U.S. patent application number 13/839683 was filed with the patent office on 2013-12-26 for interactive digital catalogs for touch-screen devices.
The applicant listed for this patent is Arish ALI, Daniel KOWTA. Invention is credited to Arish ALI, Daniel KOWTA.
Application Number | 20130346258 13/839683 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 49775247 |
Filed Date | 2013-12-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130346258 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
ALI; Arish ; et al. |
December 26, 2013 |
INTERACTIVE DIGITAL CATALOGS FOR TOUCH-SCREEN DEVICES
Abstract
A computer implemented method and computer program product
features "Layered UI," which consists of multiple "layers"
activated by user selection options. Another feature is identified
as "Linger UI," or "Time Delayed Layers," which comprises
information that shows up automatically when the user "lingers" on
a page for a pre-programmed amount of time. Another feature is
identified as "Exploding UI," or "Bloom View," which is used to
expand into a larger graphic overlay with one or more larger images
which provide the user with more in-depth and important product
information. Another feature is "Dynamic Personal Catalogs" which
allows a user to browse a catalog and create one more
"mini-catalogs" from which the user can share or shop, based on the
user's individual needs.
Inventors: |
ALI; Arish; (San Francisco,
CA) ; KOWTA; Daniel; (San Francisco, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
ALI; Arish
KOWTA; Daniel |
San Francisco
San Francisco |
CA
CA |
US
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
49775247 |
Appl. No.: |
13/839683 |
Filed: |
March 15, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61664706 |
Jun 26, 2012 |
|
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|
Current U.S.
Class: |
705/27.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 3/0488 20130101;
G06Q 30/0643 20130101; G06F 3/016 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/27.2 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 30/06 20120101
G06Q030/06 |
Claims
1. A computer implemented method for obtaining details and
information for a product comprising the steps of: electronically
providing a user interface featuring a product display page;
electronically providing a first user interface element for
allowing the user to tactilely select a displayed product;
electronically providing a second user interface element for
allowing the user to view additional product information relating
to the displayed product as a function of time spent by the user on
the product display page.
2. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the
additional product information comprises a plurality of functional
layers comprising a social layer, a commerce layer, a story telling
layer and a visual layer.
3. The computer implemented method of claim 1 where layers are
displayed in accordance with a preprogrammed scheme of time where
time is a first set amount of time and a second set amount of
time.
4. The computer implemented method of claim 2 wherein the social
layer comprises alternative social media options.
5. The computer implemented method of claim 2 wherein the commerce
layer comprises a hot spot layer.
6. The computer implemented method of claim 2 wherein the commerce
layer comprises a pricing and purchase option layer.
7. A computer implemented method of claim 2 wherein the displayed
layers can be selected by the user via tactile contact with the
first user interface element.
8. A computer implemented method for obtaining details and
information for a product comprising the steps of: electronically
providing a user interface featuring a product display page;
electronically providing a first user interface element for
allowing the user to tactilely select a displayed product;
electronically providing a second user interface element for
allowing the user to tactilely contract or expand a displayed
product image to contract or expand a display of other related
products.
9. A computer program product for obtaining details and information
relating to a product, the computer program product being embodied
in a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising
instructions for: electronically providing a user interface
featuring a product display page; electronically providing a first
user interface element for allowing the user to tactilely select a
displayed product; electronically providing a second user interface
element for allowing the user to view additional product
information relating to the displayed product as a function of time
spent by the user on the product display page.
10. The computer program product of claim 9 wherein the additional
product information comprises a plurality of functional layers
comprising a social layer, a commerce layer, a story telling layer
and a visual layer.
11. The computer program product of claim 9 where layers are
displayed in accordance with a preprogrammed scheme of time where
time comprises a first set amount of time and a second set amount
of time.
12. The computer program product of claim 9 wherein the social
layer comprises alternative social media options.
13. The computer program product of claim 9 wherein the commerce
layer comprises a hot spot layer.
14. The computer program product of claim 9 wherein the commerce
layer comprises a pricing and purchase option layer.
15. A computer program product of claim 9 wherein the displayed
layers can be selected by the user via tactile contact with the
first user interface element.
16. A computer program product for obtaining details and
information relating to a product, the computer program product
being embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium
comprising computer instructions for: electronically providing a
user interface featuring a product display page; electronically
providing a first user interface element for allowing the user to
tactilely select a displayed product; electronically providing a
second user interface element for allowing the user to tactilely
contract or expand a displayed product image to contract or expand
a display of other related products.
