Systems and methods used for publishing and aggregating real world and online purchases via standardized product information

• US 8,639,632 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2011
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shopography Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Shopography Incorporated
• Inventors: Zurada, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Dagnew, Saba
• Application Number:
  US13/271,178
• Publication Number:
  US 20120030032A1
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 705/7.33
• US Class Current: 705/319
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to enabling users to broadcast their purchases by means of a service provider. Service provider catalogs such purchases based on standardized product data, such as UPC or RFID, allowing for the aggregation and consequent utility of such data for commercial purposes.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

providing, by a computer, a social network, the social network being configured to enable a user to create a user account on the social network;

obtaining, by the computer, user data associated with the user account;

obtaining, by the computer, product information associated with an identified product from a product database;

obtaining, by the computer, a user-generated rating of the identified product, the user-generated rating obtained through a user rating interface having a value scale and a desirability scale, the user rating interface comprising a two-dimensional rating screen incorporating the value scale and the desirability scales and a target controllably positioned by the user on the two-dimensional rating screen representing the user'"'"'s rating with respect to the value scale and the desirability scale; and

transmitting, by the computer, the user data associated with the user account, the product information associated with the identified product, and the user-generated rating of the identified product to the social network to cause the social network to publish the product information associated with the identified product and the user-generated rating of the identified product to the user account.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the product information further comprises transmitting, by the computer, a request for the product information to a product information service.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining, by the computer, purchase information associated with a user purchase, and wherein obtaining the user data, obtaining the purchase information, and obtaining the product information comprises electronically receiving, by the computer, the user data and product information from a retailer from which the user purchased the identified product.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the user data and product information further comprises causing, by the computer, the social network to publish the user data and product information through the user account.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining, by the computer, purchase information associated with a user purchase, and further comprising storing, by the computer, the user data, purchase information, and product information in a database.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, further comprising storing, by the computer, user data for a plurality of users, purchase information for a plurality of purchases, and product information for a plurality of products in the database.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein obtaining product information further comprises:

receiving, by the computer, a request from a user device regarding the identified product; and

retrieving, by the computer, the product information from a web server associated with a product information service.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining, by the computer, from a user device a code that identifies the product.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the code comprises one of a Universal Product Code (UPC), QR code, Electronic Product Code (EPC), radio frequency identification (RFID) signal, or a barcode.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting, by the computer, the product and purchase information via a communication network using an applications programming interface (API) to a web server associated with a third party web service, the third party web service being configured to:

receive product information from a plurality of sources;

receive tabulated product information for a plurality of products;

receive tabulated purchase information for a plurality of purchases; and

enable a plurality of users to access the product information and the purchase information for the plurality of products and purchases.

11. A computer program embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the computer program comprising:

logic adapted to obtain user data associated with a user having an account with a social network;

logic adapted to obtain product information associated with an identified product;

logic adapted to transmit the user data and product information to the social network for publication; and

logic adapted to enable the user to rate the product, wherein the logic adapted to enable the user to rate the product is further adapted to enable a user rating interface having a value scale and a desirability scale, the user rating interface comprising a two-dimensional rating screen incorporating the value scale and the desirability scales and a target controllably positioned on the two-dimensional rating screen representing the user'"'"'s rating with respect to the value scale and the desirability scale.

12. The computer program of claim 11, wherein the logic adapted to transmit the user data and product information to the social network is further adapted to cause the social network to publish the product information through the account associated with the user.

13. The computer program of claim 11, further comprising logic adapted to store user information.

14. The computer program of claim 13, wherein the logic adapted to store user information is further adapted to store information related to a plurality of users, a plurality of products, and a plurality of purchase information.

15. The computer program of claim 11, further comprising logic adapted to communicate with a web server associated with a retailer, wherein the user data is obtained through a retailer loyalty card associated with a purchase of the product via a point-of-sale device associated with the retailer, the point-of-sale device being in communication with the web server.

16. The computer program of claim 11, further comprising:

logic adapted to receive a request from a user device regarding the identification of the product; and

logic adapted to obtain the product information from a web server associated with a product information service.

17. A computer-implemented system comprising:

a processing device associated with a computer system, the processing device configured to execute instructions; and

a memory device in communication with the processing device, the memory device configured to store the instructions that are executable by the processing device, the instructions comprising at least

logic adapted to provide a social network, the social network being configured to enable a user to create a user account on the social network,

logic adapted to obtain user data associated with the user account,

logic adapted to obtain product information associated with an identified product from a product database,

logic adapted to transmit the user data associated with the user account and product information associated with the identified product to the social network to cause the social network to publish the product information associated with the identified product to the user account, and

logic adapted to enable the user to rate the product, wherein the logic adapted to enable the user to rate the product is further adapted to enable a user rating interface having a value scale and a desirability scale, the user rating interface comprising a two-dimensional rating screen incorporating the value scale and the desirability scales and a target controllably positioned on the two-dimensional rating screen representing the user'"'"'s rating with respect to the value scale and the desirability scale.

18. The computer-implemented system of claim 17, wherein the logic adapted to transmit the user data and product information is further adapted to cause the social network to publish the product information through the user account.

19. The computer-implemented system of claim 17, wherein the logic adapted to store the user data is further adapted to store information related to a plurality of users, a plurality of products, and a plurality of purchase information.

20. The computer-implemented system of claim 17, wherein the logic adapted to transmit publication information is further adapted to communicate via a communication network using an Applications Programming Interface (API) or web-based interface.

21. The computer-implemented system of claim 17, wherein:

the logic adapted to obtain product information is further adapted to obtain the product information and user data from a web server associated with a retailer;

the user data is obtained from a retailer loyalty card associated with a purchase of the product via a point-of-sale device associated with the retailer; and

the point-of-sale device is in communication with the web server.

22. The computer-implemented system of claim 17, wherein the logic adapted to obtain user data and product information is coupled with a user device configured to obtain a code that identifies the product.

23. The computer-implemented system of claim 22, wherein the code comprises one of a Universal Product Code (UPC), QR code, Electronic Product Code (EPC), radio frequency identification (RFID) signal, or a barcode.

24. The computer-implemented system of claim 17, further comprising a user interface configured to enable the user to publish the product data on the social network.

25. The computer-implemented system of claim 17, further comprising logic adapted to electronically distribute advertising information and coupons regarding the product.