Method and apparatus for product selection assistance
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for product selection assistance, said method comprising:
- receiving a product category selection;
processing the received product category selection using the computer by matching the product category selection against a product database to determine a plurality of matched products;
displaying a product matrix comprising a product entry for each of the matched products, each product entry defining a row of the product matrix and comprising a model identifier and at least one product configuration parameter associated with the matched products such that the product matrix includes a product parameter column for each of the at least one product configuration parameters;
presenting a product configuration question relating to the at least one product configuration parameter displayed in the product matrix, wherein said presenting the product configuration question comprises presenting the product configuration question associated with a selected product configuration parameter chosen from the at least one product configuration parameter;
receiving a product configuration answer;
processing the product configuration answer using the computer by responsively updating the product matrix based on the product configuration answer to eliminate at least one product entry in the product matrix, wherein said processing the product configuration answer by responsively updating comprises removing the selected product configuration parameter from the product matrix and displacing the selected product configuration parameter and the product configuration answer to a visible location outside the product matrix;
modifying the product matrix by inserting another product parameter that defines a corresponding product parameter column to replace the selected product configuration parameter and corresponding column without changing a total number of parameter columns; and
displaying the updated product matrix, the previous product configuration question, and a new product configuration question in a same display page.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for product selection assistance includes receiving a product category selection, matching the product category selection against a product database to determine a plurality of matched products, and displaying a product matrix. The product matrix includes a product entry for each of the matched products. The product entries include a model identifier, a model price, and at least one product configuration parameter associated with the matched products. The method also includes presenting a product configuration question, receiving a product configuration answer, and responsively updating the product matrix based on the product configuration answer to eliminate at least one product entry in the product matrix.
70 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for product selection assistance, said method comprising:
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receiving a product category selection; processing the received product category selection using the computer by matching the product category selection against a product database to determine a plurality of matched products; displaying a product matrix comprising a product entry for each of the matched products, each product entry defining a row of the product matrix and comprising a model identifier and at least one product configuration parameter associated with the matched products such that the product matrix includes a product parameter column for each of the at least one product configuration parameters; presenting a product configuration question relating to the at least one product configuration parameter displayed in the product matrix, wherein said presenting the product configuration question comprises presenting the product configuration question associated with a selected product configuration parameter chosen from the at least one product configuration parameter; receiving a product configuration answer; processing the product configuration answer using the computer by responsively updating the product matrix based on the product configuration answer to eliminate at least one product entry in the product matrix, wherein said processing the product configuration answer by responsively updating comprises removing the selected product configuration parameter from the product matrix and displacing the selected product configuration parameter and the product configuration answer to a visible location outside the product matrix; modifying the product matrix by inserting another product parameter that defines a corresponding product parameter column to replace the selected product configuration parameter and corresponding column without changing a total number of parameter columns; and displaying the updated product matrix, the previous product configuration question, and a new product configuration question in a same display page. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A product selection assistance tool comprising:
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a communication interface; a processing circuit coupled to the communication interface; and a memory coupled to the processing circuit, the memory storing, for execution by the processing circuit, instructions for; receiving a product category selection over the communication interface; matching the product category selection against a product database to determine a plurality of matched products; displaying a product matrix comprising a product entry for each of the matched products, each product entry defining a row of the product matrix and comprising a model identifier and at least one product configuration parameter associated with the matched products such that the product matrix includes a product parameter column for each of the at least one product configuration parameters; presenting a product configuration question related to the at least one product configuration parameter displayed in the product matrix; receiving a product configuration answer; responsively updating the product matrix based on the product configuration answer to eliminate at least one product entry in the product matrix, the product configuration question based on a selected product configuration parameter chosen from the at least one product configuration parameter, wherein the instructions for responsively updating include instructions to remove the selected product configuration parameter from the product matrix and instructions for displacing the selected product configuration parameter and the product configuration answer to a visible location outside the product matrix; modifying the product matrix by inserting another product parameter that defines a corresponding product parameter column to replace the selected product configuration parameter and corresponding column without changing a total number of parameter columns; and displaying the updated product matrix, the previous product configuration question, and a new product configuration question in a same display page. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A computer comprising:
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a processing circuit; and a memory coupled to said processing circuit, wherein said memory stores, for execution by said processing circuit, instructions for; displaying, on at least one of said computer and another computer connected to said computer over a network, a matrix panel comprising a product matrix displaying a plurality of products using individual product entries defining a row of the product matrix and comprising a model identifier and at least one product configuration parameter associated with the products such that the product matrix includes a product parameter column for each of the at least one product configuration parameters; displaying, on at least one of said computer and the other computer, a product configuration panel displaying a product configuration question and accepting a product configuration answer, the product matrix responsively updating based on the product configuration answer to eliminate at least one product entry in the product matrix, wherein the product configuration question relates to the at least one product configuration parameter displayed in the product matrix, the product configuration question based on a selected product configuration parameter chosen from the at least one product configuration parameter, and wherein the product matrix is responsively updated by removing the selected product configuration parameter from the product matrix and by displacing the selected product configuration parameter and the product configuration answer to a visible location outside the product matrix; modifying the product matrix by inserting another product parameter that defines a corresponding product parameter column to replace the selected product configuration parameter and corresponding column without changing a total number of parameter columns; and displaying, on at least one of said computer and the other computer, the updated product matrix, the previous product configuration question, and a new product configuration question in a same display page. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A computer program product comprising:
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a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing for execution by the processing circuit; instructions for receiving a product category selection; instructions for matching the product category selection against a product database to determine a plurality of matched products; instructions for displaying a product matrix comprising a product entry for each of the matched products, each product entry defining a row of the product matrix and comprising a model identifier and at least one product configuration parameter associated with the matched products such that the product matrix includes a product parameter column for each of the at least one product configuration parameters; instructions for presenting a product configuration question related to the at least one product configuration parameter displayed in the product matrix, wherein said instructions for presenting include instructions configured to present the product configuration question associated with a selected product configuration parameter chosen from the at least one product configuration parameter; instructions for receiving a product configuration answer; instructions for responsively updating the product matrix based on the product configuration answer to eliminate at least one product entry in the product matrix, wherein the instructions for responsively updating include instructions configured to remove the selected product configuration parameter from the product matrix and instructions configured to displace the selected product configuration parameter and the product configuration answer to a visible location outside the product matrix; instructions for modifying the product matrix by inserting another product parameter that defines a corresponding product parameter column to replace the selected product configuration parameter and corresponding column without changing a total number of parameter columns; and instructions for displaying the updated product matrix, the previous product configuration question, and a new product configuration question in a same display page. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification