Virtual web store with product images

• US 8,019,661 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2009
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Schwartz, Robyn R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith; Jeffrey A
• Assistant Examiner(s): STOPP, COURTNEY L
• Application Number:
  US12/372,288
• Publication Number:
  US 20090150245A1
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27
• US Class Current: 705/27.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

A three dimensional web store having product images is created. Three dimensional product images are rendered from manufacturing information instead of the products themselves. The location of all products, advertisements, aisles, signs, and displays is determined for a real world store. The web store is then created using three dimensional internet or virtual world viewing and maneuvering capabilities, to appear identical to the real world store.

Claims

1. A system of creating a web store, comprising:

a general purpose computing system;

an RFID reader attached to said computing system;

a video camera attached to said computing system;

RFID tags attached to products, aisles, advertisements, signs, and displays within a real world store for determining a location thereof, and for collecting information about said advertisements, said signs, and said displays;

rendering software running on said general purpose computing system for rendering a respective three dimensional product image for each said product solely from manufacturing information for fabricating each said product, said manufacturing information having been created before real product is fabricated and without having said product physically available as a model; and

web store software running on said general purpose computing system, having three dimensional internet or virtual world maneuverability, with images of each said aisle, said advertisement, said sign, and said display positioned at said determined location, and with each said respective product image positioned at a respective determined location within said real store.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said location is continuously determined, said information is continuously collected, said manufacturing information is continuously received, said product image is continuously rendered, and said web store is continuously recreated to have images of each said aisle, advertisement, sign display and product positioned at a respective determined location within said real world store.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said web store has an additional area for products not available in said real world store.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said maneuverability includes capability for moving through said web store using a third person view.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said third person view is an avatar.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said location is determined at predetermined intervals, said information is collected at predetermined intervals, said manufacturing information is received at predetermined intervals, said product image is rendered at predetermined intervals, and said web store is recreated at predetermined intervals to have images of each said aisle, advertisement, sign display and product positioned at a respective determined location within said real world store.

7. A system for creating three dimensional images of a product and product packaging, comprising:

a general purpose computing system having a database;

manufacturing information stored in said database for fabricating said product and said product packaging, said manufacturing information having been created before real product is fabricated and without having said real product physically available as a model; and

rendering software running on said general purpose computing system for creating said three dimensional images of said product and said product packaging solely from said manufacturing information without having said product or product packaging physically available.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising a rendering software program for rendering said images by operating on said information in said database.