Video communication device providing in-home catalog services
First Claim
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1. A communications system providing information regarding goods and services to system users and enabling users to purchase said goods and services, comprising:
- a database server for processing catalog information regarding goods and services, said database server storing shipping data of system users and being configured to determine a lowest cost of an item of goods selected for purchase by a user;
a plurality of user terminals connectable to said database server, each user terminal having a unique terminal identifier, wherein said database server further stores a table for relating the unique terminal identifiers of said user terminals to shipping address information for the users of said terminals, said user terminals each comprising;
a touch-sensitive screen which displays catalog information about a product from said database server, to a user and which accepts user input through touch-sensitive areas on said screen and which permits a user to select an item for purchase from said catalog information; and
a control unit for processing purchase selections to generate purchase data which is sent to said database server for processing.
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Abstract
Catalog information stored in a database is accessible by remotely located customers in order to provide in-home shopping capabilities.
373 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A communications system providing information regarding goods and services to system users and enabling users to purchase said goods and services, comprising:
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a database server for processing catalog information regarding goods and services, said database server storing shipping data of system users and being configured to determine a lowest cost of an item of goods selected for purchase by a user; a plurality of user terminals connectable to said database server, each user terminal having a unique terminal identifier, wherein said database server further stores a table for relating the unique terminal identifiers of said user terminals to shipping address information for the users of said terminals, said user terminals each comprising; a touch-sensitive screen which displays catalog information about a product from said database server, to a user and which accepts user input through touch-sensitive areas on said screen and which permits a user to select an item for purchase from said catalog information; and a control unit for processing purchase selections to generate purchase data which is sent to said database server for processing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A communications apparatus for providing catalog services, the apparatus comprising:
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a display means for displaying available products and services; an input means for receiving input order data of desired products and services; a control unit for generating purchase data based on said input order data; a centralized database server in communication with said control unit for processing said order data based on said purchase data.
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12. A method for providing in-home catalog services to a user, the method comprising the steps of:
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configuring at least one user terminal with a unique terminal identifier; connecting the user terminal to a database server for processing catalog information regarding goods and services; storing in said database server a table for relating the unique terminal identifier of said user terminal to shipping address information for the users of said terminal; displaying the catalog information regarding the goods and services on a display connected to the user terminal; receiving orders to purchase goods and services from an input device connected to the user terminal; and determining a shipping address of the user of the terminal from the table stored in said database server relating the unique terminal identifier of the user terminal to the shipping address information of the user. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification