U.S. patent application number 16/547969 was filed with the patent office on 2019-12-12 for fashion display system, method, recording medium and display apparatus.
The applicant listed for this patent is international Business Machines Corporation. Invention is credited to Minkyong Kim, Clifford A. Pickover, Valentine Salapura.
Application Number | 20190378172 16/547969 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 60660376 |
Filed Date | 2019-12-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20190378172 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kim; Minkyong ; et
al. |
December 12, 2019 |
FASHION DISPLAY SYSTEM, METHOD, RECORDING MEDIUM AND DISPLAY
APPARATUS
Abstract
A fashion display method, system, and non-transitory computer
readable medium, include identifying, via a camera, a fashion style
of a customer viewing a fashion display in a store, determining an
assessed trait of the fashion style of the customer, and augmenting
the fashion display to display a new fashion display customized to
the customer based on the assessed trait according to an
availability of the new fashion display stored in a database in the
store having the fashion display.
Inventors: |
Kim; Minkyong; (Scarsdale,
NY) ; Pickover; Clifford A.; (Yorktown Heights,
NY) ; Salapura; Valentine; (Chappaqua, NY) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
international Business Machines Corporation |
Armonk |
NY |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
60660376 |
Appl. No.: |
16/547969 |
Filed: |
August 22, 2019 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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15186761 |
Jun 20, 2016 |
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16547969 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 30/0261 20130101;
G06Q 30/0269 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 30/02 20060101
G06Q030/02 |
Claims
1. A fashion display system, comprising: a processor; and a memory,
the memory storing instructions to cause the processor to execute:
a customer identification circuit, in a camera, configured to
identify, via the camera, a fashion style of a customer viewing a
fashion display in a store; a customer assessing circuit configured
to determine an assessed trait of the customer by assessing the
fashion style of the customer; and a display augmenting circuit
configured to augment the fashion display to display a new fashion
display customized to the customer based on the assessed trait
according to an availability of the new fashion display that is
stored in a database in the store having the fashion display.
2. A fashion display method, comprising: identifying, via a camera,
a fashion style of a customer viewing a fashion display in a store;
determining an assessed trait of the fashion style of the customer,
and augmenting the fashion display to display a new fashion display
customized to the customer based on the assessed trait according to
an availability of the new fashion display stored in a database in
the store having the fashion display.
3. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium recording a
fashion display program, the program causing a computer to perform:
identifying, via a camera, a fashion style of a customer viewing a
fashion display in a store; determining an assessed trait of the
fashion style of the customer; and augmenting the fashion display
to display a new fashion display customized to the customer based
on the assessed trait according to an availability of the new
fashion display stored in a database in the store having the
fashion display.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is a Continuation Application of
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/186,761 filed on Jun. 20, 2016,
the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by
reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The present invention relates generally to a fashion display
system and a display apparatus, and more particularly, but not by
way of limitation, to a system for augmenting (e.g., changing) a
fashion display with data generated based on an assessment of a
recognized customer viewing the fashion display such that the
fashion display is customized for the customer.
[0003] Conventional fashion displays for displaying a fashion
product line for customers to view when walking by include store
front windows, billboards, posters, etc. which are static images
(videos). That is, the fashion display is a one-time generated
image (video) that must be manually changed with a new display,
re-arrangement of mannequins, etc.
[0004] Also, the conventional fashion displays are designed based
on a past pattern exhibited by the customers. In other words, a
company uses past data to predict what fashion products to include
in the images (videos) on the fashion display that will attract
future customers without augmenting the display based on the
current customer viewing the fashion display.
[0005] However, there is a technical problem in the conventional
techniques in that the conventional techniques do not augment the
fashion display to display a more relevant product of the product
line to a customer based on a real-time assessment of the customer
and are merely a one-time generated and displayed image
(video).
SUMMARY
[0006] In view of the technical problem in the art, the inventors
have considered the technical solution to the technical problem by
augmenting a fashion display based on a real-time assessment of a
customer viewing the fashion display such that the customer is
provided with a customized fashion display for a product relevant
to the customers aesthetic appeal.
[0007] In an exemplary embodiment, the present invention can
provide a fashion display system, including a customer
identification circuit configured to identify a fashion style of
the customer viewing a fashion display, a customer assessing
circuit configured to determine an assessed trait by assessing the
fashion style the customer, and a display augmenting circuit
configured to augment the fashion display to display a new fashion
display customized to the customer based on the assessed trait.
