Abstract:
A system for purchasing performing operations in response to preauthorization and receiving geographic coordinates. The system includes, but is not limited to, a remote server, communicatively coupled to a third party system and a user database. The remote server is configured to query the user database to retrieve a unique identifier associated with the user and with prescription information for the user. The remote server includes a link in the unique identifier and transmits a message including the unique identifier to a local device associated with the user. The remote server receives instructions from the local device and obtains preauthorization from the third party system in response to the instructions. Furthermore, the remote server receives and tracks geographic coordinates of the local device. In response to preauthorization and tracking the geographic coordinates, initiate operations in preparation for arrival of the user.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Many retail establishments currently require a customer to either fax-in or personally drop off a medical prescription for prescription medication. The customer then typically waits at the retail establishment for the medical prescription to be filled. Once the prescription is filled, the customer then typically pays for the prescription medication by using a traditional cashier who scans the prescription medication and then receives tender from the customer for payment of the prescription medication. This process typically requires the customer to shop for and purchase prescription medication by first providing the medical prescription to the retail establishment, then travelling to the retail establishment and waiting at the retail establishment for the medical prescription to be filled, and finally purchasing the prescription medication at the retail establishment once the medical prescription has been filled. 
         [0002]    Having the customer wait at the retail establish once the medical prescription is being filled, and then having the customer pays for the medical prescription medication by using a traditional cashier, takes time since it requires interaction with a cashier, which often detracts from the user&#39;s shopping experience. Additionally, as a result of this process, retail establishments have to invest in additional cashiers, and additional time is required from the customer to complete his purchase by having to go to a cashier. It would be desirable to provide a customer and a retail establishment with a method for dispensing and purchasing prescription medication from a retail establishment in a streamlined and timely manner. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    In one aspect, a system for purchasing a pharmaceutical medication is provided. The system includes, but is not limited to, a local device for receiving prescription ready information which notifies a user that the pharmaceutical medication is ready for pick-up and a remote server. The prescription ready information contains general payment options directed to the user. The remote server is connected with the local device. The remote server includes a notification and payment system. Upon receiving the prescription ready information at the local device, the local device transmits purchase instructions to the notification and payment system. The notification and payment system transmits the purchase instructions to a financial computer system in order to obtain a preauthorization for funds, if a general payment option is selected, in order to purchase the pharmaceutical medication. 
         [0004]    The scope of the present invention is defined solely by the appended claims and is not affected by the statements within this summary. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    The invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings and description. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. 
           [0006]      FIG. 1A  depicts a block schematic diagram of an exemplary computing system, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0007]      FIG. 1B  depicts an illustration of a local or mobile device communicating with a remote server, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  depicts a system level flowchart of interactions between a customer, a local or mobile device, and a remote server, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  depicts a system level flowchart of interactions between a customer or user, a local or mobile device, and a remote server, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0010]    In the description that follows, the subject matter of the application will be described with reference to acts and symbolic representations of operations that are performed by one or more computers, unless indicated otherwise. As such, it will be understood that such acts and operations, which are at times referred to as being computer-executed, include the manipulation by the processing unit of the computer of electrical signals representing data in a structured form. This manipulation transforms the data or maintains it at locations in the memory system of the computer which reconfigures or otherwise alters the operation of the computer in a manner well understood by those skilled in the art. The data structures where data is maintained are physical locations of the memory that have particular properties defined by the format of the data. However, although the subject matter of the application is being described in the foregoing context, it is not meant to be limiting as those skilled in the art will appreciate that some of the acts and operations described hereinafter can also be implemented in hardware, software, and/or firmware and/or some combination thereof. 
         [0011]    With reference to  FIG. 1A , depicted is an exemplary computing system for implementing embodiments.  FIG. 1A  includes a computer  100 , which could be any one of a local device  200  or remote server  240 . A local device  200  is any device which is locally accessible by the customer or user, such as a mobile computer, a laptop computer, a mobile phone, an automotive computer system, a touchscreen computer, an automotive navigation system, and a kiosk. A remote server  240  is any computer system which is remote from the user and the local device  200  and receives and transmits information from and to the local device  200 . Local device  200  may be a portable device, wherein at least some or all of its components are formed together in a single device which can be carried around by a person. 
         [0012]    The computer  100  includes a processor  110 , memory  120  and one or more drives  130 . The drives  130  and their associated computer readable memory medium provide storage of computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules and other data for the computer  100 . Drives  130  can include an operating system  140 , application programs  150  such as notification and payment system  340 , program modules  160 , and program data  180 . Computer  100  further includes input devices  190  through which data may enter the computer  100 , either automatically or by a user who enters commands and data. Input devices  190  can include an electronic digitizer, a flatbed scanner, a barcode reader, a microphone, a camera, a video camera, a keyboard and a pointing device, commonly referred to as a mouse, a trackball or a touch pad, a pinpad, any USB device, any Bluetooth enabled device, an RFID or NFC device, and a debit card reader. Other input devices may include a joystick, game pad, satellite dish, scanner, and the like. In one or more embodiments, input devices  190  are portable devices that can direct display or instantiation of applications running on processor  110 . 
