Method and apparatus for obtaining consumer product preferences through product selection and evaluation

• US 20070016488A1
• Filed: 07/05/2006
• Published: 01/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: III Holdings 1, LLC
• Original Assignee: Jonas Ulenas
• Inventors: Ulenas, Jonas
• Granted Patent: US 7,979,314 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0625 Directed, with specific intent or strategy
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

A method and system for obtaining consumer preferences over a communication network from consumers. The system searches the product database for products or services based on consumer'"'"'s search criteria. The system displays the products or services and/or advertisements related to the consumer'"'"'s search criteria in accordance with the ranking parameter(s) specified by the user. The consumer'"'"'s preferences, i.e., the search criteria and the ranking parameter(s), are stored in the database for future references, e.g., determine consumer trends, etc.

Claims

1. A method for obtaining consumer preferences over a communications network from a plurality of consumers, comprising the steps of:

selecting one or more product or service criteria and one or more ranking parameter by a consumer;

searching a database connected to said network having product/service information and consumer preferences for products or services based on said criteria;

displaying a list of products or services related to said criteria ordered in accordance with said ranking parameter on a processing device associated with said consumer; and

updating consumer preferences in said database with said criteria and said ranking parameter.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of searching searches said database for products or services that satisfies or matches closest to said criteria.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of entering one or more new criteria by said consumer if it is determined that no product or service in said product database relates to said criteria;

and wherein the step of searching searches said product database for products or services based on said new criteria.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

selecting one or more products or services from said list by said consumer;

retrieving product/service information for said selected products or services from said database;

displaying product/service information of said selected products or services on said processing device; and

updating said consumer preferences in said database with said selected products or services.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting one or more product or service criteria includes the steps of:

displaying a list of product and service criteria for selection by said consumer; and

selecting a range for each criteria selected by said consumer.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

selecting additional criteria by said consumer;

searching said database for products or services based on said criteria and said additional criteria;

displaying a list of products or services related to said criteria and said additional criteria ordered in accordance with said ranking parameter on said processing device; and

updating said consumer preferences in said database with said additional criteria.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said database includes advertisements and further comprising the step of:

selecting an advertisement from said database in accordance with said criteria; and

displaying said advertisement along with said list on said processing device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said database comprises:

a product database having product/service information;

a marketing database having consumer preferences; and

an advertisement database having advertisements.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of generating a report indicating a consumer trend from said consumer preferences in said database for a product or service selected by an operator.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said ranking parameter is determined based on said consumer trend.

11. A method for targeting advertisement over a communications network, comprising the steps of:

selecting one or more product or service criteria and one or more ranking parameter by a consumer;

searching a product database connected to said network for products or services based on said criteria and an advertisement database connected to said network for one or more advertisement based on said criteria; and

displaying said advertisement and a list of products or services related to said criteria ordered in accordance with said ranking parameter on a processing device associated with said consumer.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of updating a marketing database having consumer preferences with said criteria and said ranking parameter.

13. A system for acquiring and storing consumer preferences over a communications network from a plurality of consumers, comprising:

a plurality of processing devices connected to said network, each processing device being associated with a consumer, and having an input device for selecting one or more product or service criteria and one or more ranking parameter by said consumer;

a database connected to said network having product/service information, consumer preferences and advertisements; and

a server for receiving said criteria and said ranking parameter from a processing device associated with said consumer, searching said database for products or services, and advertisements based on said criteria, transmitting advertisements and a list of products and services related to said criteria ordered in accordance with said ranking parameter to said processing device, updating said stored consumer preferences in said database with said criteria and said ranking parameter; and

wherein said computer associated with said consumer is operable to display said list and said advertisements to said consumer.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said server is operable to generate one or more new search criteria based on inputs from said consumer if is determined that no product or service in said database relates to said criteria;

and wherein said server is operable to search said database based on said new criteria.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein said database comprises:

a product database having product/service information;

a marketing database having consumer preferences; and

an advertisement database having advertisements.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein said server is operable to search said database for product/service information related to one or more product or service selected by said consumer from said list and update said database with said selected product or service;

and wherein said processing device is operable to display said product/service information to said consumer.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein said server is operable to generate a report indicating a consumer trend from said consumer preferences stored in said database for a product or service selected by an operator.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein said ranking parameter is determined based on said consumer trend.