[0008] Further, in another exemplary embodiment, the present
invention can provide a fashion display method, including
identifying a fashion style of a customer viewing a fashion
display, determining an assessed trait of the fashion style of the
customer, and augmenting the fashion display to display a new
fashion display customized to the customer based on the assessed
trait.
[0009] Even further, in another exemplary embodiment, the present
invention can provide a non-transitory computer-readable recording
medium recording a fashion display program, the program causing a
computer to perform: identifying a fashion style of a customer
viewing a fashion display, determining an assessed trait of the
fashion style of the customer, and augmenting the fashion display
to display a new fashion display customized to the customer based
on the assessed trait.
[0010] There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, an embodiment
of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof
herein may be better understood, and in order that the present
contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of
course, additional exemplary embodiments of the invention that will
be described below and which will form the subject matter of the
claims appended hereto.
[0011] It is to be understood that the invention is not limited in
its application to the details of construction and to the
arrangements of the components set forth in the following
description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is
capable of embodiments in addition to those described and of being
practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be
understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, as
well as the abstract, are for the purpose of description and should
not be regarded as limiting.
[0012] As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the
conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be
utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods
and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present
invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded
as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not
depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] The exemplary aspects of the invention will be better
understood from the following detailed description of the exemplary
embodiments of the invention with reference to the drawings.
[0014] FIG. 1 exemplarily shows a block diagram illustrating a
configuration of a fashion display system 100.
[0015] FIG. 2 exemplarily shows a high level flow chart for a
fashion display method 200.
[0016] FIG. 3 exemplarily shows a display unit 300 for displaying a
fashion display according to the fashion display system 100.
[0017] FIG. 4 depicts a cloud computing node 10 according to an
exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0018] FIG. 5 depicts a cloud computing environment 50 according to
another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0019] FIG. 6 depicts abstraction model layers according to an
exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0020] The invention will now be described with reference to FIGS.
1-6, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts
throughout. It is emphasized that, according to common practice,
the various features of the drawing are not necessarily to scale.
On the contrary, the dimensions of the various features can be
arbitrarily expanded or reduced for clarity. Exemplary embodiments
are provided below for illustration purposes and do not limit the
claims.
[0021] With reference now to FIG. 1, the fashion display system 100
includes a customer identification circuit 101, a customer
assessing circuit 102, and a display augmenting circuit 103. The
fashion display system 100 includes a processor 180 and a memory
190, with the memory 190 storing instructions to cause the
processor 180 to execute each circuit of fashion display system
100. The processor and memory may be physical hardware components,
or a combination of hardware and software components.
[0022] Although the fashion display system 100 includes various
circuits, it should be noted that a fashion display system can
include modules in which the memory 190 stores instructions to
cause the processor 180 to execute each module of fashion display
system 100.
[0023] Also, each circuit can be a stand-alone device, unit,
module, etc. that can be interconnected to cooperatively produce a
transformation to a result.
[0024] With the use of these various circuits, the fashion display
system 100 may act in a more sophisticated and useful fashion, and
in a cognitive manner while giving the impression of mental
abilities and processes related to knowledge, attention, memory,
judgment and evaluation, reasoning, and advanced computation. That
is, a system is said to be "cognitive" if it possesses macro-scale
properties--perception, goal-oriented behavior, learning/memory and
action--that characterize systems (i.e., humans) that all agree are
cognitive.
[0025] Cognitive states are defined as functions of measures of a
user's total behavior collected over some period of time from at
least one personal information collector (e.g., including
musculoskeletal gestures, speech gestures, eye movements, internal
physiological changes, measured by imaging circuits, microphones,
physiological and kinematic sensors in a high dimensional
measurement space, etc.) within a lower dimensional feature space.
In one exemplary embodiment, certain feature extraction techniques
are used for identifying certain cognitive and emotional traits.
