Abstract:
Presented are web-based methods and systems for providing salon services to individuals, while at the same providing child care and/or child educational services for the individuals&#39; children. Further presented are web-based methods and systems for providing salon services to individuals, while also providing opportunities for the individuals to improve their physical fitness levels, healthy eating habits and nutrition awareness. Further presented are web-based methods and systems for providing salon services to individuals, while also allowing them to take care of work-related activities, such as checking e-mail and/or attending web-based meetings, among other computer-related activities, while waiting for an appointment at the salon.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/479,589, filed on Apr. 27, 2011, titled “Method and System for Web-based Salon Services,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0003]    Aspects of the present invention relate to methods and systems for providing web-based services. More particularly, aspects of the current invention related to methods and systems for providing web-based salon services. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0005]    Currently, the salon concept of providing services to individuals is failing to keep up with individuals&#39; busy lifestyles. People who desire to avail themselves of salon services today have a multitude of additional work and family-related responsibilities, and it is difficult for them to devote time to visit a salon without setting aside their other responsibilities or spending money to hire a sitter or imposing on a family member or friend to watch the children. In addition, people are becoming increasingly aware that physical fitness, healthy eating habits and education on proper nutrition are becoming more and more important with respect to their lifestyles. Finding the time to devote to their health is thus becoming yet another demand on their time. 
         [0006]    There is a need in the art for web-based methods and systems for providing salon services to individuals, while at the same providing child care and/or child educational services for their children, thereby eliminating the need to hire babysitters or asking family members to look after the children. There is another need in the art for web-based methods and systems for providing salon services to individuals while also providing opportunities for the individuals to improve their physical fitness levels, healthy eating habits and nutrition awareness. There is yet a further need in the art for web-based methods and systems for providing salon services to individuals while also allowing them to take care of work-related activities, such as checking e-mail and attending web-based meetings, among other activities, while waiting for an appointment, a fitness class or course on healthy nutrition, for example. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    Aspects of the present invention solve the above-identified needs, as well as others, by setting forth web-based methods and systems for providing salon services to individuals, while at the same providing child care and/or child educational services for their children. Aspects of the present invention further set forth web-based methods and systems for providing salon services to individuals, while also providing opportunities for the individuals to improve their physical fitness levels, healthy eating habits and nutrition awareness. Aspects of the present invention further set forth web-based methods and systems for providing salon services to individuals, while also allowing them to take care of work-related activities, such as checking e-mail and/or attending web-based meetings, among other computer-related activities, while waiting for an appointment, a fitness class or course on healthy nutrition, for example. 
         [0008]    Additional advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description that follows, and in part will become more apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or upon learning by practice of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    Various example aspects of the systems and methods will be described in detail, with reference to the following figures, wherein: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  presents an example flow diagram of functions performed in accordance with aspects of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  presents an example system diagram of various hardware components and other features, for use in accordance with aspects of the present invention; and 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of various example system components, for use in accordance with aspects of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0013]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , therein shown is an example flow diagram of a method of providing web-based salon services in accordance with aspects of the present invention. The method starts upon visiting the salon&#39;s website at S 100 . According to various aspects, a determination is made of whether the individual visiting the salon&#39;s website at S 100  is a member of the salon or spa. If the individual is a member at S 110 , the individual may log on as a member at S 130 . On the other hand, if the individual visiting the salon&#39;s website at S 100  is not a member at S 105 , then the individual may elect to either become a member at S 115  or visit content regarding the salon/spa services provided at S 120 . According to various aspects, if the individual is not a member and elects to join the salon at S 115 , then a membership profile may be created for the individual at S 125 , and the individual may then log on to the salon as a member at S 130 , as discussed above. According to various aspects, if the individual declines to join at S 115 , then although the individual may still be permitted to visit content about the salon services at S 120 , the individual may have less salon/spa services to choose from than a member, for example. 
         [0014]    According to various aspects, when the individual who is a member logs on the service at S 130 , the individual may select any desired spa services from a panel of possible services at S 135 , where the services may include regular salon services such as hair treatment, nails, facials and massages, and the like, may also include yoga and pilates, among other like fitness classes, may provide exercise room facilities useable at any time, as well as courses on nutrition and other services, such a counseling, for example. According to various aspects, counseling and nutrition services may be available either via a telephone communication with a counselor and/or via a personal meeting with a counselor, for example. According to various aspects, upon selecting the appropriate services at S 135 , the individual may indicate whether child care services are required at S 165 . For example, child care services may include classes such as painting, music or reading, and may be geared towards children of different age groups. It should be noted that child care services may also be geared to children of a particular age group, and/or may include any educational, gaming and/or sporting activities, for example. 
