Custom-Made Product Sales System

• US 20050102151A1
• Filed: 12/25/2001
• Published: 05/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Ogawa, Tsuyoshi, Fuwa, Tetsuji
• Granted Patent: US 7,395,225 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers

Abstract

As a server computer receives, in a communication portion, data on an appearance of a custom-made product, such as a stamp, from a purchaser computer, a preview image creating portion creates smaller-sized preview image data than normal image data to be used when a stamp is produced by a stamp producing device connected to a supplier computer. The created preview image data is transmitted from the communication portion to the purchaser computer and the supplier computer, as required, and displayed on respective browsers. Therefore, the purchaser of the custom-made product can be promptly view the preview image of the custom-made product.

Claims

1. A custom-made product sales system for selling a custom-made product using a communication network, comprising:

a receiving device that receives data on an appearance of the custom-made product from a communication terminal of a purchaser who buys the custom-made product;

a preview image creating device that creates preview image data for the custom-made product based on the data received by the receiving device; and

a first transmitting device that transmits the preview image data created by the preview image creating device to the communication terminal of the purchaser.

2. The custom-made product sales system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first transmitting device transmits the preview image data created by the preview image creating device together with text data.

3. The custom-made product sales system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a normal image creating device that creates the normal image data that is used when the custom-made product is produced by a supplier who produces the custom-made product; and

a second transmitting device that transmits the normal image data created by the normal image creating device to a communication terminal of the supplier.

4. The custom-made product sales system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the custom-made product is a unique information indicating product that indicates unique information.

5. A method for selling a custom-made product using a communication network, comprising:

a receiving step in which data on an appearance of the custom-made product is received from a communication terminal of a purchaser who buys the custom-made product;

a preview image creating step in which preview image data for the custom-made product is created based on the data received in the receiving step; and

a first transmitting step in which the preview image data created in the preview image creating step is transmitted to the communication terminal of the purchaser.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising:

a normal image creating step in which the normal image data is created that is used when the custom-made product is produced by a supplier who produces the custom-made product; and

a second transmitting step in which the normal image data created in the normal image creating step is transmitted to a communication terminal of the supplier.

7. A server that is used to sell a custom-made product using a communication network, comprising:

a receiving device that receives data on an appearance of the custom-made product from a communication terminal of a purchaser who buys the custom-made product;

a preview image creating device that creates preview image data for the custom-made product based on the data received by the receiving device; and

a first transmitting device that transmits the preview image data created by the preview image creating device to the communication terminal of the purchaser.

8. The server as claimed in claim 7, further comprising:

a normal image creating device that creates the normal image data that is used when the custom-made product is produced by a supplier who produces the custom-made product; and

a second transmitting device that transmits the normal image data created by the normal image creating device to a communication terminal of the supplier.

9. A computer-readable storage medium that stores a program to function a custom-made product sales system for selling a custom-made product using a communication network,

the program including:

a receiving program for providing instructions for receiving data on an appearance of the custom-made product from a communication terminal of a purchaser who buys the custom-made product;

a preview image creating program for providing instructions for creating preview image data for the custom-made product based on the data received by the receiving program; and

a first transmitting program for providing instructions for transmitting the preview image data created by the preview image creating program to the communication terminal of the purchaser.

10. A computer-readable storage medium that stores a program to function a custom-made product sales system for selling a custom-made product using a communication network,

the program including:

a receiving program for providing instructions for receiving data on an appearance of the custom-made product from a communication terminal of a purchaser who buys the custom-made product;

a preview image creating program for providing instructions for creating preview image data for the custom-made product based on the data received by the receiving program;

a first transmitting program for providing instructions for transmitting the preview image data created by the preview image creating program to the communication terminal of the purchaser;

a normal image creating program for providing instructions for creating the normal image data that is used when the custom-made product is produced by a supplier; and

a second transmitting program for providing instructions for transmitting the normal image data created by the normal image creating program to a communication terminal of the supplier.

11. A communication system for selling a custom-made product, comprising:

a communication network;

a receiving device that receives data on the custom-made product from a communication terminal of a purchaser who buys the custom-made product;

an image data creating device that creates smaller-sized image data than image data that is actually used for the custom-made product; and

a transmitting device that transmits the image data created by the image data creating device, as a preview image of an actual custom-made product, to the communication terminal of the purchaser.

12. The communication system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the image data creating device creates the image data at a resolution lower than a resolution of the image data that is used for producing the custom-made product.