Specifically, the reduction of a set of behavioral measures over
some period of time to a set of feature nodes and vectors,
corresponding to the behavioral measures' representations in the
lower dimensional feature space, is used to identify the emergence
of a certain cognitive state(s) over that period of time. One or
more exemplary embodiments use certain feature extraction
techniques for identifying certain cognitive states. The
relationship of one feature node to other similar nodes through
edges in a graph corresponds to the temporal order of transitions
from one set of measures and the feature nodes and vectors to
another. Some connected subgraphs of the feature nodes are herein
also defined as a "cognitive state". The present application also
describes the analysis, categorization, and identification of these
cognitive states further feature analysis of subgraphs, including
dimensionality reduction of the subgraphs, for example graphical
analysis, which extracts topological features and categorizes the
resultant subgraph and its associated feature nodes and edges
within a subgraph feature space.
[0026] Although as shown in FIGS. 4-6 and as described later, the
computer system/server 12 is exemplarily shown in cloud computing
node 10 as a general-purpose computing circuit which may execute in
a layer the fashion display system 100 (FIG. 6), it is noted that
the present invention can be implemented outside of the cloud
environment.
[0027] The customer identification circuit 101 identifies a fashion
style of a customer viewing (e.g., walking by) a fashion display
via a camera 120. That is, the customer identification circuit 101
individually identifies a fashion style each customer in a
proximity of the fashion display such that the fashion display can
be augmented (e.g., changed) as described later.
[0028] The customer assessing circuit 102 assesses each customer
identified by the customer identification circuit 101 for an
assessed trait (e.g., an indication of the customer's preference in
fashion) such that the display augmenting circuit 103 can augment a
current fashion display of the display 140 to display a new fashion
display customized to the customer based on the assessed trait.
[0029] The assessed trait by the customer assessing circuit 102 can
be based on, for example, a determination of a popular fashion
(e.g., clothing, accessory, etc.) based on the observation of the
customer as collectively assessed as a crowd in a localized area by
identifying each individual and determining the popular fashion
based on a plurality of the individuals wearing a similar article
of fashion or based on what individuals are wearing over a
predetermined period of time, a determination of a unique fashion
(e.g., clothing, accessory, etc.) based on the observation of the
customer, a determination of a popular fashion/clothing attributes
(e.g., color, fabric patterns, style, fit) based on the observation
of the customer, an assessment of demographic information including
gender, age, income level, etc. according to the customer
identification circuit 101 identifying the customer and correlating
the customer to data for the particular customer stored in a
customer database 130 (e.g., data from a previous shopping
experience, data from a credit card application, etc.), a
determination of what the customer is currently wearing to thereby
set the assessed trait as customer's fashion preference and also
suggest items that may go well with what the customer is currently
wearing, a determination of current customer mood (e.g. based on
facial expression, gestures, speech, etc.), a past shopping history
of the customer according to customer data of the customer database
130, a determination of a cohort of the customer based on the
information in social media corresponding to the cohort, for
example, based on people who friended him/her, a past wish list of
the customer, a past search history of the customer as assessed
from the customer database 130, or the like.
[0030] For example, for the past shopping history of the customer
according to the customer data of the customer database 130, the
customers can opt-in (e.g., authorize) to having their customer
history further customize the change in fashion display. After a
customer authorizes the store or fashion display to use their
identification to further customize the fashion display, the
customer identification circuit 101 can further identify an
identity of the customer such that the fashion display can be
personalized using the customer history.
[0031] "Popular fashion" as an assessed trait can be estimated from
a centroid of a distribution (or creation of several clusters) in a
multidimensional space including color, texture, sheen, degree of
skin exposure, presence of sleeves/collars, solid, floral, spotted,
plaid, striped, graphics, and the like.
[0032] It is noted that each assessed trait can be individually
measured for the customer or aggregated over a crowd of customers
to augment the display via the display augmenting circuit 103 based
on a most relevant fashion display according to the crowd of
customers. If the fashion display is aggregated over a crowd, the
fashion display can display a plurality of models wearing fashion
directed to a plurality of assessed traits. In other words, if the
fashion display has five models, the top five assessed traits can
be displayed. Or, the fashion display can include a model having a
fashion style for each of the customers according to the assessed
traits for each customer, respectively. In this manner, the fashion
display can adaptively market to a plurality of customers who have
different fashion tastes that are each sold at a particular
store.
[0033] The customer assessing circuit 102 can determine the
assessed trait based on a pose or gait of the customer such that
the model wearing clothing may be controlled (e.g., in terms of
gait or pose). That is, the display augmenting circuit 103 can
augment the fashion display such that the model is using a similar
(same) pose as the customer.
