IP Library Granted Patent US 11,942,199
Granted Patent B1
US 11,942,199 · App. 16/529,305 · Granted Mar 26, 2024

Location triggering for prescription ready notifications

Inventors: Timothy P. McCauley (Evanston, IL); Jon Turkington (Huntley, IL); Abhinav Dhar (Naperville, IL); Dejan Kozic (Wadsworth, IL); Nicholas L. Eby (Downers Grove, IL)
Assignee: WALGREEN CO.
G16H20/10H04W4/023H04W40/244
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,942,199
App. No.
16/529,305
Granted
Mar 26, 2024
Kind
B1
Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus are disclosed to initialize a pharmacy application in a mobile computing device, the pharmacy application configured to prompt a user for a location acceptance via a question prompt notification. The pharmacy application may be launched in a background process of the mobile computing device, without user intervention, wherein the pharmacy application is configured to transmit a location of the mobile computing device and customer identification information to a remote pharmacy computing system, and receive a ready prescription including a pickup location at a predetermined pharmacy location from the remote pharmacy computing system. When the mobile computing device is within a proximity of the predetermined pharmacy location, the pharmacy application may display, on the mobile communication device, an indication that the ready prescription is available at the pickup location.

Claims (50)

1. A computer-implemented method for improved providing of a prescription pickup location notification for a prescription order, comprising:

initializing a pharmacy application in a mobile computing device, the pharmacy application configured to prompt a user for a location acceptance via a question prompt notification,

launching the pharmacy application in a continuously running background process of the mobile computing device, without user intervention, wherein the pharmacy application is configured to

transmit a location of the mobile computing device and customer identification information to a remote pharmacy computing system, and

receive a ready prescription notification including the prescription pickup location at a predetermined pharmacy location from the remote pharmacy computing system,

when the background process determines that the mobile computing device is within a proximity of the predetermined pharmacy location,

displaying, on the mobile computing device, an indication that a ready prescription is available at the prescription pickup location.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein initializing the pharmacy application in the mobile computing device, the pharmacy application configured to prompt the user for the location acceptance via the question prompt notification is triggered by receiving a transmission in the mobile computing device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein initializing the pharmacy application in the mobile computing device includes one or both of (i) downloading the pharmacy application from an application store, and (ii) installing the pharmacy application.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the customer identification information includes a user profile that is part of an operating system installed on the mobile computing device.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the pharmacy application is configured to determine the location of the mobile computing device by reference to one or both of (i) one or more beacon parameters, and (ii) a global navigation satellite system.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting the customer identification information to the remote pharmacy computing system includes transmitting the customer information via an application programming interface in the background process of the mobile computing device.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the prescription pickup location is one or both of (i) a drive thru pickup location, and (ii) and express pay pickup location.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising

receiving, via the mobile computing device, an indication that the customer has a question regarding the ready prescription, and

triggering, in response to the indication, the display of a map on the mobile computing device, the map including a route from the location of the mobile computing device to the prescription pickup location, wherein the prescription pickup location is a standard pickup location.

9. A non-transitory computer readable media having instructions stored thereon in a mobile communication device for providing a prescription pickup location for a prescription order, that when executed by a processor cause the mobile communication device to:

initialize a pharmacy application in the mobile computing device, the pharmacy application configured to prompt a user for a location acceptance via a question prompt notification,

launch the pharmacy application in a continuously running background process of the mobile computing device, without user intervention, wherein the pharmacy application is configured to

transmit a location of the mobile computing device and customer identification information to a remote pharmacy computing system, and

receive a ready prescription notification including the prescription pickup location at a predetermined pharmacy location from the remote pharmacy computing system,

when the background process determines that the mobile computing device is within a proximity of the predetermined pharmacy location, display, on the mobile computing device, an indication that a ready prescription is available at the prescription pickup location.

10. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 9 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to trigger the mobile computing device to prompt the user for the location acceptance via the question prompt notification in response to receiving a transmission in the mobile computing device.

11. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 9 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to one or both of (i) download the pharmacy application from an application store, and (ii) install the pharmacy application.

12. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 9 , wherein the customer identification information includes a user profile that is part of an operating system installed on the mobile computing device.

13. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to determine the location of the mobile computing device by reference to one or both of (i) one or more beacon parameters, and (ii) a global navigation satellite system.

14. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 9 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to

receive, via the mobile computing device, an indication that the customer has a question regarding the ready prescription, and

trigger, in response to the indication, the display of a map on the mobile computing device, the map including a route from the location of the mobile computing device to the prescription pickup location, wherein the prescription pickup location is a standard pickup location.

15. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 9 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to

authorize a payment of the user, and,

when the payment is unsuccessful, display a notification informing the user to go to a standard prescription pickup location for payment.

16. A computing system, comprising

one or more processors, and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the computing system to

initialize a pharmacy application in a mobile computing device, the pharmacy application configured to prompt a user for a location acceptance via a question prompt notification,

launch the pharmacy application in a continuously running background process of the mobile computing device, without user intervention, wherein the pharmacy application is configured to

transmit a location of the mobile computing device and customer identification information to a remote pharmacy computing system, and

receive a ready prescription notification including a prescription pickup location at a predetermined pharmacy location from the remote pharmacy computing system,

when the background process determines that the mobile computing device is within a proximity of the predetermined pharmacy location the mobile computing device is within a proximity of the predetermined pharmacy location, display, on the mobile communication device, an indication that a ready prescription is available at the prescription pickup location.

17. The computing system of claim 16 , wherein the memory includes further instructions that, when executed, cause the computing system to

prompt the user for the location acceptance via the question prompt notification is triggered by receiving a transmission in the mobile computing device.

18. The computing system of claim 16 , wherein the memory includes further instructions that, when executed, cause the computing system to

determine the location of the mobile computing device by reference to one or both of (i) one or more beacon parameters, and (ii) a global navigation satellite system.

19. The computing system of claim 16 , wherein the memory includes further instructions that, when executed, cause the computing system to

receive, via the mobile computing device, an indication that the customer has a question regarding the ready prescription, and

trigger, in response to the indication, the display of a map on the mobile computing device, the map including a route from the location of the mobile computing device to the prescription pickup location, wherein the prescription pickup location is a standard pickup location.

20. The computing system of claim 16 , wherein the memory includes further instructions that, when executed, cause the computing system to

authorize a payment of the user, and,

when the payment is unsuccessful, display a notification informing the user to go to a standard pickup location for payment.

Assignments (3)
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 28, 2025
From: WALGREEN CO.
To: SIXTH STREET LENDING PARTNERS, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 072606/0878 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 28, 2025
From: WALGREEN CO.; DUANE READE; WALGREENS SPECIALTY PHARMACY LLC; WALGREENS BOOTS ALLIANCE, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 072679/0926 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 22, 2020
From: MCCAULEY, TIM; TURKINGTON, JON; DHAR, ABHINAV; KOZIC, DEJAN; EBY, NICHOLAS
To: WALGREEN CO.
Reel/Frame 053282/0909 →
Continuity (1)
Continuation 14249492 · Apr 10, 2014