Interactive internet shopping and data integration method and system

• US 7,376,591 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2002
• Issued: 05/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cstephani D. Owens
• Original Assignee: Cstephani D. Owens
• Inventors: Owens, Cstephani D.
• Primary Examiner(s): HAQ, NAEEM U
• Application Number:
  US10/164,334
• Publication Number:
  US 20030004831A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,175 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27
• US Class Current: 705/14.4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0629 for generating comparisons
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing

Abstract

A method and system for interactively shopping for groceries, especially on an Internet web site, where the user may create a shopping list, shop for items from the list at a selected Grocery Storey store, arrange for pick up or delivery of the selected items and payment, or to download the list to a PDA or for printing with the store'"'"'s layout for use in the store. Users are required to register and provide specific demographic information (useful to Manufacturers and stores) to be eligible to receive the benefits of use of the web site, such as menu creation, coupon downloads, menu planning, and recipe input. Shopping lists may be created from a single input screen using standard language text; and products may be automatically suggested to the user based on best regular price or retailer'"'"'s specials. Recipes may be altered to meet numbers of servings or dietary requirements and changes stored for future use.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium, having a set of computer-executable instructions to perform method steps for an Internet web site shopping system, the method steps comprising:

a) storing at least one organized listing of a plurality of grocery item general descriptions;

b) storing information describing at least two unrelated grocery stores;

c) relating at least one particular grocery item to at least one grocery item general description from such at least one organized listing of a plurality of grocery item general descriptions;

d) storing, for each of such at least two unrelated grocery stores, comparison information relating to such at least one particular grocery item;

e) assisting user selection of such at least two unrelated grocery stores;

f) assisting selecting of such at least one grocery item general description from such at least one organized listing of a plurality of grocery item general descriptions;

g) presenting such comparison information for such at least one particular grocery item available in such selected at least two grocery stores related to such selected at least one grocery item general description;

h) assisting user selection of such at least one particular grocery item to be purchased at such at least one selected grocery store;

i) receiving at least one diet plan;

j) storing such at least one diet plan;

j) receiving at least one dietary requirement related to such at least one diet plan;

k) storing such at least one dietary requirement related to such at least one diet plan;

l) assisting user selection of such at least one diet plan;

m) relating such at least one dietary requirement of such selected at least one diet plan to such at least one particular grocery item; and

n) presenting such at least one particular grocery item related to both such at least one dietary requirement of such selected at least one diet plan and to such selected at least one grocery item general description ahead of such at least one particular grocery item related only to such selected at least one grocery item general description.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

a) adding such selected at least one grocery item general description to at least one shopping list;

b) storing such at least one shopping list;

c) assisting user selection of such at least one shopping list;

d) assisting user selection of such at least one grocery item general description from selected such at least one shopping list; and

e) removing such at least on grocery item general description from such at least one shopping list.

3. The method according to claim 2 further comprising:

a) receiving at least one recipe from at least one grocery item manufacturer;

b) storing such at least one recipe;

c) displaying such at least one recipe;

d) assisting user input of such at least one recipe;

e) adding such at least one grocery item general description to such at least one recipe;

f) adding such at least one particular grocery item to such at least one recipe;

g) assisting user selection of such at least one recipe;

h) adding such at least one grocery item general description from such selected at least one recipe to such at least one shopping list; and

i) adding such at least one particular grocery item from such selected at least one recipe to such at least one shopping list.

4. The method according to claim 2 further comprising:

a) assisting user input of meal plans;

b) storing meal plans;

c) adding such at least one recipe to such at least one meal plan;

d) adding such at least one grocery item general description to such at least one meal plan;

e) adding such at least one particular grocery item to such at least one meal plan;

f) assisting user selection of such at least one meal plan;

g) adding such at least one grocery item general description from such selected at least one meal plan to such at least one shopping list; and

h) adding such at least one particular grocery item from such selected at least one meal plan to such at least one shopping list.

5. The method according to claim 2 further comprising:

a) assisting user input of menu plans;

b) storing menu plans;

c) adding such at least one meal plan to such at least one menu plan;

d) assisting user selection of such at least one menu plan;

e) adding such at least one particular grocery item from such selected at least one menu plan to such at least one shopping list; and

f) adding such at least one grocery item general description from such selected at least one menu plan to such at least one shopping list.

6. The method according to claim 2 further comprising:

a) receiving such information describing such at least two unrelated grocery stores.

7. The method according to claim 2 further comprising:

a) receiving, for each of such at least two grocery stores, such at least one particular grocery item comparison information; and

b) receiving, for each of such at least two grocery stores, shelf location information related to such at least one particular grocery item.

8. The method according to claim 2 further comprising:

a) adding such selected at least one particular grocery item to at least one purchases list;

b) transferring such at least one purchases list to such selected at least one grocery store; and

c) assisting user access to at least one shopping web site for such selected at least one grocery store.

9. The method according to claim 8 further comprising:

a) transferring such at least one purchases list to at least one PDA.

10. The method according to claim 8 further comprising:

a) printing such at least one purchases list.

11. The method according to claim 8 further comprising:

a) saving such at least one purchases list as such at least one shopping list.

12. The method according to claim 8 further comprising:

a) saving such at least one purchases list as at least one pantry list;

b) storing such at least one pantry list;

c) assisting user selection of such at least one particular grocery item to be added to such at least one pantry list;

d) assisting user selection of such at least one particular grocery item to be removed from such at least one pantry list;

e) assisting user selection of such at least one particular pantry list; and

f) adding such at least one particular grocery item from such selected at least one pantry list to such at least one shopping list.

13. The method according to claim 8 further comprising:

a) assisting user designation of such at least one particular grocery item included in such at least one purchases list as a charitable donation; and

b) transferring such charitable donation information to such at least one such selected at least one grocery store.

14. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

a) receiving such information describing such at least two unrelated grocery stores.

15. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

a) receiving, for each of such at least two grocery stores, such at least one particular grocery item comparison information; and

b) receiving, for each of such at least two grocery stores, shelf location information related to such at least one particular grocery item.

16. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

a) adding such selected at least one particular grocery item to at least one purchases list;

b) transferring such at least one purchases list to such selected at least one grocery store; and

c) assisting user access to at least one shopping web site for such selected at least one grocery store.

17. The method according to claim 16 further comprising:

a) assisting user selection of such at least one shopping list;

b) assisting user selecting of a plurality of such particular grocery items from such selected shopping list;

c) assisting user selection of such at least one grocery store;

d) adding such plurality of grocery items to purchases list for such selected grocery store; and

e) storing such at least one purchases list for such selected grocery store.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one computer interface system structured and arranged to assist user selection of such at least two grocery stores comprises:

a) assisting user selection of at least one preferred shopping area; and

b) assisting user selection of such at least two unrelated grocery stores within such at least one preferred shopping area.

19. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

a) assisting registering such at least one user;

b) storing demographic information of such at least one user; and

c) recording such at least one particular grocery item selected for purchase by such at least one user.

20. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

a) receiving advertising information;

b) relating such advertising information to such at least one particular grocery item selected for purchase; and

c) presenting to such at least one user such advertising information related to such at least one particular grocery item selected for purchase.

21. Internet web site shopping system comprising:

a) means for storing at least one organized listing of a plurality of grocery item general descriptions;

b) means for storing information describing at least two unrelated grocery stores;

c) means for relating at least one particular grocery item to at least one grocery item general description from such at least one organized listing of a plurality of grocery item general descriptions;

d) means for storing, for each of such at least two unrelated grocery stores, comparison information relating to such at least one particular grocery item;

e) means for user selecting of such at least two unrelated grocery stores;

f) means for user selecting of such at least one grocery item general description from such at least one organized listing of a plurality of grocery item general descriptions;

g) means for presenting such comparison information for such at least one particular grocery item available in such selected at least two grocery stores related to such selected at least one grocery item general description;

h) means for user selecting of such at least one particular grocery item to be purchased at such at least one selected grocery store;

i) means for receiving at least one diet plan;

j) means for storing such at least one diet plan;

k) means for receiving at least one dietary requirement related to such at least one diet plan;

l) means for storing such at least one dietary requirement related to such at least one diet plan;

m) means for user selecting of such at least one diet plan;

n) means for relating such at least one dietary requirement of such selected at least one diet plan to such at least one particular grocery item; and

o) means for presenting such at least one particular grocery item related to both such at least one dietary requirement of such selected at least one diet plan and to such selected at least one grocery item general description ahead of such at least one particular grocery item related only to such selected at least one grocery item general description.

22. Internet web site shopping system comprising:

a) means for storing at least one organized listing of a plurality of grocery item general descriptions;

b) means for storing information describing at least two unrelated grocery stores;

c) means for relating at least one particular grocery item to at least one grocery item general description from such at least one organized listing of a plurality of grocery item general descriptions;

d) means for storing, for each of such at least two unrelated grocery stores, comparison information relating to such at least one particular grocery item;

e) means for user selecting of such at least two unrelated grocery stores;

f) means for user selecting of such at least one grocery item general description from such at least one organized listing of a plurality of grocery item general descriptions;

g) means for presenting such comparison information for such at least one particular grocery item available in such selected at least two grocery stores related to such selected at least one grocery item general description;

h) means for user selecting of such at least one particular grocery item to be purchased at such at least one selected grocery store;

i) means for adding such selected at least one grocery item general description to at least one shopping list;

j) means for storing such at least one shopping list;

k) means for user selecting of such at least one shopping list;

l) means for user selecting such at least one grocery item general description from such selected at least one shopping list;

m) means for removing such at least on grocery item general description from such at least one shopping list;

n) means for adding such selected at least one particular grocery item to at least one purchases list;

o) means for transferring such at least one purchases list to such selected at least one grocery store;

p) means for permitting user access to at least one shopping web site for such selected at least one grocery store;

q) means for user designating of such at least one particular grocery item included in such at least one purchases list as a charitable donation; and

r) means for transferring such charitable donation information to such at least one such selected at least one grocery store.

23. A computer-readable medium, having a set of computer-executable instructions to perform method steps for an Internet web site shopping system, the method steps comprising:

a) storing at least one organized listing of a plurality of grocery item general descriptions;

b) storing information describing at least two unrelated grocery stores;

c) relating at least one particular grocery item to at least one grocery item general description from such at least one organized listing of a plurality of grocery item general descriptions;

d) storing, for each of such at least two unrelated grocery stores, comparison information relating to such at least one particular grocery item;

e) assisting user selection of such at least two unrelated grocery stores;

f) assisting selecting of such at least one grocery item general description from such at least one organized listing of a plurality of grocery item general descriptions;

g) presenting such comparison information for such at least one particular grocery item available in such selected at least two grocery stores related to such selected at least one grocery item general description;

h) assisting user selection of such at least one particular grocery item to be purchased at such at least one selected grocery store;

i) receiving at least one diet plan;

j) storing such at least one diet plan;

k) receiving at least one dietary requirement related to such at least one diet plan;

l) storing such at least one dietary requirement related to such at least one diet plan;

m) assisting user selection of such at least one diet plan;

n) relating such at least one dietary requirement of such selected at least one diet plan to such at least one particular grocery item; and

o) presenting such at least one particular grocery item related to both such at least one dietary requirement of such selected at least one diet plan and to such selected at least one grocery item general description ahead of such at least one particular grocery item related only to such selected at least one grocery item general description.