[0034] Thus, the customer's fashion can be described with semantic
attributes (e.g., pose) by using a fully automated technique that
can generate a list of nameable attributes for clothes on human
body in unconstrained images. The technique extracts low-level
features in a pose-adaptive manner, and combine complementary
features for learning attribute classifiers. Mutual dependencies
between the attributes are then explored by a Conditional Random
Field to further improve the predictions from independent
classifiers. With an estimated human pose, an attribute learning
algorithm generates semantic attributes for the clothing.
[0035] The display augmenting circuit 103 can also augment the
display based on a non-customer related factor such as a current
weather condition, a future weather condition, a current
availability of the fashion item, a sale of an item, or the like.
For example, if the weather is currently sunny but rain is
predicted for the next couple of days, the display augmenting
circuit 103 can augment the display such that the fashion models
are wearing rain coats, using umbrellas, wearing rain boots, etc.
and indicate that rain is coming. The display augmenting circuit
103 can augment the display based on factors other than the
assessed traits when there is a large crowd of customers, when
there are no customers identified by the customer identification
circuit 101, or as a standard display before the display augmenting
circuit 103 further augments the fashion display based on the
assessed trait. The owner of the display can preferentially set
how/when the display augmenting circuit uses the assessed traits or
the non-customer related factor.
[0036] Also, after the display augmenting circuit 103 augments the
fashion display according to the assessed trait, the customer
identification circuit 101 can identify if the customer(s) "like"
the new fashion display by analyzing a facial expression, gestures,
speech, etc. of the customer. Alternatively, the customer can
"like" the new fashion display via an interactive display mechanism
on the display 140, using a mobile device, pressing a button on the
exterior of the display window, etc. such that the display
augmenting circuit 103 can "learn" which augmentations were liked
by the customers and which were not. The feedback can also be used
by a company (e.g., fashion retailer) to increase their revenue by
receiving real-time feedback.
[0037] Also, the display augmenting circuit 103 can use the
assessed trait of the pose of the user and display the customer on
the fashion display wearing the article of fashion. Thereby, the
customer can see how they would look wearing the article of fashion
before entering the store.
[0038] Each of the articles of fashion of the augmented fashion
display can include descriptions, sales prices, sales alerts,
regular prices, and per unit quantity prices, or the like displayed
on a region of the display 140.
[0039] In an alternative embodiment, the display 140 can be
customized outfits shown on mannequins (e.g., a 3-D window
display). In this case, if the changing of the clothing on
mannequins is difficult to do in "real-time", the display 140 can
include multiple mannequins each wearing diverse styles/colors of
outfits. Based on the assessed traits of the customer(s), a
mannequin(s) with an outfit(s) that best match the assessed trait
are shown in the window display. For example, mannequins could be
deployed on a linear or circular conveyor belt, and the mannequins
with the "best match" are moved to the front upon detecting the
customer's fashion taste. Or, the mannequins can be stored in a
different location, each mannequin having a camera recording the
mannequin and connected to the display 140 such that when the
particular mannequin is selected to best match the assessed trait,
the camera turn "on" such that the display 140 displays the
mannequin from the different location. Even further, the display
140 can include a known hologram generating technology such that
the display 140 displays a 3-dimensional hologram of the model
based on the assessed trait. Such hologram technology would
facilitate easy real-time augmentations of the mannequin's
fashion.
[0040] FIG. 2 shows a high level flow chart for a method 200 of
fashion display.
[0041] Step 201 identifies a customer viewing (or walking by) a
fashion display via a camera 120. That is, Step 201 individually
identifies each customer in a proximity of the fashion display such
that the fashion display can be augmented (e.g., changed).
[0042] Step 202 assesses each customer identified by Step 201 for
an assessed trait (e.g., an indication of the customer's preference
in fashion) such that Step 203 can augment a current fashion
display of the display 140 to display a new fashion display
customized to the customer based on the assessed trait.
[0043] FIG. 3 shows a display unit 300 for displaying a fashion
display using the fashion display system 100.
[0044] The display unit 300 can be a store display window that is
connected to an electronic commerce terminal to become an
advertising and payment system and method for retail store
applications including point of sale transactions, and window
display transactions.
[0045] Further, the display unit 300 can be a display on the side
of a vehicle, a store shelf; a billboard, etc. That is, the display
unit 300 can be installed in any location so long as the display
unit 300 can receive feed data from a camera 120 such that the
customer identification circuit 101 and the customer assessing
circuit 102 of the fashion display system 100 can identify
customers and assess traits of the customer such that the display
of the display unit 300 can be augmented by the display augmenting
circuit 103.
