Registers – Systems controlled by data bearing records – Mechanized store
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-19
2003-08-12
Frech, Karl D. (Department: 2876)
Registers
Systems controlled by data bearing records
Mechanized store
C235S379000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06604681
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to electronic shopping aids, and in particular to a system to provide shoppers with consumer information.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Various electronic systems are now provided for the convenience of shoppers. In recent years, developments in electronic commerce have removed shoppers from the confines of a retail store and the restrictions of mail order catalog shopping. By using multimedia techniques such as displaying product information, animation, 3D graphics, sound and video, consumers are free to shop in their own homes on their own time and without interference of a sales person who may have no knowledge of the products that the consumer is interested in. Systems offer flexibility not found in conventional shopping—the computer interface can facilitate or inhibit comparison shopping; encourage or discourage consumer interaction; make shopping fast and functional or slow and entertaining; and shopping can be directly controlled by the consumer or left to autonomous agents. Such systems include those described below:
The online shopping site, illustrated on the computer display of
FIG. 1
, is generally an electronic catalog that the consumer can access through the Internet. The online shopping site allows the consumer to purchase products sold by a conventional retail store from the convenience of the consumer's home or office. The consumer is able to shop at any hour of the day or night from a larger selection of products than could be carried in the store itself. To use the online shopping site, the consumer first turns on his/her computer and activates a web browser (such as Netscape's Navigator or Microsoft's Internet Explorer). The computer connects to the Internet through the consumer's phone line or a network connection. Then, the consumer just types in the Internet address (URL) of the retailer's web site.
The initial (home) page of the retailer's web site usually provides several shopping options. For example, the consumer is able to review product specials that are prominently featured on this page. The name, price, and a small picture of each item may be shown. If the consumer clicks his/her mouse on a featured item, the computer may then display a larger picture and more detailed information about the product. The information might include product specifications, operating instructions, usage suggestions and warranty information.
Often the consumer is able to search for specific products by selecting from a menu of product categories. The computer displays a list of the available products and their prices. If the list is longer than what will fit on the screen, the consumer can scroll through the items. By clicking on the name of an item, the consumer is sometimes given the ability to see a picture and a detailed description of the item. The consumer may also be able to search for a specific brand or type of product by typing its name into a text window. In response, the computer displays a list of the products that match. Again, the consumer can often click on an item for more detailed information.
To purchase an item, the consumer usually only need click on a button labeled “Add to shopping basket” or other similar label. When the consumer has finished shopping, the “Checkout” button or similar button can be clicked on to allow the consumer to then enter his/her name, address and payment information. The products in the shopping basket are usually shipped directly to the consumer's home (or other specified address) within the next one to three days depending on the delivery option the consumer selected.
The online virtual store, illustrated on the computer display of
FIG. 2
, is a virtual-reality simulation of a retail store that the consumer may access through the Internet. Like the online shopping site, the virtual store allows the consumer to purchase products sold by a conventional store from the convenience of the consumer's home or office. The consumer is able to shop at any hour of the day or night from a larger selection of products than could be carried in the store itself. To use the online shopping site, the consumer first turns on his/her computer and activates a web browser (such as Netscape's Navigator or Microsoft's Internet Explorer). The computer connects to the Internet through a phone line or a network connection. Then, the consumer just types in the Internet address (URL) of the retailer's web site.
The initial (home) page of the retailer's web site displays a store's floor plan, often viewed from above, laid out in the same manner as a conventional store. The various departments are labeled, with a special section dedicated to product specials and new items.
The consumer generally has several shopping options in the online virtual store. To select a specific store department and product category, the consumer clicks the mouse on the corresponding location on the store floor plan or selects its name from a menu. The consumer can usually also search for a specific brand or type of product by typing its name into a text window. In response, the computer displays a realistic, 3-D image of a store shelf stocked with a variety of products. The computer automatically highlights the names of any brands the consumer has specified. The products are arranged in the same way as in the conventional store. By pressing the controls on the computer keyboard, the consumer can pan across the shelf display and zoom in on specific items. By clicking on the image of a product, the consumer can pick up and rotate the package, examine it from any angle, and magnify the package labeling to read it. The label information might include product specifications, operating instructions, usage suggestions and warranty information.
To purchase a product, the consumer clicks on an image of a shopping cart and the product flies into the basket. When the consumer has finished shopping, the “Checkout” button is clicked allowing the consumer to enter his/her name, address and payment information. The product will be shipped directly to the consumer's home within the next few days depending on the delivery option the consumer has selected. Examples of the three-dimensional shopping systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,848,399 and 6,026,377.
The touch-screen kiosk is an easy-to-use computer and video display located in the retail store. An illustration of such a kiosk is shown in FIG.
3
. In the embodiment of
FIG. 3
, the kiosk is used to provide shoppers with additional information about products throughout the store. The information might include product specifications, operating instructions, usage suggestions, and warranty information—facts the consumer normally may have to track down a salesperson and ask about to learn, or that can only be answered by wading through piles of printed materials after the consumer has bought the product.
The touch-screen kiosk also allows the consumer to view and purchase a wider selection of items than could be carried in the store itself, saving the consumer the time and aggravation of going from store to store to get exactly what the consumer wants. The touch-screen kiosk brings the advantages of electronic shopping to customers who do not have a home computer or access to the Internet.
During operation of the touch-screen kiosk, the consumer first touches the kiosk's display screen, and in response the screen shows a variety of different product categories. By touching the name or picture of a product category and subcategory, the computer displays a list of the available products and their prices, along with a small picture of each item and a flag indicating if it's available in the store or if it can be ordered from a central location. If the list is longer than what will fit on the screen, the consumer can scroll through the items. If the consumer touches the name of an item, the screen usually shows a larger picture and a detailed description of the item. The consumer is often given the ability to
Burke Raymond R.
Lalwani Avanti
Thong John
Advanced Research and Technology Institute, Inc.
Frech Karl D.
Gridley Doreen J.
Ice Miller
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