AUTOMATED FEE-BASED DATA PROCESSING FROM REMOTELY-BASED IMAGE MERGING

• US 20100017297A1
• Filed: 09/29/2009
• 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: Jarbridge Incorporated
• Inventors: Crawford, Robert J., Gianinni, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 11,030,680 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.690
• 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 matching scheme using data provided with images to be merged. In a particular example, on-line viewing of one article, such as clothing, on another structure, includes creating an item from image-data corresponding to an article selected by an on-line viewer from an on-line viewer site with an image of a structure selected by the on-line viewer, and indicating whether the article and the structure satisfy a criterion such as color or style. The computers are coordinated to provide the merged image data for viewing by the buyer, with a revenue generating feature that generates fees for at least one of the buyer and a seller associated with one of the seller websites, and charges the at least one of the buyer and the seller for the generated fees.

Claims

1. A host application server comprising:

at least a computer processor; and

a tangible storage medium containing stored programming instructions that when executed by the at least one computer processor perform the steps of;

providing an image merging feature that

accesses one or more seller websites to obtain images of articles offered for sale,

provides a buyer interface that allows selection of the obtained images;

accesses image data for a foundational structure,

merges the selected images with the foundational structure to generate merged image data, and

provides the merged image data for viewing by the buyer;

providing a revenue generating feature that

generates fees for at least one of the buyer and a seller associated with one of the seller websites, and

charges the at least one of the buyer and the seller for the generated fees.

2. The server of claim 1, wherein the stored programming instructions, when executed by the at least one computer processor, further perform the step of providing advertising for a seller of articles and wherein the generated fees are associated with the provided advertising.

3. The server of claim 1, wherein the obtained images of articles offered for sale are retrieved from multiple websites and wherein the merged image data includes image data from the multiple websites.

4. The server of claim 1, wherein the articles are clothing articles and the foundational structure is at least a portion of a person.

5. The server of claim 1, wherein the stored programming instructions, when executed by the at least one computer processor, further perform the steps of storing one or more articles in a virtual closet for access by a buyer, limiting an amount of memory storage in the virtual closet for the buyer.

6. The server of claim 5, wherein the stored programming instructions, when executed by the at least one computer processor, further perform the step of charging the buyer as a function of the amount of memory storage.

7. The server of claim 1, wherein the generated fees are defined as a function of a subscription that includes an agreement defining the generated fees.

8. The server of claim 1, wherein the generated fees include a monthly subscription fee.

9. The server of claim 8, wherein the generated fees are deferred in response to purchases made during a preceding monthly period.

10. The server of claim 1, wherein the obtained images are displayed to illustrate at least the color and the shape.

11. A method executable by a computer-based circuit in a host application server, comprising:

at least a computer processor accessing programming instructions that when executed by the at least one computer causes the processor to provide an image merging feature that

accesses one or more seller websites to obtain images of articles offered for sale,

provides a buyer interface that allows selection of the obtained images;

accesses image data for a foundational structure,

merges the selected images with the foundational structure to generate merged image data, and

provides the merged image data for viewing by the buyer;

providing a revenue generating feature that

generates fees for at least one of the buyer and a seller associated with one of the seller websites, and

charges the at least one of the buyer and the seller for the generated fees.

12. The method of claim 11, further including providing advertising for a seller of articles and wherein the generated fees are associated with the provided advertising.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the obtained images of articles offered for sale are retrieved from multiple websites and wherein the merged image data includes image data from the multiple websites.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the articles are clothing articles and the foundational structure is at least a portion of a person.

15. The method of claim 11, further including storing one or more articles in a virtual closet for access by a buyer, limiting an amount of memory storage in the virtual closet for the buyer.

16. The method of claim 15, further including the step of charging the buyer as a function of the amount of memory storage.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the generated fees are defined as a function of a subscription that includes an agreement defining the generated fees.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the generated fees include a monthly subscription fee.