System and method for exhibiting at least visual content in one or more physical retail stores

• US 8,635,116 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2012
• Issued: 01/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TigerDirect, Inc. (Systemax Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: TigerDirect, Inc. (Systemax Incorporated)
• Inventors: Fiorentino, Gilbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Garg, Yogesh C
• Application Number:
  US13/612,324
• Publication Number:
  US 20130006819A1
• Time in Patent Office: 496 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26.1, 705/27.1, 705/28, 705/346, 709/203, 707/E17.113, 235/383
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0202 Market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0281 Customer communication at a business location, e.g. providing product or service information, consulting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention is directed to a system for exhibiting at least visual content in one or more physical retail stores. Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to a method for exhibiting at least visual content in one or more physical retail stores. Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to a programmed computer for exhibiting at least visual content in one or more physical retail stores. Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to a computer readable medium for exhibiting at least visual content in one or more physical retail stores. In one example, the visual content may comprise advertising and/or operating specifications and/or performance specifications and/or dimensions and/or price displayed on a television, a computer monitor, a laptop computer display, a notebook computer display and/or a netbook computer display.

Claims

1. A system for exhibiting at least visual content in a physical retail store, comprising:

a central server,

at least a first client computer and a second client computer, wherein the first client computer has installed thereon a first application and the second client computer has installed thereon a second application;

an item database associated with the central server, wherein the item database stores data relating to;

(a) information of a first physical potential item to be purchased including a first specified physical retail store and specifications regarding the first physical potential item to be purchased; and

(b) information of a second physical potential item to be purchased including a second specified physical retail store and specifications regarding the second physical potential item to be purchased;

wherein the first client computer is located in the physical retail store;

wherein the second client computer is located in the physical retail store;

wherein the first client computer interacts with the first physical potential item, displayed in the physical retail store, to be purchased;

wherein the first physical potential item to be purchased comprises hardware and software that are necessary for the first client computer to interact with the first physical potential item to be purchased;

wherein the second client computer interacts with the second physical potential item, displayed in the physical retail store, to be purchased;

wherein the second physical potential item to be purchased comprises hardware and software that are necessary for the second client computer to interact with the second physical potential item to be purchased;

wherein the first client computer has at least one input device that is connected to the first client computer, wherein the input device connected to the first client computer is located in the physical retail store, and wherein the input device connected to the first client computer is configured to allow for direct interaction with a first potential purchaser of the first physical potential item and to receive at least one first input from the first potential purchaser;

wherein the second client computer has at least one input device that is connected to the second client computer, wherein the input device connected to the second client computer is located in the physical retail store, and wherein the input device connected to the second client computer is configured to allow for direct interaction with a second potential purchaser of the second physical potential item and to receive at least one second input from the second potential purchaser;

wherein the first application installed on the first client computer comprises;

i) a first software program that directly interacts with the input device connected to the first client computer; and

ii) a second software program comprising;

1. a first software element that obtains at least first visual content from at least one first source other than the central server; and

2. a second software element that receives instructions from the central server on a periodic basis regarding the information of the first physical potential item to be purchased including the specifications regarding the first physical potential item;

wherein the first physical potential item to be purchased exhibits a first visual presentation based at least in part on;

a) a location of the first physical potential item to be purchased, b) the specifications regarding the first physical potential item received from the first client computer, and c) the at least one first input received from the first client comnuter;

wherein the second application installed on the second client computer comprises;

i) a third software program that directly interacts with the input device connected to the second client computer; and

ii) a fourth software program comprising;

1. a third software element that obtains at least second visual content from at least one second source other than the central server; and

2. a fourth second software element that receives instructions from the central server on a periodic basis regarding the information of the second physical potential item to be purchased including the specifications regarding the second physical potential item; and

wherein the second physical potential item to be purchased exhibits a second visual presentation based at least in part on;

a) a location of the second physical potential item to be purchased, b) the specifications regarding the second physical potential item, and c) the at least one second input received from the second client computer.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the first physical potential item to be purchased and the second physical potential item to be purchased is selected from the group consisting of:

a television, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a notebook computer, a netbook computer.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the central server periodically communicates with the first client computer and the second client computer at a period selected from the group comprising:

every second, every 10 seconds, every 20 seconds, every 30 seconds, every minute, every hour, every day, every week, every month.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the central server periodically communicates with the first client computer and the second client computer in real-time.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the central server communicates with the first client computer at essentially the same periodicity that the central server communicates with the second client computer.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of:

(a) the first client computer is the first physical potential item to be purchased; and

(b) the second client computer is the second physical potential item to be purchased.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising an inventory database associated with the central server, wherein the inventory database stores data relating to:

(a) an inventory amount of the first physical potential item to be purchased; and

(b) an inventory amount of the second physical potential item to be purchased.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the second software element associated with the first client computer receives instructions from the central server comprising at least one instruction indicating the at least one first source from which the first software element associated with the first client computer is to obtain content;

and wherein the fourth software element associated with the second client receives instructions from the central server comprising at least one instruction indicating the at least one second source from which the third software element associated with the second client computer is to obtain content.

