Methods and arrangements including data migration among computing platforms, E.G. through use of steganographic screen encoding
First Claim
1. A method comprising the acts:
- generating identification data for a product promoted by a first merchant'"'"'s web page that is displayed in a first window on a screen of a first computer, said generating including parsing or optically-recognizing text from said web page;
sending the generated identification data for the product to a computer of a second merchant, receiving in response price and local availability information for a product to be offered to a user, and storing said received price and local availability information in a database; and
on the screen of the first computer, overlaying a second window atop the first window, the second window lacking a title bar and presenting a digital watermark pattern, the watermark pattern steganographically encoding a data payload that includes an address link to said stored information in said database;
wherein the second window does not visibly change appearance of the web page or computer screen, yet the second window enables a smartphone to later link to the stored information based on phone-captured imagery depicting the computer screen, from which said address link can be decoded.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An illustrative implementation of the technology includes three primary components: a desktop application, a mobile phone application, and connections to retailer inventory and pricing APIs (e.g., for Walmart and/or Best Buy). The experience begins with the consumer going to an online retailer'"'"'s website (e.g., Amazon) to search for a product. The desktop application automatically searches for product matches using the APIs of affiliated retailers. If matches and near-matches of the product are found, the product name, model, price, and local availability at affiliate locations is shown. With a mobile phone camera-scan of the product page, relevant information is transferred to the consumer'"'"'s phone. From there, the consumer can interact with the options on the mobile phone to be directed to the nearby brick and mortar store of choice carrying that product at the price they want. Along the way, the retailer can present offers and additional product information directly to the consumer. A great variety of other technologies and arrangements are also detailed.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method comprising the acts:
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generating identification data for a product promoted by a first merchant'"'"'s web page that is displayed in a first window on a screen of a first computer, said generating including parsing or optically-recognizing text from said web page; sending the generated identification data for the product to a computer of a second merchant, receiving in response price and local availability information for a product to be offered to a user, and storing said received price and local availability information in a database; and on the screen of the first computer, overlaying a second window atop the first window, the second window lacking a title bar and presenting a digital watermark pattern, the watermark pattern steganographically encoding a data payload that includes an address link to said stored information in said database; wherein the second window does not visibly change appearance of the web page or computer screen, yet the second window enables a smartphone to later link to the stored information based on phone-captured imagery depicting the computer screen, from which said address link can be decoded. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer system including a screen, a processor, and a memory, the memory containing software instructions that configure the system to perform acts including:
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generating identification data for a product promoted by a first merchant'"'"'s web page that is displayed in a first window on said screen, said generating including parsing or optically-recognizing text from said web page; sending the generated identification data for the product to a computer of a second merchant, receiving in response price and local availability information for a product to be offered to a user, and storing said received price and local availability information in a database; and on the screen of the first computer, overlaying a second window atop the first window, the second window lacking a title bar and presenting a digital watermark pattern, the watermark pattern steganographically encoding a data payload that includes an address link to said stored information in said database; wherein the second window does not visibly change appearance of the web page or computer screen, yet the second window enables a smartphone to later link to the stored information based on phone-captured imagery depicting the computer screen, from which said address link can be decoded. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing software instructions for configuring a first computer to perform acts including:
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generating identification data for a product promoted by a first merchant'"'"'s web page that is displayed in a first window on a screen of the first computer, said generating including parsing or optically-recognizing text from said web page; sending the generated identification data for the product to a computer of a second merchant, receiving in response price and local availability information for a product to be offered to a user, and storing said received price and local availability information in a database; and on the screen of the first computer, overlaying a second window atop the first window, the second window lacking a title bar and presenting a digital watermark pattern, the watermark pattern steganographically encoding a data payload that includes an address link to said stored information in said database; wherein the second window does not visibly change appearance of the web page or computer screen, yet the second window enables a smartphone to later link to the stored information based on phone-captured imagery depicting the computer screen, from which said address link can be decoded.
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Specification