Immersive visualization center for creating and designing a “total design simulation” and for improved relationship management and market research

• US 8,321,797 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2006
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Perkins, Cheryl A.
• Primary Examiner(s): SAX, STEVEN PAUL
• Application Number:
  US11/618,769
• Publication Number:
  US 20080162262A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,159 Days
• Field of Search: 715/757, 715752-756, 715/758, 715/760, 715702-703, 715708-709, 715771-773, 707/10
• US Class Current: 715/757
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention include methods, apparatuses, and articles of manufacture for generating and using virtual reality simulations to conduct market research and related activities. An immersive visualization center may be used to manage relationships with customers, choosers, shoppers, and users. The visualization center may allow customers (or other relevant parties) to interact with virtual representations of products or solutions in a virtual reality environment appropriate for the product. The immersive visualization center may also include a physical mock-up of the environment and or products simulated by the virtual reality simulation.

Claims

1. A computer-assisted method of evaluating aesthetics of product design and product packaging using a virtual reality simulation, comprising:

generating a virtual reality simulation based on a first data collection and a second data collection, wherein the first data collection describes a product to simulate in the virtual reality simulation and the second data collection describes an environment to simulate in the virtual reality simulation;

presenting the virtual reality simulation to a simulation participant on a virtual reality display platform;

receiving data corresponding to a response of the simulation participant interacting with the simulation of the product and the environment provided by the virtual reality simulation to evaluate aesthetics of the product design and packaging of the product;

presenting the simulation participant that interacted with the simulation of the product and the environment provided by the virtual reality simulation with a physical mock-up of the environment presented in the virtual reality simulation;

receiving data corresponding to a response of the simulation participant interacting with a prototype of the product presented in the virtual reality simulation and packaging of the prototype in the physical mockup of the environment to evaluate the aesthetics of the product design and the packaging of the product;

comparing the received data corresponding to a response of the simulation participant interacting with the simulation of the product and the environment provided by the virtual reality simulation with the received data corresponding to a response of the simulation participant interacting with the prototype of the product and packaging of the prototype of the product in the physical mockup of the environment provided by the virtual reality simulation; and

providing results of the comparing.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the simulated environment comprises a medical practice environment.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual reality simulation includes a multi-sensory aspect that simulates at least one of a scent characteristic of the simulated product or environment or a sound characteristic of the simulated product or environment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual reality display platform comprises one of a virtual reality cube, virtual reality sphere, or virtual reality goggles worn by the simulation participant.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving data corresponding to a response of the simulation participant comprises receiving data corresponding to a visceral reaction or an emotional reaction of the simulation participant to the simulated product or the product prototype.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the environment simulated by the virtual reality simulation presents the simulation participant with at least one aspect of the simulated environment not visible by the simulation participant.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing a program configured to generate a virtual reality simulation used to evaluate aesthetics of product design and product packaging, the program including instructions for performing an operation, comprising:

generating a virtual reality simulation based on a first data collection and a second data collection, wherein the first data collection describes a product to simulate in the virtual reality simulation and the second data collection describes an environment to simulate in the virtual reality simulation;

presenting the virtual reality simulation to a simulation participant on a virtual reality display platform;

receiving data corresponding to a response of the simulation participant interacting with the simulation of the product and the environment provided by the virtual reality simulation to evaluate the aesthetics of the product design and packaging of the product;

receiving data corresponding to a response of the simulation participant that interacted with the simulation of the product and the environment provided by the virtual reality simulation interacting with a prototype of the product presented in the virtual reality simulation and packaging of the prototype of the product in a physical mockup of the environment presented in the virtual reality simulation to evaluate the aesthetics of the product design and the packaging of the product;

comparing the received data corresponding to the response of the simulation participant interacting with the simulation of the product and the environment provided by the virtual reality simulation with the received data corresponding to the response of the simulation participant interacting with the prototype of the product and packaging of the prototype of the product in the physical mockup of the environment presented in the virtual reality simulation; and

providing results of the comparing.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the simulated environment comprises a retail shopping environment.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the simulated environment comprises a medical practice environment.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the virtual reality simulation includes a multi-sensory aspect that simulates at least one of a scent characteristic of the simulated product or environment or a sound characteristic of the simulated product or environment in the virtual reality simulation.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the virtual reality display platform comprises one of a virtual reality cube, virtual reality sphere, or virtual reality goggles worn by the simulation participant.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein receiving data corresponding to a response of the simulation participant comprises receiving data corresponding to a visceral reaction or an emotional reaction of the simulation participant to the simulation of the product or the prototype of the product.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the environment simulated by the virtual reality simulation presents the simulation participant with at least one aspect of the simulated environment not visible by the simulation participant.

