Systems and methods for interactively displaying product information and for collaborative product design

• US 20050251461A1
• Filed: 10/05/2004
• Published: 11/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 7842317 Canada Incorporated, Xenogenic Development Limited Liability Company (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Paul Nykamp
• Inventors: Nykamp, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 7,577,588 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers

Abstract

A system for interactively displaying and distributing information about a product, which may be any type of goods, services, equipment, facility that is capable of being illustrated graphically. A consumer engages in an Interactive Information Session with an attendant, such a help desk attendant. During the Interactive Information Session, the attendant and consumer see synchronized displays of images of the product, which may be manipulated by one of them. The attendant and the can communicate interactively by voice or text during at least part of the Interactive Information Session. In another embodiment, two or more users of a system according to the invention can collaboratively design a product in an Interactive Design Session. During the session one of the users controls the design at any time. Different users may have control at different times. The users can engage in interactive voice or text communications during at least part of he Interactive Design Session.

Claims

1. A method for providing interactive product information to a consumer comprising:

(a) storing product data relating to the product in a product database;

(b) transmitting the product data to a consumer computer operated by the consumer, wherein at least some of the product data is displayed on the consumer computer by consumer client software;

(c) transmitting the product data to an attendant computer operated by an attendant, wherein at least some of the product data is displayed on the attendant computer by attendant client software, the product data displayed on the attendant computer corresponding to the product data displayed on the consumer computer;

(d) establishing an interactive communication link between the consumer computer and the attendant computer for allowing the consumer and the attendant to communicate interactively; and

(e) synchronizing the display of at least some of the product data on the consumer computer with the display of corresponding product data on the attendant computer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the product data includes initial display instructions for defining how the product data is to displayed when initially transmitted to a consumer computer or to an attendant computer.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein one of the attendant computer or the consumer computer is designated as a controlling computer and the other one of the attendant computer and the consumer computer is designated as a viewing computer and wherein the display of the product data may be manipulated on the controlling computer by the attendant or the consumer.

4. The method of claim 3 including permitting the attendant to select which of the attendant computer or the consumer computer is designated as the controlling computer.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein (e) includes transmitting a series of Update Messages from the controlling computer to a system server and transmitting a corresponding series of Update Messages from the system server to the viewing computer.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein at least some of the Update Messages are Camera Position Update messages that describe a manipulation of a display of an image on the controlling computer and wherein the viewing computer is configured to change a display of the image on the viewing computer to correspond to the display of the image on the controlling computer.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the product data includes pre-recorded information and wherein at least some of the Update Messages are Play Pre-Recorded Information messages.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the product data includes information relating to alternative product configurations and wherein at least some of the Update Messages are Change Design messages.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein the product data includes information relating to alternative product configurations and wherein at least some of the Update Messages are Change Design messages.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein the product data includes information relating to alternative product configurations and wherein at least some of the Update Messages are

11. The method of claim 3 wherein the product data includes an animation and wherein (e) includes synchronizing the display of the animation on the consumer computer and the attendant computer.

12. The method of claim 3 further comprising receiving a Store Current View message from the attendant or the consumer and, in response to the Store Current View message, recording view data related to the current display of the product data.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising transmitting a New View message to the customer computer if the Store Current View message was received from the attendant computer, wherein the New View message includes the view data and an identifier for the view data.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising receiving a Display Stored View message from the controlling computer, wherein the Display Stored View message includes the identifier for the view data, and transmitting to the viewing computer a corresponding Display Stored View message.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising transmitting a New View message to the attendant computer if the Store Current View message was received from the consumer computer, wherein the New View message includes the view data and a name for the view data.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising receiving a Display Stored View message from the controlling computer, wherein the Display Stored View message includes the identifier for the view data, and transmitting to the viewing computer a corresponding Display Stored View message.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the two-way communication link is an audio communication link.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the two-way communication link is a text communication link.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the product database is stored in a system server and wherein the product data is transmitted from the system server to the consumer computer and to the attendant computer.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the product data is transmitted to the consumer computer and the attendant computer in response to an Initiate Interactive Information Session message from the consumer computer.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein further comprising, before performing part (c), allocating the attendant computer from a group of attendant computers.

22. A method for an interactive product design session between two or more user computers comprising:

(a) storing product data relating to a product in a product database;

(b) transmitting the product data to each of the user computers, wherein at least some of the product data is displayed on each user computer by user client software;

(d) establishing an interactive communication link between the consumer computer and the attendant computer for allowing the consumer and the attendant to communicate interactively; and

(e) synchronizing the display of at least some of the product data on all of the user computers.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the product data includes initial display instructions for defining how the product data is to displayed when initially transmitted to a consumer computer or to an attendant computer.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein one of the user computers is designated as a controlling computer and the remaining user computers are designated as viewing computers and wherein the display of the product data may be manipulated on the controlling computer.

25. The method of claim 24 including permitting a user to designate the user'"'"'s computer as the controlling computer, wherein any computer previously designated as the controlling computer is then designated as a viewing computer.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein (e) includes transmitting a series of Update Messages from the controlling computer to a system server and transmitting a corresponding series of Update Messages from the system server to the viewing computer.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein at least some of the Update Messages are Camera Position Update messages that describe a manipulation of a display of an image on the controlling computer and wherein the viewing computer is configured to change a display of the image on the viewing computer to correspond to the display of the image on the controlling computer.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein the product data includes pre-recorded information and wherein at least some of the Update Messages are Play Pre-Recorded Information messages.

29. The method of claim 26 wherein the product data includes information relating to alternative product configurations and wherein at least some of the Update Messages are Change Design messages.

30. The method of claim 26 wherein the product data includes information relating to alternative product configurations and wherein at least some of the Update Messages are Change Design messages.

31. The method of claim 26 wherein the product data includes information relating to alternative product configurations and wherein at least some of the Update Messages are

32. The method of claim 24 wherein the product data includes an animation and wherein (e) includes synchronizing the display of the animation on the consumer computer and the attendant computer.

33. The method of claim 24 further comprising receiving a Store Current View message from the attendant or the consumer and, in response to the Store Current View message, recording view data related to the current display of the product data.

34. The method of claim 33 further comprising transmitting a New View message to the customer computer if the Store Current View message was received from the attendant computer, wherein the New View message includes the view data and an identifier for the view data.

35. The method of claim 34 further comprising receiving a Display Stored View message from the controlling computer, wherein the Display Stored View message includes the identifier for the view data, and transmitting to the viewing computer a corresponding Display Stored View message.

36. The method of claim 33 further comprising transmitting a New View message to the attendant computer if the Store Current View message was received from the consumer computer, wherein the New View message includes the view data and a name for the view data.

37. The method of claim 36 further comprising receiving a Display Stored View message from the controlling computer, wherein the Display Stored View message includes the identifier for the view data, and transmitting to the viewing computer a corresponding Display Stored View message.

38. The method of claim 22 wherein the two-way communication link is an audio communication link.

39. The method of claim 22 wherein the two-way communication link is a text communication link.

40. The method of claim 22 wherein the product database is stored in a system server and wherein the product data is transmitted from the system server to the consumer computer and to the attendant computer.

41. The method of claim 22 wherein the product data is transmitted to the consumer computer and the attendant computer in response to an Initiate Interactive Information Session message from the consumer computer.

42. The method of claim 22 wherein further comprising, before performing part (c), allocating the attendant computer from a group of attendant computers.