Electronic commerce system in which commodities are displayed in combination with background images

• US 7,263,499 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2002
• Issued: 08/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kunigita, Hisayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosen; Nicholas D.
• Application Number:
  US10/057,074
• Publication Number:
  US 20020111882A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,042 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 345/619, 345/624, 345/629, 345/653, 345/664, 345/679, 345/654, 345/665, 345/680, 345/649
• US Class Current: 705/26.64
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0629 for generating comparisons
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/00 3D [Three Dimensional] image rendering

Abstract

A server connected to a network generates an image by combining an image of a commodity and an image of a background together and transmits the resultant image to a user terminal. If the server receives from the user a request to purchase the commodity, the server produces a command to deliver the commodity to the user.

Claims

1. An electronic commerce system, comprising:

a user terminal operable by a user, the user terminal including a display and a user input interface operable to receive input from a user for purchasing a commodity;

a first storage unit operable to store image data of commodities for sale to the user and user purchase history data including information concerning one or more prior purchases of one or more of the commodities by the user;

a second storage unit operable to store image data of backgrounds;

a first acquisition unit operable to acquire content data of one of the commodities and content data of one of the backgrounds selected by the user via the user terminal;

a second acquisition unit operable to acquire image data representing an image of the one commodity from the first storage unit and image data of the one background from the second storage unit;

an adjustment unit operable to adjust a scale of custom image data prepared by the user by comparing image information indicating a scale incorporated into the custom image data with a scale image;

a graphics unit operable to extract coordinates of the image of the one commodity that can be seen from a viewpoint selected by the user from among a plurality of different user-selectable viewpoints and to produce a display image by combining an image of the one commodity according to the extracted coordinates and an image of the one background created from the image data of the one background;

wherein the graphics unit includes a unit for incorporating the scale image into the display image; and

a supply unit operable to supply the display image to the user terminal and to supply the user purchase history data to the user terminal, thereby enabling the display image and the user purchase history data to be displayed on the display,

whereby the supply unit is operable to display the user purchase history data for reference by the user in considering purchase of the one commodity depicted in the display image, and the user input interface is operable to receive the user input for purchasing the one commodity in response to the display of the display image.

2. An electronic commerce system according to claim 1, wherein the graphics unit includes a unit for rotating the image of the one commodity.

3. An electronic commerce system according to claim 1, further comprising another acquisition unit operable to acquire from the user terminal custom image data of a background prepared by the user and to store the custom image data in the second storage unit.

4. An electronic commerce system according to claim 1, wherein the user terminal is a mobile communication terminal.

5. An electronic commerce system, comprising:

a user terminal operable by a user, the user terminal including a display and a user input interface operable to receive input from a user for purchasing a commodity; and

a commodity purchase assistance apparatus connected to the user terminal via a network, the commodity purchase assistance apparatus including;

a first storage unit operable to store image data of commodities for sale to the user and user purchase history data including information concerning one or more prior purchases of one or more of the commodities by the user;

a second storage unit operable to store image data of backgrounds;

a first acquisition unit operable to acquire content data of one of the commodities and content data of one of the backgrounds selected by the user via the user terminal;

a second acquisition unit operable to acquire image data representing an image of the one commodity from the first storage unit and image data of the one background from the second storage unit;

an adjustment unit operable to adjust a scale of custom image data prepared by the user by comparing image information indicating a scale incorporated into the custom image data with a scale image;

a graphics unit operable to extract coordinates of the image of the one commodity that can be seen from a viewpoint selected by the user from among a plurality of different user-selectable viewpoints and to produce a display image by combining an image of the one commodity according to the extracted coordinates and an image of the one background created from the image data of the one background;

wherein the graphics unit includes a unit for incorporating the scale image into the display image; and

a supply unit operable to supply the display image to the user terminal and to supply the user purchase history data to the user terminal, thereby enabling the display image and the user purchase history data to be displayed on the display,

whereby the supply unit is operable to display the user purchase history data for reference by the user in considering purchase of the one commodity depicted in the display image, and the user input interface is operable to receive the user input for purchasing the one commodity in response to the display of the display image.

6. An electronic commerce system according to claim 5, wherein the commodity purchase assistance apparatus further includes a unit operable to allow the commodity purchase assistance apparatus to function as a server.

7. An electronic commerce system according to claim 5, wherein the user terminal further includes a transmitter unit operable to transmit to the commodity purchase assistance apparatus a request to purchase a commodity corresponding to the display image displayed on the display.

8. An electronic commerce system according to claim 7, wherein the commodity purchase assistance apparatus further includes a unit operable to make an arrangement for delivering the commodity when the request for purchasing the commodity is transmitted thereto from the user terminal.

9. An electronic commerce system, comprising:

a user terminal operable by a user, the user terminal including a display and a user input interface operable to receive input from a user for purchasing a commodity;

a first storage unit operable to store image data of commodities for sale to the user and user purchase history data including information concerning one or more prior purchases of one or more of the commodities by the user;

a second storage unit operable to store image data of backgrounds; and

a commodity purchase assistance apparatus connected to the user terminal and the first and second storage units, the commodity purchase assistance apparatus including;

a first acquisition unit operable to acquire content data of one of the commodities and content data of one of the backgrounds selected by the user via the user terminal;

a second acquisition unit operable to acquire image data representing an image of the one commodity from the first storage unit and image data of the one background from the second storage unit;

an adjustment unit operable to adjust a scale of custom image data prepared by the user by comparing image information indicating a scale incorporated into the custom image data with a scale image;

a graphics unit operable to extract coordinates of the image of the one commodity that can be seen from a viewpoint selected by the user from among a plurality of different user-selectable viewpoints and to produce a display image by combining an image of the one commodity according to the extracted coordinates and an image of the one background created from the image data of the one background;

wherein the graphics unit includes a unit for incorporating the scale image into the display image; and

a supply unit operable to supply the display image to the user terminal and to supply the user purchase history data to the user terminal, thereby enabling the display image and the user purchase history data to be displayed on the display,

whereby the supply unit is operable to display the user purchase history data for reference by the user in considering purchase of the one commodity depicted in the display image, and the user input interface is operable to receive the user input for purchasing the one commodity in response to the display of the display image.

