Method and apparatus for a user to shop online in a three dimensional virtual reality setting

• US 7,680,694 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2004
• Issued: 03/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Fehlhaber, Jeffrey S., Royer, Coby, Deming, Elizabeth S., Hobson, Carol Lee, Glazer, Elliott
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jeffrey A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MISIASZEK, MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US10/800,413
• Publication Number:
  US 20070179867A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,196 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27
• US Class Current: 705/26.43
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0253 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0617 Representative agent
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0619 Neutral agent
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers

Abstract

A solution is provided for a method for a user to shop online in a three dimensional (3D) virtual reality (VR) setting by receiving a request at a shopping server to view a shopping location, having at least one store, and displaying the shopping location to the user'"'"'s computer in a 3D interactive simulation view via a web browser to emulate a real-life shopping experience for the user. The server then obtains a request to enter into one of the stores and displays the store website to the user in the same web browser. The store website has one or more enhanced VR features. The server then receives a request to view at least one product and the product is presented in a 3D interactive simulation view to emulate a real-life viewing of the product.

Claims

1. A method for a user to shop online in a three dimensional (3D) virtual reality (VR) setting, the method comprising:

receiving a request at a shopping server, the shopping server having a shopping cart memory, to view a virtual shopping location;

displaying the virtual shopping location on a user computer in a 3D interactive simulation view via a web browser to emulate a real-life shopping experience for the user, the virtual shopping location being streamed from the shopping server to the user computer, wherein the virtual shopping location has a first store and a second store;

providing a virtual concierge in the virtual shopping location, the virtual concierge being linked to a concierge database which is connected to the shopping server;

receiving a request to enter into the first store of the virtual shopping location;

displaying an actual store website of the first store on the user computer in the web browser, in response to the request to enter into the first store, wherein the actual store website of the first store is linked to the virtual shopping location, is independently managed by the first store, and resides on a second server;

receiving a request to insert a product from the actual store website of the first store into a virtual shopping cart;

storing the product from the actual store website of the first store in the shopping cart memory of the shopping server;

receiving a request to enter into the second store of the virtual shopping location;

displaying an actual store website of the second store on the user computer in the web browser, in response to the request to enter into the second store, wherein the actual store website of the second store is linked to the virtual shopping location, is independently managed by the second store, and resides on a third server;

receiving a request to insert a product from the actual store website of the second store into the virtual shopping cart;

storing the product from the actual store website of the second store in the shopping cart memory of the shopping server;

receiving a request to purchase the products in the virtual shopping cart.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to view the product from the actual store website of the first store; and

presenting the product from the actual store website of the first store in a 3D interactive simulation view to emulate a real life viewing of the product.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the product from the actual store website of the first store is a real estate property, and

wherein the presenting step includes displaying cultural, religious, educational, governmental, and meteorological information relating to the real estate property.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

processing the request to purchase the products in the virtual shopping cart; and

shipping the purchased products using one tracking number in one shipment.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the actual store websites has enhanced VR features relating to at least one of the user'"'"'s senses of smell and touch.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying of the virtual shopping location includes displaying a product in a virtual store window to emulate real-life window shopping.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying of the virtual shopping location includes displaying a product offer to emulate real-life sales advertising.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying of the actual store website of the first store includes displaying a customer representative to assist the user in real-time selecting of the product from the actual store website of the first store.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the presenting of the product includes displaying a product information sheet received from a product information database.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request for a price comparison, a product comparison, or a merchant offer.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving information data from a product comparison database and displaying the information data to the user.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing clickstream data of actions of the user within the 3D VR setting in a clickstream database.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving a request from a merchant website to obtain the clickstream data.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

automatically displaying product cross-selling information or product offers and information to the user based upon the stored clickstream data.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request at the shopping server to personalize the virtual shopping location.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request at the shopping server to link-up with at least one other user.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting a shopping game to the user computer.

18. An apparatus for a user to shop online in a three dimensional (3D) virtual reality (VR) setting, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a request at a shopping server, the shopping server having a shopping cart memory, to view a virtual shopping location;

means for displaying the virtual shopping location on a user computer by streaming a 3D interactive simulation view via a web browser to emulate a real-life shopping experience for the user, the virtual shopping location having a first store and a second store;

means for displaying on request a virtual concierge, linked to a concierge database;

means for obtaining a request to enter into the first store of the virtual shopping location;

means for displaying an actual store website of the first store on the user computer in the same web browser, in response to the request to enter into the first store, wherein the actual store website of the first store is linked to the virtual shopping location, is independently managed by the first store, and resides on a second server;

means for receiving a request to insert a product from the actual store website of the first store into a virtual shopping cart;

means for storing the product from the actual store website of the first store in the shopping cart memory of the shopping server;

means for obtaining a request to enter into the second store of the virtual shopping location;

means for displaying an actual store website of the second store on the user computer in the same web browser, in response to the request to enter into the second store, wherein the actual store website of the second store is linked to the virtual shopping location, is independently managed by the second store, and resides on a third server;

means for receiving a request to insert a product from the actual store website of the second store into the virtual shopping cart;

means for storing the product from the actual store website of the second store in the shopping cart memory of the shopping server;

means for receiving a request to purchase the products in the virtual shopping cart.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

means for receiving a request to view the product from the actual store website of the first store; and

means for presenting the product from the actual store website of the first store in a 3D interactive simulation view to emulate a real-life viewing of the product.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the product from the actual store website of the first store is a real estate property, and

wherein the presenting step includes displaying cultural, religious, educational, governmental, and meteorological information relating to the real estate property.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

means for processing the request to purchase the products in the virtual shopping cart; and

means for shipping the purchased products using one tracking number in one shipment.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein at least one of the actual store websites has one or more enhanced VR features relating to at least one of the user'"'"'s senses of smell and touch.

23. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the means for displaying the virtual shopping location includes means for displaying a product in a virtual store window to emulate real-life window shopping.

24. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the means for displaying the virtual shopping location includes means for displaying a product offer to emulate real-life sales advertising.

25. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the means for displaying the actual store website of the first store includes means for displaying a customer representative to assist the user in real-time selecting of the product from the actual store website of the first store.

26. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the means for presenting the product includes means for displaying a product information sheet received from a product information database.

27. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

means for receiving a request for a price comparison, a product comparison, or a merchant offer.

28. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

means for retrieving information data from a product comparison database and means for displaying the information data to the user.

29. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

means for storing clickstream data of the actions of the user within the 3D VR setting in a clickstream database.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising:

means for receiving a request from a merchant website to obtain the clickstream data.

31. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising:

means for automatically displaying product cross-selling information or product offers and information to the user based upon the stored clickstream data.

32. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

means for receiving a request at the shopping server to personalize the virtual shopping location.

33. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

means for receiving a request at the shopping server to link-up with at least one other user.

34. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

means for presenting a shopping game to the user computer.

35. An apparatus for a user to shop online in a three dimensional (3D) virtual reality (VR) setting, the apparatus comprising:

a shopping server having a shopping cart memory;

a virtual shopping location displayer coupled to the shopping server to display a virtual shopping location on a user computer by streaming 3D interactive simulation view via a web browser to emulate a real-life shopping experience for the user, the virtual shopping location having a first store and a second store;

a virtual concierge, linked to a concierge database;

a store requester coupled to the shopping server, the store requester to request to enter into the first store or the second store of the virtual shopping location;

a website displayer coupled to the store requester, the website displayer to display an actual store website of the first store and an actual store website of the second store, respectively, on the user computer in the same web browser, in response to the request to enter into the first store or the second store, wherein the actual store website of the first store and the actual store website of the second store each is linked to the virtual shopping location, is independently managed by the respective store, and reside on separate respective servers;

a product inserter coupled to the website displayer to insert a product from the actual store website of the first store and a product from the actual store website of the second store into a virtual shopping cart by storing the products in the shopping cart memory; and

a purchase requester coupled to the shopping server to receive a request to purchase the products in the virtual shopping cart, wherein the products are from different stores.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, further comprising:

a product requester coupled to the shopping server, the product requester to request to view a product from the website of the first store; and

a 3D VR product presenter coupled to the product requester, the 3D VR product presenter to present the product from the website of the first store in a 3D interactive simulation view to emulate a real-life viewing of the product.

37. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein at least one of the actual store websites has enhanced VR features relating to at least one of the user'"'"'s senses of smell and touch.

38. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the product from the actual store website of the first store is a real estate property

wherein the presenting step includes displaying cultural, religious, educational, governmental, and meteorological information relating to the real estate property.

39. The apparatus of claim 35, further comprising:

a product shipper coupled to the purchase requester.

40. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the shopping server includes a window displayer to emulate real-life window shopping.

41. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the shopping server includes a product offer displayer.

42. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the shopping server includes at least one customer representative.

43. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the shopping server includes an interactive viewer, the interactive viewer allowing the user to view a 360 degree VR interactive view of the product from the actual store website of the first store.

44. The apparatus of claim 35, further comprising:

a clickstream data storer coupled to the shopping server.

45. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the clickstream data storer is coupled to a merchant website requester.

46. The apparatus of claim 35, further comprising:

a link-up requester coupled to the shopping server.

47. The apparatus of claim 35, further comprising:

a shopping game presenter coupled to the shopping server.

48. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for a user to shop online in a three dimensional (3D) virtual reality (VR) setting, said method comprising:

receiving a request at a shopping server, the shopping server having a shopping cart memory, to view a virtual shopping location;

displaying the virtual shopping location on a user computer by streaming a 3D interactive simulation view via a web browser to emulate a real-life shopping experience for the user, the virtual shopping location having a first store and a second store;

displaying on request a virtual concierge, linked to a concierge database;

obtaining a request to enter into the first store of the virtual shopping location;

displaying an actual store website of the first store on the user computer in the same web browser, in response to the request to enter into the first store, wherein the actual store website of the first store is linked to the virtual shopping location, is independently managed by the first store, and resides on a second server;

receiving a request to insert a product from the actual store website of the first store into a virtual shopping cart;

storing the product from the actual store website of the first store in the shopping cart memory of the shopping server;

obtaining a request to enter into the second store of the virtual shopping location;

displaying an actual store website of the second store on the user computer in the same web browser, in response to the request to enter into the second store, wherein the actual store website of the second store is linked to the virtual shopping location, is independently managed by the second store, and resides on a third server;

receiving a request to insert a product from the actual store website of the second store into the virtual shopping cart;

storing the product from the actual store website of the second store in the shopping cart memory of the shopping server;

receiving a request to purchase the products in the virtual shopping cart.

49. The method of claim 48, further comprising:

receiving a request to view the product from the actual store website of the first store; and

presenting the product from the actual store web site of the first store in a 3D interactive simulation view to emulate a real life viewing of the product.

50. The method of claim 48, wherein at least one of the actual store websites has one or more enhanced VR features.