Lifestyle-based vehicle selection system and method

• US 20080195435A1
• Filed: 10/18/2007
• Published: 08/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ian Bentley, William Ferriolo
• Original Assignee: Ian Bentley, William Ferriolo
• Inventors: Bentley, Ian, Ferriolo, William
• Application Number:
  US11/975,311
• Publication Number:
  US 20080195435A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.33
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0204 Market segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering

Abstract

Various embodiments of computer systems and methods are provided for enabling a consumer to search for vehicles based on lifestyle criteria. One embodiment comprises a computer system for enabling consumers to research vehicles. One such computer system comprises: a vehicle database configured to store a plurality of vehicle profiles, each vehicle profile associated with a unique vehicle and comprising a plurality of indicators related to vehicle characteristics and corresponding uniquely-assigned weights; and a lifestyle-based vehicle selection system for enabling a consumer to search the vehicle database by selecting at least one of a plurality of lifestyle categories, each lifestyle category associated with a portion of the plurality of indicators.

Claims

1. A computer system for enabling consumers to research vehicles, the computer system comprising:

a vehicle database configured to store a plurality of vehicle profiles, each vehicle profile associated with a unique vehicle and comprising a plurality of indicators related to vehicle characteristics and corresponding uniquely-assigned weights; and

a lifestyle-based vehicle selection system for enabling a consumer to search the vehicle database, the lifestyle-based vehicle selection system comprising;

a user interface;

logic configured to prompt the consumer via the user interface to select at least one of a plurality of lifestyle categories, each lifestyle category associated with a portion of the plurality of indicators, the portion defining a set of primary indicators for a first search of the vehicle database;

logic configured to determine the set of primary indicators assigned to the selected lifestyle category; and

logic configured to initiate the first search of the vehicle database based on the set of primary indicators.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the first search comprises ranking the vehicle profiles according to the uniquely-assigned weights corresponding to the primary indicators.

3. The computer system of claim 2, wherein the lifestyle-based vehicle selection system further comprises logic configured to present to the consumer, via the user interface, a list of matching vehicles resulting from the first search.

4. The computer system of claim 2, wherein the lifestyle-based vehicle selection system further comprises a search adjustment functionality for enabling the consumer to create a second search of the vehicle database by directly selecting one or more of the plurality of indicators rather than the lifestyle categories.

5. The computer system of claim 4, wherein the uniquely-assigned weights comprise a numerical value within a range, the range comprising a plurality of adjustment sub-ranges, and the search adjustment functionality comprises:

an indicator adjustment functionality for enabling the consumer to define search criteria for the second search, the indicator adjustment functionality comprising;

logic configured to enable the consumer to select one or more of the plurality of indicators for the second search;

logic configured to display the selected indicators for the second search with the corresponding adjustment sub-ranges; and

logic configured to enable the consumer to selectively adjust a target indicator value, for each selected indicator, from the adjustment sub-ranges.

6. The computer system of claim 5, wherein the indicator adjustment functionality implements a slider functionality for selectively adjusting the target indicator values.

7. A computer-implemented method for enabling consumers to search for vehicles-of-interest via a web site, the computer-implemented method comprising:

providing a database comprising;

a plurality of vehicle profiles, each vehicle profile associated with a unique vehicle and comprising (i) vehicle data related to the corresponding vehicle and (ii) a uniquely-assigned value for each of a plurality of purchase factors; and

a plurality of lifestyle categories, each lifestyle category associated with a unique sub-set of the plurality of purchase factors;

prompting a consumer to search the database of vehicles by selecting one of the plurality of lifestyle categories;

receiving a consumer selection of one of the plurality of lifestyle categories;

determining the unique sub-set of the plurality of purchase factors associated with the selected lifestyle category; and

determining a top-ranked list of the plurality of vehicle profiles according to the uniquely-assigned values for the unique sub-set of the plurality of purchase factors.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the uniquely-assigned value comprises a numerical value within a range.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the top-ranked list comprises a set of vehicle profiles having the highest sum of the numerical values for the unique sub-set of the plurality of purchase factors.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, further comprising providing the top-ranked list and the unique sub-set of the plurality of purchase factors to the consumer.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, further comprising enabling the consumer to re-search the database by directly specifying one or more of the plurality of purchase factors.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving from the consumer a vehicle selection from the top-ranked list; and

forwarding the consumer and the vehicle selection to an affiliate as a sales lead.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the uniquely-assigned value comprises a numerical value within a range having a plurality of adjustment sub-ranges, and the computer-implemented method further comprising:

displaying the top-ranked list to the consumer;

displaying the unique sub-set of the plurality of purchase factors to the consumer with the corresponding plurality of adjustment sub-ranges; and

enabling the consumer to specify a revised search of the database by adding or removing one or more of the plurality of purchase factors to be searched and specifying one of the adjustment sub-ranges as a target range for the revised search.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, further comprising updating the top-ranked list based on the revised search.

15. A computer system for enabling consumers to research vehicles, the computer system comprising:

a vehicle database configured to store a plurality of vehicle profiles, each vehicle profile associated with a unique vehicle and comprising a plurality of indicators related to vehicle characteristics and corresponding uniquely-assigned weights; and

a lifestyle-based vehicle selection system for enabling a consumer to search the vehicle database, the lifestyle-based vehicle selection system comprising;

a user interface;

a first search functionality for enabling the consumer to search the vehicle database based on a plurality of lifestyle categories, each lifestyle category associated with a portion of the plurality of indicators, the portion defining a set of primary indicators for a first search of the vehicle database, and the first search functionality comprising;

logic configured to prompt the consumer via the user interface to select at least one of the plurality of lifestyle categories;

logic configured to determine the set of primary indicators assigned to the selected lifestyle category; and

logic configured to initiate the first search of the vehicle database based on the set of primary indicators; and

a second search functionality for enabling the consumer to perform a second search of the vehicle database by directly selecting one or more of the plurality of indicators rather than the lifestyle categories.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the lifestyle-based vehicle selection system is implemented via a web server.

17. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of lifestyle categories are selected from one or more of a family-car category, a second-car category, a value-buyer category, a comfortable category, a performance driver category, a style category, an off-road category, a towing-vehicle category, a safety-conscious category, a first-time-car-owner category, a college-driver category, a senior driver category, a frugal driver category, a long-distance-driving category, a working vehicle category, an executive/luxury category, a price-is-no-object category, and an environment-conscious category.

18. The computer system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of indicators are selected from one or more of a safety indicator, a reliability indicator, a mileage indicator, a style indicator, a price indicator, a cost-of-ownership indicator, a fit-and-finish indicator, a drive system indicator, a connectivity indicator, a performance indicator, a warranty indicator, a drivability-and-comfort indicator, a child-friendly indicator, a fuel selection indicator, and a towing indicator.

19. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the lifestyle-based vehicle selection system further comprises:

logic configured to receive a vehicle selection from the consumer; and

logic configured to forward the vehicle selection to an affiliate of the computer system as a sales lead.

20. The computer system of claim 19, wherein a sales-lead-fee is paid by the affiliate.