         [0013]    In one embodiment, computer  100  includes a location determining device  191  which generates location information that is transmitted to the computer  100 . Location determining device  191  is any device which can assist in generating location information or which generates location information, such as a satellite signal receiver which can receive Global Positioning System (GPS) signals or any other radio signals emanating from satellites which can be used to determine location, such as GLONASS signals, Galileo signals, Beidou signals, COMPASS signals, IRNSS signals, and QZSS signals. Additionally, location determining device  191  may include a radio receiver for receiving ground based radio signals, such as GPRS signals or any 2G, 3G, 4G, LTE or other type of commonly transmitted radio signal which may be used along with triangulation software to determine one&#39;s location and generate location information. Location determining device  191  may also include a wireless signal receiver and/or transmitter, a computer or a network of computers such as the Internet, a satellite, a compass, a gyroscope, or any combination of such which can generate or be used to generate location information  227 . Location information  227  can be useful in that it can provide the retail establishment with an estimated time of arrival, for example, of the user. This estimated time of arrival, can assist the retail establishment in preparing for the arrival of the user, such as by preparing any products  220  purchase by the user for pickup by the user. 
         [0014]    Location information  227  includes data which can be used to determine the location of the location determining device  191 , the computer  100 , or the user of the computer  100 . Location information  227  includes details as to the location of the local device  200 , such as the coordinates of the local device  200 , a name of a street, and/or address, and/or city, and/or state, and/or country in which the local device  200  is in or near. Preferably, location information  227  includes details as to the location of the local device  200  within 100 meters, and preferably within 50 meters, and preferably within 10 meters, and most preferably within 5 meters, and preferably within 3 meters, and preferably within one meter. 
         [0015]    Location determining device  191  and other input devices  190  can be connected to processor  110  through a user input interface that is coupled to a system bus  192 , but may be connected by other interface and bus structures, such as a parallel port, game port or a universal serial bus (USB). Computers such as computer  100  may also include other peripheral output devices such as speakers, printers, and/or display devices, which may be connected through an output peripheral interface  194  and the like. 
         [0016]    In one embodiment, computer  100  includes a radio  198  or other type of communications device for wirelessly transmitting and receiving data for the computer  100  with the aid of an antenna. Radio  198  may wirelessly transmit and receive data or information using a variety of protocols and standards such as WiMAX™, 802.11a/b/g/n, Bluetooth™, 2G, 2.5G, 3G, and 4G, wireless standards. Additionally, in one embodiment, radio  198  may wirelessly transmit and receive data using a Short Message Service (SMS) messaging protocol. The SMS messaging protocol is a text messaging service component of phone, web, or mobile communication systems which uses a standardized communications protocols to allow fixed line or mobile phone devices to exchange short text messages. Many mobile device are capable of transmitting and receiving information using the SMS protocol. 
         [0017]    In one embodiment, computer  100  operates in a networked environment using logical connections to one or more remote computers, such as a remote server  240 . The remote server  240  may be a personal computer, a server, a router, a network PC, a peer device or other common network node, and may include many if not all of the elements described above relative to computer  100 . Networking environments are commonplace in offices, enterprise-wide computer networks, intranets and the Internet. For example, in the subject matter of the present application, computer  100  may comprise the source machine from which data is being migrated, and the remote computer may comprise the destination machine. Note, however, that source and destination machines need not be connected by a network or any other means, but instead, data may be migrated via any media capable of being written by the source platform and read by the destination platform or platforms. When used in a LAN or WLAN networking environment, computer  100  is connected to the LAN through a network interface  196  or an adapter. When used in a WAN networking environment, computer  100  typically includes a modem or other means for establishing communications over the WAN, such as radio  198 , to environments such as the Internet. It will be appreciated that other means of establishing a communications link between computer  100  and other computers may be used. 
         [0018]    With reference to  FIG. 1B , illustrated is an exemplary representation of a local device  200  for receiving notifications and purchasing a product  220  from a retail establishment. As used herein, the term “product” or “product  220 ” refers to any item or service sold by a retail establishment. “Item” include tangible objects or computer software which may be fixed in a tangible medium that may be purchased from a retail establishment. “Service” includes non-tangible objects or useful labor that does not produce a tangible commodity that may be purchased from a retail establishment. In one embodiment, the product  220  is prescription medication. 
