METHODS, SYSTEMS AND DEVICES FOR CATEGORIZATION OF ARTICLES AND ASSOCIATED IMAGES AND FOR IMAGE MERGING THEREOF

• US 20100017270A1
• Filed: 09/28/2009
• Published: 01/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tamiras Per Pte Ltd LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Janbridge Incorporated
• Inventors: Giannini, Robert, Crawford, Robert J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,548,862 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/972 Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0229 Multi-merchant loyalty card systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0253 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0254 based on statistics
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers

Abstract

An e-commerce method involves on-line viewing of a first article through a linking node for virtual merging on another structure. A particular application of the invention is directed to on-line apparel shopping involving a color matching scheme using color codes provided with images to be merged. For example, on-line viewing of one article, such as clothing, on another structure, includes creating an item from image-data corresponding to a colored article selected by an on-line viewer from an on-line viewer site with an image of a colored structure selected by the on-line viewer, and indicating whether the colored article and the colored structure satisfy a color-matching criterion.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing an application portal for access by remote computers operated by on-line shoppers;

categorizing viewable articles according to a parameter;

sending image data of articles offered for sale by retailers to a remote computer operated by an on-line shopper, the image data configured to display the articles in groups according to the categorization;

receiving, from the remote computer, selection data identifying at least one of the articles offered for sale by the retailers;

merging image data for the at least one of the articles with image data for a structure to generate a merged image data of the article applied to the structure; and

sending the merged image to the remote computer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameter is one of style, activities and retailers.

3. The method of claim 1, further including the step of providing the on-line shoppers with selection options for the parameter and wherein the step of categorizing is implemented as a function of a selection by an on-line shopper.

4. The method of claim 1, further including the step of registering the on-line shoppers by obtaining identification and demographic information for the on-line shoppers.

5. The method of claim 4, further including the step of tracking purchases for the on-line shoppers and for providing selection preferences and demographic information about the on-line shoppers to the retailers.

6. The method of claim 4, further including the steps of saving a list of favorite items for the on-line shoppers and retrieving the saved list in response to the on-line shopper subsequently logging onto the application portal.

7. The method of claim 4, further including the step of presenting discount information for viewable articles associated with a particular retailer that is identified as a favorite retailer for a particular on-line shopper.