Shopping assistance method and service system
First Claim
1. A shopping assistance method, comprising the steps of:
- sending an enquiry message from an enquirer to a service system, the enquiry message including a description of an item of interest which description is intended for human interpretation and takes the form of image and/or unstructured audio data;
at the service system, automatically;
determining a location associated with the enquiry, selecting from a database of traders, traders appropriate to the enquiry at least in terms of location and the type of the item of interest, and forwarding the description of the item of interest to the selected traders in an availability enquiry; and
providing a way for the selected traders to respond to the enquiry.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A shopping assistance service system (40) is provided to which enquirers (8A) can submit enquiries regarding the availability of item of interest from local traders (70). The enquiry message (150) includes a description (151) of the item of interest, this description being intended for human interpretation and taking the form of image and/or unstructured audio data. The service system (40) automatically determines a location associated with the enquiry, this being either the enquirer'"'"'s current location or a location where the enquirer intends to shop. The service system (40) then selects from a database of traders (44), traders appropriate to the enquiry at least in terms of location and the type of the item of interest, and forwards the description of the item of interest to the selected traders (70A,B,D). Traders (70B,D) then respond either directly to the enquirer (8A) or via the service system (40).
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A shopping assistance method, comprising the steps of:
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sending an enquiry message from an enquirer to a service system, the enquiry message including a description of an item of interest which description is intended for human interpretation and takes the form of image and/or unstructured audio data;
at the service system, automatically;
determining a location associated with the enquiry, selecting from a database of traders, traders appropriate to the enquiry at least in terms of location and the type of the item of interest, and forwarding the description of the item of interest to the selected traders in an availability enquiry; and
providing a way for the selected traders to respond to the enquiry. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A shopping-assistance service system, comprising:
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an enquiry-receiving subsystem for receiving an enquiry message from a remote enquirer over a communications network, the enquiry message including a description of an item of interest which description is intended for human interpretation and takes the form of image and/or unstructured audio data;
a store for at least temporarily storing said description;
a location subsystem for automatically determining a location associated with the enquiry, a trader selection subsystem for automatically selecting from a database of traders, traders appropriate to the enquiry at least in terms of location and the type of the item of interest, and an output subsystem for forwarding the description of the item of interest to the selected traders in an availability enquiry; and
an enquirer-contact subsystem for providing a way for the selected traders to respond to the enquiry. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification