U.S. patent application number 13/015528 was filed with the patent office on 2011-07-28 for system and method for list shopping over a computer network.
Invention is credited to Catherine Lin-Hendel.
Application Number | 20110184836 13/015528 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 27613844 |
Filed Date | 2011-07-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110184836 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lin-Hendel; Catherine |
July 28, 2011 |
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LIST SHOPPING OVER A COMPUTER NETWORK
Abstract
The present invention is a system for conducting commercial
transactions over the Internet, whereby a shopper can
simultaneously search for a plurality of items on at least one
website with a single search command. The shopper can selectively
specify the items of interest to be searched and can also specify
and/or exclude websites to be searched. The system also searches a
selectively alterable set of default website(s) and intelligently
recommended website(s). Under one search command, the system
simultaneously searches for all of the items on any combination of
the following: site(s) specified by the user, a default website, an
alterable set of default or intelligently recommended website(s).
Information regarding the items retrieved as a result of the search
is compiled under an alterable set of criteria, and displayed for
viewing by the shopper. The shopper can simultaneously purchase
selected ones of said items with one order command.
Inventors: |
Lin-Hendel; Catherine; (Los
Gatos, CA) |
Family ID: |
27613844 |
Appl. No.: |
13/015528 |
Filed: |
January 27, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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09833956 |
Apr 12, 2001 |
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13015528 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
705/26.63 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 10/02 20130101;
G06Q 30/0625 20130101; G06Q 30/0627 20130101; G06Q 20/382 20130101;
G06Q 30/06 20130101; G06Q 30/0635 20130101; G06Q 30/0601 20130101;
G06F 16/951 20190101; G06Q 40/08 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/26.63 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 30/00 20060101
G06Q030/00 |
Claims
1. A system for conducting on-line commerce, comprising: means for
simultaneously conducting a search for a plurality of items on a
plurality of data sources, wherein a user selectively specifies the
plurality of items to be searched.
2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the means are
implemented using software.
3. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the
plurality of data sources is a website
4. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the
plurality of data sources is a database.
5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the user selectively
specifies at least one of the pluralities of data sources to be
searched.
6. The system according to claim 2, wherein the software is
selectively programmable to search at least one default data
source.
7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the results of the
search are simultaneously displayed on a display device for viewing
by the user, the results providing information regarding the
plurality of items searched.
8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the results of the
search are displayed in a plurality of lists, each one of the
plurality of lists displaying search results from a different one
of the plurality of data sources searched.
9. The system according to claim 7, wherein after the search is
completed, the user can simultaneously purchase one or more of the
plurality of items.
10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the user can
prioritize the order in which certain ones of the plurality of data
sources are to be searched.
11. The system according to claim 7, wherein the user can specify
criteria by which the results of the search are displayed.
12. The system according to claim 6, wherein the user can exclude
the at least one selectively programmed data source from being
searched.
13. The system according to claim 1, wherein the means prompts the
user to specify information regarding the plurality of items to be
searched.
14. The system according to claim 1, wherein the means prompts the
user to select certain ones of the plurality of items to be
included in the search.
15. The system according to claim 1, wherein the means prompts the
user to exclude certain ones of the plurality of items from being
included in the search.
16. The system according to claim 1, wherein the means enables a
user to simultaneously search for different types of items.
17. The system according to claim 8, wherein if a particular one of
the plurality of data sources that was searched does not have a
particular one of the plurality of items available for sale, the
list for that particular data source indicates if any of the other
plurality of data sources has the item available for sale.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of and claims priority to
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/833,956, entitled SYSTEM AND
METHOD FOR LIST SHOPPING OVER A COMPUTER NETWORK, filed on Apr. 12,
2001. The disclosure of the foregoing patent document is
incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth herein,
including Figures, Claims, and Tables.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention pertains to commercial transactions
conducted over a computer network, and more particularly to a
system and method for selecting and purchasing a plurality of items
on such a network.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Conducting commercial transactions over computer networks
such as the Internet is commonplace today. As the number of
Internet shoppers continues to increase, the number and
corresponding dollar value of goods and services, i.e., items,
purchased electronically in such manner also continues to increase.
However, conventional techniques for searching for items to be
purchased, are searching, viewing specifications and prices, and
selecting for purchase of such items, one item at a time.
[0004] Specifically, in order to conduct such transactions today, a
consumer has to search for such items one at a time by accessing
and browsing web pages of a website, one web page and one website
at a time. Searching for and purchasing items of interest in this
manner is a very tedious, time consuming and frustrating process.
