US6032129A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Customer centric virtual shopping experience with actors agents and persona
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1997-09-06
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Granted: 2000-02-29
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Expires: 2017-09-06
Abstract
Abstract This invention relates to an electronic commerce software catalog system and a method of use. This electronic catalog system is specifically designed to provide the electronic shoppers with a customer-centric, virtual shopping experience by first facilitating the creation of customer-personas and their catalog-content affinities by a "Sales Representative", secondly facilitating the persona-association based configuration of a "Customer-Actor", by the actual "Shopper". Thirdly, the shopper selects an "on-the-desktop" computer directed "Sales-Advisor", that generates advice on catalog navigation, product applications and product function that is tuned to the proxy customer's configured personality and specific needs.
Inventors
- 👤 Arthur Reginald Greef
- 👤 John F. Shumacher
- 👤 Darko Hrelic
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 11:11
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06Q; G06Q30/00; G06Q30/06; G06Q30/0601; G06Q30/0613; G06Q30/0617; G06Q30/0633; G06Q30/0641; G06Q30/0643
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
129 words
An electronic catalog comprising: product descriptions of the goods available thru the catalog; customer persona descriptions defining a plurality of customer types and persona-content affinities linking each of the defined customer types to one or more product descriptions; a plurality of virtual sales representative types with differing sales characteristics to advise a shopper; a selection mechanism for permitting the shopper to form an imaginary customer actor based on the personas defining the customer types and in addition to select one of the virtual sales representative types to advise the shopper on progress through the catalog selection and ordering process; and a presentation mechanism for presenting by the selected virtual sales representative to the shopper those product descriptions attuned to the imaginary customer-actor's characteristics interest based on the persona-content affinities.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
129 words
An electronic catalog comprising: product descriptions of the goods available thru the catalog; customer persona descriptions defining a plurality of customer types and persona-content affinities linking each of the defined customer types to one or more product descriptions; a plurality of virtual sales representative types with differing sales characteristics to advise a shopper; a selection mechanism for permitting the shopper to form an imaginary customer actor based on the personas defining the customer types and in addition to select one of the virtual sales representative types to advise the shopper on progress through the catalog selection and ordering process; and a presentation mechanism for presenting by the selected virtual sales representative to the shopper those product descriptions attuned to the imaginary customer-actor's characteristics interest based on the persona-content affinities.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The electronic catalog of claim 1, wherein said affinities each comprise a numerical value that represents the strength of the association between one of the personas and a product description.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
The electronic catalog of claim 2, wherein said selection mechanism enables the shopper to generate a customer actor which is a composite of two or more of the personas contained in the catalog.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The electronic catalog of claim 3, wherein the selection mechanism provides for identification of the customer actor by the shopper as himself or herself or a third party.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The electronic catalog of claim 4, including in the selection mechanism means to indicate that the goods selected are gifts.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The electronic catalog of claim 5, wherein the product descriptions include product attributes, objects and values and are linked to the virtual sales representative.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
The electronic catalog of claim 6, wherein the selected sales representative can advise the shopper on catalog navigation, product applications and product function attuned to the customer-actors personality and needs.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
143 words
A program product carried on a physical medium for use in a computer, said program product being an on-line catalog comprising: product software containing product descriptions of goods or services available thru the catalog; persona software containing customer personas defining a plurality of customer types and persona-content affinities linking the customer types to product descriptions; salesman software containing a plurality of virtual sales representatives with differing sales characteristics to advise a shopper; selection software providing a selection mechanism permitting the shopper to form an imaginary customer-actor based on the personas defining the customer types and in addition to select one of the virtual sales representatives to advise the shopper on use of the catalog; and presentation software for presenting to the shopper those product descriptions attuned to the imaginary customer-actor's characteristics based on the affinities established between the personas and the product descriptions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
143 words
A program product carried on a physical medium for use in a computer, said program product being an on-line catalog comprising: product software containing product descriptions of goods or services available thru the catalog; persona software containing customer personas defining a plurality of customer types and persona-content affinities linking the customer types to product descriptions; salesman software containing a plurality of virtual sales representatives with differing sales characteristics to advise a shopper; selection software providing a selection mechanism permitting the shopper to form an imaginary customer-actor based on the personas defining the customer types and in addition to select one of the virtual sales representatives to advise the shopper on use of the catalog; and presentation software for presenting to the shopper those product descriptions attuned to the imaginary customer-actor's characteristics based on the affinities established between the personas and the product descriptions.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
The program product of claim 8, wherein in the persona software said affinities each comprise a numerical value that represents the strength of the association between one of the personas and a product description.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
36 words
The program product of claim 9, wherein in said persona software is for enabling the shopper to generate a customer actor which is a composite of two or more of the personas contained in the catalog.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
The software product of claim 10, wherein said selection software provides for identification of the customer-actor by the shopper as himself or herself or a third party.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
The software code of claim 11, the selection software includes means to indicate a selection is a gift.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
The product of claim 12, wherein in the product software the product descriptions are provided with product attributes, objects and values linked to the virtual sales representative.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
31 words
The product of claim 13, wherein in the salesman software code the virtual sales representative advises the shopper on catalog navigation, product applications and product functions attuned to the actor-customer's characteristics.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
98 words
A method of providing a shopping experience using an electronic catalog comprising: providing in the catalog product descriptions of goods available thru the catalog and a plurality of customer personas setting forth a plurality of customer types; associating the customer personas to the product descriptions with persona-product affinities linking the customer types to product descriptions; permitting the shopper to form all imaginary customer-actor based on one or more of the personas defining the customer types; and presenting to the shopper-product descriptions attuned to the customer-actor's characteristics based on the affinities established between the personas and the product descriptions.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
98 words
A method of providing a shopping experience using an electronic catalog comprising: providing in the catalog product descriptions of goods available thru the catalog and a plurality of customer personas setting forth a plurality of customer types; associating the customer personas to the product descriptions with persona-product affinities linking the customer types to product descriptions; permitting the shopper to form all imaginary customer-actor based on one or more of the personas defining the customer types; and presenting to the shopper-product descriptions attuned to the customer-actor's characteristics based on the affinities established between the personas and the product descriptions.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 15, including the step of using in each affinity a numerical value that represents the strength of the association between the customer-persona and the product description.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 15, including the step of enabling the shopper to select from a plurality of virtual sales representative types for the presentation of the product descriptions.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
133 words
A method of organizing and presenting an electronic catalog for use by a shopper comprising: providing in the catalog product descriptions of goods available through the catalog, customer personas defining a plurality of customer types, and a plurality of virtual sales representative with differing sales characteristics to advise a shopper; associating the customer personas to the product descriptions using persona-product affinities linking each of the personas to one or more of the product descriptions; permitting the customer to form an imaginary customer-actor based on the personas defining the customer types and to select one of the sales representative for advice on the catalog selection and ordering process; and presenting the catalog content to the shopper in terms of the customer-actor's characteristics based on the affinities established between the personas of the product descriptions.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
133 words
A method of organizing and presenting an electronic catalog for use by a shopper comprising: providing in the catalog product descriptions of goods available through the catalog, customer personas defining a plurality of customer types, and a plurality of virtual sales representative with differing sales characteristics to advise a shopper; associating the customer personas to the product descriptions using persona-product affinities linking each of the personas to one or more of the product descriptions; permitting the customer to form an imaginary customer-actor based on the personas defining the customer types and to select one of the sales representative for advice on the catalog selection and ordering process; and presenting the catalog content to the shopper in terms of the customer-actor's characteristics based on the affinities established between the personas of the product descriptions.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 18, including the step of providing a numerical value in the affinities that represents the strength of the association between each customer persona and the product descriptions.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 19, including the step of enabling the shopper to generate a customer actor which is a composite of two or more of the personas contained in the catalog.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 20, including the step of providing for identification of the customer-actor by the shopper as himself or herself or a third party.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 21, including the step of dividing the product descriptions into categories and providing them with product attributes, objects and values.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 22, having the sale representative advising the shopper on catalog navigation, product applications and product function attuned to the actor-customer's characteristics.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-02-28 | 2003-08-30 | 2004-02-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-02-28 | 2007-08-30 | 2008-02-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-02-28 | 2011-08-30 | 2012-02-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |