris, Mr Andrew M / Angert, Mr Charles D. Google's current assignee listing is "CHARLES D ANGERT" and "HARRIS MR ANDREW M."

Key dates: Priority and filing date 2004-06-01; publication of application 2006-01-12; patent granted/publication 2009-03-17. Status shown as "Expired – Fee Related," with adjusted expiration 2026-09-23.

Purpose: The invention "relates generally to food delivery systems, and more specifically, to a method and system for auctioning and/or scheduling delivery of prepared food remotely over a network." The text notes prepared food is generally not auctioned because it is "perishable and location-specific."

Plain-language scope: A customer interface lists prepared food items deliverable within a short time interval, with estimated delivery times based on the customer's locale. A customer selects an item via a sales and/or auction control; delivery is scheduled unless the method is an auction and the customer is not the initial high bidder. The system can periodically display estimated arrival time and a map showing a delivery vehicle's progress, using GPS or another location-finding system. Food may be prepared at a fixed location or en-route, with order information sent to the vehicle. Delivery may be interrupted for "re-auction," allowing another user to usurp a sale; auctions may remain open until delivery or shelf-life expiration. Bid increments may reflect the burden of re-routing. Multiple orders on one vehicle may be auctioned for queue position, and prices may be adjusted by delivery time. Business methods include franchising tracking, information, server equipment, and delivery vehicles possibly serving multiple vendors, with advertising on vehicles.

Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/US7505929/en

What the excerpt does not establish: It does not provide full claims, the detailed description, drawings, prosecution history, claim interpretation, or the complete list of cited prior art. Claims quoted in this summary come only from the classification "Definitions" excerpt, which may compress or paraphrase claim language and should be verified against the full patent.