The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 15, 2009
Filed:
Jun. 30, 2005
Charles L. Ward, Sammamish, WA (US);
Vijay Ravindran, Seattle, WA (US);
David I. Gellman, Seattle, WA (US);
Jeffrey A. Holden, Seattle, WA (US);
Nanyan Nicholls, Greater Seattle, WA (US);
Michael T. Sha, Greater Seattle, WA (US);
Jeffrey P. Bezos, Greater Seattle, WA (US);
Charles L. Ward, Sammamish, WA (US);
Vijay Ravindran, Seattle, WA (US);
David I. Gellman, Seattle, WA (US);
Jeffrey A. Holden, Seattle, WA (US);
Nanyan Nicholls, Greater Seattle, WA (US);
Michael T. Sha, Greater Seattle, WA (US);
Jeffrey P. Bezos, Greater Seattle, WA (US);
Amazon Technologies, Inc., Reno, NV (US);
Abstract
Computer-accessible medium and apparatus for providing subscription-based shipping of items. Embodiments may provide mechanisms that allow customers of an e-commerce Web site to pay a fee to obtain a subscription in a shipping program that provides subscribed customers with free and/or reduced-rate shipping for at least some items ordered via the e-commerce Web site during the period covered by the subscription. The Web site may provide user interface elements on the Web site that may provide one or more shipping and possibly other options only to subscribed customers. Some embodiments may provide mechanisms that allow a subscriber to share a subscription to the shipping program with other customers. One embodiment may provide a mechanism through which a subscribed customer can invite other customers to share a subscription. Some embodiments may provide other exclusive services and/or offers to the subscribers of the shipping program that are not provided or offered to non-subscribers.