Virtual reality shopping experience

• US 8,326,704 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2011
• Issued: 12/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• 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:
  US13/273,128
• Publication Number:
  US 20120036040A1
• Time in Patent Office: 418 Days
• Field of Search: 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 computer-implemented method comprising:

streaming, by a computer-based shopping system for facilitating online shopping, a display of a virtual shopping location to a user computer, wherein the virtual shopping location has a first store and a second store;

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 a 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;

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

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.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the streaming is in a 3D interactive simulation view via a web browser.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising 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 a virtual shopping cart memory of the shopping system.

4. 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.

5. 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.

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 sending of the actual store website of the first store includes sending a display of a customer representative to assist in real-time selecting of a product from the actual store website of the first store.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the shopping system, a request to view a product from the actual store website of the first store, and presenting, by the shopping system, 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 causing a display of 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, by the shopping system, a request for a price comparison, a product comparison, or a merchant offer.

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

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

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

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising automatically displaying, by the shopping system, 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, by the shopping system, a request at the shopping system to personalize the virtual shopping location.

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

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

19. An article of manufacture including a non-transitory, tangible computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, 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, a display of a virtual shopping location to a user computer, wherein the virtual shopping location has a first store and a second store;

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 a 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;

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

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.

20. A system comprising:

a processor for facilitating online shopping,

a tangible, non-transitory memory configured to communicate with the processor,

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

streaming, by the processor, a display of a virtual shopping location to a user computer, wherein the virtual shopping location has a first store and a second store;

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 a 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;

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

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.