Apparatus for supporting sales of product

• US 7,778,942 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2007
• Issued: 08/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Naito, Hirohisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosen; Nicholas D
• Application Number:
  US11/889,566
• Publication Number:
  US 20070288332A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,099 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/500, 353/28, 353/74, 434/371
• US Class Current: 705/500
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 2007/195 Virtual display of clothes on the wearer by means of a mirror, screen or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 19/22 Advertising or display means on roads, walls or similar surfaces, e.g. illuminated
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/35 being liquid crystals G09F9/302 takes precedence; liquid crystal materials C09K19/00; liquid crystal panels comprising a number of electrodes in a single cell per se G02F1/13

Abstract

A transmissive display unit that displays thereon product information on a product displayed in a showcase unit. A control unit controls a display of the product information on the transmissive display unit and a sales processing of the product, with an interactive function. A memory unit stores therein the product information. An operating unit inputs instruction information to the control unit.

Claims

1. An apparatus for supporting sales of a product, comprising:

a showcase unit for displaying the product;

a transmissive display unit that displays thereon product information on the product displayed in the showcase unit and that enables the displayed product to be viewed therethrough when no product information is displayed thereon;

a control unit that controls a display of the product information on the transmissive display unit and a sales processing of the product, with an interactive function;

a memory unit that stores therein the product information; and

an operating unit that inputs instruction information to the control unit.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the product information is one of either still image information or moving image information indicating a variation in color, shape, and size of the product.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the product information is one of either still image information or moving image information indicating an appearance of the product viewed from a second direction that is different from a first direction displayed in the showcase unit.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the second direction can be changed to an arbitrary direction.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the product information is superimposed on image information indicating body information of a user.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a half mirror arranged between the showcase unit and the transmissive display unit, wherein

the image information indicating the body information of the user is a mirror image of the user reflected on the half mirror.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an information communication unit that acquires image information of an other product that belongs to the user and that relates to the product from outside, wherein

the image information of the other product is superimposed on the product information.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the product is attached with a radio-frequency identification,

the showcase unit is attached with a radio-frequency identification reader, and

the radio-frequency identification reader reads data of the radio-frequency identification attached on the product, to automatically recognize a location of the product in the showcase unit.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

a display size of the product information is variable, and

the product information is displayed in an actual size.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit performs an authentication of the user by acquiring an identification unique to the user, to perform either one of a reservation processing and a holding processing for the product.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein data about any one of a purchase processing, a reservation processing, and a holding processing for a predetermined product is displayed in an area corresponding to the predetermined product on the transmissive display unit.