         [0019]    In one embodiment, local device  200  includes any transportable, local, mobile, or portable electronic device having a processor  201  for executing applications and a display  206  for displaying information connected with the processor  201 , and includes such devices as a personal desktop assistant (PDA), a portable computer, a mobile telephone, a smartphone, a netbook, a mobile vehicular computer, a tablet computer, a kiosk, a handheld scanner, or a point of sale device. Display  206  can use any of a variety of types of display technologies, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), a cathode-ray tube type display, an electronic ink display, a light emitting diode (LED) type display such as an OLED display, and a plasma display. 
         [0020]    In one embodiment, the local device  200  includes a communications device  208 . The communications device  208  is connected with the processor  201  and capable of sending and receiving information between one or more other computers connected with the local device  200 . Preferably, communications device  208  is capable of wirelessly transmitting signals to another computer, such as remote server  240 , using a radio transmitter and a radio receiver connected with an antenna. In one embodiment, the local device  200  includes a scanning module  202  capable of receiving information and converting the information into a format that the processor  201  can read, such as digital data. Preferably, scanning module  202  includes any device which can capture, receive and process information, near-field communication (NFC) sensor, such as a Quick Response (QR) code, a barcode or any image, and includes devices such as a digital scanner, a digital camera, a video camera, a barcode reader, and any other type of digital or analog imaging device. 
         [0021]    Preferably, communications device  208  communicates with another computer  100 , such as remote server  240 , via a network  226  using a network interface  209 . Network interface  209  is connected with processor  201  and communications device  208 , and preferably disposed within remote device  200 . 
         [0022]    Network  226  may include any type of network that is capable of sending and receiving communication signals, including signals for multimedia content, images, data and streaming video. Network  226  may include a data network, such as the Internet, an intranet, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a cable network, and other like systems that are capable of transmitting information, such as digital data, and the like. Network  226  may also include a telecommunications network, such as a local telephone network, a long distance telephone network, a cellular telephone network, a satellite communications network, a cable television network and other like communications systems that interact with computer systems to enable transmission of information between local device  200  and another computer such as remote server  240 . Network  226  may include more than one network and may include a plurality of different types of networks. Thus, network  226  may include a plurality of data networks, a plurality of telecommunications networks, cable systems, satellite systems and/or a combination of data and telecommunications networks and other like communication systems. 
         [0023]    Preferably, network  226  is connected with both local device  200  and remote server  240  and allows for information to be transmitted and shared between local device  200  and remote server  240 . Remote server  240  includes any type of computer which can receive, store, process, and transmit information to another computer and includes devices such as a server based computer system capable of interacting with one or more other computer systems. Preferably, the remote server  240  runs notification and payment system  240 , or a portion of the notification and payment system  240 . 
         [0024]    In one embodiment, local device  200  includes location information processing means  193  which allows the local device  200  to determine its location. Location information processing means  193  preferably receives information from a location determining device  191 , such a Global Positioning System (GPS) based device, a radio transmitter or receiver, a computer or a network of computers such as the Internet, a satellite, a compass, a gyroscope, manually entered information from the user, or any other device which can be used to detect one&#39;s location. Location determining device  191  is in communication with location information processing means  193  and may be remote from or part of the local device  200 . Methods or systems for determining one&#39;s location, such as using radio triangulation to determine one&#39;s location, may be used by the location information processing means  193  to generate location information  227  or location information  227  may be transmitted to the location information processing means  193 . Either way, location information processing means  193  enables the local device  200  to determine its location and generates location information  227  as a result. 
         [0025]    A retail establishment may be either an online retail establishment which conduct business through the internet or a brick-and-mortar retail establishment which conduct business through a physical store or warehouse. A retail establishment includes a pharmacy, a supermarket, a general retail store, a wholesale store, a charity organization, a restaurant, or any other place which sells goods or services. The term “retail establishment” also includes a retail establishment&#39;s agents, such as any third party associated with the retail establishment or working in conjunction with the retail establishment. For example, a third party could be a delivery company working in conjunction with the retail establishment or a company that provides a service to the user or consumer through the retail establishment. Preferably, the retail establishment is a pharmacy or contains a pharmacy which dispenses and sells pharmaceutical medication. 
         [0026]    Preferably, local device  200  includes input means  210  for entering information from a user into the local device  200 . Input means  210  includes any device which can assist a user to enter information, such as a keyboard, a mouse, a touchpad, a touchscreen, a joystick, a button, a microphone, a camera, and a dial. 
         [0027]    Preferably, the product  220  is located within a brick-and-mortar retail establishment or accessible by the brick-and-mortar retail establishment. The product  220  is ordered through the retailer upon receiving a request from the user, the retailer then sends the user the terms of the request such as the price of the product  220  and/or the estimated delivery time. Upon acceptance of the terms of the request by the user, an order for the product is completed. As used herein, an order is any request to purchase a product  220 . The order is comprised of information received from a notification and payment system  340  which operates on a computer  100 , such as a server  240 . The information in the order includes user payment information, and information received from the user, such as purchase instructions, user payment information, and user personal information. 
         [0028]    With reference to  FIGS. 1B and 2 , in one embodiment, the product  220  is a pharmaceutical medication  300 , which is to be dispensed from a retail establishment or pharmacy  310 . Pharmaceutical medication  300  is a medicinal product, which includes any chemical substance, or product comprising such, intended for use in the medical diagnosis, cure, treatment, or prevention of a disease or ailment. Preferably, the pharmaceutical medication  300  is a prescription medication  301 , which requires a medical prescription from a physician in order to obtain the prescription medication  301  from the pharmacy  310  and for the pharmacy  310  to dispense the prescription medication  301  to a user. 
         [0029]    Pharmacy  310  dispenses and sells pharmaceutical medication  300  to users and includes a point of sale (POS) system  320 , such as a cashier  322 , a cash register  324 , a self-checkout station, or a drive-thru station  325  which may be connected with or part of the pharmacy  310 . Additionally, pharmacy  310  may be a free standing structure or connected with or part of a retail establishment which sells products other than pharmaceutical medications  300 . 
         [0030]    A retail establishment may be either an online retail establishment which conduct business through the internet or a brick-and-mortar retail establishment which conduct business through a physical store or warehouse. A retail establishment includes a pharmacy, a supermarket, a general retail store, a wholesale store, a charity organization, a restaurant, or any other place which sells goods or services. In one embodiment, the retail establishment is the pharmacy  310  or is an entity which owns the pharmacy  310 . Preferably, the product  220  is located within a brick-and-mortar retail establishment or accessible by the brick-and-mortar retail establishment. 
         [0031]    When the user requires prescription medication  301 , typically, a physician of the user&#39;s will issue a medical prescription  305  for the prescription medication  301 . The medical prescription  305  includes prescription information  315  which details such things as the user&#39;s name or other user identifying information which identifies the user (i.e. a social security number, an address, an insurance account number), the name of the pharmaceutical medication  300  or prescription medication  301 , the quantity of pharmaceutical medication  300  or prescription medication  301 , the dosage of pharmaceutical medication  300  or prescription medication  301 , and the name of the physician of the user&#39;s prescribing the medication  300  or  301  or other physician identifying information which identifies the physician of the user&#39;s. The prescription information  315  is then transmitted to the pharmacy  310  and employees within the pharmacy  310 , and preferably to a remote server  240  in communication with the pharmacy  310  or a computer  326  within the pharmacy  310 . The prescription information  315  may be transmitted any one of a number of ways to the pharmacy  310 , and to employees within the pharmacy  310 , such as by: electronically transmitting an image of the medical prescription  305  to the pharmacy  310  such as via facsimile transmission, delivering the medical prescription  305  or an image of the medical prescription  305  to the pharmacy  310  such as at the drive-thru station  325 , electronically transmitting the prescription information  315  directly (such as by using a computer  100 ) to computer  240  which is in communication with the pharmacy  310  or a computer  326  within the pharmacy  310 . 
         [0032]    The user may provide the pharmacy  310  with the user&#39;s personal information and pre-registered payment information in advance of transmitting the prescription information  315  to the pharmacy  310 , in order to expedite the process of filling and paying for the medical prescription  305 . For example, the user may provide the user&#39;s personal information to an employee of the pharmacy  310  or register with a computer system of the pharmacy  310 , such as an online or remote computer of the pharmacy  310 , such as remote server  240 . 
         [0033]    Upon receiving the prescription information  315 , the pharmacy  310 , preferably through the notification and payment system  340 , accesses the user&#39;s personal information, which may be stored remotely on the remote server  240  at a customer information database  286 , and preferably also accesses the user&#39;s pre-registered payment method information which may be stored remotely at a registered customer payment methods database  288 . The user&#39;s personal information may include the user&#39;s identity, name, address, delivery options, contact information, and personal preferences, along with user insurance information which includes details regarding the user&#39;s medical insurance plan. The user&#39;s payment method information may include any one of the user&#39;s pre-registered payment methods associated with the user&#39;s account, such as a PayPal™ account or other online payment account information, credit card information, bank account information, and any other information related to a financial payment means which can be used to provide authorization of funds to purchase the product  220 . Additionally, the user may enter a new payment method before payment for the product  220  is authorized. The user may enter a payment method either by keying in a new payment method or scanning new payment information from a medium, such as a credit card. 