Description
[0001] This Application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application No. 61/664,706, filed Jun. 26, 2012.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates generally to the marketing and
selling of products and services. It also relates generally to
web-based (i.e. utilized by means of the virtual community that
exists on the "Internet" or within the "world wide web," or "www")
methods and systems for acquiring, storing, processing, retrieving
and displaying information and data. More specifically, the present
invention relates to a method, system and software product that
provides an enhanced electronic interactive digital catalog for
touch-screen devices that allows users and consumers of various
goods and services to search for and select suitable goods and
services from purveyors. It also relates to a user-friendly and
computerized platform for searching for and receiving information
as to certain products sold via digital catalogs, such catalogs
being available for use with touch-screen devices.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Goods, and some services, have been sold through product
catalogs for more than a century. In today's world of electronic
data processing and communications, the internet provides consumers
and sellers with promotional opportunities and benefits not
previously made possible. This is particularly true for sellers
who, up to now, have sold products and services only through paper
catalogs, which are rapidly becoming a thing of the past. As in
other retail sales areas, it is recognized by these inventors that
consumers and retail sellers of various products and services are
becoming more and more intrigued with the use of technology to aid
in the search for compatible or suitable goods or services to be
sold to the consuming public. However, using and searching
presently-available websites of purveyors who advertise and sell
such goods and services to consumers can be a very labor-intensive
process.
[0004] In the view of these inventors, what is needed is a method,
system and software product for providing much improved
functionality of interactive digital catalogs for touch-screen
devices. Indeed, electronic data processing, digital communication
and tactile-actuated touch screen technologies make the method and
system of the present invention possible. The present invention is
also made possible by the use of specialized software that will
allow consumers and retail sellers to access and utilize certain
unique product selection formats, guides and search engines. The
present invention provides consumers with a convenient and easy to
use electronic platform for conducting electronic commerce via
touch screen devices and further provides them with mobile
capabilities for enhanced product selection.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] In accordance with the foregoing, these inventors have
perceived a need to provide such a method, system and software
product where interactive digital catalogs, or catalog applications
(or simply "apps"), can be provided for touch-screen devices, such
as the iPad.RTM. brand tablet computer (iPad.RTM. is a registered
mark of Apple Inc.), in an "on-line" or user interface (or "UI")
format. It is to be understood, however, that the apps of the
present invention could also be used with traditional personal
computers and other personal computing devices. Such a method,
system and software product will provide the user with a UI for
navigating any number of such interactive digital catalogs and is
accessible using mobile encoding technology and personal touch
screen computing devices.
[0006] In accordance with the present invention, the inventors more
specifically provide several unique features, or functionalities,
as part of the enhanced catalog app which is the subject of the
present application and will be disclosed herein. One feature will
be identified as "Layered UI," which consists of multiple "layers,"
each of which is activated by user selection options. Another
feature will be identified as "Linger UI," or "Time Delayed
Layers," which comprises information that shows up automatically
when the user "lingers" on a page for a pre-programmed amount of
time. This information can also be one of the layers in the Layered
UI concept mentioned above, or can be any other information that is
time-activated.
[0007] Yet another feature will be identified as "Exploding UI," or
"Bloom View." The functionality of this feature is that, by
pinching and zooming on a product that is displayed on the user's
screen, a graphic will explode or expand into a larger graphic
overlay with one or more larger images which provide the user with
more in-depth and important product information.
[0008] Lastly, another feature will be identified as "Dynamic
Personal Catalogs." The functionality of this feature allows a user
to browse a catalog and to dynamically create one more
"mini-catalogs" from which the user can share or shop, based on the
user's individual needs.
[0009] The foregoing and other features of the method, system and
software product of the present invention will become apparent from
the detailed description that follows.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIGS. 1A through 1D are similar exemplary screen displays
that illustrate the "Time Delayed UI" functionality in accordance
with the present invention.
[0011] FIGS. 2A through 2D are similar exemplary screen displays
that illustrate the "Layered UI" functionality in accordance with
the present invention.
