Topical page layout

• US 8,606,652 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2010
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Target Brands Inc. (Target Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Target Brands Inc. (Target Corporation)
• Inventors: Gonsalves, Michael F., Nations, Gregory M., Gourley, Chad R., Korth-McDonnell, Patricia, Schoeffler, Sarah E., Stewart, Joe
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jeffrey A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Civan, Ethan D
• Application Number:
  US12/973,871
• Publication Number:
  US 20120158537A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,086 Days
• Field of Search: 705 26- 27, 705 261- 272
• US Class Current: 705/26.7
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers

Abstract

In some implementations, a product category web page includes a middle region with recommend products and topical information. The middle region optionally includes three columns with recommend products in the center column and topical information in the outer columns. In some implementations, the topical information is associated with the product category. The topical information in certain embodiments helps a search engine determine product results for a natural language query and the product results are presented in the product tile array. In one implementation, the product web page is a product specific web page. The product specific web page may include an upper region with a horizontal rotating product carousel. The product carousel optionally permits a user to select and view information relating to products in a product category or products that are related to each other.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of rendering a web page on at least one display, the computer-implemented method including the step of:

operating one or more computers to render a first web page, the first web page including;

an upper region including a horizontal informational bar including a plurality of data tile regions and a main product image extending beyond an upper border or a lower border of the horizontal information bar and having an image size substantially larger than a tile region size of any data tile region, the main product image visually depicting a main product, the main product being of a main product within a product category and being generally centrally positioned on the horizontal informational bar, each of the data tile regions including product information associated with the product category;

a middle region positioned below the upper region comprised of three generally parallel and vertical column sub-regions, the column sub-regions including a middle sub-region, a left sub-region, and a right sub-region, wherein the middle sub-region displays a recommended product image visually depicting one or more recommended products in a vertical array of product tile regions, and wherein each of the left sub-region and the right sub-region include one or more information tiles containing topical information relating to the product category; and

a lower region positioned below the middle region comprising an array of product tiles, each product tile having a respective thumbnail image of a respective product selected from the product category coupled with respective product information, the thumbnail image being a visual depiction of the respective product; and

the first web page being configured such that upon activation of a first portion of the first web page a second web page is generated, the second web page including one or more user reviews, and

wherein the user reviews are categorized into two or more product categories; and

wherein a subset of the user reviews presented on the second web page are selected based in part upon the product category of a user review section hovered over by a cursor, the user review section being a portion of the user reviews.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a ratio of overall height to overall width of the first web page is at least about 4:

1 or greater and wherein the array of product tiles exists substantially below a lower boundary viewable on a conventional display monitor when the display is at an uppermost scroll position.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the recommended products displayed in the middle sub-region of the first web page include one or more top rated products or best selling products selected from the product category.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the recommended products displayed in the middle sub-region of the first web page include one or more of a user rating or a link to a review of a respective recommended product.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the array of product tiles presents all products from the product category.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the array of product tiles includes one or more of a product price or an average user rating.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the lower region of the first web page includes one or more navigation options.

8. A system comprising:

one or more computers configured to generate a graphical user interface for a retail environment on at least one display, the graphical user interface including;

a vertical scroll means;

an upper region including a horizontal rotating carousel including a plurality of product tile regions and a main product image extending beyond an upper border or a lower border of the horizontal rotating carousel and having an image size substantially larger than a tile region size of any product tile region, the main product image visually depicting a main product, the main product image being of a main product within a product category, each of the product tile regions including a respective thumbnail image visually depicting a respective product within the product category, the horizontal rotating carousel being configured to allow a user to scroll horizontally through the plurality of product tile regions;

a middle region positioned below the upper region comprised of two generally parallel and vertical column sub-regions, the column sub-regions including a left sub-region and a right sub-region,

wherein the left sub-region displays a widget bar including one or more user reviews from one or more socially networked users being socially networked with the web page user, and one or more aggregate customer reviews, the widget bar being configured to accept category reviews from a web page user, wherein the user reviews are categorized into two or more product categories; and

wherein a subset of the user reviews presented on the web page are selected based in part upon the product category of a user review section hovered over by a cursor, the user review section being a portion of the user reviews, and

wherein the right sub-region comprises one or more detailed features of the main product, one or more third party recommendations about the main product, one or more product images showing customers using the main product; and

a comparable alternative product tile; and

a lower region positioned below the middle region comprising an array of product tiles, each product tile having a respective thumbnail image of a respective alternative product selected from the product category, the thumbnail image being a visual depiction of the respective alternative product,

wherein a ratio of overall height to overall width of the graphical user interface is at least about 4;

