Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
  • G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • G06Q30/00—Commerce
  • G06Q30/06—Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
  • G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • G06Q30/00—Commerce
  • G06Q30/02—Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M1/00—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers
  • H04M1/02—Constructional features of telephone sets
  • H04M1/0202—Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets
  • H04M1/0279—Improving the user comfort or ergonomics
  • H04M1/0283—Improving the user comfort or ergonomics for providing a decorative aspect, e.g. customization of casings, exchangeable faceplate

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a method for acquiring a cover for a mobile phone, through the Internet.
• the object of the present invention is to provide a method that enables all this.
• the method of the present invention is characterised in that the customer himself gets into contact with the Internet program of the manufacturer of mobile phone covers and designs the appearance, colours, logos, pictures, texts etc. of the cover on his data terminal, then transmits the data concerning the cover appearance he has designed to the cover manufacturer's file, i.e. order service, the cover manufacturer's program chooses the suitable production method and process steps for achieving the appearance of the cover, and sends the customer the completed cover designed by the latter, by cash on delivery, for example.
• the method is based on the simple solution that the program devised for digital control of predetermined work processes can be used also for designing e.g. the surface of a mobile phone cover, with the design performed by the customer.
• a picture or a name for example, can be transformed into DC, a pulse, or the pneumatics can be controlled so that the picture created by the customer can be carried out on the mobile phone cover by applying spray coating, by laser or laser-printer when the cover has been appropriately fitted at the "work place", i.e. the 0-point of the product tallies with the 0-point of the digital file in the xyz-coordinate system.
• the method is totally novel: the customer/user gets into contact with the manufacturer's file i.e. web site through the Internet on his own PC. On the web site, the customer gets free access to a program that enables him to design mobile phone covers in digital form on his own computer.
• the program created for this method is compatible both in terms of production and design, and what is more, both the customer's design work and the control of the production are performed using one single program (see fig. 1), where data is transmitted in digital form between the customer and the manufacturer through the Internet.
• the program has been devised so as to allow the design of such products alone that can be manufactured, in other words, it has been decided in advance which product is to be manufactured, from which material and in which way, i.e. the production process.
• the program allows the design of such products alone that can be manufactured in the production process.
• the design, the transmission from the Internet, i.e. of the program and the completed design work, and the production, i.e. control of the production, and the finished product all correspond by 100 per cent to the order the customer has made.
• the xyz-0-point is carried out so that the working plane having at least 3, usually 5 axes, its jig, the clamping device, in which the cover can be fitted with high precision only in one way, is reset to zero so that it tallies with the program.
• the positioning can also be performed using a CCD-camera, laser etc., however, this may be an unnecessary operation, since there is a limited number of different covers, e.g. 5 pieces. Even if there were e.g. 5 different models, it would still be possible to use the same workstations, because the covers can be clamped automatically to a jig, jigs being provided e.g. one for each cover model at the workstation.
• Another possibility is to attach the jig to the cover so that the jig follows the cover through all the workstations until the product is finished.
• clamping member of the jig will always be the same, i.e. compatible with all the workstations, although the fastening of the cover is model-specific.
• the basic feature of the program is that it is provided in advance with 3d surface geometry and 2d view/cover model (see fig. 3).
• E.g. Nokia models 3210, 5110, 6110, 6150, 8110 and 9110 are totally different in shape, size and construction.
• the program thus includes specific 3d- and 2d-files for each model.
• the program contains only the files of these models, e.g. of the models mentioned above and of no other models, i.e. the program cannot be used for coating other models than those created in the file.
• the program functions so that the customer places or creates the picture (text) he desires on the 2d surface of the model he has chosen, e.g. Nokia 5110.
• the same operation appears automatically at an identical location on the 3d surface model as on the 2d surface, or vice versa, first 3d and then 2d.
• this file can also be rotated in all directions, and automatic rotation etc. can be requested. Even if the design of the geometry of the model would already be done, the colour, metal etc. can still be changed.
• Reference 1 is the display which will receive the lens, and the frame 2 should be "clean" for the lens to adhere to it.
• Areas 3 and 5 may be IR transmitter and receiver areas, 4 and 6 are transmitter and receiver areas, e.g. antenna areas 7 and button areas.
• the program contains also several files created in advance, such as variations of letter and number fonts, finished pictures and logos.
• the program contains also a training program, examples of a completed model, instructions, etc., i.e. a complete set:
• the program indicates the price level and the total price including transport.
• the customer has copyright to his own design if it contains a photograph, a picture created by the customer, colour co-ordinates or the like.
• the Internet as a business instrument
• the Internet is turning into the most important media for business, i.e. it is used for buying, selling and demonstrating products.
• the example product is a mobile phone, more precisely its cover.
• the chain is made up of a manufacturer, an importer and a retailer, who sells the products through the Internet.
• the manufacturer makes advertisement for the product, its properties etc.
• the operator wants to sell his own product, that is a subscription.
• this chain there is no link allowing the customer to have a say over the Internet in the way the cover in question is made or designed.
• the most common cover type is an injection-moulded PC/ABS plastic cover painted in one colour.
• plastic covers coated by electric catalysis and vacuum evaporation are e.g. plastic covers coated by electric catalysis and vacuum evaporation.
• the basic idea of the in mould method is the printing of any desired picture on a plastic film.
• the printing method used in this case is exclusively the rotation method, which is an effective and cheap means of applying the desired pattern.
• Other conceivable printing methods are tampo, offset and silk-screening.
• the crucial factor in the methods is digital control, information in digital form, the result being totally dependent on the digital information.
• the product the customer desires can be manufactured directly by means of the digital data generated by the customer, because the production is carried out with the aid of digital data.
• One of the keystones of the method is high-precision control of the xyz 0-point on the object, since the customer has positioned the picture, text etc. in digital form at the location he desires. That means that he has positioned a specific picture at a specific location of the cover model he has chosen. In this case, the exact location of the cover part in the xyz plane must be known in the production. This can be carried out by two leading principles or by a combination of these.
• the cover has been positioned in a plane that moves at least in the xyz plane, but preferably with 5 axes.
• the desired process can be carried out by specific methods so that the operator is not moving and the object moves in the xyz plane.
• the cover is mounted at the workstation in a plane which does not move, but is an exactly fixed xyz-point.
• the workstation is then equipped with a robot which produces a totally free path with 5 axes.
• figure 1 is a schematic representation of the order the customer has placed with the manufacturing company
• figure 2 is a mobile phone
• figure 3 illustrates the design process of a mobile phone cover on a data terminal
• figure 4 is a schematic representation of the customer's order made by credit card.
• Customer A contacts the company B manufacturing mobile phone covers through the Internet, as indicated with arrow 10.
• Customer A receives the program on his data terrninal, arrow 11.
• the customer designs the appearance of the cover, i.e. colours, logos, pictures, texts and like, as shown in figure 3.
• the customer designs the pictures and text himself, or picks ready pictures to point 20, from where the pictures are transferred to the surfaces of the cover, 21.
• the customer may even scan his own pictures into the program.
• a 3d mobile phone rotates continuously at 22, which continuously shows how the patterns, text and the like will appear on a 3d mobile phone.
• Company B chooses the suitable production methods C, D, E, F and manufactures the cover as designed by the customer, and then transmits it to the customer by cash on delivery, for example.
• the cover can be delivered to the customer so promptly that he will receive it within three days.
• the method of the invention is also suitable for products such the dials of watches, greetings printed on the surface of bottles for alcoholic beverages, giftware, etc.
• the customer uses his mobile phone to order the program code in question.
• the identity of the person placing the order can be certified, because the switching exchange to which the call or the text message with the code request is sent is in contact with or managed by the operator in charge of the customer's subscription.
• the person is a subscriber of Sonera i.e. his user identification is +358 40.
• his user identification is +358 40.
• he makes an order to the manufacturer's order service having the same number all over the world or in specific areas, e.g. Europe 0800-6669, he dials this number.
• the subscriber's phone number e.g. +358 50 5224555 then appears at the manufacturer's order service.
• the automatic central office then asks whether the customer wants to order an Internet code for designing a cover, and the customer dials number 1.
• the automatic central office confirms the reception of the order, and after this the code number appears as a text message on the customer's phone, e.g. four numbers **** (1234)
• the code number giving access to the design program could be for example the customer's phone number +4 numbers, i.e. +358 50 5224555 + 1234.
• the customer's safety increases, because the placing of an order requires a) a code and b) e.g. a credit card, and the order cannot be made using a credit card alone, but GSM (digital wireless) subscription is required as well.
• GSM digital wireless
• the Internet-based order service does not take orders from outsiders who do not have a code number that has been obtained as described above.
• Figure 4 is a schematic view of how the order is made by credit card.
• Customer A makes a phone call or sends a text message 31 by his mobile phone through switching exchange 32 to the operator 33.
• the operator 33 checks and confirms the customer's creditworthiness.
• the operator sends 34 the code to the customer, and the customer then contacts 35 by his data terminal the manufacturer's 36 program 37 and enters the code he has received. If the customer gives the number of the credit card by his mobile phone, this combination of phone number/operator and Visacard number also forms a given code sequence which ensures that the customer is creditworthy and the process can be continued. After this the customer receives the design program on his data terminal, where the design of the cover will be carried out.
• Figure 4 also shows the commumcations between the operator 33, the switching exchange 32 and the manufacturer with arrows. These communications may be various operations for checking creditworthiness.

