Shopping basket presentation method for an online shopping system

• US 5,905,973 A
• Filed: 09/29/1997
• Issued: 05/18/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Rissen, Kazumi, Yonezawa, Kay, Kawabe, Ryouji, Yoshida, Akihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): MacDonald, Allen R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CAUDLE, PENNY L
• Application Number:
  US08/939,338
• Time in Patent Office: 596 Days
• Field of Search: 705/27, 705/26, 705/1, 345/121, 345/145, 345/335
• US Class Current: 705/26.8
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers

Abstract

In an online shopping system having a shopping basket function capable of conducting an order process in onetime by storing items to be purchased in a purchase list, an interface for the shopping basket function is provided as a shopping basket window separate from a catalog window for displaying item data of the online shopping. The shopping basket window is placed near a pointer displayed on the catalog window and a display position thereof is moved in linkage with the movement of the pointer. The shopping basket function includes a list of items to be purchased which is a main body of the shopping basket, a function to add item data to the list, and a function to change the item information registered in the list. Preferably, the shopping basket main body is not constantly displayed. Instead, an interface function to recall the content display of the shopping basket is provided in the shopping basket window.

Claims

1. A shopping basket presentation method in an online shopping system provided with a server having item data including information on items presented to a consumer and shopping basket data including information on items specified by the consumer, a client operated by the consumer and including a display device and an input device, and a network for connecting said server and said client, comprising the steps of:

transferring the item data from said server to said client;

displaying the item data in a catalog window on a screen of said display device in said client;

displaying a shopping basket window which is different from said catalog window as an interface for conducting an operation of the shopping basket data; and

moving a pointer displayed on said display device in accordance with the operation of said input device by the consumer and moving a display position of the shopping basket window in linkage with the movement of the pointer.

2. A shopping basket presentation method according to claim 1 wherein a first button to display the information on the items registered in the shopping basket data and a second button to register the item in the shopping basket data are displayed in the shopping basket window for the user'"'"'s selection.

3. A shopping basket presentation method according to claim 2 further comprising the steps of:

acquiring information on the item registered in the shopping basket data in response to the selection of said first button; and

displaying the acquired information on the items in the shopping basket window.

4. A shopping basket presentation method according to claim 3 further comprising the steps of:

receiving a change command for the information on the items displayed in the shopping basket window;

transferring a change request for the shopping basket data in accordance with the received change command from said client to said server; and

changing the information registered in the shopping basket data in accordance with the change request.

5. A shopping basket presentation method according to claim 2 further comprising the steps of:

transferring the information on the items specified by the consumer from said client to said server in response to the selection of said second button; and

additionally registering the information on the items to the shopping basket data in said server.

6. A shopping basket presentation method according to claim 1 wherein the information on the items registered in the shopping basket data is displayed in said shopping basket window.

7. A shopping basket presentation method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of:

detecting a predetermined operation conducted to said input device; and

moving the pointer independently from the shopping basket window in response to the predetermined operation.

8. An online shopping system comprising:

a network;

a shopping server connected to said network and having an item data file for storing item data on sale items and a shopping basket data file for holding information on selected items designated by a consumer as shopping basket data; and

a shopping client connected to said network and having a display device, an input device, catalog display means for displaying an item catalog on said display device based on item catalog data sent from said shopping server and shopping basket window control means for controlling the display of a shopping basket window which is a different window from that for displaying the item catalog and functions as an interface for an operation of the shopping basket data;

wherein said shopping basket window control means moves a display position of the shopping basket window in linkage with a pointer moved and displayed on said display device in accordance with the operation of said input device.

9. An online shopping system according to claim 8 wherein said shopping basket window control means displays in said shopping basket window a first button for displaying the information on the selected items registered in said shopping basket data file and a second button for registering the selected items in said shopping basket data file.

10. An online shopping system according to claim 9 wherein said shopping basket window control means acquires the information on the selected item registered in said shopping basket data file in response to the selection of said first button by said input device and displays acquired information on the selected items in said shopping basket window.

11. An online shopping system according to claim 10 wherein said shopping basket window control means receives a change command for the information on the selected items displayed in said shopping basket window and sends a change request for said shopping basket data file to said server in accordance with the received change command.

12. An online shopping system according to claim 9 wherein said shopping basket window control means transfers the item data on the selected items designated by the consumer in response to the selection of said second button.

13. An online shopping system according to claim 8 wherein said shopping basket window control means displays the information on the selected items registered in said shopping basket data file.

14. An online shopping system according to claim 8 wherein said shopping basket window control means displays said shopping basket window independently from the movement of said pointer in response to the predefined operation of said input device.

15. A terminal device connected to a shopping server through a network used by a consumer for online shopping, comprising:

a display device;

an input device;

catalog display means for displaying an item catalog on said display device in accordance with item catalog data sent from said shopping server; and

shopping basket window control means for controlling the display of a shopping basket window which is a different window from that for displaying said item catalog and functions as an interface for the operation of shopping basket data including information on items selected by the consumer, the shopping basket data being held in said shopping server;

wherein said shopping basket window control means moves a display position of the shopping basket window in linkage with a pointer moved and displayed on said display device in accordance with the operation of said input device.

16. A terminal device according to claim 15 wherein said shopping basket window control means displays in said shopping basket window a first button for displaying the information on the selected items and a second button for registering the selected items in said shopping basket data.

17. A terminal device according to claim 16 wherein said shopping basket window control means acquires the information on the selected items registered in said shopping basket data in response to the selection of said first button using said input device and displays acquired information on the selected items in said shopping basket window.

18. A terminal device according to claim 17 wherein said shopping basket window control means receives a change command for the information on the selected items displayed in said shopping basket window from said input device and sends a change request of said shopping basket data to said server in accordance with the received change command.

19. A terminal device according to claim 16 wherein said shopping basket window control means transfers the item data on the selected items designated by the consumer in response to the selection of said second button.

20. A terminal device according to claim 15 wherein said shopping basket window control means displays the information on the selected items registered in said shopping basket data.

21. A terminal device according to claim 15 wherein said shopping basket window control means displays said shopping basket window independently from the movement of said pointer in response to the predefined operation of said input device.