[0046] Even further, the display unit 300 could be configured to be
installed on a physical shopping cart. In this manner, the display
unit can also serve a related use of advertising and promotion
system including an electronic shopping cart display screen that
provides wireless in-store advertising and promotions. The display
unit 300 can be interactive (i.e., capable of responding to user
information requests and directions) or passive (i.e., only
requiring the shopper to push the cart down the aisle where it will
automatically receive a signal and alert the shopper to promotions
and advertised specials).
[0047] Exemplary Hardware Aspects, Using a Cloud Computing
Environment
[0048] It is understood in advance that although this disclosure
includes a detailed description on cloud computing, implementation
of the teachings recited herein are not limited to a cloud
computing environment. Rather, embodiments of the present invention
are capable of being implemented in conjunction with any other type
of computing environment now known or later developed.
[0049] Cloud computing is a model of service delivery for enabling
convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of
configurable computing resources (e.g. networks, network bandwidth,
servers, processing, memory, storage, applications, virtual
machines, and services) that can be rapidly provisioned and
released with minimal management effort or interaction with a
provider of the service. This cloud model may include at least five
characteristics, at least three service models, and at least four
deployment models.
[0050] Characteristics are as follows:
[0051] On-demand self-service: a cloud consumer can unilaterally
provision computing capabilities, such as server time and network
storage, as needed automatically without requiring human
interaction with the service's provider.
[0052] Broad network access: capabilities are available over a
network and accessed through standard mechanisms that promote use
by heterogeneous thin or thick client platforms (e.g., mobile
phones, laptops, and PDAs).
[0053] Resource pooling: the provider's computing resources are
pooled to serve multiple consumers using a multi-tenant model, with
different physical and virtual resources dynamically assigned and
reassigned according to demand. There is a sense of location
independence in that the consumer generally has no control or
knowledge over the exact location of the provided resources but may
be able to specify location at a higher level of abstraction (e.g.,
country, state, or datacenter).
[0054] Rapid elasticity: capabilities can be rapidly and
elastically provisioned, in some cases automatically, to quickly
scale out and rapidly released to quickly scale in. To the
consumer, the capabilities available for provisioning often appear
to be unlimited and can be purchased in any quantity at any
time.
[0055] Measured service: cloud systems automatically control and
optimize resource use by leveraging a metering capability at some
level of abstraction appropriate to the type of service (e.g.,
storage, processing, bandwidth, and active user accounts). Resource
usage can be monitored, controlled, and reported providing
transparency for both the provider and consumer of the utilized
service.
[0056] Service Models are as follows:
[0057] Software as a Service (SaaS): the capability provided to the
consumer is to use the provider's applications running on a cloud
infrastructure. The applications are accessible from various client
circuits through a thin client interface such as a web browser
(e.g., web-based e-mail). The consumer does not manage or control
the underlying cloud infrastructure including network, servers,
operating systems, storage, or even individual application
capabilities, with the possible exception of limited user-specific
application configuration settings.
[0058] Platform as a Service (PaaS): the capability provided to the
consumer is to deploy onto the cloud infrastructure
consumer-created or acquired applications created using programming
languages and tools supported by the provider. The consumer does
not manage or control the underlying cloud infrastructure including
networks, servers, operating systems, or storage, but has control
over the deployed applications and possibly application hosting
environment configurations.
[0059] Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): the capability provided
to the consumer is to provision processing, storage, networks, and
other fundamental computing resources where the consumer is able to
deploy and run arbitrary software, which can include operating
systems and applications. The consumer does not manage or control
the underlying cloud infrastructure but has control over operating
systems, storage, deployed applications, and possibly limited
control of select networking components (e.g., host firewalls).
[0060] Deployment Models are as follows:
[0061] Private cloud: the cloud infrastructure is operated solely
for an organization. It may be managed by the organization or a
third party and may exist on-premises or off-premises.
[0062] Community cloud: the cloud infrastructure is shared by
several organizations and supports a specific community that has
shared concerns (e.g., mission, security requirements, policy, and
compliance considerations). It may be managed by the organizations
or a third party and may exist on-premises or off-premises.
