METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR IMPROVED INTERACTIVE TELEVISION PROCESSING

• US 20100235874A1
• Filed: 05/25/2010
• Published: 09/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HSNi LLC (Qurate Retail Group (f/k/a Liberty Interactive Corporation))
• Original Assignee: HSN LP (Qurate Retail Group (f/k/a Liberty Interactive Corporation))
• Inventors: Johnson, Gerard C., McDevitt, John, BUNNER, Sean
• Granted Patent: US 8,326,692 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/109
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0217 involving input on products or services in exchange for incentives or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2542 for selling goods, e.g. TV shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25841 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; arrangements for identifying locations of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/51; location of the user terminal in data switching networks H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4185 for payment
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47815 Electronic shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

A method and system for providing a transactional environment including a server and one or more set-top boxes in communication with the server. The server stores product information data, which is updated in the server as soon as the product information data changes. The set-top boxes receive the product information data as well as navigable displays in a single transmission, which guide a user through a product ordering process on his or her television. The user may navigate and complete the ordering process in a real-time basis using a television remote control. The product information, e.g., available inventory, is updated as soon as the product information changes, and the set-top boxes replaces outdated navigable page data on a real-time basis.

Claims

1. A system for providing an electronic transactional environment, comprising:

a database configured to store user registration data and product information data relating to a plurality of products;

a server configured to transmit the product information data of at least one of the plurality of products to a user upon receiving a session initiation instruction, such that the user can initiate a transaction request in response thereto; and

a processor configured to compare data relating to the transaction request with user registration data to identify the user, and to generate customized transaction order data for the identified user,

wherein the server is further configured to transmit the customized transaction order data to the identified user.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the product information data is configured for visual display via a user interface application.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the user interface application is displayed to a user by at least one of a cell phone, a handheld digital assistant, a blackberry, a television, a set-top box, and a computer.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the server transmits the product information data and the customized transaction order data to the user via satellite.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the server transmits the product information data and the customized transaction order data to the user through a content provider.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the customized transaction order data is presented to the user via a user interface application.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the server is further configured to receive a purchase order executed by the identified user via the user interface application.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to process a product request and to provide real-time confirmation of the product request to the identified user.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the product information data relating to at least one of the plurality of products includes product information and order information for the at least one of the plurality of products, and the product information includes a first portion for display of an initial page for a first product of the plurality and a second portion for display of second page for a second product of the plurality.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the customized transaction order data includes at least one of a specialized price based on the identified user, payment options available for the identified user, tax calculation and shipping and handling calculations based on the identified user'"'"'s geographical location, shipping and handling options available for the identified user, and coupons and rebates available to the identified user.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the server comprises one or more servers.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the product information data includes metadata which defines how the product information data is presented to the user via the user interface application.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the server is further configured to transmit the product information data via a continuous data stream to the user.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to update the product information data on a continuous basis, and the server is further configured to transmit the updated product information on a substantially real-time basis to the user, via the continuous data stream, which updates the user interface application based on the updated product information data.

15. The system of claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to transmit navigation information, which enables the user to navigate multiple pages of the user interface application.

16. A method for providing an electronic transactional environment, the method comprising:

storing, in an electronic database, user registration data and product information data relating to a plurality of products;

upon receiving a session initiation instruction from a user, transmitting, by a server, the product information data of at least one of the plurality of products to the user, such that the user can initiate a transaction request in response thereto;

comparing, by a processor, data relating to the transaction request with user registration data to identify the user;

generating, by the processor, customized transaction order data for the identified user; and

transmitting, by the server, the customized transaction order data to the identified user.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising visually displaying the product information data via a user interface application.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising presenting the customized transaction order data to the user as part of the user interface application.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising receiving, by the server, a purchase order executed by the identified user via the user interface application.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

processing, by the processor, a product request; and

transmitting, by the server, real-time confirmation of the product request to the identified user.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising transmitting, by the server, the product information data via a continuous data stream to the user.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

updating in the electronic database the product information data on a continuous basis; and

transmitting, by the server, the updated product information on a substantially real-time basis to the user, via the continuous data stream, which updates the user interface application based on the updated product information data.

23. The method of claim 17, further comprising transmitting, by the server, navigation information that enables the user to navigate multiple pages of the user interface application.

24. A method for providing an electronic transactional environment, the method comprising:

storing, in an electronic database, user registration data and product information data relating to a plurality of products;

transmitting, by a server, towards a set-top box the product information data relating to at least one of the plurality of products in response to a user session initiation request, wherein the set-top box displays on a display device multiple navigable pages using the product information data, the product information data including product information for the at least one of the plurality of products and the product information is displayed on at least one portion of at least one of the multiple navigable pages;

updating the product information data in the electronic database on a continuous basis to reflect real-time changes to the product information data;

transmitting the updated product information data by the server to the set-top box as a display update, which updates the product information displayed on at least one of the multiple navigable pages;

identifying the user of the set-top box by comparing the user registration data and data relating to a transaction request executed by the user of at least one of the multiple navigable pages;

generating customized transaction order data based on the identified user; and

transmitting, by the server, the customized transaction order data to the set-top box of the identified user.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

transmitting a rule set, by the server, towards a set-top box;

programming the set-top box with the rule set; and

executing instructions included in the rule set to control how the display update is used to update the currently displayed page in situations where at least a portion of the currently displayed page at a time of receipt of the display update is no longer relevant to the transaction in light of the display update.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

displaying one of the plurality of products on the display device as a video presentation; and

transmitting the product information data of the one product to the set-top box in sequence to be used in the navigable pages.

27. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

sequentially displaying multiple different products on the display device as a video presentation; and

subsequently transmitting the product information data of each of the multiple different products to the set-top box to be used in the navigable pages.

28. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

updating a virtual shopping basket based on input received from the user and the processor during a navigation of the multiple navigable pages to virtually include at least one of the plurality of products; and

providing a price update by the server to be included in the display update,

wherein the price update is customized to the user and based at least in part on a state of the virtual shopping basket.

29. The method of claim 24, further comprising transmitting by the server towards the set-top box navigation instructions that control which particular portion of the product information is displayed on the display device at any particular time, and where on the display device each part of the particular portion is displayed.