9. A method performed in a computing system for exhibiting at least visual content in a physical retail store, comprising:

displaying in the physical retail store at least a first physical potential item to be purchased and a second physical potential item to be purchased;

locating at least a first client computer and a second client computer in the physical retail store, wherein the first client computer has installed thereon a first application and the second client computer has installed thereon a second application;

interacting, by the first client computer, with the first physical potential item, displayed in the physical retail store, to be purchased;

wherein the first physical potential item to be purchased comprises hardware and software that are necessary for the first client computer to interact with the first physical potential item to be purchased;

interacting, by the second client computer with the second physical potential item displayed in the physical retail store, to be purchased;

wherein the second physical potential item to be purchased comprises hardware and software that are necessary for the second client computer to interact with the second physical potential item to be purchased;

storing, in an item data structure associated with the central server, data relating to;

(a) information of the first physical potential item to be purchased including a first specified physical retail store and specifications regarding the first physical potential item to be purchased; and

(b) information of the second physical potential item to be purchased including a second specified physical retail store and specifications regarding the second physical potential item to be purchased;

receiving, by the first client computer, at least one first input from a first potential purchaser of the first physical potential item to be purchased, based, at least in part, on a first direct interaction of the first potential purchaser with at least one input device connected to the first client computer;

receiving, by the second client computer, at least one second input from a second potential purchaser of the second physical potential item to be purchased based, at least in part, on a second direct interaction of the second potential purchaser with at least one input device connected to the second client computer;

obtaining by a first software element of the first application of the first client computer, at least first visual content from at least one first source other than a central server;

receiving, by a second software element of the first application, from the central server on a periodic basis, instructions regarding the information of the first physical potential item to be purchased including the specifications regarding the first physical potential item;

exhibiting a first visual presentation, to first potential purchaser, by the first physical potential item to be purchased, based, at least in part, on;

a) a location of the first physical potential item to be purchased, b) the specifications regarding the first physical potential item received from the first client computer, c) the at least one first input received from the first client computer;

obtaining by a third software element of the second application of the second client computer, at least second visual content from at least one second source other than the central server;

receiving by a fourth software element of the second application, from the central server on a periodic basis, instructions regarding the information of the second physical potential item to be purchased including the specifications regarding the second physical potential item; and

exhibiting a second visual presentation, by the second physical potential item to be purchased, based, at least in part, on;

a) a location of the second physical potential item to be purchased, b) the specifications regarding the second physical potential item received from the second client computer, c) the at least one second input received from the second client computer.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the computing system includes one or more programmed computers.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the computing system is distributed over a plurality of programmed computers.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the steps are carried out in the order recited.

13. A programmed computer system for exhibiting at least visual content in a physical retail store, comprising:

a central server comprising;

a non-transient memory having at least one region for storing computer executable program code; and

at least one processor for executing the program code stored in the memory;

a first client computer that has installed thereon a first application, the first client computer comprising;

a non-transient memory having at least one region for storing the first application; and

at least one processor for executing the first application stored in the memory;

a second client computer that has installed thereon a second application, the second client computer comprising;

a non-transient memory having at least one region for storing the second application; and

at least one processor for executing the second application stored in the memory;

an item data structure associated with the central server, wherein the item database stores data relating to;

(a) information of a first physical potential item to be purchased including a first specified physical retail store and specifications regarding the first physical potential item to be purchased; and

(b) information of a second physical potential item to be purchased including a second specified physical retail store and specifications regarding the second physical potential item to be purchased;

wherein the first client computer is located in the physical retail store;

wherein the second client computer is located in the physical retail store;

wherein the first client computer interacts with the first physical potential item, displayed in the physical retail store, to be purchased;

wherein the first physical potential item to be purchased comprises hardware and software that are necessary for the first client computer to interact with the first physical potential item to be purchased;

wherein the second client computer interacts with the second physical potential item, displayed in the physical retail store, to be purchased;

wherein the second physical potential item to be purchased comprises hardware and software that are necessary for the second client computer to interact with the second physical potential item to be purchased;

wherein the first client computer has at least one input device that is connected to the first client computer, wherein the input device connected to the first client computer is located in the physical retail store, and wherein the input device connected to the first client computer is configured to allow for direct interaction with a first potential purchaser of the first physical potential item and to receive at least one first input from the first potential purchaser;

wherein the second client computer has at least one input device that is connected to the second client computer, wherein the input device connected to the second client computer is located in the physical retail store, and wherein the input device connected to the second client computer is configured to allow for direct interaction with a second potential purchaser of the second physical potential item and to receive at least one second input from the second potential purchaser;

wherein the first application installed on the first client computer comprises;

i) a first software program that directly interacts with the input device connected to the first client computer; and

ii) a second software program comprising;

1. a first software element that obtains at least first visual content from at least one first source other than the central server; and

2. a second software element that receives instructions from the central server on a periodic basis regarding the information of the first physical potential item to be purchased including the specifications regarding the first physical potential item;

wherein the first physical potential item to be purchased exhibits a first visual presentation based at least in part on;

a) a location of the first physical potential item to be purchased, b) the specifications regarding the first physical potential item received from the first client computer, and c) the at least one first input received from the first client computer; and

wherein the second application installed on the second client computer comprises;

i) a third software program that directly interacts with the input device connected to the second client computer; and

ii) a fourth software program comprising;

1. a third software element that obtains at least second visual content from at least one second source other than the central server; and

2. a fourth software element that receives instructions from the central server on a periodic basis regarding the information of the second physical potential item to be purchased including the specifications regarding the second physical potential item; and

wherein the second physical potential item to be purchased exhibits a second visual presentation based at least in part on;

a) a location of the second physical potential item to be purchased, b) the specifications regarding the second physical potential item, and c) the at least one second input received from the second client computer.

14. The programmed computer system of claim 13, wherein the programmed computer includes one or more processors.

15. The programmed computer system of claim 13, wherein the programmed computer is distributed over several physical locations.