Electronic shopper catalog

• US 8,738,456 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2006
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Sembower, Neil Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): HAQ, NAEEM U
• Application Number:
  US11/559,704
• Publication Number:
  US 20080114807A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,751 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/26.1, 705/26.2, 705/26.25, 705/26.3, 705/26.35, 705/26.4, 705 2641- 2644, 705/26.5, 705 2661- 2664, 705/26.7, 705/26.8, 705/26.81, 705/26.82, 705/26.9, 705/27.1, 705/27.2
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• 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, the method comprising:

maintaining, at a computing device, 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 defining additional services provided by each vendor included in the vendor information, wherein at least one product from the database includes multiple vendors;

identifying, by the computing device, at least one product for sale from a specific manufacturer from the database based on customer product preference information that is associated with a customer, wherein the customer product preference information is based, at least in part, on a purchase history of the customer;

determining, by the computing device, whether the identified product is offered by multiple vendors;

selecting, by the computing device, for an identified product determined to have multiple vendors, a single vendor from the identified product'"'"'s associated vendors using customer vendor preference information that is associated with the customer such that the single selected vendor provides additional services matching additional services defined by the customer vendor preference information, wherein the customer vendor preference information comprises;

a preferred shipping company, and

a preferred warranty associated with the identified product,

wherein the additional services comprise;

shipping the identified product using the preferred shipping company, and

offering the preferred warranty for the identified product;

creating, by the computing device, a customer structured document for delivery to the customer that includes, for the identified product, a product description and one or more vendor specific attributes for the single selected vendor based upon the product information and vendor information contained within the database; and

in response to the customer purchasing the identified product, automatically updating the customer product preference information with information relating to the identified product.

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

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

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

5. 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, insurance cost, extended warranties, and vendor reliability.

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

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

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

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising updating the customer product preference information when a customer purchases a new product.

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

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

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

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

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the layout groups the products by price.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the layout groups the products by category.

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

17. A method of creating a custom document, the method comprising:

maintaining, at a computing device, 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 defining additional services provided by each vendor included in the vendor information, wherein at least one product from the database includes multiple vendors;

identifying, by the computing device, at least one first product for sale from a specific manufacturer from the database listed in a standard set;

identifying, by the computing device, at least one second product for sale from a specific manufacturer from the database for a custom set based on customer product preference information that is associated with a customer;

determining, by the computing device, whether the identified second product is offered by multiple vendors;

selecting, by the computing device, for an identified product determined to have multiple vendors from the customer set, a single vendor from the identified product'"'"'s associated vendors using customer vendor preference information that is associated with the customer such that the single selected vendor provides additional services matching additional services defined by the customer vendor preference information,

wherein the customer vendor preference information comprises;

a preferred shipping company,

a preferred shipping cost,

one or more preferred delivery options, and

a preferred warranty associated with the identified product,

wherein the additional services comprise;

shipping the identified product using the preferred shipping company,

shipping the identified product for a cost that does not exceed the preferred shipping cost,

shipping the identified product according to the one or more preferred delivery options, and

offering the preferred warranty for the identified product; and

printing a custom structured document for delivery to the customer that includes;

the identified products and product descriptions from the standard set based upon the product information within the database; and

for the identified product from the custom set, a product description and one or more vendor specific attributes for the single selected vendor from the customer set based upon the vendor information contained within the database.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein printing the custom structured document comprises determining a layout for the custom structured document.

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