Patent Application
20130211874
The present invention relates generally to tablet computer, more particularly, to system and method for mass production and sale of configurable and personalized pad.
Tablet computer, commonly called pad, has become popular in recent years, especially after the introduction of iPad from Apple in 2010. Many companies have manufactured various pads, but all of them follow a stovepipe model. That is, the pad is sold as a whole and is not configurable at the component level. In contrast, the personal computer (PC) industry follows an open architecture model, where the components of a PC (motherboard, CPU, memory, hard disk, power supply, display, case, etc.) have a standardized interface, so consumers have the option of choosing a specific configuration.
The stovepipe model has several drawbacks as compared to the open architecture model. First, there is limited selection when buying a pad. Consumers can only choose among existing, finished products, and are not able to get products with specific configuration. On the other hand, when buying a PC, consumers can choose a personalized configuration from many PC makers. For example, a consumer can specify that he wants a PC with a fast central processing unit (CPU), four-gigabit (4 GB) memory, a one terabit (1T) hard disk, a twenty-two-inch monitor, and so on, but pad buyers do not have this freedom. Second, the stovepipe model in general has a higher cost. In the open architecture model, many companies can make the same components so the cost of components can be very low, which in turn keeps the cost of the finished products low. In the pad industry, components are not standardized, so there is no mass component market, and each pad is made of a specific set of components, manufactured at low quantities. As a result, the cost of the components and the whole pad is relatively high. Third, there is no supporting upgrade for pads. A PC user can easily upgrade his computer. For example, the PC user can upgrade his computer by expanding the memory from 2 GB to 4 GB, replacing the mother board or the CPU, and/or replacing a graphic card. On the other hand, a pad user usually cannot upgrade his pad at the component level. Typically, the pad user has to buy a new pad when he wants to upgrade it. Fourth, it is hard to repair pads. Since components in a pad are not standardized, if one of the components in the pad stops working, then the consumer or a repair shop may have a hard time finding a replacement part.
This invention provides a method to mass produce and sell pads using the open architecture manufacturing model and the group-buying business model. Consumers can easily customize their needs when purchasing a pad, and the overall production cost is reduced.
A group-buying company receives a plurality of offers to buy electronic devices from a plurality of consumers, and each offer is associated with a minimum requirement for each corresponding electronic device. The group-buying company determines one or more final device configurations of a plurality of electronic devices that satisfies the minimum requirements of all the offers, and all the electronic devices are substantially identical and can be sold to the plurality of consumers as a group-buying deal. The group-buying company then arranges a single run of the identical electronic devices to be mass produced by a third entity. Finally, the group-buying company supplies the identical electronic devices to each of the plurality of consumers.
In one embodiment, the group-buying process for providing a personalized pad is implemented by a group-buying management server. The server comprises a user interface module for receiving user input via a group-buying website, a consumer-intent collection module for collecting consumer configurations, requirements, or intents to buy a pad, a consumer configuration processing module for automatically or semi-automatically choosing the desired configuration for each consumer, a multi-consumer configuration computation module for determining a final device configuration under a group-buying business model, a manufacture interface module for arranging mass production of the pads via a third-party entity, an automatic customized software configuration module for automatically configuring and installing software for the pads, and an upgrade and repair module for providing upgrade and repair service for the pads.
Other embodiments and advantages are described in the detailed description below. This summary does not purport to define the invention. The invention is defined by the claims.
The accompanying drawings, where like numerals indicate like components, illustrate embodiments of the invention.
Reference will now be made in detail to some embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
In one embodiment, group-buying deals are conducted by exchanging communication messages in group-buying system 100 via WAN/LAN 150 (e.g., group-buying server 101, laptop computer 121, and laptop computer 131 are connected to WAN/LAN 150 via wired or wireless links 151, 152, and 153 respectively). The different modules within group-buying server 101 are function modules that may be running on the same or different computer servers. The function modules, when executed by processor 102, allow consumers 122 and 132 and other consumers together to buy personalized electronic devices at a discounted price.
In one example, online group-buying company 110 advertises a certain type of electronic device (e.g., a tablet computer) for sale via a group-buying website. Consumer 122 submits a first offer with a first user requirement to buy this type of electronic device, and consumer 132 submits a second offer with a second user requirement to buy the same type of electronic device. More and more consumers submit their offers to buy the same type of electronic devices. When the total number of buyers reaches a threshold number, the group-buying company determines one or more final device configurations that satisfy all consumer requirements. The electronic devices with the same final device configuration are mass produced with lower cost and sold to the consumers as a group-buying deal with discounted price.
In one novel aspect, the consumers can easily customize their personal needs when purchasing an electronic device such as a tablet computer (commonly called pad), and the overall production cost is reduced by utilizing both an open architecture manufacturing model and a group-buying business model. First, hardware components, device driver interfaces, and software options of all pads are standardized so that the consumers will have the option of choosing a specific configuration. Second, group-buying business models are used to collect and process multiple-consumer purchasing requirements, so that mass production and sale of pads become possible to increase user satisfaction and supplier profitability.
In addition to the hardware components, all the devices such as touch screen, flash card, communication modules, camera, GPS, graphic module, audio module, orientation sensor, and ambient light sensor have standard driver interfaces, so “plug-and-play” can be achieved. Furthermore, software options like the operation system (OS), the user interface (UI) style, and various software applications are also standardized. Examples of software options may include Android OS, mobile versions of Windows OS, different UI schemes, and different sets of software applications.