         [0034]    Upon receiving the prescription  305 , employees at the pharmacy  310  will begin to fill the medical prescription  305 , and the various stages of filling the medical prescription  305  can be communicated the user, and preferably to the user&#39;s local device  200 , such as by SMS messages. Additionally, once the medical prescription  305  is filled and the pharmaceutical medication  300  is ready for pick-up by the user, the pharmacy  310 , and preferably employees of the pharmacy  310 , generate prescription ready information  330  preferably using a computer  326  within the pharmacy  310  and then communicates the prescription ready information  330  to the user preferably via the local device  200 . The prescription ready information  330  contains information indicating that the user&#39;s medical prescription  305  has been filled and that the user&#39;s pharmaceutical medication  300  is ready for pick-up by the user. Preferably, the prescription ready information  330  also includes pricing information, such as the amount due for the filled prescription  305 . Preferably, the prescription ready information  330  is generated using the user specific information and preferably also uses the prescription information  315 . 
         [0035]    User specific information is information specific to the user, such as user account information, the user identifying information, user&#39;s personal information, user payment information, and user insurance information. Preferably, the prescription ready information  330  contains information which indicates to the user that the medical prescription  305  has been filled and that the pharmaceutical medication  300  is ready for pick-up by the user, or that the pharmaceutical medication  300  will be ready for pick-up by the user at a given time. The prescription ready information  330  may also include location information for the pharmacy  310  at which the pharmaceutical medication  300  will be and even direction to the pharmacy  310 . Preferably, the prescription ready information  330  also includes an amount due for the purchase of the medical prescription  305 . 
         [0036]    In one embodiment, the prescription ready information  330  includes payment options, such as general payment options, while in another embodiment, the payment options are transmitted separately to the local device  200 . Payment options may include general payment options and/or specific payment options. General payment options are general payment methods which can be used for a general category of payment, such as “credit card”, “online account”, “cash”, or “checking account.” Specific payment options are payment accounts which are specific to the user, such as specific credit card accounts, specific bank or checking accounts, and specific online accounts. 
         [0037]    In one embodiment, upon receiving the prescription ready information  330 , general payment options are also transmitted to and received by the local device  200 . The general payment options are provided to the user for purchasing the pharmaceutical medication  300  ready for pick-up by the user. Preferably, the general payment options provide the user with general payment methods and/or general options to pay or not pay for the pharmaceutical medication  300  in advance of picking up the pharmaceutical medication  300 . In one embodiment, the general payment options provide the user with a choice of various general payment methods for a general category of payment, such as “credit card”, “online account”, “cash”, or “checking account.” 
         [0038]    Preferably, upon selection of a general payment option, the user transmits the selected general payment option to the notification and payment system  340 . Preferably, upon receipt of the selected general payment option, the notification and payment system  340  retrieves specific payment options which are specific to the user and related to the selected general payment option, from registered customer payment method database  288  and then transmits the specific payment options to the user at the local device  200 . For example, if the notification and payment system  340  receives a selected general payment option of “credit card,” the notification and payment system  340  can look up all credit card accounts on file for the user in the registered customer payment methods database  288  and then transmit a list of specific credit card accounts, or specific payment options, to the user at the local device  200 . 
         [0039]    When the payment options are specific payment options, they are payment options which are unique and specific to the user, such as specific payment accounts or methods from which the user may pay for the pharmaceutical medication  300  (i.e. specific credit card accounts, bank accounts, or online accounts). Preferably, the payment options include a payment identifier for each specific payment option or general payment option from which the user may pay for the pharmaceutical medication  300 . For example, the user may be provided with the following payment options: A. Payment via an Online Account, B. Payment via Credit Card A, C. Payment via Credit Card B, D. Payment via Checking Account, or E. No Payment made at this time, whereby the payment identifier would be “A”, “B”, “C”, “D”, or “E”. The user can then respond to the payment options with purchase instructions which are transmitted from the local device  200  to the remote server  240 . The purchase instructions indicate the user&#39;s choice of payment option from the provided payment options, and can include a general payment option, a specific payment option, and a payment identifier. Preferably, the purchase instructions are generated by selecting a payment identifier or payment option and transmitting the selected payment identifier or payment option back to the pharmacy  310 , such as by sending an SMS message in response to the prescription ready information  330  containing the payment identifier or payment option. Upon receiving the selected payment option, or the selected payment identifier, the user&#39;s wishes are carried out either by obtaining authorization or a preauthorization of funds from a financial computer system  292 , or nothing needs to be done if the user does not wish to make payment at this time. Preferably the user respond to the payment options using the local device  200 , whereby the local device  200  transmits a message to a pharmacy  310  via remote server  240 . 
