Merged images viewed via a virtual storage closet

• US 7,712,035 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2004
• Issued: 05/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tamiras Per Pte Ltd LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Jarbridge Incorporated
• Inventors: Giannini, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): SAX, STEVEN PAUL
• Application Number:
  US10/991,912
• Publication Number:
  US 20050071257A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,993 Days
• Field of Search: 715/747, 715/746, 715771-772, 715/964, 715/837, 715/839, 715/745
• US Class Current: 715/747
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

An e-commerce method involves on-line viewing of a first article through a linking node for virtual merging on another structure. A particular application of the invention is directed to a method of on-line apparel shopping. The method includes providing a host-site accessible to an on-line viewer (customer) and web-linkable to a retailer having an apparel site. The retailer'"'"'s apparel site has images of articles stored in a virtual closet. These articles can be apparel from retail stores for viewing over the web, and the on-line viewer is linked to the host-site. The consumer selects a structure, such as a photograph of a person captured in system memory, in response to a command received by the on-line viewer. Using the host-site, the viewer or customer is linked to the retailer'"'"'s apparel site and images are passed from that site for view by the customer. Apparel is selected and virtually merged with the structure by forming an image including representations of both the structure and the selected-apparel.

Claims

1. A method for on-line viewing of articles, comprising:

providing access to a host-site that is web accessible to an on-line viewer and web-linkable to different article-provider sites, the article provider-sites having images of articles for view via the web;

linking the on-line viewer to the host-site and receiving a command from the on-line viewer that selects a structure and at least one type of the articles;

using the host-site, in response to the command, to link to the different article-provider sites and to pass and store in a memory respective images of articles of said type from the different article-provider sites for view by the on-line viewer via a web link to the host-site;

using the host site, generating a composite image from passed images and the structure, the composite image representing, for viewing as a single object, the structure modified with a first article that corresponds to one of the passed images and at least one other article that corresponds to another one of the passed images from the article-provider sites, wherein the structure is an apparel-wearable model, and the first article is apparel;

storing the passed images as a virtual closet that is associated with the on-line viewer;

presenting the virtual closet to the on-line viewer;

retrieving one of the stored images from the virtual closet in response to a selection by the on-line viewer; and

using the host site, generating another composite image from the one retrieved image and the structure, the other composite image representing, for viewing as a single object, the structure modified with a second article that corresponds to the one retrieved image.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein generating the composite image includes scaling the passed image of the first article to fit the structure such that the passed image of the first article and the structure are commonly-scaled.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the host-site includes different structures for selection by the on-line viewer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the passed image of the at least one other article is obtained from a different one of the article-provider sites than the passed image of the first article.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first article and the at least one other article are complementing apparel.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the complementing apparel includes top wear and leg wear.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one other article is one of the stored images.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one other article was stored during a different host-site communication session.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the one retrieved image is retrieved by the host-site in response to another command.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the passed images as a virtual closet consists of storing images of articles of said at least one type.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first article and the at least one other article are of said at least one type.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the passed images as a virtual closet includes storing the passed image of the first article and the passed image of the at least one other article.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the passed images as a virtual closet consists of storing images of articles that are combined with the structure for viewing, as a single object, by the on-line viewer.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the passed images as a virtual closet consists of storing images of clothing articles and accessories for an outfit that is combined with the apparel-wearable model for viewing, as a single object, by the on-line viewer.

10. A method for on-line viewing of articles, comprising:

providing access to a host-site that is web accessible to an on-line viewer and web-linkable to different article-provider sites, the article provider-sites having images of articles for view via the web;

linking the on-line viewer to the host-site and receiving a command from the on-line viewer that selects a structure and at least one type of the articles;

using the host-site, in response to the command, to link to the different article-provider sites and to pass and store in a memory respective images of articles of said type from the different article-provider sites for view by the on-line viewer via a web link to the host-site;

using the host site, generating a composite image from passed images and the structure, the composite image representing, for viewing as a single object, the structure modified with a first article that corresponds to one of the passed images and at least one other article that corresponds to another one of the passed images from the article-provider sites, wherein the structure is an apparel-wearable model and the first article is apparel;

facilitating purchase of the first article in response to a selection by the on-line viewer;

storing the passed image corresponding to the first article in a virtual closet for the on-line viewer;

retrieving the passed image corresponding to the first article from the virtual closet;

receiving a command, from the on-line viewer, that identifies at least one of the articles that has not been purchased; and

using the host site, generating another composite image representing, for viewing as a single object, the structure modified with the purchased first article and the at least one of the articles that has not been purchased.

