System and method for simulating apparel fit while maintaining customer privacy on a global computer network

• US 8,229,799 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2004
• Issued: 07/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tara Chand Singhal
• Original Assignee: Tara Chand Singhal
• Inventors: Singhal, Tara Chand
• Primary Examiner(s): Misiaszek, Michael
• Application Number:
  US10/951,246
• Publication Number:
  US 20050071256A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,858 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705 261- 272
• US Class Current: 705/27.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0627 using item specifications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers

Abstract

A wear apparel fit system on a global computer network enables, the apparel designer to provide apparel data to the fit system, a merchant interface that enables the apparel data to be embedded in a merchant'"'"'s prior art apparel web pages, a customer of the apparel merchant, using a client computer connected to the global computer network with the ability to shop the apparel merchants display an apparel web page. The web page has a Try-it-on link displayed next to the display of the apparel on the merchant'"'"'s web page that retrieves a fit program from a third party server, executes the fit program in the client and displays web pages, to try on the apparel for fit using visual color coded indicators overlaid over a wire line image of the customer. The fit system provides privacy to customer by not using a central database system for customer data.

Claims

1. A system for simulating apparel fit while maintaining customer privacy on a global computer network, comprising:

a central server comprising a fit program stored thereon;

a merchant computer system connected to a global computer network configured to transmit a plurality of web pages each displaying an apparel item for sale concurrently with a try-it-on button and comprising apparel size data associated with the apparel item stored thereon; and

a client computer system connected to the global computer network comprising customer size data representing the physical dimensions of a customer'"'"'s body stored thereon;

wherein the client computer system is configured to;

receive from the merchant computer system, the plurality of web pages;

select the try-it-on button of one of the plurality of the web pages via a mouse click; and

in response to selecting the try-it-on button, retrieve the fit program from a central server, retrieve the apparel size data associated with the displayed apparel item; and

execute the fit program;

wherein while executing the fit program, the client computer system is configured to;

use the customer size data stored on the client computer system to display a base human body image frame overlaid with visual fit indicator frame images using a Flash application;

use the apparel size data to display a plurality of available apparel size choices concurrently with the base human body image frame;

select an apparel size from the plurality of available choices; and

dynamically alter the visual fit indicator frame images based on the apparel size data, customer size data, and selected size with the Flash application to display a simulation of how the selected size of the displayed apparel item would fit the customer'"'"'s body;

wherein the client computer system is configured to receive the web pages, select the try-it-on button, and retrieve the apparel size data from the merchant computer system without establishing an account with the merchant computer system and without logging in to the merchant computer system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the apparel size data comprises:

apparel gender, apparel type, number of sizes, size identifications, dimensions for each size, and normal fit range for each size, and additionally optionally having merchant id, apparel image identification, apparel inventory identification, and apparel brand identification.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the apparel size data comprises:

data including the identification of the sizes and for each size a set of length and girth dimensions relevant to fit on the human body; and

data including for each length dimension of apparel a length range that is a normal fit for the apparel brand and for each girth dimension a girth range that is a normal fit for the apparel brand.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the visual fit indicator frame images comprise:

color-coded layers of indicators from a group of, arches, arrows, boxes or shading overlaid over the body image to represent gradations of fit.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein while executing the fit program, the client computer system is further configured to:

enable the customer to modify body data to be saved in the customer size file for subsequent retrieval by the fit program.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein while executing the fit program, the client computer system is further configured to:

display a selection of a desired fit from a group of skintight, comfy, loose and very loose, which when selected, enables the fit display indicators to be adjusted.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein while executing the fit program, the client computer system is further configured to:

display a fit it button embedding a comparison function;

upon selection of the fit it button, execute the comparison function that compares the apparel size data and the customer size data, adjusts the comparison and refreshes the display with updated fit indicators.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein while executing the fit program, the client computer system is further configured to:

display an apparel image with brand name of the apparel being tried on.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein while executing the fit program, the client computer system is further configured to:

enable the customer to return to the merchant web pages to select another apparel item for trying on.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the central server is further configured to:

upon selection of the try-it-on button by the client computer system, launch a stat function in a server, which tracks each button click, enabling the merchant computer system to know which apparel items are viewed more often than others and bill the merchant computer system for each button click.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein while executing the fit program, the client computer system is further configured to:

select, by the fit program, base human body image from a group of, a wire line image of a female, a wire line image of a male, an image of a female draped with apparel, and an image of a male draped with apparel.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein while executing the fit program, the client computer system is further configured to:

dynamically alter the visual fit indicator frame images to show only those frames that are specific to the fit of a specific apparel type based on parameter inputs to the Flash application.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein while executing the fit program, the client computer system is further configured to:

dynamically alter the visual fit indicator frame images, by the Flash application, based on fit parameter inputs to the Flash application, where the fit program computes the fit parameter inputs.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein while dynamically altering the visual fit indicator frame images, the client computer is further configured to:

alter the visual fit indicator frame images in color appearance based on fit color parameter inputs to the Flash application.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein while dynamically altering the visual fit indicator frame images, the client computer is further configured to:

alter the visual fit indicator frame images in shape appearance based on fit shape parameter inputs to the Flash application.