         [0015]    According to various aspects, when the individual indicates that child care services are required at S 165 , the individual may check their own schedule and compare their own schedule to the selected service schedule, for example, at S 170 . For example, if the individual needs hair treatment and child care between 5 pm and 6 pm, the individual may check the salon&#39;s website or brochure at S 170  to determine whether child care and hair treatment are available in the desired time slot. According to various aspects, when the individual has checked the available child care and service schedule, the individual may then select both the individual&#39;s service such as hair treatment and child care at S 180 . Once selected, the services and child care appointments may be confirmed at S 185 , and provided to the individual accordingly. Child care services may be provided only if the individual is in the facility and obtaining a salon/spa service, in accordance with one aspect of the current invention. If at S 165 , a determination is made that child care is not required, then the individual may proceed directly to selecting a service such as, for example, a facial treatment at S 175 , and then confirming the appointment at S 185 , at which point the service is provided to the individual according to the individual&#39;s desired schedule. In accordance with one aspect, individuals that are members of the salon or salon website may have access to more services, more child care activities, higher priority for time slots reserved for services/child care, and may also have access to discounted services and/or coupons for discounts as compared to non-members, for example. 
         [0016]    According to various aspects, if the individual declines to join the salon as a member at S 115 , the individual may be permitted to visit content about the salon and the services provided therein at S 120  and may also view and select one or more of the services available at the salon at S 140 . For example, although non-members may view and select services at the salon at S 140  including child care, the selection of services for non-members, as well as the availability of prime time slots, may be fewer than for members. According to various aspects, upon selecting a given services at S 140 , the individual may also indicate whether child care services are required at S 145 . For example, child care services may include classes such as painting, music or reading, and may be geared towards children of different age groups. It should be noted that child care services may also be geared to children of a particular age group, and/or may include any educational, gaming and/or sporting activities, for example. 
         [0017]    According to various aspects, when the individual indicates that child care services are required at S 145 , the individual may check their own schedule and compare their own schedule to the selected service schedule, for example, at S 150 . For example, if the individual needs hair treatment and child care between 5 pm and 6 pm, the individual may check the salon&#39;s website or brochure at S 150  to determine whether child care and hair treatment are available in the desired time slot. According to various aspects, when the individual has checked the available child care and service schedule, the individual may then select both the individual&#39;s service such as hair treatment and child care. Once selected, the services and child care appointments may be confirmed at S 160 , and provided to the individual accordingly. Child care services may be provided only if the individual is in the facility and obtaining a salon/spa service, in accordance with one aspect of the current invention. If at S 145 , a determination is made that child care is not required, then the individual may proceed directly to viewing the list of available appointments for services and selecting a service such as, for example, a facial treatment at S 155 , and then confirming the appointment at S 160 , at which point the service is provided to the individual according to the individual&#39;s desired schedule. 
         [0018]    Upon arrival at the salon/spa, and while waiting for an appointment in the waiting room, an individual may have the opportunity to check e-mail or perform other computer activities on one or more computers as well as wi-fi provided in the waiting room area. 
         [0019]    In some variations, aspects of the present invention may be directed toward one or more computer systems capable of carrying out the functionality described herein. An example of such a computer system  200  is shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0020]    Computer system  200  includes one or more processors, such as processor  204 . The processor  204  is connected to a communication infrastructure  206  (e.g., a communications bus, cross-over bar, or network). Various software aspects are described in terms of this example computer system. After reading this description, it will become apparent to a person skilled in the relevant art(s) how to implement the invention using other computer systems and/or architectures. 