         [0040]    In one embodiment, the pharmacy  310  and the user both communicate with each other via the notification and payment system  340 , which is preferably residing on the remote server  240 . However, the notification and payment system  340  may reside on any one of a number of computers  100 , and even multiple computers  100 . The remote server  240  may reside internally within the pharmacy  310 , and include the computer  326 , or on any number of computers  100  which are in communication with each other. Preferably, the notification and payment system  340  generates both the prescription ready information  330  and the payment options. Additionally, in one embodiment, the notification and payment system  340  also receives the user&#39;s response to the payment options, such as the payment identifier. Preferably, the notification and payment system  340  is in communication with the financial computer system  292  for obtaining preauthorization or authorization of the user&#39;s funds for payment of the pharmaceutical medication  300 ; the notification and payment system  340  is in communication with a customer information database  286  which contains user identifying information; and the notification and payment system  340  is in communication with a registered customer payment methods database  288  which includes the user&#39;s payment accounts or methods from which the user may pay for the pharmaceutical medication  300 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0041]    In one embodiment, the prescription ready information  330  contains a unique identifier which is used to uniquely identify the user, and preferably used to uniquely identify both the user and the pharmaceutical prescription  305  being filled for the user. In one embodiment, the unique identifier identifies the order for the pharmaceutical prescription  305  being filled for the user. He unique identifier may be the user&#39;s name, the user&#39;s birth date, an order number, an account number, or any other identifying piece of information which can be used to identify the user, the pharmaceutical prescription  305  being filled for the user, or the order. The unique identifier may include a link to a specific website or application on the local device  200  allowing the user to respond to the pharmacy  310  upon receiving the prescription ready information  330 , such as by confirming that the user will pick-up the pharmaceutical medication  300  or pay for the medication  300  using a specific payment method. In one embodiment, all or any information sent between the local device  200  and the remote server  240  is via text messages preferably using an SMS messaging protocol, such as prescription ready information  330 , prescription information  315 , purchase instructions, general payment options, specific payment options, selected general payment option, selected specific payment option, payment identifiers, unique identifiers, and any other such information. 
         [0042]    In one embodiment, a unique mobile identifier may also be communicated to the notification and payment system  340  for the purposes of identifying the user via the local device  200 . Preferably, the local device  200  transmits the unique mobile identifier, to the notification and payment system  340 . The unique mobile identifier includes any information which can be generated by the local device  200 , is specific to the local device  200 , and can uniquely identify the user, such as a mobile phone number, a mobile IMEI number, or other such information. The unique mobile identifier may be provided when the sends messages back to the notification and payment system  340  or may be provided at some later point in time. In one embodiment, both the unique identifier and the unique mobile identifier are transmitted to the notification and payment system  340  for the purposes of identifying the user, the local device  200 , or the order. 
         [0043]    With reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , shown is a method  500  for purchasing pharmaceutical medication  300  using a local device  200 . In operation, the method begins at block  501  whereby the user goes to the user&#39;s physician&#39;s office in order to treat an ailment. Then at block  502 , the user&#39;s physician writes a medical prescription  305  for the user in order to help cure the user&#39;s ailment, and then transmits the medical prescription  305 , and specifically the prescription information  315  within the medical prescription  305 , to the user&#39;s pharmacy  310  and employees within the pharmacy  310 , preferably via a facsimile transmission or via an electronic transmission to remote server  240  in communication with the pharmacy  310  or a computer  326  within the pharmacy  310 . 
         [0044]    Then at block  504 , the retail establishment, and specifically the pharmacy  310 , receives the medical prescription  305  and then begins to fills the medical prescription  305 . Additionally, the various stages of filling the medical prescription  305  can be communicated the user, and preferably to the user&#39;s local device  200 , such as by SMS messages. 
         [0045]    At block  506 , once the medical prescription  305  is filled and the pharmaceutical medication  300  is ready for pick-up by the user, the pharmacy  310 , and preferably employees of the pharmacy  310 , generate prescription ready information  330 , preferably using a computer  326  within the pharmacy  310 , communicate the prescription ready information  330  to the user preferably via the local device  200 . In one embodiment, the pharmacy  310  send the user an SMS message containing the prescription ready information  330  to notify the user that the medical prescription  305  is ready for pick-up. Preferably, the prescription ready information  330  includes an amount due along with general payment options allowing the user to pay for the pharmaceutical medication  300  using the local device  200 , and preferably by using SMS messages via the local device. 
         [0046]    Moving to blocks  508 , the user then receives the prescription ready information  330 , which preferably includes an amount due along with payment options, and accepts a payment option for payment via the local device  200 . At block  510 , the user transmits a message, to the pharmacy  310 , preferably via server  240 , in response to the prescription ready information  330 . Preferably, the message includes purchase instructions which include a selected payment option (i.e. a selected general payment option or a selected specific payment option), or payment identifier, indicating which payment option, if any, the user wishes to execute at this moment. 
         [0047]    In one embodiment, the payment option, or payment identifier, selected is a general payment option for a general category of payment, such as “credit card” or “checking account.” In this embodiment, the method then moves to block  511 , whereby the pharmacy  310  transmits via the notification and payment system  340 , a message including specific payment options within the selected general category of payment, such as “Credit Card A” or “Checking Account B” whereby the user is asked to select a specific payment option. In some embodiments, the user may have preselected or “default” specific payment options, and it may not be necessary to ask the user to select a specific payment option and then transmit a selected specific payment option to the notification and payment system  340 . 
