ELECTRONIC SHOPPER CATALOG

• US 20080114807A1
• Filed: 11/14/2006
• Published: 05/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Sembower, Neil Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,738,456 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/104.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering

Abstract

A method of creating a custom document comprises maintaining a database of product information, the product information including, for each of multiple products, a product description, vendor information and at least one vendor specific attribute wherein at least one product from the database includes multiple vendors. At least one product from the database is identified based on customer product preference information that is associated with a customer. For an identified product having multiple vendors, a vendor from the product'"'"'s associated vendors is selected using customer vendor preference information that is associated with the customer. A custom structured document is created that includes the selected product, product description, and one or more vendor specific attributes for the selected vendor.

Claims

1. A method of creating a custom document comprising:

maintaining a database of product information, the product information including, for each of multiple products, a product description, vendor information and at least one vendor specific attribute wherein at least one product from the database includes multiple vendors;

identifying at least one product from the database based on customer product preference information that is associated with a customer;

selecting, for an identified product having multiple vendors, a vendor from the product'"'"'s associated vendors using customer vendor preference information that is associated with the customer; and

creating a custom structured document that includes the selected product, product description, and one or more vendor specific attributes for the selected vendor.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising printing the custom structured document to produce a customized product catalog.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising, before the identifying, receiving the customer product preference information from the customer.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising, before the identifying, determining the customer product preference information based on the customer'"'"'s demographic information.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the customer vendor preference information comprises a preference for one or more of product cost shipping cost, delivery time, delivery handler, insurance cost, extended warranties, and vendor reliability.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the vendor specific attributes do not include the vendor'"'"'s name.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising obtaining the product information from the vendor'"'"'s website.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising maintaining a database of the customer product preference information.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising updating the customer product preference information when a customer purchases a new product.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising maintaining a database of the customer vendor preference information.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising updating the customer vendor preference information when a customer purchases a new product.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising associating at least one product from the database with multiple vendors.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein creating the custom structured document comprises determining a layout for the custom structured document.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the layout groups the products by price.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the layout groups the products by category.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein creating the custom structured document comprises creating a default layout for the custom structured document.

3. The method of clam 1 further comprising, before the identifying, determining the customer product preference information based on the customer'"'"'s previous shopping patterns.

18. A method of creating a custom document comprising:

maintaining a database of product information, the product information including, for each of multiple products, a product description, vendor information and at least one vendor specific attribute wherein at least one product from the database includes multiple vendors;

identifying at least one product from the database listed in a standard set;

identifying at least one product from the database for a custom set based on customer product preference information that is associated with a customer;

selecting, for an identified product having multiple vendors from the custom set, a vendor from the product'"'"'s associated vendors using customer vendor preference information that is associated with the customer; and

printing a custom structured document that includes;

the identified products and product descriptions from the standard set; and

the selected product, product description, and one or more vendor specific attributes for the selected vendor from the custom set.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein printing the custom structured document comprises determining a layout for the custom structured document.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein printing the custom structured document comprises creating a default layout for the custom structured document.