Landscapes

• Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
• Accounting & Taxation (AREA)
• Finance (AREA)
• Strategic Management (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Development Economics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Economics (AREA)
• Marketing (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
• Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
• Game Theory and Decision Science (AREA)
• Entrepreneurship & Innovation (AREA)
• Telephone Set Structure (AREA)
• Management, Administration, Business Operations System, And Electronic Commerce (AREA)
• Laser Beam Processing (AREA)
• Mobile Radio Communication Systems (AREA)

Priority Applications (3)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=8555390

Family Applications (3)

Family Applications After (2)

Country Status (6)

Cited By (14)

Families Citing this family (6)

Citations (4)

• 1999
  • 1999-09-30 FI FI19992110A patent/FI19992110A7/fi unknown
• 2000
  • 2000-09-29 EP EP00962562A patent/EP1236137A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2000-09-29 AU AU74238/00A patent/AU7423800A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2000-09-29 JP JP2001526768A patent/JP2003510726A/ja active Pending
  • 2000-09-29 WO PCT/FI2000/000836 patent/WO2001024072A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2000-09-29 CN CN00813614A patent/CN1387654A/zh active Pending
  • 2000-10-02 AU AU74246/00A patent/AU7424600A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2000-10-02 AU AU74247/00A patent/AU7424700A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2000-10-02 WO PCT/FI2000/000844 patent/WO2001024075A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2000-10-02 WO PCT/FI2000/000845 patent/WO2001024076A1/en not_active Ceased

Patent Citations (4)

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