Method, medium, and system for simplifying user management of products during online shopping

• US 8,689,124 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2007
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: A9.com Incorporated (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: A9.com Incorporated (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Amacker, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): ZIMMERMAN, MATTHEW E
• Application Number:
  US11/846,680
• Publication Number:
  US 20090063299A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,407 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/26.1, 705/27.1, 715/769
• US Class Current: 715/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0629 for generating comparisons
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers

Abstract

In accordance with a method for simplifying user management of products during online shopping, an informal storage space for a merchant'"'"'s web site may be displayed when web pages from the merchant'"'"'s web site are displayed. The informal storage space may be separate from a shopping cart for the merchant'"'"'s web site. The informal storage space may include visual identifiers for products that are currently added to the informal storage space. Users may be permitted to compare the products that are currently added to the informal storage space. Users may also be permitted to make modifications to the informal storage space. State information for the informal storage space may be updated to reflect the modifications made to the informal storage space.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for simplifying user management of items during online shopping, comprising:

under the control of one or more computer systems configured with executable instructions,

creating, by a computer, a display of an informal storage space for a web site at a time when at least one web page from a plurality of web pages from the web site is displayed, the informal storage space providing a location for displaying visual identifiers for items that are currently added to the informal storage space, the informal storage space being displayed within a pane of a web browser along with any of the plurality of pages from the web site;

detecting, by the computer, movement of a first visual identifier for a first item on one of the plurality of web pages substantially toward the informal storage space for a predetermined distance from an original location of the first visual identifier original location, the predetermined distance being less than a distance between the original location of the first visual identifier and the informal storage space;

in response to detecting the movement of the first visual identifier for the predetermined distance, adding, by the computer, the first visual identifier for the first item to the informal storage space; and

when movement of a second visual identifier associated with a second item in the informal storage space substantially away from the informal storage space is detected, removing, by the computer, the second visual identifier for the second item from the informal storage space,

wherein a third visual identifier displayed on a currently displayed web page is configured to be added to the informal storage space from any location on the currently displayed web page by moving the third visual identifier at least a portion of a distance towards the informal storage space independent of whether the information storage space is currently in a viewable portion of the display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the web site is a merchant'"'"'s web site, and wherein the informal storage space is separate from a shopping cart for the merchant'"'"'s web site.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a second user input for removing at least one of the items from the informal storage space comprises at least one of dragging-and-dropping a fourth visual identifier for the at least one of the items outside of the informal storage space, and dragging-and-throwing the fourth visual identifier for the at least one of the items outside of the informal storage space.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying, by the computer, other information, in addition to the visual identifiers, about the items that are currently added to the informal storage space.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the other information for an item is displayed in a pop-over window in response to a user hovering over a particular visual identifier for a particular item in the informal storage space.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising transferring, by the computer, one or more of the items from the informal storage space to a separate space within the web site in response to a third user input.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the web site is a merchant'"'"'s web site, wherein the items are products from the merchant'"'"'s web site, and wherein the visual identifiers are product images.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the informal storage space comprises a graphical representation of a shelf, and wherein the visual identifiers for the currently added items are positioned on the graphical representation of the shelf.

34. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating, by the computer, state information for the informal storage space to reflect modifications made to the informal storage space.

35. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting, by the computer, a user'"'"'s selection of an additional visual identifier on a web page; and

determining, by the computer, whether the additional visual identifier corresponds to a particular item that can be added to the informal storage space.

36. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the computer, that a web page includes items that can be added to the informal storage space; and

adding, by the computer, user interface elements to the web page, wherein user activation of a user interface element corresponding to a particular item causes the particular item to be added to the informal storage space.