10. A commodity purchase assistance apparatus connectable via a network to a user terminal, the user terminal being operable by a user and including a display, the commodity purchase assistance apparatus comprising:

a first storage unit operable to store image data of commodities for sale to the user and user purchase history data including information concerning one or more prior purchases of one or more of the commodities by the user;

a second storage unit operable to store image data of backgrounds;

a first acquisition unit operable to acquire content data of one of the commodities and content data of one of the backgrounds selected by the user via the user terminal;

a second acquisition unit operable to acquire image data representing an image of the one commodity from the first storage unit and image data of the one background from the second storage unit;

an adjustment unit operable to adjust a scale of custom image data prepared by the user by comparing image information indicating a scale incorporated into the custom image data with a scale image;

a graphics unit operable to extract coordinates of the image of the one commodity that can be seen from a viewpoint selected by the user from among a plurality of different user-selectable viewpoints and to produce a display image by combining an image of the one commodity according to the extracted coordinates and an image of the one background created from the image data of the one background;

wherein the graphics unit includes a unit for incorporating the scale image into the display image; and

a supply unit operable to supply the display image to the user terminal and to supply the user purchase history data to the user terminal, thereby enabling the display image to be displayed on the display,

whereby the supply unit is operable to display the user purchase history data for reference by the user in considering purchase of the one commodity depicted in the display image and the user input interface is operable to receive the user input for purchasing the one commodity in response to the display of the display image.

11. A commodity purchase assistance apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the graphics unit includes a unit for rotating the image of the one commodity.

12. A commodity purchase assistance apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising another acquisition unit operable to acquire from the user terminal custom image data of a background prepared by the user and to store the custom image data in the second storage unit.

13. A commodity purchase assistance apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the image data of the one background is stored in advance in the second storage unit or supplied from the user terminal.

14. A commodity purchase assistance apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a unit operable to allow the commodity purchase assistance apparatus to function as a server.

15. A terminal operable by a user, the terminal being connectable via a network to a storage device operable to store image data of commodities for sale to the user and to store image data of backgrounds, the terminal comprising:

a display;

a user input interface operable by the user to select one of the commodities and one of the backgrounds;

an acquisition unit operable to acquire image data representing an image of the one commodity and image data of the one background from the storage device and to acquire user purchase history data including information concerning one or more prior purchases of one or more of the commodities by the user;

an adjustment unit operable to adjust a scale of custom image data prepared by the user by comparing image information indicating a scale incorporated into the custom image data with a scale image;

a graphics unit operable to extract coordinates of the image of the one commodity that can be seen from a viewpoint selected by the user from among a plurality of different user-selectable viewpoints and to produce a display image by combining an image of the one commodity according to the extracted coordinates and an image of the one background created from the image data of the one background;

wherein the graphics unit includes a unit for incorporating the scale image into the display image; and

a unit operable to display the display image and the user purchase history data on the display for reference by the user in considering purchase of the one commodity depicted in the display image,

whereby the user input interface is operable to receive the user input for purchasing the one commodity in response to the display of the display image.

16. A terminal operable by a user, the terminal being connected via a network to a storage device operable to store image data of commodities for sale to the user, the terminal comprising:

a display;

a storage unit operable to store image data of backgrounds;

a user input interface operable by the user to select one of the commodities and one of the backgrounds;

an acquisition unit operable to acquire image data representing an image of the one commodity from the storage device and image data of the one background from the storage unit and to acquire user purchase history data including information concerning one or more prior purchases of one or more of the commodities by the user;

an adjustment unit operable to adjust a scale of custom image data prepared by the user by comparing image information indicating a scale incorporated into the custom image data with a scale image;

a graphics unit operable to extract coordinates of the image of the one commodity that can be seen from a viewpoint selected by the user from among a plurality of different user-selectable viewpoints and to produce a display image by combining an image of the one commodity according to the extracted coordinates and an image of the one background created from the image data of the one background;

wherein the graphics unit includes a unit for incorporating the scale image into the display image; and

a unit operable to display the display image and the user purchase history data on the display for reference by the user in considering purchase of the one commodity depicted in the display image,

whereby the user input interface is operable to receive the user input for purchasing the one commodity in response to the display of the display image.

17. A method using a computer for assisting a user in purchasing a commodity, the method comprising:

acquiring content data of a particular commodity and content data of a background selected by the user via a user terminal;

acquiring image data corresponding to the particular commodity representing an image of the particular commodity and image data corresponding to the selected background from a storage unit;

acquiring user purchase history data including information concerning one or more prior purchases of one or more of the commodities by the user;

adjusting a scale of custom image data prepared by the user by comparing image information indicating a scale incorporated into the custom image data with a scale image;

producing a display image by extracting coordinates of the image of the particular commodity that can be seen from a viewpoint selected by the user from among a plurality of different user-selectable viewpoints and combining an image of the particular commodity according to the extracted coordinates and an image of the selected background from the acquired image data;

wherein the scale image is incorporated into the display image;

displaying the display image on a display of the user terminal;

displaying the user purchase history data for reference by the user in considering purchase of the one commodity depicted in the display image; and

when the user decides to purchase the one commodity, receiving user input for purchasing the one commodity in response to the display of the display image.

18. A method according to claim 17, further comprising storing image data of a background prepared by the user in the storage unit.