         [0021]    Computer system  200  can include a display interface  202  that forwards graphics, text, and other data from the communication infrastructure  206  (or from a frame buffer not shown) for display on a display unit  230 . Computer system  200  also includes a main memory  208 , preferably random access memory (RAM), and may also include a secondary memory  210 . The secondary memory  210  may include, for example, a hard disk drive  212  and/or a removable storage drive  214 , representing a floppy disk drive, a magnetic tape drive, an optical disk drive, etc. The removable storage drive  214  reads from and/or writes to a removable storage unit  218  in a well-known manner. Removable storage unit  218 , represents a floppy disk, magnetic tape, optical disk, etc., which is read by and written to removable storage drive  214 . As will be appreciated, the removable storage unit  218  includes a computer usable storage medium having stored therein computer software and/or data. 
         [0022]    In alternative aspects, secondary memory  210  may include other similar devices for allowing computer programs or other instructions to be loaded into computer system  200 . Such devices may include, for example, a removable storage unit  222  and an interface  220 . Examples of such may include a program cartridge and cartridge interface (such as that found in video game devices), a removable memory chip (such as an erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM), or programmable read only memory (PROM)) and associated socket, and other removable storage units  222  and interfaces  220 , which allow software and data to be transferred from the removable storage unit  222  to computer system  200 . 
         [0023]    Computer system  200  may also include a communications interface  224 . Communications interface  224  allows software and data to be transferred between computer system  200  and external devices. Examples of communications interface  224  may include a modem, a network interface (such as an Ethernet card), a communications port, a Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) slot and card, etc. Software and data transferred via communications interface  224  are in the form of signals  228 , which may be electronic, electromagnetic, optical or other signals capable of being received by communications interface  224 . These signals  228  are provided to communications interface  224  via a communications path (e.g., channel)  226 . This path  226  carries signals  228  and may be implemented using wire or cable, fiber optics, a telephone line, a cellular link, a radio frequency (RF) link and/or other communications channels. In this document, the terms “computer program medium” and “computer usable medium” are used to refer generally to media such as a removable storage drive  214 , a hard disk installed in hard disk drive  212 , and signals  228 . These computer program products provide software to the computer system  200 . The invention is directed to such computer program products. 
         [0024]    Computer programs (also referred to as computer control logic) are stored in main memory  208  and/or secondary memory  210 . Computer programs may also be received via communications interface  224 . Such computer programs, when executed, enable the computer system  200  to perform the features of the present invention, as discussed herein. In particular, the computer programs, when executed, enable the processor  210  to perform the features of the present invention. Accordingly, such computer programs represent controllers of the computer system  200 . 
         [0025]    In an aspect where the invention is implemented using software, the software may be stored in a computer program product and loaded into computer system  200  using removable storage drive  214 , hard drive  212 , or communications interface  220 . The control logic (software), when executed by the processor  204 , causes the processor  204  to perform the functions of the invention as described herein. In another aspect, the invention is implemented primarily in hardware using, for example, hardware components, such as application specific integrated circuits (ASICs). Implementation of the hardware state machine so as to perform the functions described herein will be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art(s). 
         [0026]    In yet another aspect, the invention is implemented using a combination of both hardware and software. 
         [0027]      FIG. 3  shows a communication system  300  involving use of various features in accordance with aspects of the present invention. The communication system  300  includes one or more assessors  360 ,  362  (also referred to interchangeably herein as one or more “users”) and one or more terminals  342 ,  366  accessible by the one or more accessors  360 ,  362 . In one aspect, operations in accordance with aspects of the present invention is, for example, input and/or accessed by an accessor  360  via terminal  342 , such as personal computers (PCs), minicomputers, mainframe computers, microcomputers, telephonic devices, or wireless devices, such as personal digital assistants (“PDAs”) or a hand-held wireless devices coupled to a remote device  343 , such as a server, PC, minicomputer, mainframe computer, microcomputer, or other device having a processor and a repository for data and/or connection to a repository for data, via, for example, a network  344 , such as the Internet or an intranet, and couplings  345 ,  364 . The couplings  345 ,  364  include, for example, wired, wireless, or fiberoptic links. In another aspect, the method and system of the present invention operate in a stand-alone environment, such as on a single terminal. 
         [0028]    While this invention has been described in conjunction with the example aspects outlined above, various alternatives, modifications, variations, improvements, and/or substantial equivalents, whether known or that are or may be presently unforeseen, may become apparent to those having at least ordinary skill in the art. Accordingly, the example aspects of the invention, as set forth above, are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the invention is intended to embrace all known or later-developed alternatives, modifications, variations, improvements, and/or substantial equivalents.