9. A computer system that is configured to simplify user management of items during online shopping, the computer system comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor, the memory storing instructions executable to;

create a display of an informal storage space for a web site at a time when at least one web page from a plurality of web pages from the web site is displayed, the informal storage space providing a location for displaying visual identifiers for items that are currently added to the informal storage space, the informal storage space being displayed within a pane of a web browser along with any of the plurality of web pages from the web site;

detect movement of a first visual identifier for a first item on one of the plurality of web pages substantially toward the informal storage space for a predetermined distance from an original location of the first visual identifier, the predetermined distance being less than a distance between the original location of the first visual identifier and the informal storage space;

add the first visual identifier for the first item to the informal storage space in response to detecting the movement of the first visual identifier for the predetermined distance;

detect movement of a second visual identifier associated with a second item in the informal storage space substantially away from the informal storage space; and

remove the second visual identifier for the second item from the informal storage space,

wherein a third visual identifier displayed on a currently displayed web page is configured to be added to the informal storage space from any location on the currently displayed web page by moving the third visual identifier at least a portion of a distance towards the informal storage space independent of whether the information storage space is currently in a viewable portion of the display.

10. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the web site is a merchant'"'"'s web site, and wherein the informal storage space is separate from a shopping cart for the merchant'"'"'s web site.

11. The computer system of claim 9, wherein a second user input for removing at least one of the items from the informal storage space comprises at least one of dragging-and-dropping a fourth visual identifier for the at least one of the items outside of the informal storage space, and dragging-and-throwing the fourth visual identifier for the at least one of the items outside of the informal storage space.

12. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the instructions are also executable to display other information, in addition to the visual identifiers, about the items that are currently added to the informal storage space.

13. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the other information for a particular item is displayed in a pop-over window in response to a user hovering over a particular visual identifier for a particular item in the informal storage space.

14. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the instructions are also executable to transfer one or more of the items from the informal storage space to a separate space within the web site in response to a third user input.

15. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the web site is a merchant'"'"'s web site, wherein the items are products from the merchant'"'"'s web site, and wherein the visual identifiers are product images.

16. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the informal storage space comprises a graphical representation of a shelf, and wherein the visual identifiers for the currently added items are positioned on the graphical representation of the shelf.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to:

create a display of an informal storage space for a web site at a time when at least one web page from a plurality of web pages from the web site is displayed, the informal storage space providing a location for displaying visual identifiers for items that are currently added to the informal storage space, the informal storage space being displayed within a pane of a web browser along with any of the plurality of web pages from the web site;

detect movement of a first visual identifier for a first item on one of the plurality of web pages substantially toward the informal storage space for a predetermined distance from an original location of the first visual identifier, the predetermined distance being less than a distance between the original location of the first visual identifier and the informal storage space;

add the first visual identifier for the first item to the informal storage space in response to detecting the movement of the first visual identifier for the predetermined distance;

detect movement of a second visual identifier for associated with a second item in the informal storage space substantially away from the informal storage space; and

remove the second visual identifier for the second item from the informal storage space,

wherein a third visual identifier displayed on a currently displayed web page is configured to be added to the informal storage space from any location on the currently displayed web page by moving the third visual identifier at least a portion of a distance towards the informal storage space independent of whether the information storage space is currently in a viewable portion of the display.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the web site is a merchant'"'"'s web site, and wherein the informal storage space is separate from a shopping cart for the merchant'"'"'s web site.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein a second user input for removing at least one of the items from the informal storage space comprises at least one of dragging-and-dropping a fourth visual identifier for the at least one of the items outside of the informal storage space, and dragging-and-throwing the fourth visual identifier for the at least one of the items outside of the informal storage space.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein execution of the instructions also causes the computer to display other information, in addition to the visual identifiers, about the items that are currently added to the informal storage space.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the other information for a particular item is displayed in a pop-over window in response to a user hovering over a particular visual identifier for a particular item in the informal storage space.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein execution of the instructions also causes the computer to transfer one or more of the items from the informal storage space to a separate space within the web site in response to a third user input.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the web site is a merchant'"'"'s web site, wherein the items are products from the merchant'"'"'s web site, and wherein the visual identifiers are product images.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the informal storage space comprises a graphical representation of a shelf, and wherein the visual identifiers for the currently added items are positioned on the graphical representation of the shelf.

