SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EXHIBITING AT LEAST VISUAL CONTENT IN ONE OR MORE PHYSICAL RETAIL STORES

• US 20100179885A1
• Filed: 08/12/2009
• Published: 07/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TigerDirect, Inc. (Systemax Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: TigerDirect, Inc. (Systemax Incorporated)
• Inventors: Fiorentino, Gilbert
• Granted Patent: US 8,321,292 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0202 Market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0281 Customer communication at a business location, e.g. providing product or service information, consulting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention is directed to a system for exhibiting at least visual content in one or more physical retail stores. Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to a method for exhibiting at least visual content in one or more physical retail stores. Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to a programmed computer for exhibiting at least visual content in one or more physical retail stores. Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to a computer readable medium for exhibiting at least visual content in one or more physical retail stores. In one example, the visual content may comprise advertising and/or operating specifications and/or performance specifications and/or dimensions and/or price displayed on a television, a computer monitor, a laptop computer display, a notebook computer display and/or a netbook computer display.

Claims

1. A system for exhibiting at least visual content in a physical retail store, comprising:

at least a first physical potential item to be purchased and a second physical potential item to be purchased, wherein the first physical potential item to be purchased and the second physical potential item to be purchased are located on display in the physical retail store;

a central server,

at least a first client computer and a second client computer, wherein the first client computer has installed thereon a first application and the second client computer has installed thereon a second application;

a correlation database associated with the central server, wherein the correlation database stores data relating to;

(a) correlation between the first client computer to the first physical potential item to be purchased; and

(b) correlation between the second client computer to the second physical potential item to be purchased;

an item database associated with the central server, wherein the item database stores data relating to;

(a) information of the first physical potential item to be purchased including a specified physical retail store and specifications regarding the first physical potential item to be purchased; and

(b) information of the second physical potential item to be purchased including a specified physical retail store and specifications regarding the second physical potential item to be purchased;

wherein the central server periodically communicates with the first client computer and the second client computer,

wherein the first client computer is located in the physical retail store;

wherein the second client computer is located in the physical retail store;

wherein the first client computer is associated to the first physical potential item to be purchased;

wherein the second client computer is associated to the second physical potential item to be purchased;

wherein the first client computer has at least one input device that is connected to the first client computer, wherein the input device connected to the first client computer is located in the physical retail store, and wherein the input device connected to the first client computer is configured to allow for direct interaction with a potential purchaser of the first physical potential item to be purchased;

wherein the second client computer has at least one input device that is connected to the second client computer, wherein the input device connected to the second client computer is located in the physical retail store, and wherein the input device connected to the second client computer is configured to allow for direct interaction with a potential purchaser of the second physical potential item to be purchased;

wherein the first application installed on the first client computer comprises;

i) a default browser for communicating with the Internet, an intranet or a combination thereof;

ii) a software program that directly interacts with the input device connected to the first client computer; and

iii) a custom browser comprising;

1. a first software element that is capable of obtaining at least visual content from a source other than the central server; and

2. a second software element that receives instructions from the central server on a periodic basis; and

wherein the second application installed on the second client computer comprises;

i) a default browser for communicating with the Internet, an intranet or a combination thereof;

ii) a software program that directly interacts with the input device connected to the second client computer; and

iii) a custom browser comprising;

1. a first software element that is capable of obtaining at least visual content from a source other than the central server; and

a second software element that receives instructions from the central server on a periodic basis.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the first physical potential item to be purchased and the second physical potential item to be purchased is selected from the group consisting of:

a television, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a notebook computer, a netbook computer.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first application installed on the first client computer comprises a software application and wherein the second application installed on the second client computer comprises a software application.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the central server periodically communicates with the first client computer and the second client computer at a period selected from the group comprising:

every second, every 10 seconds, every 20 seconds, every 30 seconds, every minute, every hour, every day, every week, every month.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the central server periodically communicates with the first client computer and the second client computer in real-time.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the central server communicates with the first client computer at essentially the same periodicity that the central server communicates with the second client computer.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of:

(a) the first client computer is the first physical potential item to be purchased; and

(b) the second client computer is the second physical potential item to be purchased.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first software element associated with the first client computer that is capable of obtaining at least visual content from a source other than the central server is capable of obtaining at least visual/audio/media content from a source other than the central server and wherein the first software element associated with the second client computer that is capable of obtaining at least visual content from a source other than the central server is capable of obtaining at least visual/audio/media content from a source other than the central server.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising an inventory database associated with the central server, wherein the inventory database stores data relating to:

(a) an inventory amount of the first physical potential item to be purchased; and

(b) an inventory amount of the second physical potential item to be purchased.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the second software element associated with the first client computer receives instructions from the central server comprising at least one instruction indicating the source from which the first software element associated with the first client computer is to obtain content;

and wherein the second software element associated with the second client receives instructions from the central server comprising at least one instruction indicating the source from which the first software element associated with the second client computer is to obtain content.

11. A method performed in a computing system for exhibiting at least visual content in a physical retail store, comprising:

displaying in the physical retail store at least a first physical potential item to be purchased and a second physical potential item to be purchased;

locating at least a first client computer and a second client computer in the physical retail store, wherein the first client computer has installed thereon a first application and the second client computer has installed thereon a second application;

associating the first client computer to the first physical potential item to be purchased;

associating the second client computer to the second physical potential item to be purchased;

storing, in a correlation data structure associated with a central server, data relating to;

(a) correlation between the first client computer to the first physical potential item to be purchased; and

(b) correlation between the second client computer to the second physical potential item to be purchased;

storing, in an item data structure associated with the central server, data relating to;

(a) information of the first physical potential item to be purchased including a specified physical retail store and specifications regarding the first physical potential item to be purchased; and

(b) information of the second physical potential item to be purchased including a specified physical retail store and specifications regarding the second physical potential item to be purchased;

wherein the central server periodically communicates with the first client computer and the second client computer,

wherein the first client computer has at least one input device that is connected to the first client computer, wherein the input device connected to the first client computer is located in the physical retail store, and wherein the input device connected to the first client computer is configured to allow for direct interaction with a potential purchaser of the first physical potential item to be purchased;

wherein the second client computer has at least one input device that is connected to the second client computer, wherein the input device connected to the second client computer is located in the physical retail store, and wherein the input device connected to the second client computer is configured to allow for direct interaction with a potential purchaser of the second physical potential item to be purchased;

wherein the first application installed on the first client computer comprises;

i) a default browser for communicating with the Internet, an intranet or a combination thereof;

ii) a software program that directly interacts with the input device connected to the first client computer; and

iii) a custom browser comprising;

1. a first software element that is capable of obtaining at least visual content from a source other than the central server; and

2. a second software element that receives instructions from the central server on a periodic basis; and

wherein the second application installed on the second client computer comprises;

i) a default browser for communicating with the Internet, an intranet or a combination thereof;

ii) a software program that directly interacts with the input device connected to the second client computer; and

iii) a custom browser comprising;

1. a first software element that is capable of obtaining at least visual content from a source other than the central server; and

2. a second software element that receives instructions from the central server on a periodic basis.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the computing system includes one or more programmed computers.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the computing system is distributed over a plurality of programmed computers.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the correlation data structure comprises one or more databases and wherein the item data structure comprises one or more databases.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the steps are carried out in the order recited.

16. A programmed computer for exhibiting at least visual content in a physical retail store displaying at least a first physical potential item to be purchased and a second physical potential item to be purchased, comprising:

a central server comprising;

a memory having at least one region for storing computer executable program code; and

a processor for executing the program code stored in the memory;

a first client computer that has installed thereon a first application, the first client computer comprising;

a memory having at least one region for storing the first application; and

a processor for executing the first application stored in the memory;

a second client computer that has installed thereon a second application, the second client computer comprising;

a memory having at least one region for storing the second application; and

a processor for executing the second application stored in the memory;

a correlation data structure associated with the central server, wherein the correlation database stores data relating to;

(a) correlation between the first client computer to the first physical potential item to be purchased; and

(b) correlation between the second client computer to the second physical potential item to be purchased;

an item data structure associated with the central server, wherein the item database stores data relating to;

(a) information of the first physical potential item to be purchased including a specified physical retail store and specifications regarding the first physical potential item to be purchased; and

