Virtual reality shopping experience

• US 8,069,095 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2010
• Issued: 11/29/2011
• 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 Scott, Royer, Coby, Deming, Elizabeth Sandra, Hobson, Carol Lee, Glazer, Elliott
• Primary Examiner(s): Misiaszek, Michael
• Application Number:
  US12/693,294
• Publication Number:
  US 20100185514A1
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705 261- 272
• US Class Current: 705/27.1
• 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 comprising:

streaming, by a computer-based shopping system for facilitating online shopping, and in response to a request, a display of the virtual shopping location to a user computer in a 3D interactive simulation view via a web browser, wherein the virtual shopping location has a first store and a second store, and wherein the shopping system comprises a virtual shopping cart memory;

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

presenting, by the shopping system, an actual store website of the first store to 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, and is independently managed by the first store, and resides on a second server;

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

presenting, by the shopping system, an actual store website of the second store to 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, and is independently managed by the second store, and resides on a third server; and

receiving, by the shopping system, a request to purchase products from the actual store website of at least one of the first store and the second store, wherein the products were inserted in the virtual shopping cart memory.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing, by the shopping system, a virtual concierge in the virtual shopping location, the virtual concierge being linked to a concierge database which is connected to the shopping system.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising shipping the purchased products using one tracking number in one shipment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the actual store website has enhanced VR features relating to senses of at least one of smell and touch.

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

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

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

8. 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.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the presenting of the product includes displaying a product information sheet received from a product information database.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the product from the actual store website of the first store is a real estate property, and wherein the presenting includes displaying cultural, religious, educational, governmental, and meteorological information relating to the real estate property.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a request for a price comparison, a product comparison, or a merchant offer.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising retrieving information data from a product comparison database and displaying the information data.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing clickstream data of actions of the user computer within the 3D VR setting in a clickstream database.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising receiving a request from a merchant website to obtain the clickstream data.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising automatically displaying at least one of product cross-selling information, product offers, and information based upon the stored clickstream data.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a request at the shopping system to personalize the virtual shopping location.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a request at the shopping system to link-up with another user.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting a shopping game to the user computer.

19. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions, in response to execution by a computer-based shopping system for facilitating online shopping, cause the computer-based system to perform operations comprising:

streaming, by the shopping system and in response to a request, a display of the virtual shopping location to a user computer in a 3D interactive simulation view via a web browser, wherein the virtual shopping location has a first store and a second store, and wherein the shopping system comprises a virtual shopping cart memory;

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

presenting, by the shopping system, an actual store website of the first store to 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, and is independently managed by the first store, and resides on a second server;

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

presenting, by the shopping system, an actual store website of the second store to 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, and is independently managed by the second store, and resides on a third server; and

receiving, by the shopping system, a request to purchase products from the actual store website of at least one of the first store and the second store, wherein the products were inserted in the virtual shopping cart memory.

20. A computer-based shopping system comprising:

a network interface configured to communicate with a memory;

the memory configured to communicate with a processor for facilitating online shopping; and

the memory having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

streaming, by the processor and in response to a request, a display of the virtual shopping location to a user computer in a 3D interactive simulation view via a web browser, wherein the virtual shopping location has a first store and a second store, and wherein the shopping system comprises a virtual shopping cart memory;

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

presenting, by the processor, an actual store website of the first store to 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, and is independently managed by the first store, and resides on a second server;

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

presenting, by the processor, an actual store website of the second store to 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, and is independently managed by the second store, and resides on a third server; and

receiving, by the processor, a request to purchase products from the actual store website of at least one of the first store and the second store, wherein the products were inserted in the virtual shopping cart memory.