16. A method for simulating apparel fit while maintaining customer privacy on a global computer network, comprising:

storing, on a central server, a fit program;

storing, on a client computer system, customer size data representing the physical dimensions of a customer'"'"'s body;

receiving, at the client computer system and from a merchant computer system connected via a global computer network, a plurality of web pages each displaying an apparel item for sale concurrently with a try-it-on button and storing apparel size data associated with the apparel item;

selecting, by the client computer system, the try-it-on button of one of the plurality of the web pages via a mouse click; and

in response to selecting the try-it-on button,

retrieving, by the client computer system, the fit program from the central server;

retrieving, by the client computer system, the apparel size data associated with the displayed apparel item; and

executing, by the client computer, the fit program;

wherein executing the fit program comprises;

using the customer size data stored on the client computer system to display a base human body image frame overlaid with visual fit indicator frame images using a Flash application;

using the apparel size data to display a plurality of available apparel size choices concurrently with the base human body image frame;

selecting an apparel size from the plurality of available choices;

dynamically altering the visual fit indicator frame images based on the apparel size data, customer size data, and selected size with the Flash application to display a simulation of how the selected size of the displayed apparel item would fit the customer'"'"'s body;

wherein the receiving the web pages, selecting the try-it-on button, and retrieving the apparel size data are performed without establishing an account with the merchant computer system and without logging in to the merchant computer system.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the apparel size data comprises:

apparel gender, apparel type, number of sizes, size identifications, dimensions for each size, and normal fit range for each size, and additionally optionally having merchant id, apparel image identification, apparel inventory identification, and apparel brand identification.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the apparel size data comprises:

data including the identification of the sizes and for each size a set of length and girth dimensions relevant to fit on the human body; and

data including for each length dimension of apparel a length range that is a normal fit for the apparel brand and for each girth dimension a girth range that is a normal fit for the apparel brand.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the visual fit indicator frame images comprise:

color-coded layers of indicators from a group of, arches, arrows, boxes or shading overlaid over the body image to represent gradations of fit.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein executing the fit program further comprises:

enabling the customer to modify body data to be saved in the customer size file for subsequent retrieval by the fit program.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein executing the fit program further comprises:

displaying a selection of a desired fit from a group of skintight, comfy, loose and very loose, which when selected, enables the fit display indicators to be adjusted.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein executing the fit program further comprises:

displaying a fit it button embedding a comparison function;

upon selection of the fit it button, executing the comparison function that compares the apparel size data and the customer size data, adjusts the comparison and refreshes the display with updated fit indicators.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein executing the fit program further comprises:

displaying an apparel image with brand name of the apparel being tried on.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein executing the fit program further comprises:

enabling the customer to return to the merchant web pages to select another apparel item for trying on.

25. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

upon selection of the try-it-on button, launching a stat function in a server, which tracks each button click, enabling the merchant computer system to know which apparel items are viewed more often than others and billing a merchant each button click.

26. The method of claim 16, wherein executing the fit program further comprises:

selecting, by the fit program, base human body image from a group of, a wire line image of a female, a wire line image of a male, an image of a female draped with apparel, and an image of a male draped with apparel.

27. The method of claim 16, wherein executing the fit program further comprises:

dynamically altering the visual fit indicator frame images to show only those frames that are specific to the fit of a specific apparel type based on parameter inputs to the Flash application.

28. The method of claim 16, wherein executing the fit program further comprises:

dynamically altering the visual fit indicator frame images, by the Flash application, based on fit parameter inputs to the Flash application, where the fit program computes the fit parameter inputs.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the step of dynamically altering the visual fit indicator frame images further comprises:

altering the visual fit indicator frame images in color appearance based on fit color parameter inputs to the Flash application.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the step of dynamically altering the visual fit indicator frame images further comprises:

altering the visual fit indicator frame images in shape appearance based on fit shape parameter inputs to the Flash application.