Method and system for managing and displaying product images

• US 20080010169A1
• Filed: 06/19/2007
• Published: 01/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joseph R. Dollens
• Original Assignee: Joseph R. Dollens
• Inventors: Dollens, Joseph R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,260,689 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers

Abstract

A method and system displaying and managing images of consumer products. Plural consumer products are selected to display in a virtual display environment. A layout for the selected plural consumer products is determined. An image of a shelf layout on which consumer products are displayed is created. The created image allows progressive resolution on the selected plural consumer products that appear in the image. The created image is displayed via a communications network. The created image provides a virtual shopping experience is similar to a shopping experience in an actual retail store.

Claims

1. A method for displaying and managing products in a virtual display environment, comprising:

selecting a plurality of images of consumer products to display in a virtual display environment;

determining a display layout for the selected plurality of images consumer products, wherein the display layout includes a pre-determined ordering;

creating a digital image of a shelf layout on which the selected plurality of images of consumer products are displayed in the determined display layout, wherein the digital image includes one or more vector images overlaying one or more raster images, wherein the digital image allows progressive resolution on the selected plurality of images of consumer products that appear in the digital image and wherein the one or more vector images include a plurality of electronic links to information associated with the consumer products; and

displaying the digital image via a communications network to allow virtual shopping via the communications network.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising a computer readable medium having stored therein instructions for causing one or more processors to execute the steps of the method.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the consumer products include related or unrelated consumer products in selected product categories such as skin care, personal cleansing, hair care, hair styling aids, hair colorants, feminine care, male care, baby care, salty snacks, coffee, fabric care, hard-surface cleansers, floor systems, or dish care.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more vector images comprise one or more mathematical formulas and are not dependent on resolution of the digital image.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the one or more vector images include a plurality of vector layers that provide a user with electronic product information including product information on a reverse side of product package and wherein the plurality of electronic links include company information, ingredient information, options for product purchase, electronic coupons and sale information about selected products which are currently on sale.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the raster images include digital raster images of consumer products.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the progressive resolution format includes area of interest encoding, spatial relationship descriptor encoding, visual descriptor encoding, multi-resolution mosaic encoding of a plurality of images.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the pre-determined ordering of the display layout includes an ordering that is used on actual shelves in retail stores, an ordering developed via live focus groups, or an ordering based on package coloring or package size or package shape.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising, creating a virtual shopping experience via the communications network, wherein the virtual shopping experience is similar to a real shopping experience in an actual retail store.

10. A method for displaying and managing images of products in a virtual shopping environment, comprising:

selecting an individual portion of a displayed digital image of a shelf layout on which a selected plurality of images of consumer products are displayed in a pre-determined display layout,

wherein the digital image includes one or more vector images and one or more raster images and allows progressive resolution on the vector images of the consumer products from the selected individual portions that appear in the digital image;

selecting one or more vectors images in the selected one or more individual portions of the digital image; and

selecting one or more electronic links with associated information for a selected consumer product from the selected one or more layer in the selected one or more individual portions of the digital image.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising a computer readable medium having stored therein instructions for causing one or more processors to execute the steps of the method.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the one or more vector images include a plurality of vector layers that provide a user with electronic product information including product information on a reverse side of product package, electronic links to other information including company information, ingredient information, options for product purchase, electronic coupons and sale information about selected products which are currently on sale.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the raster images include digital raster images of consumer products.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising, creating a virtual shopping experience with the digital image via a communications network, wherein the virtual shopping experience is similar to a shopping experience in an actual retail store.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein the pre-determined display layout includes an ordering that is used on actual shelves in retail stores, an ordering developed via live focus groups, or an ordering based on package coloring or package size or package shape.

16. A method for creating images of products in a virtual shopping environment, comprising:

creating a digital image of a shelf layout on which a selected plurality of images of consumer products are displayed in a pre-determined display layout,

wherein the digital image includes one or more vector images and one or more raster images and allows progressive resolution on the selected plurality of images of consumer products that appear in the digital image; and

adding a plurality of electronic links to the one or more vector images, wherein the plurality of electronic links provide links to additional electronic information associated with the consumer products during the progressive resolution.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising a computer readable medium having stored therein instructions for causing one or more processors to execute the steps of the method.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the electronic links include electronic links to product information on a reverse side of product package, to company information, to ingredient information, to options for product purchase, to electronic coupons and to sale information about selected products which are currently on sale.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the pre-determined display layout includes an ordering that is used on actual shelves in retail stores, an ordering developed via live focus groups, or an ordering based on package coloring or package size or package shape.

20. A system for creating, managing and display images of products in a virtual shopping environment, comprising in combination:

means for creating a digital image of a shelf layout on which a selected plurality of images of consumer products are displayed in a pre-determined display layout,

wherein the digital image includes one or more vector images and one or more raster images and allows progressive resolution on a selected plurality of images of consumer products that appear in the digital image;

means for adding a plurality of electronic links to the one or more vector images, wherein the plurality of electronic links provide links to additional electronic information associated with the consumer products;

means for displaying the digital image via a communications network to allow virtual shopping via the communications network; and

means for selecting an individual portion of the digital image and providing progressive resolution of the digital image and access to additional electronic information via the plurality of electronic links.