[0063] Public cloud: the cloud infrastructure is made available to
the general public or a large industry group and is owned by an
organization selling cloud services.
[0064] Hybrid cloud: the cloud infrastructure is a composition of
two or more clouds (private, community, or public) that remain
unique entities but are bound together by standardized or
proprietary technology that enables data and application
portability (e.g., cloud bursting for load-balancing between
clouds).
[0065] A cloud computing environment is service oriented with a
focus on statelessness, low coupling, modularity, and semantic
interoperability. At the heart of cloud computing is an
infrastructure comprising a network of interconnected nodes.
[0066] Referring now to FIG. 4, a schematic of an example of a
cloud computing node is shown. Cloud computing node 10 is only one
example of a suitable cloud computing node and is not intended to
suggest any limitation as to the scope of use or functionality of
embodiments of the invention described herein. Regardless, cloud
computing node 10 is capable of being implemented and/or performing
any of the functionality set forth hereinabove.
[0067] In cloud computing node 10, there is a computer
system/server 12, which is operational with numerous other general
purpose or special purpose computing system environments or
configurations. Examples of well-known computing systems,
environments, and/or configurations that may be suitable for use
with computer system/server 12 include, but are not limited to,
personal computer systems, server computer systems, thin clients,
thick clients, hand-held or laptop circuits, multiprocessor
systems, microprocessor-based systems, set top boxes, programmable
consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputer systems, mainframe
computer systems, and distributed cloud computing environments that
include any of the above systems or circuits, and the like.
[0068] Computer system/server 12 may be described in the general
context of computer system-executable instructions, such as program
modules, being executed by a computer system. Generally, program
modules may include routines, programs, objects, components, logic,
data structures, and so on that perform particular tasks or
implement particular abstract data types. Computer system/server 12
may be practiced in distributed cloud computing environments where
tasks are performed by remote processing circuits that are linked
through a communications network. In a distributed cloud computing
environment, program modules may be located in both local and
remote computer system storage media including memory storage
circuits.
[0069] As shown in FIG. 4, computer system/server 12 in cloud
computing node 10 is shown in the form of a general-purpose
computing circuit. The components of computer system/server 12 may
include, but are not limited to, one or more processors or
processing units 16, a system memory 28, and a bus 18 that couples
various system components including system memory 28 to processor
16.
[0070] Bus 18 represents one or more of any of several types of bus
structures, including a memory bus or memory controller, a
peripheral bus, an accelerated graphics port, and a processor or
local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. By way of
example, and not limitation, such architectures include Industry
Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, Micro Channel Architecture (MCA)
bus, Enhanced ISA (EISA) bus, Video Electronics Standards
Association (VESA) local bus, and Peripheral Component
Interconnects (PCI) bus.
[0071] Computer system/server 12 typically includes a variety of
computer system readable media. Such media may be any available
media that is accessible by computer system/server 12, and it
includes both volatile and non-volatile media, removable and
non-removable media.
[0072] System memory 28 can include computer system readable media
in the form of volatile memory, such as random access memory (RAM)
30 and/or cache memory 32. Computer system/server 12 may further
include other removable/non-removable, volatile/non-volatile
computer system storage media. By way of example only, storage
system 34 can be provided for reading from and writing to a
non-removable, non-volatile magnetic media (not shown and typically
called a "hard drive"). Although not shown, a magnetic disk drive
for reading from and writing to a removable, non-volatile magnetic
disk (e.g., a "floppy disk"), and an optical disk drive for reading
from or writing to a removable, non-volatile optical disk such as a
CD-ROM, DVD-ROM or other optical media can be provided. In such
instances, each can be connected to bus 18 by one or more data
media interfaces. As will be further depicted and described below,
memory 28 may include at least one program product having a set
(e.g., at least one) of program modules that are configured to
carry out the functions of embodiments of the invention.
[0073] Program/utility 40, having a set (at least one) of program
modules 42, may be stored in memory 28 by way of example, and not
limitation, as well as an operating system, one or more application
programs, other program modules, and program data. Each of the
operating system, one or more application programs, other program
modules, and program data or some combination thereof, may include
an implementation of a networking environment. Program modules 42
generally carry out the functions and/or methodologies of
embodiments of the invention as described herein.
