Integrating touch, taste, and/or scent with a visual interface of an automated system for an enhanced user experience

• US 7,562,816 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2006
• Issued: 07/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions Holdings Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bijlani, Vinod A., Thomas, Mathews, Abraham, Subil M.
• Primary Examiner(s): WALSH, DANIEL I
• Application Number:
  US11/611,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20080147515A1
• Time in Patent Office: 946 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 235/383, 235/378, 235/381, 235/385
• US Class Current: 235/383
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering

Abstract

The present invention includes a method for providing a robust user experience with an automated system that includes sensory output, such as touch, taste, and/or smell as well as visual output. The automated system can be an e-commerce or automated shopping system. The method can visually present a user selected item for consumer purchase within a graphical user interface (GUI). Sensory output can be produced that simulates how the selected item smells, feels, and/or tastes can be provided. A user can then made a selection in the GUI to modify an aspect of the selected item and/or an environmental condition for an environment of the selected item. The visual presentation of the object and the sensory output for the item can be adjusted in accordance with the user specified modification.

Claims

1. A method for providing a sensory enhanced remote shopping experience comprising:

visually presenting a user selected one of a plurality of items for consumer purchase within a graphical user interface;

providing sensory output associated with at least one sense for the selected item, said sense comprising at least one sense selected from a group of senses consisting of touch, smell, and taste, wherein the sensory output simulates a sensory characteristic of the selected item, wherein the sensory output varies for the plurality of items;

displaying a user selectable graphical user interface control for selecting at least one environmental condition, said at least one environmental condition including at least one of temperature and lighting; and

adjusting the graphical user interface and the sensory output in accordance with the user selected environmental condition.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one sense comprises at least two senses selected from the group of senses.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

displaying a user selectable graphical user interface control for selecting one of the at least two senses; and

providing sensory output for the selected object for the user selected one of the senses.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one sense comprises at least three senses selected from the group of senses.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a sensory characteristic of the selected item varies over time, said method further comprising:

permitting a user to select a time; and

producing a second sensory output associated with the sense for the selected item that is different from an original output of the providing step, wherein said second sensory output simulates a sensory characteristic of the selected item at the user selected time.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one sense is scent.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensory characteristic of the selected item varies depending upon a point of the item from which the sense was experienced, said method further comprising:

displaying a user selectable graphical user interface control for selecting a point of the selected item; and

producing a second sensory output associated with the sense for the selected object that is different from an original output of the providing step, wherein said sensory output simulates the sensory characteristic of the selected item at the selected point.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a user selectable graphical user interface control to modify an aspect of the selected item;

adjusting the visual presentation of the selected object within the graphical user interface in accordance with the user modification; and

producing a second sensory output associated with the sense for the selected item that is different from an original output of the providing step, wherein the second sensory output simulates a sensory characteristic of the selected item having the user selected aspect modification.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting an item purchase option in the graphical user interface configured to permit a consumer using the graphical user interface to purchase the selected item.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected item is an aggregate formed from a plurality of distinct component parts, and wherein the sensory characteristic of the selected item varies depending upon the component parts that form the aggregate, said method further comprising:

displaying a user selectable graphical user interface control for selecting component parts for the aggregate; and

producing a second sensory output associated with the sense for the selected object that is different from an original output of the providing step, wherein said sensory output simulates the sensory characteristic of the selected item having the user selected component parts.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the presenting and the providing steps are performed by an automated system responsive to a set of programmatic instructions stored within a memory of the automated system.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the GUI is an interface of a self-service kiosk, said kiosk providing the sensory output.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing a Web site, said Web site including a set of programmatic instructions which controls visual output to the graphical user interface and that controls the sensory output of the providing step.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the graphical user interface is an interface of a computing system having at least one attached sensory outputting peripheral device, said peripheral device providing the sensory output.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one sense comprises at least two senses selected from the group of senses, said method further comprising:

providing a user selectable graphical user interface control for selecting one of the at least two senses; and

producing sensory output for the selected object for the user selected one of the senses.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said steps of claim 1 are steps performed by at least one machine in accordance with at least one computer program stored within a machine readable memory, said computer program having a plurality of code sections that are executable by the at least one machine.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of claim 1 are performed by at least one of a service agent and a computing device manipulated by the service agent, the steps being performed in response to a service request.

18. A method for experiencing remotely located items from an automated system comprising:

visually presenting a user selected item within a graphical user interface;

producing sensory output simulating how the selected item will appear when physically present, said sensory output comprising at least one of smell, touch, and taste;

receiving a user selection within the graphical user interface that modifies at least one of an aspect of the selected item and an environmental condition for the selected item;

adjusting the visual presentation of the user selected item and the sensory output in accordance with the user selection, wherein the adjusted sensory output is different than an originally provided sensory output

displaying a user selectable graphical user interface control for selecting at least one environmental condition, said at least one environmental condition including at least one of temperature and lighting; and

adjusting the graphical user interface and the sensory output in accordance with the user selected environmental condition.

20. The interface of claim 18, further comprising:

at least one user selectable adjustment control configured to permit a user to modify an aspect of the selected item, an environmental condition of the selected item, and a point of experience for the selected item, wherein changes made through the adjustment control results in corresponding change in output generated responsive to selecting the produce sensory output selector.

19. An interface of an automated system comprising:

an item selector configured to permit a user to select one of a plurality of items;

an item display configured to visually display an item selected via the item selector;

a sensory option selector configured to permit a user to select one sensory output from among a set of possible outputs, said set including at least two of touch, scent, and taste;

a produce sensory output selector configured to generate the selected sensory output for the selected item;

an item purchase option configured to permit a consumer using the interface to purchase the selected item; and

an environmental control selector for selecting at least one environmental condition, said at least one environmental condition including at least one of temperature and lighting, wherein the sensory output is adjusted in accordance with the user-selected environmental condition.