Custom Hair Coloring Reformulation

• US 20110313879A1
• Filed: 06/21/2011
• Published: 12/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eSalon.com, LLC (Henkel AG & Co KGaA)
• Original Assignee: eSalon.com, LLC (Henkel AG & Co KGaA)
• Inventors: Mourad, Tamim, Mourad, Omar, Rosenberg, Cory, Gimenez, Francisco
• Granted Patent: US 8,577,750 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26.5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization

Abstract

There is disclosed a method for custom hair coloring reformulation. The method includes accepting a user login associated with previously entered user characteristics. Accepting user input of new user characteristics including natural hair color, current hair coloring, hair treatments, hair coloring characteristics and hair treatment characteristics. The method further includes identifying available hair coloring, accepting user input of desired hair coloring and identifying a hair colorant suitable to create the desired hair coloring in view of the user characteristics. An order is then generated for the hair colorant.

Claims

1. A method for custom hair coloring reformulation comprising:

accepting a user login associated with previously input user characteristics including natural hair color, current hair coloring, hair treatments, hair coloring characteristics and hair treatment characteristics;

presenting a user with an opportunity to order a previously-identified hair colorant associated with the user characteristics;

accepting user input of a new user characteristic;

identifying unavailable hair colors and available hair colors, the unavailable colors and the available hair colors identified based upon the user characteristics;

providing indicia of the available hair colors to the user;

accepting user input of desired hair coloring, the desired hair coloring selected from among the available hair colors;

identifying a new hair colorant suitable to create the desired hair coloring using the new user characteristic; and

generating an order for the new hair colorant.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein user characteristics further include the time of the last hair coloration, the time of the last hair treatment and the current length of hair and the current style of hair.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the user input of a new user characteristic is accepted in response to a user comparison with the results of a prior hair coloration.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the identifying a new hair colorant includes a consideration of the natural hair color, the current hair coloring, and the time of the last hair coloration.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising modifying the new hair colorant based upon user input of a minor colorant change in response to a series of text-based prompts.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the accepting user input of a new user characteristic includes updating one of natural hair color, current hair coloring and desired hair coloring by a user with reference to a table of hair colors visible on a computer display.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

processing the order for the new hair colorant to thereby identify and request shipment of the hair colorant; and

shipping the new hair colorant according to the order.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the accepting user input of a new user characteristic is completed via a web page and further wherein the user is presented with a number of options from which to choose.

15. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising:

a distribution system for processing the order for the new hair colorant to thereby identify and request shipment of the hair colorant; and

a shipping system for shipping the new hair colorant according to the order.

9. An apparatus for custom hair coloring formulation comprising a server for:

accepting a user login associated with previously input user characteristics including natural hair color, current hair coloring, hair treatments, hair coloring characteristics and hair treatment characteristics;

presenting a user with an opportunity to order a previously-identified hair colorant associated with the user characteristics;

accepting user input of a new user characteristic;

identifying unavailable hair colors and available hair colors, the unavailable colors and the available hair colors identified based upon the user characteristics;

providing indicia of the available hair colors to the user;

accepting user input of desired hair coloring, the desired hair coloring selected from among the available hair colors;

identifying a new hair colorant suitable to create the desired hair coloring using the new user characteristic; and

generating an order for the new hair colorant.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein user characteristics further include the time of the last hair coloration, the time of the last hair treatment and the current length of hair and the current style of hair.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the user input of a new user characteristic is accepted in response to a user comparison with the results of a prior hair coloration.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the identifying a new hair colorant includes a consideration of the natural hair color, the current hair coloring, and the time of the last hair coloration.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the server is further for modifying the new hair colorant based upon user input of a minor colorant change in response to a series of text-based prompts.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the accepting user input of a new user characteristic includes updating one of natural hair color, current hair coloring and desired hair coloring by a user with reference to a table of hair colors visible on a computer display.

16. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the new user input is accepted via a web page and further wherein the user is presented with a number of options from which to choose.

17. Apparatus comprising a storage medium storing program instructions which when executed by a processor will cause the processor to:

accept a user login associated with previously input user characteristics including natural hair color, current hair coloring, hair treatments, hair coloring characteristics and hair treatment characteristics;

present a user with an opportunity to order a previously-identified hair colorant associated with the user characteristics;

accept user input of a new user characteristic;

identify unavailable hair colors and available hair colors, the unavailable colors and the available hair colors identified based upon the user characteristics;

provide indicia of the available hair colors to the user;

accept user input of desired hair coloring, the desired hair coloring selected from among the available hair colors;

identify a new hair colorant suitable to create the desired hair coloring using the new user characteristic; and

generate an order for the new hair colorant.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein user characteristics further include the time of the last hair coloration, the time of the last hair treatment and the current length of hair and the current style of hair.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the user input of a new user characteristic is accepted in response to a user comparison with the results of a prior hair coloration.

20. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the instruction to identify a new hair colorant includes a consideration of the natural hair color, the current hair coloring, and the time of the last hair coloration.

21. The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising an instruction to modify the new hair colorant based upon user input of a minor colorant change in response to a series of text-based prompts.

22. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the instruction to accept user input of a new user characteristic includes altering one of natural hair color, current hair coloring and desired hair coloring by a user with reference to a table of hair colors visible on a computer display.

23. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the instructions further include instructions which when executed by a processor will cause the processor to:

process the order for the new hair colorant to thereby identify and request shipment of the hair colorant; and

generate a shipping request in order to ship the new hair colorant according to the order.

24. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the new user input is accepted via a web page and further wherein the user is presented with a number of options from which to choose.