(b) information of the second physical potential item to be purchased including a specified physical retail store and specifications regarding the second physical potential item to be purchased;

wherein the program code stored in the memory of the central server is executed by the processor of the central server to periodically communicate with the first client computer and the second client computer,

wherein the first client computer is located in the physical retail store;

wherein the second client computer is located in the physical retail store;

wherein the first client computer is associated to the first physical potential item to be purchased;

wherein the second client computer is associated to the second physical potential item to be purchased;

wherein the first client computer has at least one input device that is connected to the first client computer, wherein the input device connected to the first client computer is located in the physical retail store, and wherein the input device connected to the first client computer is configured to allow for direct interaction with a potential purchaser of the first physical potential item to be purchased;

wherein the second client computer has at least one input device that is connected to the second client computer, wherein the input device connected to the second client computer is located in the physical retail store, and wherein the input device connected to the second client computer is configured to allow for direct interaction with a potential purchaser of the second physical potential item to be purchased;

wherein the first application installed on the first client computer comprises;

i) a default browser for communicating with the Internet, an intranet or a combination thereof;

ii) a software program that directly interacts with the input device connected to the first client computer; and

iii) a custom browser comprising;

1. a first software element that is capable of obtaining at least visual content from a source other than the central server; and

2. a second software element that receives instructions from the central server on a periodic basis; and

wherein the second application installed on the second client computer comprises;

i) a default browser for communicating with the Internet, an intranet or a combination thereof;

ii) a software program that directly interacts with the input device connected to the second client computer; and

iii) a custom browser comprising;

1. a first software element that is capable of obtaining at least visual content from a source other than the central server; and

2. a second software element that receives instructions from the central server on a periodic basis.

17. The programmed computer of claim 16, wherein the programmed computer includes one or more processors.

18. The programmed computer of claim 16, wherein the programmed computer is distributed over several physical locations.

19. The programmed computer of claim 16, wherein the correlation data structure comprises one or more databases and wherein the item data structure comprises one or more databases.

20. A computer readable medium encoded with computer readable program code for exhibiting at least visual content in a physical retail store displaying at least a first physical potential item to be purchased and a second physical potential item to be purchased, wherein a first client computer is associated to the first physical potential item to be purchased, wherein the first client computer has installed thereon a first application, wherein the second client computer is associated to the second physical potential item to be purchased, and wherein the second client computer has installed thereon a second application, the program code including subroutines for:

storing, in a correlation data structure associated with a central server, data relating to;

(a) correlation between the first client computer to the first physical potential item to be purchased; and

(b) correlation between the second client computer to the second physical potential item to be purchased;

storing, in an item data structure associated with the central server, data relating to;

(a) information of the first physical potential item to be purchased including a specified physical retail store and specifications regarding the first physical potential item to be purchased; and

(b) information of the second physical potential item to be purchased including a specified physical retail store and specifications regarding the second physical potential item to be purchased;

wherein the central server periodically communicates with the first client computer and the second client computer,

wherein the first client computer has at least one input device that is connected to the first client computer, wherein the input device connected to the first client computer is located in the physical retail store, and wherein the input device connected to the first client computer is configured to allow for direct interaction with a potential purchaser of the first physical potential item to be purchased;

wherein the second client computer has at least one input device that is connected to the second client computer, wherein the input device connected to the second client computer is located in the physical retail store, and wherein the input device connected to the second client computer is configured to allow for direct interaction with a potential purchaser of the second physical potential item to be purchased;

wherein the first application installed on the first client computer comprises;

i) a default browser for communicating with the Internet, an intranet or a combination thereof;

ii) a software program that directly interacts with the input device connected to the first client computer; and

iii) a custom browser comprising;

1. a first software element that is capable of obtaining at least visual content from a source other than the central server; and

2. a second software element that receives instructions from the central server on a periodic basis; and

wherein the second application installed on the second client computer comprises;

i) a default browser for communicating with the Internet, an intranet or a combination thereof;

ii) a software program that directly interacts with the input device connected to the second client computer; and

iii) a custom browser comprising;

1. a first software element that is capable of obtaining at least visual content from a source other than the central server; and

2. a second software element that receives instructions from the central server on a periodic basis.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein the program code is distributed across one or more programmed computers.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein the program code is distributed across one or more processors.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein the program code is distributed over several physical locations.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein the correlation data structure comprises one or more databases and wherein the item data structure comprises one or more databases.