         [0048]    Moving to block  512 , the user then respond to the pharmacy  310 &#39;s request for detailed and specific payment options within the selected general category of payment options, preferably using the local device  200 , and preferably by sending an SMS message containing detailed purchase instructions via the local device  200 . 
         [0049]    At block  513 , in one embodiment, upon receiving the selected payment option from the user, the pharmacy  310  via the notification and payment system  340 , sends applicable Hippa Statements to the user&#39;s local device  200 , whereby the user is preferably instructed to read the Hippa Statements, and the user responds with a digital signature acknowledging that the user has read the Hippa Statements at block  514 . 
         [0050]    Moving to block  516 , upon receipt of the digital signature acknowledging that the user has read the Hippa Statements, the pharmacy  310  transmits via the notification and payment system  340  applicable purchase receipts, such as a credit card receipt if a credit card payment option is chosen, to the local device  200  for signature by the user. 
         [0051]    At block  518 , via the user&#39;s local device  200 , the user may respond to the applicable purchase receipts by transmitting a digital signature to the pharmacy  310  via the notification and payment system  340 . Then at block  520 , upon receiving the digital signature indicating the user&#39;s acknowledgement and acceptance of conditions listed on the applicable purchase receipts, the notification and payment system  340  sends a receipt to the user, preferably an electronic receipt. The receipt may be sent electronically via e-mail, or via SMS message to the user&#39;s local device  200 . Preferably, the user will indicate his preference in advance in a user account profile of the user. 
         [0052]    Additionally, the pharmacy  310  will then communicate with a financial computer system  292  and receive authorization for funds in response to receiving the user&#39;s acknowledgement and acceptance of conditions listed on the applicable purchase receipts. Upon providing the purchase instructions to the notification and payment system  340 , the notification and payment system  340  communicates with a payment processing application that is connected to a financial computer system  292  of a financial institution in order to obtain a preauthorization for funds to be used in payment for the order of products  220 . 
         [0053]    Upon receiving a preauthorization of funds from the financial computer system  292 , the notification and payment system  340  communicates with and transmits to the pharmacy  310 , or with computers  326  within the pharmacy  310 , to provides them with an authorization of payment code used to indicate that funds have been authorized for payment of the product  220  and allow the product  220  to be given to the user. 
         [0054]    Preferably, before payment is made or authorized, the amount of the order is calculated and determined based on, but not limited to item prices, taxes, sale promotions, discounts, rebates, coupons, fees (delivery, installation, and warranty), local charges, deposit fees. Upon calculating the amount of the order, an order sale recording application or system documents a sale of the order, such as the transfer of ownership and removal of an item from the retail establishment&#39;s inventory. For each order, single payment amount is calculated. 
         [0055]    In one embodiment, payment is completed for the order via a payment processing application that is connected to the financial computer system  292 , wherein the notification and payment system  340  provides payment information to the payment processing application which in turn sends payment information to the financial computer system  292  and receives authorization information from the financial computer system  292 . 
         [0056]    Moving to block  522 , the user will proceed to arrive at the pharmacy  310 , preferably at the drive-thru station  325 , and identify himself or herself to an employee of the pharmacy  310  by providing user identifying information, such as the user&#39;s date of birth and/or name. Then at block  524 , the pharmacy  310  will locate and provide the user with the filled prescription, or pharmaceutical medication  300 , preferably packaged in packaging such as a container and/or a bag. Then at block  526 , in one embodiment, the pharmacy  310  delivers the pharmaceutical medication  300  to the user, preferably via a pneumatic tube at the drive-thru station  325 . 
         [0057]    As a result, by simply sending messages back and forth between the notification and payment system  340  and the user&#39;s local device, such as SMS messages, the user is able to be notified that the user&#39;s prescription  305  has been filled, then the user is provided with payment options for paying for the filled prescription  305 , and the user is able to pay for the filled prescription  305  before arriving at the pharmacy  310 , streamlining the method for dispensing and purchasing prescription medication from a retail establishment for the user. 
         [0058]    Those having skill in the art will recognize that the state of the art has progressed to the point where there is little distinction left between hardware and software implementations of aspects of systems; the use of hardware or software is generally (but not always, in that in certain contexts the choice between hardware and software can become significant) a design choice representing cost vs. efficiency tradeoffs. Those having skill in the art will appreciate that there are various vehicles by which processes and/or systems and/or other technologies described herein can be effected (e.g., hardware, software, and/or firmware), and that the preferred vehicle will vary with the context in which the processes and/or systems and/or other technologies are deployed. For example, if an implementer determines that speed and accuracy are paramount, the implementer may opt for a mainly hardware and/or firmware vehicle; alternatively, if flexibility is paramount, the implementer may opt for a mainly software implementation; or, yet again alternatively, the implementer may opt for some combination of hardware, software, and/or firmware. Hence, there are several possible vehicles by which the processes and/or devices and/or other technologies described herein may be effected, none of which is inherently superior to the other in that any vehicle to be utilized is a choice dependent upon the context in which the vehicle will be deployed and the specific concerns (e.g., speed, flexibility, or predictability) of the implementer, any of which may vary. Those skilled in the art will recognize that optical aspects of implementations will typically employ optically-oriented hardware, software, and or firmware. 