16. For use with a host-site that is web accessible to an on-line viewer and web-linkable to different article-provider sites that have images of articles for view via the web, a method for on-line viewing of articles, the method comprising:

linking the on-line viewer to the host-site and prompting the on-line viewer to enter a command that selects an apparel-wearable model and at least one type of the articles;

using the host-site to link to the different article-provider sites and to pass and store in a memory respective images of articles of said at least one type from the different article-provider sites for view by the on-line viewer via a web link to the host-site;

using the host site, generating a composite image representing, for viewing as a single object, the apparel-wearable model modified with at least two articles corresponding to ones of the passed images, wherein one of the at least two articles is apparel;

using the host site, storing ones of the passed images as a virtual closet that is associated with the on-line viewer;

presenting the stored images from the virtual closet to the on-line viewer for viewing; and

in response to the on-line viewer modifying data, updating at least one of the stored images in the virtual closet and the modified apparel-wearable model according to the modified data.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein storing ones of the passed images as a virtual closet consists of storing images of clothing articles and accessories for an outfit that is combined with the apparel-wearable model for viewing, as a single object, by the on-line viewer.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the at least two articles are different types of clothing.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein storing ones of the passed images as a virtual closet consists of storing images of the at least two articles used to generate the composite image.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein storing ones of the passed images as a virtual closet includes storing ones of the passed images corresponding to a search result for articles of said at least one type.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein storing ones of the passed images as a virtual closet includes

storing images of the at least two articles used to generate the composite image, and

storing ones of the passed images corresponding to a search result for articles of said at least one type.

22. The method of claim 16,

wherein storing ones of the passed images as a virtual closet includes

storing images of the at least two articles used to generate the composite image, and

storing ones of the passed images corresponding to a search result for articles of said at least one type, and

further comprising

retrieving one of the stored images corresponding to a search result for purchase by the viewer, and

generating another composite image representing, for viewing as a single object, the apparel-wearable model modified with the retrieved stored image for purchasing the article that the retrieved stored image represents.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein storing ones of the passed images as a virtual closet consists of storing images of the at least two articles used to generate the composite image as shopping results for subsequent purchase.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein updating the stored images in the virtual closet includes saving another one of the passed images in the virtual closet, the other passed image corresponding to another article selected by the on-line viewer for display on the apparel-wearable model.

25. The method of claim 16, wherein updating the modified apparel-wearable model includes modifying the composite image to include another one of the passed images, the other passed image corresponding to another article selected by the on-line viewer for display on the apparel-wearable model.

26. For use with a host-site that is web accessible to an on-line viewer and web-linkable to different article-provider sites that have images of articles for view via the web, a method for on-line viewing of articles, the method comprising:

linking the on-line viewer to the host-site and prompting the on-line viewer to enter a command that selects a structure and at least one type of the articles;

using the host-site to link to the different article-provider sites and to pass and store in a memory respective images of articles of said type from the different article-provider sites for view by the on-line viewer via a web link to the host-site;

using the host site, generating a composite image from ones of the passed images and the structure, the composite image representing, for viewing as a single object, the structure modified with a first article that corresponds to one of the passed images and at least one other article that corresponds to another one of the passed images, wherein the structure is an apparel-wearable model and the first article is apparel;

storing ones of the passed images as a virtual closet that is associated with the on-line viewer for display and review by the on-line viewer;

in response to a selection by the on-line viewer, manipulating display of the modified structure based on at least one of the stored images from the virtual closet; and

using the host site and for generating another composite image, providing access to the structure and the stored images from the virtual closet.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein storing ones of the passed images as a virtual closet includes storing the passed images corresponding to the first article and the at least one other article.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

providing the on-line view with a prompt to manipulate a display parameter of the first article; and

modifying the composite image to reflect the manipulated display parameter of the first article.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein storing ones of the passed images as a virtual closet includes

storing images of the first article and the at least one other article, and

storing ones of the passed images corresponding to a search result for articles of said at least one type.