Even the most sophisticated and advanced shopping search engines,
such as www.MySimon.Com, which enables a shopper to enter product
specifications, and then searches for the websites of participating
merchants that may carry the items being searched, still requires
that searching and purchasing be done one item at a time, one web
page and one website at a time. Accordingly, it is an objective of
the present invention to overcome the foregoing drawback.
SUMMARY
[0005] A system and method for conducting commercial transactions
over the Internet, whereby a shopper, by using one search command,
can simultaneously search for a plurality of items on at least one
website in a single search action. The shopper specifies items of
interest to be searched, and in one embodiment can also specify
and/or exclude websites to be searched. In additional embodiments,
the system searches a selectively alterable set of default or
server recommended websites. To use the invention, the shopper
enters a list of items in response to a series of prompts. Under
one search command, the system then simultaneously searches for all
of the specified items on the default site, the system recommended
site(s), or site(s) specified by the shopper, or all of the above
in another embodiment. Information regarding the items retrieved as
a result of the search is then displayed for viewing by the
shopper. The shopper can simultaneously purchase selected ones of
said items.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIGS. 1a, 1b, and 1c show a flowchart depicting an example
operation of the present invention. A selective subset of these
steps can be implemented for desired application.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The present invention enables a shopper to selectively
designate a plurality of items which they wish to purchase, issue
one search command to simultaneously conduct a search for said
items on a default website, or a plurality of websites, view
information found regarding the specified items, and then purchase
all or some of these items. This enables shoppers to search for and
purchase items without having to engage in the tedious and
time-consuming process of searching for items one at a time, one
web page and one website at a time as is conventionally done. The
user can also issue one command to simultaneously search for
different types of items using the present invention. The word
"simultaneously" in this disclosure signifies that the search for
all items is conducted under one user command. In one embodiment,
the search software looks for a match through the list of items at
each unit of search target. In another embodiment, the search
software searches through the search target for one item in one
pass, looping through all items before reporting end result to the
user.
[0008] The system and method of the present invention is
implemented by software. The software is used in conjunction with a
website that the shopper would visit to shop for items to be
purchased. The software presents a series of on-screen prompts in
response to which the shopper specifies the items to be searched
and specifies information/preferences and/or answers questions
regarding the items so that a search can be conducted for such
items. The software alternately causes a search to be conducted on
a default website, website(s) specified by the shopper, and/or on a
selectively alterable set of default website(s), recommended
website(s) specified by intelligent software, or all of the above.
The results of the search are then compiled, formatted, and
displayed on a display device for viewing by the shopper who can
purchase selected ones or all of the items found in the search, or
further refine the search.
[0009] FIGS. 1a, 1b, and 1c show a flow chart depicting an example
operation of the present invention. A selection of steps
illustrated can be implemented for a desired application. At step
1, a shopper enters via keyboard, mouse, stylus, voice or
otherwise, a list of the items they wish to purchase at a default
site the shopper visits for such items. Alternatively, a shopper
can select items to be searched from a default list of items
offered by a project program such as a meal preparation program, by
checking boxes for ingredients to be purchased from a website that
sells food products. At step 2, the shopper reviews the shopping
list. At step 3, the shopper decides whether to edit the shopping
list. If the shopper wants to edit the shopping list, then the
shopper does so at step 4 and the shopper can review the edited
list at step 2. If at step 3, the shopper decides not to edit the
shopping list and the default site is not a portal, at step 20 the
list is sent to the site server. At step 21 the search is conducted
on the default site. The process then proceeds to step 13 in FIG.
1c. If the default site is a portal on which the software is
running, at step 5 the shopper is prompted to indicate whether he
wants to specify any particular website or sites to be searched. If
the shopper decides to specify a preferred website or sites, then
at step 6 in FIG. 1b the shopper specifies such site or sites
and/or excludes site or sites to be searched for some or all of the
items in the shopping list. If at step 5 the shopper declines to
specify a preferred website, in step 52 the shopping list is sent
to the portal server for system recommendation for site(s) to
search at step 17 in FIG. 1c.
[0010] At step 7 in FIG. 1b, the shopper views the list of
website(s) he specified. At step 8, the shopper is prompted to
indicate whether he wishes to edit the list of website(s) he
specified. If so, then at step 9, the shopper edits the list of
website(s), and then at step 7 views the edited list of site(s). If
however, at step 8, the shopper decides not to edit the list of
website(s) they specified, then at step 10 the list of specified
site(s) is sent to the server of the website on which the software
is running. At step 11, the server can approve good site(s) and
reject problem site or sites selected by the shopper. At step 12
the server searches approved sites, and if so desired, also search
the system recommended sites for the items on the shopping list for
comparison.