         [0059]    The foregoing detailed description has set forth various embodiments of the devices and/or processes via the use of block diagrams, flowcharts, and/or examples. Insofar as such block diagrams, flowcharts, and/or examples contain one or more functions and/or operations, it will be understood by those within the art that each function and/or operation within such block diagrams, flowcharts, or examples can be implemented, individually and/or collectively, by a wide range of hardware, software, firmware, or virtually any combination thereof. In one embodiment, several portions of the subject matter described herein may be implemented via Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), digital signal processors (DSPs), or other integrated formats. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that some aspects of the embodiments disclosed herein, in whole or in part, can be equivalently implemented in integrated circuits, as one or more computer programs running on one or more computers (e.g., as one or more programs running on one or more computer systems), as one or more programs running on one or more processors (e.g., as one or more programs running on one or more microprocessors), as firmware, or as virtually any combination thereof, and that designing the circuitry and/or writing the code for the software and or firmware would be well within the skill of one of skill in the art in light of this disclosure. In addition, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the mechanisms of the subject matter described herein are capable of being distributed as a program product in a variety of forms, and that an illustrative embodiment of the subject matter described herein applies regardless of the particular type of signal bearing medium used to actually carry out the distribution. Examples of a signal bearing medium include, but are not limited to, the following: a computer readable memory medium such as a magnetic medium like a floppy disk, a hard disk drive, and magnetic tape; an optical medium like a Compact Disc (CD), a Digital Video Disk (DVD), and a Blu-ray Disc; computer memory like random access memory (RAM), flash memory, and read only memory (ROM); and a transmission type medium such as a digital and/or an analog communication medium like a fiber optic cable, a waveguide, a wired communications link, and a wireless communication link. 
         [0060]    The herein described subject matter sometimes illustrates different components contained within, or connected with, different other components. It is to be understood that such depicted architectures are merely exemplary, and that in fact many other architectures can be implemented which achieve the same functionality. In a conceptual sense, any arrangement of components to achieve the same functionality is effectively “associated” such that the desired functionality is achieved. Hence, any two components herein combined to achieve a particular functionality can be seen as “associated with” each other such that the desired functionality is achieved, irrespective of architectures or intermediate components. Likewise, any two components so associated can also be viewed as being “operably connected”, or “operably coupled”, to each other to achieve the desired functionality, and any two components capable of being so associated can also be viewed as being “operably couplable”, to each other to achieve the desired functionality. Specific examples of operably couplable include but are not limited to physically mateable and/or physically interacting components and/or wirelessly interactable and/or wirelessly interacting components and/or logically interacting and/or logically interactable components. 
         [0061]    Those skilled in the art will recognize that it is common within the art to implement devices and/or processes and/or systems in the fashion(s) set forth herein, and thereafter use engineering and/or business practices to integrate such implemented devices and/or processes and/or systems into more comprehensive devices and/or processes and/or systems. That is, at least a portion of the devices and/or processes and/or systems described herein can be integrated into comprehensive devices and/or processes and/or systems via a reasonable amount of experimentation. Those having skill in the art will recognize that examples of such comprehensive devices and/or processes and/or systems might include—as appropriate to context and application—all or part of devices and/or processes and/or systems of (a) an air conveyance (e.g., an airplane, rocket, hovercraft, helicopter, etc.), (b) a ground conveyance (e.g., a car, truck, locomotive, tank, armored personnel carrier, etc.), (c) a building (e.g., a home, warehouse, office, etc.), (d) an appliance (e.g., a refrigerator, a washing machine, a dryer, etc.), (e) a communications system (e.g., a networked system, a telephone system, a Voice over IP system, etc.), (f) a business entity (e.g., an Internet Service Provider (ISP) entity such as Comcast Cable, Quest, Southwestern Bell, etc.); or (g) a wired/wireless services entity such as Sprint, Cingular, Nextel, etc.), etc. 
         [0062]    While particular aspects of the present subject matter described herein have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that, based upon the teachings herein, changes and modifications may be made without departing from the subject matter described herein and its broader aspects and, therefore, the appended claims are to encompass within their scope all such changes and modifications as are within the true spirit and scope of the subject matter described herein. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the invention is defined by the appended claims. Accordingly, the invention is not to be restricted except in light of the appended claims and their equivalents.