14. A system comprising an immersive virtual reality center used for evaluating aesthetics of product design and product packaging, wherein the system comprises:

a virtual reality application configured to generate a virtual reality simulation based on a first data collection and a second data collection, wherein the first data collection describes a product to simulate in the virtual reality simulation and the second data collection describes an environment to simulate in the virtual reality simulation;

a virtual reality display platform configured to present a simulation participant with the virtual reality simulation to evaluate the aesthetics of the product design and packaging of the product;

a configurable physical mock-up of the environment presented in the virtual reality simulation, wherein the physical mock-up of the environment enables the simulation participant that interacted with the simulation of the product and the environment provided by the virtual reality simulation to interact with a prototype of the product presented in the virtual reality simulation to evaluate the aesthetics of the product design and the packaging of the product and to provide improvements to at least one of the aesthetics of the product design or the packaging of the product based on the evaluation.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the simulated environment comprises a retail shopping environment.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the simulated environment comprises a medical practice environment.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the virtual reality display platform is configured to simulate at least one of a scent characteristic of the simulated product or environment or a sound characteristic of the simulated product or environment.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the virtual reality display platform comprises one of a virtual reality cube, virtual reality sphere, or virtual reality goggles worn by the simulation participant.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the virtual reality display platform is further configured to receive data corresponding to a visceral reaction or an emotional reaction of the simulation participant to the simulated product or environment.

20. A method for a product manufacturer to manage a relationship with a retailer selling one or more products manufactured by the product manufacturer, comprising:

generating a virtual reality simulation based on a first data collection and a second data collection, wherein the first data collection describes a product sold by the retailer to simulate in the virtual reality simulation and the second data collection describes a store layout associated with the retailer to simulate in the virtual reality simulation;

presenting the virtual reality simulation to the retailer on a virtual reality display platform to evaluate aesthetics of product design and product packaging; and

configuring a physical mock-up of the environment simulated by the virtual reality simulation and allowing the retailer that interacted with the simulation of the product and the environment provided by the virtual reality simulation to interact with a prototype of the product presented in the virtual reality simulation to evaluate the aesthetics of a product design and a packaging of the product and to provide improvements to at least one of the aesthetics of the product design or the packaging of the product based on the evaluation.

21. A computer-assisted method of evaluating aesthetics of product design and product packaging using a virtual reality simulation, comprising:

generating a first virtual reality simulation based on a first data collection and a second data collection, wherein the first data collection describes a product to simulate in the virtual reality simulation and the second data collection describes an environment to simulate in the virtual reality simulation;

generating a second virtual reality simulation, based on a modification to the first data collection or the second data collection, wherein the modification corresponds to an alternative environment or an alternative product configuration to include in the second virtual reality simulation to evaluate the aesthetics of the product design and packing of the product;

presenting the first virtual reality simulation and second virtual reality simulation to a simulation participant on a virtual reality display platform;

soliciting feedback from the simulation participant that was presented with the first virtual reality simulation and the second virtual reality simulation regarding the first virtual reality simulation and second virtual reality simulation to identify a preferred environment virtual reality simulation to evaluate the aesthetics of the product design and the packaging of the product;

based on the feedback, configuring a physical mock-up of the environment and the product simulated in the preferred virtual reality simulation;

receiving data corresponding to a response of the simulation participant that was presented with the first virtual reality simulation and the second virtual reality simulation interacting with the physical mock-up of the environment and the product simulated in the preferred virtual reality simulation;

comparing the received data corresponding to a response of the simulation participant interacting with the physical mock-up of the environment and the product simulated in the preferred virtual reality simulation with data corresponding to at least one of the first virtual reality simulation or the second virtual reality simulation; and

providing results of the comparing.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein each simulated environment comprises a retail shopping environment.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein each simulated environment comprises a medical practice environment.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein each virtual reality simulation includes a multi-sensory aspect that simulates at least one of a scent characteristic of the simulated product or environment or a sound characteristic of the simulated product or environment.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the virtual reality display platform comprises one of a virtual reality cube, virtual reality sphere, or virtual reality goggles worn by the simulation participant.

26. The method of claim 21, further comprising receiving data corresponding to a response of the simulation participant interacting with at least one of the first virtual reality simulation, the second virtual reality simulation, or the physical mock-up of the environment and the product simulated in the preferred virtual reality simulation.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein receiving data corresponding to a response of the simulation participant comprises receiving data corresponding to a visceral reaction or an emotional reaction of the simulation participant to the simulated product.