1 or greater,

wherein the array of product tiles exists substantially below the lower boundary viewable on a conventional display monitor when the vertical scroll means is at an uppermost scroll position.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the upper region includes one or more thumbnail images of the main product which allow the web page user upon selection to change the main product image.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the upper region includes a product information region.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the product information region includes one or more of a quantity box, a shopping cart link configurable upon selection to allow the web page user to add the main product to a shopping cart, a desired products link configurable upon selection to allow the web page user to add the main product to a desired products list, a notify link configurable upon selection to instruct a retail enterprise to notify the web page user by email when the main product is on sale, or a share link configurable upon selection to allow the web page user to share information regarding the main product with one or more additional users.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein each respective user review includes a respective icon.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the third party recommendations each include a review link to a respective complete review provided by a respective third party.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more product images are obtained from at least one social networking site.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein the lower region further comprises a product category information tile.

16. The system of claim 8, wherein the lower region further comprises a product filter tile.

17. The system of claim 8, wherein the array of product tiles comprising the lower region includes one or more of a user rating tile or an information tile.

18. The system of claim 8, wherein the right sub-region further comprises one or more camera images captured using a camera feature of the main product.

19. A computer-implemented method of rendering one or more web pages on at least one display, the computer-implemented method including the step of:

operating one or more computers to render a first web page, the first web page including;

an upper region including a horizontal informational bar including a plurality of data tile regions and a main product image extending beyond an upper border or a lower border of the horizontal information bar and having an image size substantially larger than a tile region size of any data tile region, the main product image visually depicting a main product, the main product being of a main product within a product category and being generally centrally positioned on the horizontal informational bar, each of the data tile regions including product information associated with the product category;

a middle region positioned below the upper region comprised of three generally parallel and vertical column sub-regions, the column sub-regions including a middle sub-region, a left sub-region, and a right sub-region, wherein the middle sub-region displays a recommended product image visually depicting one or more recommended products in a vertical array of product tile regions, and wherein each of the left sub-region and the right sub-region include one or more information tiles containing topical information relating to the product category; and

a lower region positioned below the middle region comprising an array of product tiles, each product tile having a respective thumbnail image of a respective product selected from the product category coupled with respective product information, the thumbnail image being a visual depiction of the respective product, the lower region being configured such that upon selection by a user of any of the product tiles, a second web page is generated specific to the respective product of the selected product tile, the second web page including a vertical scroll means, an upper region, a middle region and a lower region;

the upper region of the second web page having a horizontal rotating carousel including a plurality of product tile regions and a main product image extending beyond an upper border or a lower border of the horizontal rotating carousel and having an image size substantially larger than a tile region size of any product tile region, the main product image visually depicting a main product, the main product image being of a main product within a product category, each of the product tile regions including a respective thumbnail image visually depicting a respective product within the product category, the horizontal rotating carousel being configured to allow a user to scroll horizontally through the plurality of product tile regions;

the middle region of the second web page being positioned below the upper region of the second web page and includes two generally parallel and vertical column sub-regions, the column sub-regions including a left sub-region and a right sub-region,

wherein the left sub-region displays a widget bar including one or more user reviews from one or more socially networked users being socially networked with the web page user, and one or more aggregate customer reviews, the widget bar being configured to accept category reviews from a web page user, wherein the user reviews are categorized into two or more product categories; and

wherein a subset of the user reviews presented on the second web page are selected based in part upon the product category of a user review section hovered over by a cursor, the user review section being a portion of the user reviews, and

wherein the right sub-region comprises one or more detailed features of the main product, one or more third party recommendations about the main product, one or more product images showing customers using the main product; and

a comparable alternative product tile; and

the lower region of the second web page being positioned below the middle region and comprising an array of product tiles, each product tile having a respective thumbnail image of a respective alternative product selected from the product category, the thumbnail image being a visual depiction of the respective alternative product.