SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING CUSTOMIZED ON-LINE SHOPPING AND/OR MANUFACTURING

• US 20110238484A1
• Filed: 03/23/2010
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: e2Interactive Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Meridian Enterprises Corporation
• Inventors: Lewis, Paul, Toumayan, Samuel G., McMullin, John L. III, Eversoll, Aaron
• Granted Patent: US 9,280,783 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

A system and method for providing a customized on-line shopping interface and/or manufacturing is disclosed. The system uses customer'"'"'s computer, location, URL, IP address, email domain, embedded promotion code, or other predetermined criteria to provide special product offerings and pricing for a particular class or subclass of customers. If an unauthorized user attempts to access the system, a series of screens containing non-customized pricing is presented to the intruder so as not to alert the intruder that he or she has reached the restricted content. Based on the authentication information, automated manufacturing processes and equipment may be utilized to produce the customized products.

Claims

1. A system for providing customized online shopping, comprising:

a web server for communicating with an external client computer, said web server containing computer readable code for presenting a customized online shopping interface;

wherein said computer readable code is configured to generate first product information for display on said external client computer upon the authentication of a user;

wherein said authentication is based on at least one of a referring IP address, a referring URL, an email domain and an embedded promotion code contained in a request sent from the external client computer to the web server; and

wherein said computer readable code is configured to generate second product information for display on said external client computer when an unauthorized user is detected.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said first product information is customized based on at least one of the referring IP address, the referring URL, the email domain and the embedded promotion code;

and

wherein said second product information is not customized.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein both the referring IP address and the referring URL are evaluated to determine if the user is authorized for access.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein a physical location associated with said referring IP address is used as a factor in determining whether said user is authorized for access.

5. The system of claim 1,

further comprising a manufacturing server;

wherein said manufacturing server is used to initiate the manufacture of a product ordered by the user from said customized online shopping interface; and

wherein the product is manufactured according to specifications based on at least one of the referring IP address, the referring URL, the email domain and the embedded promotion code.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said manufacturing server is integral to said web server.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein an unauthorized user is presented with a plurality of successive interface screens containing non-customized product information.

8. The system of claim 2,

wherein the request further contains a user identifier;

and

wherein said first product information is further customized based on the user identifier.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said user identifier is retrieved from an LDAP directory.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said first product information comprises selective pricing discounts based on at least one of the referring IP address, the referring URL, the email domain and the embedded promotion code.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said first product information comprises selected product models based on at least one of the referring IP address, the referring URL, the email domain and the embedded promotion code.

12. A system for providing customized online shopping, comprising:

a web server for communicating with an external client computer, said web server containing computer readable code for presenting a customized online shopping interface; and

a manufacturing server;

wherein said computer readable code is configured to generate first product information for display on said external client computer upon the authentication of a user;

wherein said authentication is based on at least one of a referring IP address, a referring URL, an email domain and an embedded promotion code contained in a request sent from the external client computer to the web server;

wherein said computer readable code is configured to generate second product information for display on said external client computer when an unauthorized user is detected;

wherein said manufacturing server is used to initiate the manufacture of a product ordered by the user from said customized online shopping interface; and

wherein the product is manufactured according to specifications based on at least one of the referring IP address, the referring URL, the email domain and the embedded promotion code.

13. A method for providing customized online shopping, comprising the steps of:

receiving an HTTP request, said HTTP request containing at least one of a referring IP address, a referring URL, an email domain and an embedded promotion code;

evaluating at least one of the referring IP address, the referring URL, the email domain and the embedded promotion code to determine if a user is authorized for access to a customized online shopping interface;

presenting the user with first product information based on at least one of the referring IP address, the referring URL, the email domain and the embedded promotion code if the user is determined to be authorized for access; and

presenting the user with second product information if said evaluating step determines that the user is not authorized;

wherein an authorized user is not required to manually enter any identification information to gain access to the customized online shopping interface.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said first product information is customized based on at least one of the referring IP address, the referring URL, the email domain and the embedded promotion code;

and

wherein said second product information is not customized.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein both the referring IP address and the referring URL are evaluated to determine if the user is authorized for access.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said evaluating step further comprises:

determining a physical location associated with said referring IP address; and

using said physical location as a factor in determining whether said user is authorized for access.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a request from a user for a product listed in said customized online shopping interface; and

manufacturing the product in response to receiving said request.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the product is manufactured according to specifications based on at least one of the referring IP address, the referring URL, the email domain and the embedded promotion code.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein an unauthorized user is presented with a plurality of successive interface screens containing non-customized product information.

20. The method of claim 14,

wherein the HTTP request further contains a user identifier;

and

wherein said first product information is further customized based on the user identifier.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said user identifier is retrieved from an LDAP directory.

22. The method of claim 13, where said first product information comprises selective pricing discounts based on at least one of the referring IP address, the referring URL, the email domain and the embedded promotion code.

23. The method of claim 13, wherein said first product information comprises selected product models based on at least one of the referring IP address, the referring URL, the email domain and the embedded promotion code.

24. A device comprising a computer readable medium, said computer readable medium containing computer executable code for generating a customized online shopping interface;

wherein;

said computer executable code is configured to generate said customized online shopping interface according to a method comprising the steps of;

receiving an HTTP request, said HTTP request containing at least one of a referring IP address, a referring URL, an email domain and an embedded promotion code;

evaluating at least one of the referring IP address, the referring URL, the email domain and the embedded promotion code to determine if a user is authorized for access to the customized online shopping interface;

presenting first product information to the user based on at least one of the referring IP address, the referring URL, the email domain and the embedded promotion code if the user is determined to be authorized for access; and

presenting the user with second product information if said evaluating step determines that the user is not authorized;

wherein an authorized user is not required to manually enter any identification information to gain access to the customized online shopping interface.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein said first product information is customized based on at least one of the referring IP address, the referring URL, the email domain and the embedded promotion code;

and

wherein said second product information is not customized.

26. The device of claim 24, wherein said computer executable code is further configured to present an unauthorized user with a plurality of successive interface screens containing non-customized product selections.

27. The device of claim 25,

wherein the HTTP request further contains a user identifier;

and

wherein said first product information is further customized based on the user identifier.

28. The device of claim 25, wherein said user identifier is retrieved from an LDAP directory.

29. The device of claim 24, where said first product information comprises selective pricing discounts based on at least one of the referring IP address, the referring URL, the email domain and the embedded promotion code.

30. The device of claim 24, wherein said first product information comprises selected product models based on at least one of the referring IP address, the referring URL, the email domain and the embedded promotion code.