[0012] FIGS. 3A through 3F are similar exemplary screen displays
that illustrate the "Bloom View" functionality in accordance with
the present invention
[0013] FIGS. 4A and 4B are other exemplary screen displays
illustrating the "Dynamic Mini-Catalogs from Favorites"
functionality in accordance with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0014] As a prefatory statement, it is to be understood that the
method and system of the present invention assumes usage of a
specific computer program product that is used within an electronic
commerce (or "e-commerce") environment and that comprises certain
system building block "components." Those components are data
structures, data processors and interfaces, and each component is a
functional element. The data structures are places to organize and
store data. The data processors are used to manipulate data by
performing processes or applying algorithms to the data. The
interfaces connect the data structures and the data processors to
the outside world, or to other data structures and data processors,
including the virtual internet-based community that exists within
the "world wide web" or "www." The program includes source code
which is a list of instructions, written in a selected computer
language, and then converted into computer machine language, which
language the computer uses to build the software "machine"
described by the instructions. The software machine is made up of
the components referred to above. The source code is a detailed
"blueprint" telling the computer how to assemble those components
into the software machine. Further, the source code is organized
into separate files, files are organized into separate modules, and
modules are organized into separate functions or routines to
accomplish, via pre-programmed algorithms, the necessary steps in
accordance with the method and system of the present invention. It
is to be understood that the specific way that the source code is
organized into files, modules and functions is a matter of
programmer design choice and is not a limitation of the present
invention. It should also be understood that the method and system
of the present invention is made possible by virtue of the
existence of the internet. The internet offers opportunities and
benefits that cannot be performed with the use of printed product
catalogs or other more conventional promotional literature.
[0015] A first functionality of the present invention is the
"Linger" functionality which is comprised of a time-delayed "layer"
concept. More specifically, this is a time-dependent gesture that
provides additional information to the user. As intended, layers
show up automatically when the user "lingers" on a page or screen
display for a certain pre-programmed period of time. That is, when
a user spends extra time on a particular screen, the screen begins
to interact with the user by providing additional information
through various "layers." With respect to this functionality, it is
to be understood that each screen consists of different layers. For
example, in the preferred embodiment, there is a "social layer"
which comprises sharing, comments and ratings functionalities.
Next, there is a "commerce layer" which comprises product details,
price and a buy button. Next, there is a "story telling layer"
which includes brand and collection information for the user.
Lastly, there is the "visual layer" which comprises photography and
other imaging for viewing by the user.
[0016] In this "Linger" functionality, when the user electronically
"surfs" through product pages, stops at one particular screen and
then spends "normal +X" amount of time on that product display
page, the user is automatically provided with additional visuals
and information for a chosen product. This interaction may result
in various outcomes including video playing, animation, textile
information pops up, various layers popping up and the like, and
the present invention is limited in that regard. That is, it is to
be understood that the interactions illustrated in FIGS. 1A through
1D are exemplary only and the present invention is not limited to
this specific example shown for this functionality.
[0017] Specifically referring to FIG. 1A, it shows another
touch-screen display (3) comprising an image or visual layer (50).
If the personal computing device senses that the amount of time
spent by the user on the visual layer (50) displayed on the screen
display (3) exceeds the pre-programmed "normal +X" amount of time,
the story telling layer (52) crops up on the screen display (3).
See FIG. 1B. If the viewer spends additional time watching the
screen display (3), the commerce layer (54) will indicate certain
"hot spots" (55) that will crop up on the display screen (3)
adjacent certain of the displayed product images. Tapping on one of
the hot spots (55) provides the user with additional information
concerning that particular product. See FIGS. 10 and 1D. The
commerce hot spot layer (54) is followed by the pricing and
purchase option layer (56). The pricing and purchase option layer
(56) crops up only when the viewer continues to spend additional
time watching the previous screen shown in FIG. 1C. Finally, the
user is shown a social layer (58) with various different social
media options illustrated on the display (3). The present invention
is not limited to the types of social media illustrated in the
preferred embodiment. Tapping the touch-screen display (3) at any
point off of any information box will then close the boxes.
[0018] Similar to the aforementioned functionality, which also
includes the various layers as described above, is the "Layered UI"
feature. This feature is unique because of the fact that there are
various layers that a user experiences with every additional
tactile interaction that occurs between the viewer and the screen
display. This is illustrated in the preferred embodiment shown in
FIGS. 2A through 2D. For example, the visual layer could change to
a commercial layer due to a tactile touching of the screen display
and a particular product image which may further change to a social
layer because of a slide action or any other similar physical
gesture. In short, it is to be understood that, with respect to
this functionality, the previously identified social, commerce,
story telling and visual layers are included as well.
[0019] Referring specifically to FIG. 2A, it will be shown that the
default view, which is the same screen display (3), includes a
product image (60), which is similar to the previous discussion. In
this particular functionally, the editorial layer (64) comes up "on
top" of the visual layer (62). See FIG. 2B. It can show up in
response to some user activity or due to a time delay or some other
action. For example, the user may tap on an icon (65) to show the
additional layer. The experience could, however, be a result of
various other gestures. The commerce layer (66) and hot spots (67)
are also used in this functionality. That is, similar to the story
telling layer, the commerce layer (66) also crops up in response to
some user action. See FIG. 2C. This can show up as hot spots (67)
on specific product items that have commerce layer (66) information
imbedded with respect to them. Tapping on a given commerce layer
hot spot (67) shows additional commerce related information (68)
about the product such as pricing and purchase options. See FIG.