[0074] Computer system/server 12 may also communicate with one or
more external circuits 14 such as a keyboard, a pointing circuit, a
display 24, etc.; one or more circuits that enable a user to
interact with computer system/server 12; and/or any circuits (e.g.,
network card, modem, etc.) that enable computer system/server 12 to
communicate with one or more other computing circuits. Such
communication can occur via Input/Output (I/O) interfaces 22. Still
yet, computer system/server 12 can communicate with one or more
networks such as a local area network (LAN), a general wide area
network (WAN), and/or a public network (e.g., the Internet) via
network adapter 20. As depicted, network adapter 20 communicates
with the other components of computer system/server 12 via bus 18.
It should be understood that although not shown, other hardware
and/or software components could be used in conjunction with
computer system/server 12. Examples, include, but are not limited
to: microcode, circuit drivers, redundant processing units,
external disk drive arrays, RAID systems, tape drives, and data
archival storage systems, etc.
[0075] Referring now to FIG. 5, illustrative cloud computing
environment 50 is depicted. As shown, cloud computing environment
50 comprises one or more cloud computing nodes 10 with which local
computing circuits used by cloud consumers, such as, for example,
personal digital assistant (PDA) or cellular telephone 54A, desktop
computer 54B, laptop computer 54C, and/or automobile computer
system 54N may communicate. Nodes 10 may communicate with one
another. They may be grouped (not shown) physically or virtually,
in one or more networks, such as Private, Community, Public, or
Hybrid clouds as described hereinabove, or a combination thereof.
This allows cloud computing environment 50 to offer infrastructure,
platforms and/or software as services for which a cloud consumer
does not need to maintain resources on a local computing circuit.
It is understood that the types of computing circuits 54A-N shown
in FIG. 5 are intended to be illustrative only and that computing
nodes 10 and cloud computing environment 50 can communicate with
any type of computerized circuit over any type of network and/or
network addressable connection (e.g., using a web browser).
[0076] Referring now to FIG. 6, a set of functional abstraction
layers provided by cloud computing environment 50 (FIG. 5) is
shown. It should be understood in advance that the components,
layers, and functions shown in FIG. 6 are intended to be
illustrative only and embodiments of the invention are not limited
thereto. As depicted, the following layers and corresponding
functions are provided:
[0077] Hardware and software layer 60 includes hardware and
software components. Examples of hardware components include:
mainframes 61; RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer) architecture
based servers 62; servers 63; blade servers 64; storage circuits
65; and networks and networking components 66. In some embodiments,
software components include network application server software 67
and database software 68.
[0078] Virtualization layer 70 provides an abstraction layer from
which the following examples of virtual entities may be provided:
virtual servers 71; virtual storage 72; virtual networks 73,
including virtual private networks; virtual applications and
operating systems 74; and virtual clients 75.
[0079] In one example, management layer 80 may provide the
functions described below. Resource provisioning 81 provides
dynamic procurement of computing resources and other resources that
are utilized to perform tasks within the cloud computing
environment. Metering and Pricing 82 provide cost tracking as
resources are utilized within the cloud computing environment, and
billing or invoicing for consumption of these resources. In one
example, these resources may comprise application software
licenses. Security provides identity verification for cloud
consumers and tasks, as well as protection for data and other
resources. User portal 83 provides access to the cloud computing
environment for consumers and system administrators. Service level
management 84 provides cloud computing resource allocation and
management such that required service levels are met. Service Level
Agreement (SLA) planning and fulfillment 85 provide pre-arrangement
for, and procurement of, cloud computing resources for which a
future requirement is anticipated in accordance with an SLA.
[0080] Workloads layer 90 provides examples of functionality for
which the cloud computing environment may be utilized. Examples of
workloads and functions which may be provided from this layer
include: mapping and navigation 91; software development and
lifecycle management 92; virtual classroom education delivery 93;
data analytics processing 94; transaction processing 95; and, more
particularly relative to the present invention, the fashion display
system 100 described herein.
[0081] The descriptions of the various embodiments of the present
invention have been presented for purposes of illustration, but are
not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments
disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to
those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope
and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used
herein was chosen to best explain the principles of the
embodiments, the practical application or technical improvement
over technologies found in the marketplace, or to enable others of
ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed
herein.
[0082] Further, Applicant's intent is to encompass the equivalents
of all claim elements, and no amendment to any claim of the present
application should be construed as a disclaimer of any interest in
or right to an equivalent of any element or feature of the amended
claim.
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