25. A computer system that is configured to simplify user management of items during online shopping, the computer system comprising:

a processor;

memory including instructions that, when executed by the processor, provide;

means for creating a display of an informal storage space for a web site at a time when at least one web page from a plurality of web pages from the web site is displayed, the informal storage space providing a location for displaying visual identifiers for items that are currently added to the informal storage space, the informal storage space being displayed within a pane of a web browser along with any of the plurality of web pages from the web site;

means for detecting movement of a first visual identifier for a first item on one of the plurality of web pages substantially toward the informal storage space for a predetermined distance from an original location of the first visual identifier, the predetermined distance being less than a distance between the original location of the first visual identifier and the informal storage space;

means for adding the first visual identifier for the first item to the informal storage space in response to detecting the movement of the first visual identifier for the predetermined distance;

means for detecting movement of a second visual identifier associated with a second item in the informal storage space substantially away from the informal storage space; and

means for removing the second visual identifier for the second item from the informal storage space,

wherein a third visual identifier displayed on a currently displayed web page is configured to be added to the informal storage space from any location on the currently displayed web page by moving the third visual identifier at least a portion of a distance towards the informal storage space independent of whether the information storage space is currently in a viewable portion of the display.

26. The computer system of claim 25, wherein the web site is a merchant'"'"'s web site, and wherein the informal storage space is separate from a shopping cart for the merchant'"'"'s web site.

27. The computer system of claim 25, further comprising means for displaying other information, in addition to the visual identifiers, about the items that are currently added to the informal storage space.

28. The computer system of claim 25, further comprising means for transferring one or more of the items from the informal storage space to a separate space within the web site in response to a third user input.

29. A computer-implemented method for simplifying user management of items during online shopping, comprising:

under the control of one or more computer systems configured with executable instructions,

creating, by a computer, a display of an informal storage space for a merchant'"'"'s web site at a time when at least one web page from a plurality of web pages from the merchant'"'"'s web site is displayed, the informal storage space being separate from a shopping cart for the merchant'"'"'s web site, the informal storage space providing a location for displaying images of products that are currently added to the informal storage space in response to a first user input, the informal storage space being displayed within a pane of a web browser along with any of the plurality of pages from the web site, the products being added to the informal storage space by;

detecting, by the computer, movement of an image of a product on a web page from the plurality of web pages substantially toward the informal storage space for a predetermined distance from an original location of the image, the predetermined distance being less than a distance between the original location of the image and the informal storage space; and

in response to detecting the movement of the image for the predetermined distance, adding the image to the informal storage space;

displaying in at least one display element, by the computer, other information, in addition to the images, about the products that are currently added to the informal storage space;

configuring, by the computer, at least one display element including the other information about at least one of the products to be separated from the informal storage space and moved to any location on a currently displayed web page of the merchant'"'"'s web site; and

transferring, by the computer, one or more of the products from the informal storage space to a separate space within the merchant'"'"'s web site in response to a second user input; and

updating, by the computer, state information for the informal storage space to reflect modifications made to the informal storage space.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the first user input comprises at least one of dragging-and-dropping an additional image of an additional product to the informal storage space, and dragging-and-throwing the additional image of the additional product to the informal storage space.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein a third user input for removing at least one of the products from the informal storage space comprises at least one of dragging-and-dropping an additional image of the at least one of the products outside of the informal storage space, and dragging-and-throwing the additional image of the at least one of the products outside of the informal storage space.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the other information for a particular product is displayed in a pop-over window in response to a user hovering over an additional image of the particular product in the informal storage space.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein the informal storage space comprises a graphical representation of a product shelf, and wherein images of the currently added products are positioned on the graphical representation of the product shelf.