2D. Lastly, as also shown in FIG. 2D, the user is shown a social
layer (69) with different options as well. Similar to the previous
functionality, tapping anywhere off of the information box (64)
will close it.
[0020] The next feature presented in accordance with the present
invention relates to the "Exploding UI." In this functionality,
there are two basic concepts that are used--"pinching" and
"zooming." In today's world of touch screens, pinching and zooming
only tend to minimize or expand an image that the user has
expanded, for example, by zooming in. In the present application,
the pinch, zoom and explode gesture does much more. In point of
fact, it is not the product image that gets magnified or minimized.
Rather, it is the additional information that is germane to the
product which is shown to the viewer, in the form of a "mini
explosion."
[0021] More particularly, and referring now to FIGS. 3A through 3F,
this "mini explosion" functionality is initially illustrated in a
display (4) that is shown in the default view of FIG. 3A. As shown
in FIG. 3B, a user can touch and then tactilely spread his or her
fingers using the zoom gesture (72) adjacent a displayed product
(70). As the user spreads his or her fingers further apart using
the zoom gesture (72), the screen display (4) and product images
"bloom" from the center of the selected product. See FIGS. 3C and
3D. It is to be noted that this experience is not limited to the
zooming with the finger gesture. This could also be a result of
other tactile gestures like tapping the bloom icon or circling a
product as previously described. As before, this feature is not
limited to the product choices illustrated in this preferred
embodiment.
[0022] As shown in FIGS. 3E and 3F, once the user has zoomed out of
an image (74) by spreading his or her fingers over a product, a
quick view information box (76) comes up along with a larger view
(78) of a chosen product. This could also be a view in accordance
with an alternative embodiment, such as where similar related
product illustrations, or related product "thumbs" (77a, 77b, 77c,
77d), appear below the info box (78). See FIG. 3F. During one or
more of the last steps in this feature, the display (4) can go
"dark" such that the information box (76) and all views (78, 77a,
77b, 77c, 77d) of the chosen product are effectively highlighted.
Again, see FIG. 3F. Once the user has zoomed out of an image by
tactilely spreading his or her fingers over a product in accordance
with the foregoing, tapping on the screen (4) at a point anywhere
other than on information box (76) will collapse or close it.
[0023] Lastly, the functionality of "Dynamic Personal Catalogs" is
also included in the present invention. FIG. 4A illustrates a
screen display (5) together with a number of exemplary "lists" (80,
82, 84, 86, 88) of the type described above. With "favorites"
lists, multiple users can keep track of products or items they have
chosen and designated as "favorites." These lists become similar to
"mini-catalogs" consisting of selections from a main electronic
catalog. This makes it easy for shoppers to sort out who wants what
and what the user has selected for particular individuals or in the
area of specific product lines. For example, the list (80)
identified as "Dad's List" in FIG. 4A can be expanded to illustrate
(81) greater product detail for this particular list (80). There
are also evergreen lists (for tools and homes) that could follow
across catalogs throughout the year. The present invention is not
limited to the specific types of lists that can be used or created.
In this particular preferred embodiment, each list (80, 82, 84, 86,
88) shows when it was last updated and users are able to comment on
lists. For example, a child might make a list and then comment that
he or she really needs everything on it. The parent might disagree
and similarly comment that the child needs to shorten the list to
one or several items.
[0024] In accordance with the foregoing, it will be seen that there
has been provided a new and useful method, system and software
product that uses several unique features, or functionalities, as
part of an enhanced catalog app. One feature is the "Layered UI,"
which consists of multiple "layers," each of which is activated by
user selection options. Another feature is the "Linger UI," or
"Time Delayed Layers" feature, which comprises information that is
visually presented automatically when the user "lingers" on a page
for a pre-programmed amount of time. This information can also be
one of the layers in the Layered UI concept mentioned above, or can
be any other information that is time-activated. Still another
feature is the "Exploding UI," or "Bloom View." The functionality
of this feature is that, by pinching and zooming on a product that
is featured on the user's touch screen display, a graphic will
explode or expand into a larger graphic overlay with one or more
larger images which provides the user with more in-depth and
important product information. Lastly, the feature identified as
"Dynamic Personal Catalogs" allows a user to browse a catalog and
to dynamically create one more "mini-catalogs" from which the user
can share or shop, based on the user's individual needs. This
method, system and software product provides the user with prompts
and guidance for improving product purchases via mobile encoding
technology and personal computing devices.
* * * * *