[0011] At step 13, the server writes the results, i.e., data
gathered, of the search for all of the items from all of the sites
searched into a file and formats the file. At step 14, the server
sends the file to the shopper's access device. The file can be
presented to the shopper in any form, including in a series of
lists, wherein each list corresponds to items found on different
websites or databases, or wherein each list is comprised of similar
types of items or similarly priced items. The list of items can be
presented for viewing by the shopper using any desired criteria. At
step 15, the shopper reviews the file and selects and approves for
purchase those items he desires, and such approval is sent to the
server. At step 16, the server places an order at the appropriate
website or sites for the items selected and approved for purchase
by the shopper and then send a confirmation to the shopper.
[0012] If at step 11, the server rejects all websites specified by
the shopper as problem sites, then at step 17 the server returns
the list of specified sites together with reasons for rejection,
and a list of recommended sites to the shopper. At step 18, if so
desired, the shopper can choose and prioritizes the system
recommended sites, or selects to search all system recommended
sites at the default prioritization recommended by the server. At
step 19, the revised list of sites is then sent to the server for
search at step 12, from where the process continues as previously
described above.
[0013] If at step 5 the shopper does not specify any websites, then
the list of items to be purchased are sent at step 20 to the
server. From step 20, the server returns the list of recommended
sites at step 17, from which point the process continues as
previously described above.
[0014] It will further aid in understanding the operation of the
present invention to consider the following example. If a shopper
wants to shop for ingredients for a meal, the recipe or recipes for
the meal are presented on-screen with a check box in front of each
ingredient on the list of required ingredients, along with option
entry blanks for the shopper to select or exclude items and to
indicate other information such as how many servings are to be
prepared to automatically populate an editable quantity column.
[0015] After the shopper enters their preferences/selections, the
shopper is presented with a list of suppliers from whom they can
purchase the goods. The shopper then selects and prioritizes the
list of suppliers in order of descending preference. The website or
database of the first most preferred supplier is then searched for
the desired items on the list, and data regarding said items is
collected and compiled. Then the website or database of the second
most preferred supplier is searched for the specified items with
said data being collected and compiled. The websites or databases
of the remaining suppliers are similarly searched in order of
descending preference.
[0016] The search results are then displayed for viewing by the
shopper in a plurality of lists including product information,
e.g., brand and price information, for each item with a separate
list being displayed for each of the respective suppliers. If items
are not available from the first most preferred supplier while
available from the next most preferred supplier, those items would
be listed separately in the first most preferred supplier search
result list as being available from the next, e.g., second, most
preferred supplier from whom they could be purchased. If the
desired items are not available from the first or second most
preferred supplier while available from the third most favored
supplier, such items would be listed separately in the first most
preferred supplier search result list as being available from the
next, e.g., third, most preferred supplier. Similarly, if in the
search result list for the second most preferred supplier there are
items not available from the second most preferred supplier, the
list would indicate whether those items were available from the
first most preferred supplier, from the third most preferred
supplier or from other suppliers in descending order of preferred
suppliers.
[0017] The shopper then chooses one search list of goods, and
places an order for the entire list of items at one time.
Alternatively, the shopper can query for various search result
listings using different criteria, and choose and place an order
for goods from said different lists, for example, for price
optimization. The software program then automatically places orders
at the specified suppliers for all of the items in the list, and
sends one confirmation to the shopper when the process is
completed.
[0018] The present invention is implemented using software which
can be written in many programming languages, or implemented with
many data and information displaying or web-page generation tools.
The present invention can be used on a global or local computer
network, on a personal computer, on viewable storage media such as
a CD or DVD, on a wireless telephone, on a wireless personal
assistant such as a Palm Pilot, or on any type of wired or wireless
device that enables digitally stored information to be viewed and
internet access. Also, information displayed and viewed using the
present invention can be printed, stored to other storage medium,
and electronically mailed to third parties.
[0019] Numerous modifications to and alternative embodiments of the
present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in
view of the foregoing description. Accordingly, this description is
to be construed as illustrative only and is for the purpose of
teaching those skilled in the art the best mode of carrying out the
invention. Details of the embodiment may be varied without
departing from the spirit of the invention, and the exclusive use
of all modifications which come within the scope of the appended
claims is reserved.
* * * * *
References