Selection Interface System

• US 20080040671A1
• Filed: 08/03/2007
• Published: 02/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Colleen Romero
• Original Assignee: George Reed
• Inventors: Reed, George
• Granted Patent: US 7,861,179 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/738
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A user selection interface system comprises one or more circular selectors linked to selectable characteristics, and a display linked to the selectors, for display of an image which corresponds to the selected characteristics. The interface is typically linked to a database comprising stored image and other information which corresponds to the selectable characteristics, whereby an image that corresponds to an item which meets a selected characteristic is retrieved and displayed. Information other than the image which corresponds to the selectable characteristics may also be retrieved and displayed. In some embodiments, the stored images comprise a single image, which matches all the selected characteristics. In alternate embodiments, the displayed image comprises a composite image that is based upon stored images which correspond to different selected characteristics. In some embodiments, the user selection interface comprises a graphic user interface. In alternate embodiments, the user selection interface comprises a mechanical interface. Some preferred embodiments of the user selection interface provide links for merchandising functions, such as for ordering, purchasing, inventories, and/or shipping.

Claims

1. An Internet website selection system, comprising:

a webserver for connection to the Internet and providing for interactive product pages;

a graphic user interface (GUI) based on a first available product page of said interactive product pages;

a product picture included in the GUI and representing a current product selection associated with said first available product page; and

at least one circular selector, linked to a selectable characteristic, included in the GUI that permits an Internet-client user to hyperlink to other available product pages that are different from said first available product page;

said at least one circular selector having a central region defined therein, an image window located within the central region, and means for displaying within the image window any of said interactive product pages.

2. The material selection Internet website system of claim 1, wherein the GUI further comprises a mechanism to replace the product picture with an alternative view of the current product selection.

3. The material selection Internet website system of claim 1, wherein the GUI further comprises a button to hyperlink to a price quotation of the current product selection.

4. The material selection Internet website system of claim 1, wherein the GUI further comprises a button to hyperlink to an order form to place an order for the current product selection.

5. The material selection Internet website system of claim 1, further comprising:

means for displaying a movie which corresponds to the current product selection.

6. The material selection Internet website system of claim 1, further comprising:

means for presenting sound information which corresponds to the current product selection.

7. A selection interface system, comprising:

at least one circular dial having a plurality of selection positions, the dial having a central region defined therein;

an image window located within the central region;

an image displayable within the image window to correspond to a first selection position of said plurality of selection positions corresponding to a first selectable item; and

a link to navigate to an image which corresponds to a second selection position of said plurality of selection positions and a second selectable item.

8. The selection interface system of claim 7, further comprising:

a network; and

a database connected to the network for storing images and information corresponding to the selectable items;

whereby an image that corresponds to a selected characteristic is retrievable from the database through the network.

9. The selection interface system of claim 8, wherein the network is an Internet.

10. A selection interface, comprising:

at least one circular selector linked to a plurality of selectable characteristic, said at least one circular selector having a central region defined therein; and

an image window, located within the central region, linked to the circular selector for display of an image which corresponds to the selected characteristic.

11. The selection interface of claim 10, further comprising:

a database for storage and selectable retrieval of the image and the selected characteristics by the circular selector;

whereby the image which corresponds to the selected characteristic is retrievably displayable on the image window.

12. A selection interface system, comprising:

a database comprising a stored image and information which corresponds to one or more selectable characteristics;

one or more circular selectors linked to the selectable characteristics, said circular selectors having a central region defined therein; and

an image window located within the central region linked to the selectors, for display of an image which corresponds to the selected characteristics;

whereby the image that corresponds to a selected characteristic is retrievably displayable on the image window.

13. The selection interface system of claim 12, at least a portion of the information is retrievably displayable on the image window.

14. The selection interface system of claim 12, wherein the image comprises a single image which matches the selected characteristics.

15. The selection interface system of claim 12, wherein the image comprises a composite image which matches the selected characteristics.

16. The selection interface system of claim 12, wherein the circular selectors comprise a mechanical interface.

17. The selection interface system of claim 12, wherein the circular selectors comprise a graphic user interface.

18. The selection interface system of claim 12, further comprising:

means for displaying an alternate image which corresponds to the selected characteristics.

19. The selection interface system of claim 12, further comprising:

means for displaying an movie which corresponds to the selected characteristics.

20. The selection interface system of claim 12, further comprising:

means for presenting sound information which corresponds to the selected characteristics.

21. The selection interface system of claim 12, wherein the selectable characteristics are associated with any of a product, commodity, item, material, and entity.

22. A user interface for item selection within a plurality of available items implemented on a network, the available items having at least one selectable property, comprising:

a circular dial mechanism comprising at least one item selection category based upon the selectable properties;

an item description page, having an image of one of the available items having a first selectable property value locatable within the item selection category;

an alternate item description page having an image of an alternate available item comprising a selectable property value within the item selection category which is different than the first selectable property value; and

a link within the network between the item description page and the alternate description page corresponding to client user selection of the selectable property value within the circular dial mechanism.