Virtual purchasing assistant
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
- providing a virtual purchasing assistant that includes a memory to store a digital representation of a customer purchase profile including historical purchase information and activity data of a potential customer;
receiving, at a user portal, first data corresponding to the customer purchase profile;
receiving, at a supplier portal, second data corresponding to a supplier specification of a potential inventory item;
establishing, via the virtual purchasing assistant and a private communication bridge processor, a private communication bridge between the potential customer and a supplier;
receiving a query, at the private communication bridge processor via the user portal, based on an expression of an interest in a purchase of an inventory item by the potential customer, the expression including at least an interest lifetime which indicates a period in which the potential customer may acquire the inventory item;
matching, at the private communication bridge processor, at least one match of the inventory item to the supplier specification of the potential inventory item;
creating, via the private communication bridge processor, a real-time distribution channel that is sustained during a portion of the interest lifetime to host an exchange between the potential customer and the supplier via the real-time distribution channel based on the match, wherein the potential inventory item is made available to the potential customer via the real-time distribution channel;
analyzing the historical purchase information via an intelligent suggestion engine of the virtual purchasing assistant to form a customer purchase profile;
continuously searching, via the intelligent suggestion engine, during the interest lifetime for another item than the inventory item to suggest the potential customer acquire based on the customer purchase profile; and
provide a notice to the potential customer from the intelligent suggestion engine via the real-time distribution channel that at least one other item is available to the potential customer, where the notice provides visibility of inventory that is personalized, immediately actionable and not readily available to the public.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for an intelligent, continuously active purchasing assistant. The method may include receiving at least one customer specification from at least one potential customer of an expression of an interest in a purchase, the expression of the interest in the purchase comprising at least an interest lifetime; receiving a customer geolocation; receiving at least one supplier specification from at least one supplier of an inventory item; creating a continuous, real-time distribution channel comprising at least one match of the at least one customer specification and the at least one supplier specification of the inventory item, wherein the real-time distribution channel is sustained during the interest lifetime; and conducting an exchange wherein the inventory item is made available to the at least one potential customer. Related apparatus, systems, methods, and articles are also described.
138 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
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providing a virtual purchasing assistant that includes a memory to store a digital representation of a customer purchase profile including historical purchase information and activity data of a potential customer; receiving, at a user portal, first data corresponding to the customer purchase profile; receiving, at a supplier portal, second data corresponding to a supplier specification of a potential inventory item; establishing, via the virtual purchasing assistant and a private communication bridge processor, a private communication bridge between the potential customer and a supplier; receiving a query, at the private communication bridge processor via the user portal, based on an expression of an interest in a purchase of an inventory item by the potential customer, the expression including at least an interest lifetime which indicates a period in which the potential customer may acquire the inventory item; matching, at the private communication bridge processor, at least one match of the inventory item to the supplier specification of the potential inventory item; creating, via the private communication bridge processor, a real-time distribution channel that is sustained during a portion of the interest lifetime to host an exchange between the potential customer and the supplier via the real-time distribution channel based on the match, wherein the potential inventory item is made available to the potential customer via the real-time distribution channel; analyzing the historical purchase information via an intelligent suggestion engine of the virtual purchasing assistant to form a customer purchase profile; continuously searching, via the intelligent suggestion engine, during the interest lifetime for another item than the inventory item to suggest the potential customer acquire based on the customer purchase profile; and provide a notice to the potential customer from the intelligent suggestion engine via the real-time distribution channel that at least one other item is available to the potential customer, where the notice provides visibility of inventory that is personalized, immediately actionable and not readily available to the public. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A computer processing system to facilitate remote purchasing of an item via a computer network comprising:
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at least one processor adapted to establish a private communication bridge via a server coupled to the computer network, the private communication bridge between a potential customer and a supplier which is not accessible to the public; and at least one memory including code which when executed perform a method including; providing a virtual purchasing assistant at the server to store a digital representation of a customer purchase profile including historical purchase information of the potential customer; providing a supplier portal from the server to the supplier via the computer network, and receiving, at the supplier portal, data representing a supplier specification of a time sensitive inventory item; providing a user portal from the server to the potential customer via the computer network, and receiving, at the user portal, data representing a customer specification from the potential customer of an expression of an interest in a purchase, the expression of the interest in the purchase comprising at least an interest lifetime where the expression of the interest expires after the interest lifetime; creating a real-time distribution channel between the potential customer and the supplier, via the private communication bridge, to facilitate a secure transaction between the potential customer and the supplier in which both have real-time exchange information sent to them from the server to facilitate a matching of the time sensitive inventory item available from the supplier and the purchase, the real-time distribution channel performing a matching of the customer specification and the supplier specification, wherein the real-time distribution channel is sustained during the interest lifetime; conducting an exchange, via the private communication bridge, wherein the inventory item is made available to the at least one potential customer based on the matching; analyzing historical purchase information to form a customer purchase profile; continuously searching, via an intelligent computer based artificial intelligence engine of the server, during the interest lifetime for another item other than the inventory item to suggest the potential customer acquire based on the customer purchase profile; and providing a notice, via the private communication bridge, to the potential customer via the real-time distribution channel that the another item is available to the potential customer. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 18, 19, 20)
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12. A computer-readable memory device including code which when executed by at least one processor provides operations comprising:
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implementing a virtual purchasing assistant to store a digital representation of a user decision process when facing a purchase decision, including historical purchase information of the user; establishing a private communication bridge between the user and a supplier; receiving a customer specification from the user of an expression of an interest in a purchase, the expression of the interest in the purchase comprising at least an interest lifetime; receiving a supplier specification from a supplier of an inventory item; creating a real-time distribution channel, via the private communication bridge, to facilitate a secure transaction between the user and the supplier, the real-time distribution channel performing a matching of the customer specification and the supplier specification without direct interaction from the user, wherein the real-time distribution channel is sustained during the interest lifetime; conducting an exchange wherein the inventory item is made available, via the real-time distribution channel, to the user based on the matching; collecting historical purchase information from the user; analyzing the historical purchase information to form the digital representation; continuously searching, via an intelligent software based system, during the interest lifetime for another product other than the inventory item to suggest the user acquire based on the digital representation; and providing a notice from the intelligent software based system to the user via the real-time distribution channel that the another product is available and immediately actionable to the user. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification