SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RECOMMENDING HOME APPLIANCES TO A CONSUMER

• US 20110302201A1
• Filed: 05/31/2011
• Published: 12/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Ogaz, Paul, Hatambeiki, Arsham, Hayes, Patrick H.
• Granted Patent: US 9,600,824 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0278 Product appraisal
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0282 Rating or review of business operators or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0625 Directed, with specific intent or strategy
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

A system functions to recommend equipment expansions, additions and/or substitutions; interconnections; supplemental capabilities; features; etc. based upon a knowledge of a consumer'"'"'s existing audio and/or visual system configuration.

Claims

1. A computer-readable media embodied in one or more non-transitory, physical memory devices having stored thereon instructions for checking compatibility of an appliance with an existing audio and/or visual system configuration comprised of a plurality of appliances, the instructions performing steps, comprising:

receiving information that functions to identify the appliance;

extracting from a database, in which is maintained for each of a plurality of appliances an appliance record comprising one or more features for the corresponding appliance, one or more features for the appliance corresponding to the information that functions to identify the appliance;

using a compatibility check algorithm to determine if the one or more features for the appliance corresponding to the information that functions to identify the appliance extracted from the database are compatible with one or more features of one or more appliances in the existing system configuration comprised of a plurality of appliances; and

presenting a result of the determination obtained via use of the compatibility check algorithm.

2. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the information that functions to identify each appliance in the existing system configuration is obtained from a remote control device.

3. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the information that functions to identify each appliance in the existing system configuration is obtained from a computing device used to configure a remote control device.

4. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the information that functions to identify each appliance in the existing system configuration is stored in the database in association with a consumer identifier.

5. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the information that functions to identify the appliance is obtained via use of a smart device.

6. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 5, wherein the result of the determination obtained via use of the compatibility check algorithm is presented in a display of the smart device.

7. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the compatibility check algorithm verifies that a sufficient number of suitable connections and input/output ports are available to allow optimal integration of the appliance into the existing system configuration.

8. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the result of the determination obtained via use of the compatibility check algorithm includes a summary of one or more features considered by the compatibility check algorithm when determining compatibility.

9. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the results of the determination obtained via use of the compatibility check algorithm includes an option for the display of additional information screens containing recommended interconnection schemes for integrating the appliance into the existing system configuration.

10. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the results of the determination obtained via use of the compatibility check algorithm includes an option for posting to a social networking site information representative of the appliance for receiving feedback from others.

11. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the results of the determination obtained via use of the compatibility check algorithm includes an option to locate a merchant offering the appliance.

12. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the instructions receive information that functions to identify a one of the plurality of appliances in the existing system configuration which is to be replaced by the appliance and the compatibility check algorithm functions to determine if the one or more features for the appliance are compatible with one or more features of remaining ones of the plurality of appliances in the existing system configuration.

13. A computer-readable media embodied in one or more non-transitory, physical memory devices having stored thereon instructions for recommending an appliance for use with an existing audio and/or visual system configuration comprised of a plurality of appliances, the instructions performing steps, comprising:

receiving information that functions to identify each appliance in the existing system configuration;

using a compatibility check algorithm to identify within a database, in which is maintained for each of a plurality of appliances an appliance record comprising one or more features for the corresponding appliance, one or more appliances having one or more mandatory features wherein the mandatory features are determined to be compatible with one or more features of one or more appliances in the system configuration; and

presenting a listing of the one or more appliances identified via use of the compatibility check algorithm.

14. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 13, wherein the instructions rank the listing of the one or more appliances identified via use of the compatibility check algorithm.

15. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 13, wherein a weighing factor is used in connection with ranking the listing of the one or more appliances identified via use of the compatibility check algorithm.

16. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 15, wherein the weighing factor comprises a score assigned to non-mandatory features of the one or more appliances identified via use of the compatibility check algorithm.

17. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 15, wherein the weighing factor comprises a consumer rating value associated with the one or more appliances identified via use of the compatibility check algorithm.

18. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 15, wherein the weighing factor is user adjustable.

19. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 13, wherein the information that functions to identify each appliance in the existing system configuration is obtained from a remote control device.

20. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 13, wherein the information that functions to identify each appliance in the existing system configuration is obtained from a computing device used to configure a remote control device.

21. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 13, wherein the information that functions to identify each appliance in the existing system configuration is stored in the database in association with a consumer identifier.

22. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 13, wherein the listing of the one or more appliances identified via use of the compatibility check algorithm is presented in a display of a smart device.

23. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 13, wherein the listing of the one or more appliances identified via use of the compatibility check algorithm includes a summary of one or more features of the one or more appliances.

24. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 13, wherein the listing of the one or more appliances identified via use of the compatibility check algorithm includes an option for comparing the one or more appliances against one or more appliances in the current system configuration.

25. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 13, wherein the listing of the one or more appliances identified via use of the compatibility check algorithm includes an option for posting to a social networking site information representative of the one or more appliances for receiving feedback from others.

26. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 13, wherein the listing of the one or more appliances identified via use of the compatibility check algorithm includes an option to locate a merchant offering the one or more appliances.