In step 305, hardware assembling and software installation are performed. The online group-buying company arranges a third-party assembler to obtain all the standardized hardware components and assemble them together according to the computed final device configurations (e.g., via manufacture-interface module 110). The pad assembler may also install the software stacks using a software configuration tool provided by the online group-buying company (e.g., via automatic customized software configuration module 112). Finally, in step 306, if a pad needs a hardware upgrade or repair, some of the hardware components are replaced, and the software configuration tool can be used to install the new device driver (e.g., via upgrade and repair module 113).
In step 403, the online group-buying company, via a group-buying server computer, collects and processes the requirements for each consumer. For example, if a consumer indirectly specifies a minimum requirement, then the group-buying server processes the minimum requirement to a corresponding hardware and software configuration. In step 404, the group-buying server applies various group-buying business models to determine one or more final device configurations to control production cost. As a result, each of the final device configurations satisfies all requirements for a group of consumers, such that mass pad production is possible to reduce the overall production cost. In general, the performance of the chosen final device configurations is the same as or higher than each of the individual configurations selected by each consumer to increase consumer satisfaction. Meanwhile, the chosen final device configurations are substantially identical for the group of consumers, such that all the pads for the same group can be mass produced with lower manufacturing costs to increase supplier profitability.
Three group-buying business models may be applied. In a first model, the overall purchase price is fixed. Consumers select their needed pad functions, but the total price of the pad functions must not exceed the fixed overall price. The number of consumers has to exceed a certain threshold number. Once the group-buying process is finished, all the orders must be fulfilled. In a second model, the overall purchase price can be varied. Consumers select their needed pad functions, but the total price must exceed a preset minimum price. The number of consumers has to exceed a certain threshold number. Once the group-buying process is finished, all the orders must be fulfilled. In a third model, consumers can select their needed pad functions and specify a maximum affordable overall price. Once the group-buying process is finished, some of the order might not be fulfilled. If no suitable configurations can be obtained for a consumer at the maximum affordable price specified by the consumer, then the group-buying order is not fulfilled for this particular consumer.
The group-buying process may be carried out interactively with the user. In step 405, a group-buying deal is finalized between the consumer and the group-buying company—with a determined final device configuration, a purchase price, and a total number of orders. In step 406, the group-buying company notifies the third-party pad assembler. In step 408, the pad assembler obtains all the hardware components and puts them together according to the determined final device configuration. The pad assembler also installs the software stacks accordingly. Before the pad assembler completes the mass production for all pads, additional orders from the consumers may be accepted. For example, in step 408, the group-buying company accepts more purchase orders from consumers buying pads with the same device configuration. In step 409, the group-buying company notifies the pad assembler for the additional orders, which can be mass produced together with the previous orders at a lower cost. One advantage is, when more consumers participate, the purchase price can decrease automatically. In step 410, the pad assembler notifies the group-buying company that all the new pads are made. In step 411, the group-buying company delivers the new pads to each of the group of consumers. Finally, in step 412, hardware upgrade or repair may be performed upon a request from the consumers.
After collecting and processing the requirements for each consumer, a group-buying business model is applied to determine one or more final device configurations for mass production. In one advantageous aspect, a smart algorithm may be used to automatically choose the best device configurations that satisfy each consumer based on a particular group-buying business model.
In one example, there are three groups of consumers with different requirements. A first group of consumers will use the pad for watching HD videos and playing 3D games. A second group of consumers will use the pad mainly for playing flash games and reading online news. A third group of consumers will use the pad mainly for instant messaging and sending emails. For the first group, the desired configuration probably involves a high-resolution screen, a high performance graphics card, and a long battery life. For the second group, a medium-resolution screen, a medium performance graphics card, and a medium battery life are needed. For the third group, a low-resolution screen, a cheap graphics card, and a short battery life are sufficient. However, if there are much less consumers in the first and the third groups than in the second group, then the smart algorithm might choose to produce only two final device configurations for two types of pads. The first group and part of the second group of consumers will receive high-end pads with high-resolution screens, high-performance graphics cards, and long battery lives. The third group of consumers and part of the second group of consumers will receive medium-end pads with medium-resolution screens, medium-performance graphics cards, and medium battery lives. In this way, the overall production cost may be lower than producing all three types of pads for these consumers. In addition, some consumers can get their pads with performance exceeding their expectation for the same price.
In one advantageous aspect, after a pad has been assembled, a software tool may be used to configure the software in the pad. The software tool runs on a separate computer, like a PC, and the PC is connected to the pad via different types of communication links, including a direct wired connection such as through USB, a wireless connection such as through Wi-Fi, or a remote connection such as through the Internet. Based on the configuration of the pad, the software tool can install the complete software stack on the pad, including the operating system, the device drivers, and the application—without or with minimum human intervention.
In one or more exemplary embodiments, the functions described above may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software, the functions may be stored on or transmitted over as one or more instructions or code on a computer-readable (processor-readable) medium. Computer-readable media include both computer storage media and communication media including any medium that facilitates transfer of a computer program from one place to another. A storage media may be any available media that can be accessed by a computer. By way of example, and not limitation, such computer-readable media can comprise RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that both can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and can be accessed by a computer. In addition, any connection is properly termed a computer-readable medium. For example, if the software is transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source using a coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, digital subscriber line (DSL), or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave, then the coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, DSL, or wireless technologies are included in the definition of medium. Disk and disc, as used herein, include compact disc (CD), laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc (DVD), floppy disk, and blue-ray disc where disks usually reproduce data magnetically, while discs reproduce data optically with lasers. Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media.
Although the present invention has been described in connection with certain specific embodiments for instructional purposes, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, although tablet computers or pads are used as one example, the illustrated method may be applied to other electronic devices such as smart phones. Accordingly, various modifications, adaptations, and combinations of various features of the described embodiments can be practiced without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.
