Method and apparatus for remote location shopping over a computer network
First Claim
1. A system for shopping in a remote physical location over a computer network comprising a user interface, remote from said physical location and coupled to said computer network, said user interface transmitting control signals designating selected regions of said physical location, said user interface displaying images received over said computer network;
- and an image acquisition system coupled to said computer network, said image acquisition system transmitting an image of a selected region in said remote physical location in response to said control signals;
wherein a user of said shopping system can select a product based on said image received and displayed by said user interface.
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Abstract
Methods and systems for real-time shopping of a remote physical location over a computer network. The present invention integrates so-called “telepresence” systems with on-line, electronic commerce and merchandising systems to achieve a novel, real-time shopping experience. Unlike conventional on-line catalogs, the present invention allows the user to visually navigate in real-time within an actual, physical space in order to view physical objects located therein, and to select or identify such objects for purchase or further inspection. Users navigate through the physical space by viewing images captured by cameras located within the space and remotely controlling the cameras by means of a user interface to capture additional images of other selected regions within the space. According to the invention, the user interface of the present invention allows the user to identify or select viewed objects for purchase or further inquiry.
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Citations
95 Claims
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1. A system for shopping in a remote physical location over a computer network comprising
a user interface, remote from said physical location and coupled to said computer network, said user interface transmitting control signals designating selected regions of said physical location, said user interface displaying images received over said computer network; - and
an image acquisition system coupled to said computer network, said image acquisition system transmitting an image of a selected region in said remote physical location in response to said control signals;
wherein a user of said shopping system can select a product based on said image received and displayed by said user interface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 16, 17, 34)
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11-15. -15. (canceled)
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18-33. -33. (canceled)
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35-91. -91. (canceled)
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92. A method for shopping in a remote physical location over a computer network, said computer network carrying and routing data between computers connected thereto, said computers including at least one client computer associated with one or more users, at least one server associated with a provider of goods or services, said server coupled to a database, said database including a list of products located at said remote physical location, said server operably coupled to and controlling an image acquisition system, said method comprising the steps of
(a) placing a product in a selected region of said remote physical location; -
(b) placing a product identification tag on said product;
(c) associating said tag with said product; and
(d) storing a representation of said tag in said database in association with said product. - View Dependent Claims (93, 94)
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95-102. -102. (canceled)
Specification