Methods, systems and devices for retail website linking and image merging

• US 9,996,873 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2009
• Issued: 06/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tamiras Per Pte Ltd LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Tamiras Per Pte Ltd LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Giannini, Robert, Crawford, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kazimi, Hani M.
• Application Number:
  US12/567,453
• Publication Number:
  US 20100023427A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,182 Days
• Field of Search: 705 261, 705 271
• 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 computer-operated method implemented by a programmable server that executes instructions to cause the programmable server to perform operations, comprising:

processing software instructions to implement steps of providing a host application website that displays viewable articles offered by a plurality of sellers;

linking, in response to an input received from an on-line shopper, to a first seller website;

while linked to the first seller website, allowing for one or more articles to be selected;

linking, in response to an input selection received from the on-line shopper while the on-line shopper is linked to the first seller website, to a second seller website;

while linked to the second seller website, allowing for one or more articles to be selected;

returning, in response to an input received from the on-line shopper, to the host application website;

in response to the selection of articles,

accessing article image data for at least one of the selected articles;

accessing structure image data for a structure; and

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

outputting the merged image for the on-line shopper; and

storing the article image data for the at least one of the selected articles in a virtual closet for access by the on-line shopper and allocating a limited amount of storage in the virtual closet for the on-line shopper.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation of processing software instructions is further implemented to perform the operations of:

retrieving a list of favorite sellers for the on-line shopper;

providing icons for the on-line shopper to select one or more of the favorite sellers; and

allowing the on-line shopper to link between seller websites of the favorite sellers without returning to the host application website.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation of processing software instructions is further implemented to perform the operations of:

providing the on-line shopper with one or more icons that identify the at least one of the selected articles in the virtual closet;

retrieving the stored article image data for at least one of the selected articles in the virtual closet in response to the on-line shopper selecting at least one of the icons; and

providing the retrieved article image data to the on-line shopper.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the operation of processing software instructions is further implemented to perform the operations of:

providing the on-line shopper with options for changing the appearance of the article image data for at the least one of the selected articles;

modifying the article image data in response to input received from the on-line shopper indicating a change in the appearance of the article image data; and

providing the modified article image data to the on-line shopper.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation of processing software instructions is further implemented to perform the operations of:

categorizing the selected articles according to groups defined at least one of style, activities and sellers; and

providing the categorized articles to the on-line shopper configured in a viewable format that differentiates the defined groups.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the operation of processing software instructions is further implemented to perform the operation of generating fees for sellers based upon an amount of storage of article image data for articles offered by the sellers.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation of processing software instructions is further implemented to perform the operation of uploading, from the on-line shopper, image data for the structure.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes operations of:

accessing another article image data for another one of the selected articles, and

merging the accessed image data for both of the articles with the structure, wherein the accessed image data includes data for an article from the first seller website and data for an article from the second seller website.