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US6985876B1 Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

System and method for enabling a user of an E-commerce system to visually view and/or configure a product for purchase

Assignee: National Instruments Corp
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Filing: 2000-02-07
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Granted: 2006-01-10
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Expires: 2020-02-07
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Abstract

Abstract A system and method that enables a user to configure a customizable product for purchase in an E-Commerce system. A user may launch a web browser on a client computer system to access a vendor's web site to purchase a customizable product. The user may customize the product for purchase by selecting one or more customizable components of the product. A user may select one or more customizable components of the product by using a forms/menu interface or a visual graphical user interface. The vendor's web site may receive the one or more user selections for the customized product and may, in response, send data and information to client computer system to visually depict the ‘as purchased’ customized product for user verification and product checkout.

Inventors

  • 👤 Reid Lee

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-07 09:52
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06Q; G06Q30/00; G06Q30/06; G06Q30/0601; G06Q30/0621; G06Q30/0641; G06Q30/0643

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 48
Claim 1
Independent Claim 291 words
A method for enabling a user to configure a measurement system in an E-Commerce system, wherein the e-commerce system includes a client system coupled through a network to an electronic commerce server, the method comprising: receiving a request from a user of the client system to configure the measurement system, wherein the measurement system includes one or more customizable components, wherein at least one of the customizable components is a measurement device; providing customizable component options of the customizable components to the client system for display after receiving said request, wherein said providing the customizable component options includes providing an image of the measurement system to the client system for display, wherein images of at least a subset of the one or more customizable components form at least a portion of the image of the measurement system; receiving customizable component selections for at least one of the one or more customizable components of the measurement system in response to user input, wherein the customizable component selections applied to the measurement system specify a configured measurement system, wherein said receiving customizable component selections includes: receiving user input selecting an image of a first customizable component displayed in the image of the measurement system, wherein said receiving user input selecting the image of the first customizable component operates to select the first customizable component for configuration; and receiving user input selecting a first customizable component option for the first customizable component, wherein the user input selecting the first customizable component option comprises the customizable component selection for the first customizable component; and providing an image of the configured measurement system to the client system for display, wherein the image of the configured measurement system visually depicts the customizable component selections of the user.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 291 words
A method for enabling a user to configure a measurement system in an E-Commerce system, wherein the e-commerce system includes a client system coupled through a network to an electronic commerce server, the method comprising: receiving a request from a user of the client system to configure the measurement system, wherein the measurement system includes one or more customizable components, wherein at least one of the customizable components is a measurement device; providing customizable component options of the customizable components to the client system for display after receiving said request, wherein said providing the customizable component options includes providing an image of the measurement system to the client system for display, wherein images of at least a subset of the one or more customizable components form at least a portion of the image of the measurement system; receiving customizable component selections for at least one of the one or more customizable components of the measurement system in response to user input, wherein the customizable component selections applied to the measurement system specify a configured measurement system, wherein said receiving customizable component selections includes: receiving user input selecting an image of a first customizable component displayed in the image of the measurement system, wherein said receiving user input selecting the image of the first customizable component operates to select the first customizable component for configuration; and receiving user input selecting a first customizable component option for the first customizable component, wherein the user input selecting the first customizable component option comprises the customizable component selection for the first customizable component; and providing an image of the configured measurement system to the client system for display, wherein the image of the configured measurement system visually depicts the customizable component selections of the user.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 31 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said providing the image of the configured measurement system includes providing customizable component selection images corresponding to the customizable component selections of the user.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 32 words
The method of claim 2 , wherein at least a subset of the customizable component selection images are visually depicted at their respective locations on the image of the configured measurement system.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 27 words
The method of claim 3 , wherein at least a subset of the customizable component selection images are displayed in the image of the configured measurement system.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 51 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said providing the image of the configured measurement system includes providing text corresponding to the customizable component selections of the user; wherein the text is visually depicted proximate to respective locations of the customizable components comprised in the image of the configured measurement system.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 21 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the image of the configured measurement system appears substantially like the configured measurement system.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 32 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the image of the configured measurement system is viewable by the user and used by the user to evaluate and confirm the customizable component selections.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 92 words
The method of claim 7 , further comprising: receiving one or more new customizable component selections for at least one of the one or more customizable components of the configured measurement system after said providing the image of the configured measurement system to the client system, wherein the new customizable component selections applied to the configured measurement system specify a new configured measurement system; providing an image of the new configured measurement system, wherein the image of the new configured measurement system visually depicts the new customizable component selections of the user.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 59 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said receiving selections includes: receiving user input selecting a first customizable component; providing a menu of possible options for the first customizable component to the client system for display after the user input selecting the first customizable component; receiving user input selecting one of the possible options for the first customizable component.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 53 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said receiving user input selecting the image of the first customizable component further includes: receiving user input indicating a position of a cursor of the client system overlaps the location of the image of the first customizable component displayed in the image of the measurement system.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 46 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said receiving customizable component selections further includes: providing a menu comprising the customizable component options of the first customizable component for display on the client system after said receiving user input selecting the image of the first customizable component.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 21 words
The method of claim 11 , wherein the menu comprising the customizable component options includes text indicating the customizable component options.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 21 words
The method of claim 11 , wherein the menu comprising the customizable component options includes images indicating the customizable component options.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 26 words
The method of claim 11 , wherein the menu is operable to be displayed proximate to the location of the image of the first customizable component.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 43 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said receiving customizable component selections further includes: providing a sequence of images corresponding to the customizable component options of the first customizable component after said receiving user input selecting the image of the first customizable component.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 51 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said receiving user input selecting the first customizable component option includes: providing customizable component option images corresponding to the customizable component options of the first customizable component; receiving user input selecting a first customizable component option image corresponding to the first customizable component option.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 32 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said providing customizable component options of the customizable components to the client system includes providing images of the customizable component options to the client system.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 41 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising: providing an image of the first customizable component option for display on the client system in response to said receiving user input selecting the first customizable component option for the first customizable component.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 79 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising: the client system displaying the image of the configured measurement system in response to said providing the customizable component options of the customizable components to the client system, wherein images of at least a subset of the one or more customizable components are displayed in the image of the configured measurement system; wherein, for each customizable component, the customizable component options are displayed proximate to the image of the customizable component.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 84 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising: the client system displaying customizable component options of the customizable components in response to said providing the customizable component options of the customizable components to the client system; and the client system displaying the image of the configured measurement system in response to said providing the image of the configured measurement system to the client system for display, wherein the displayed image of the configured measurement system visually depicts the customizable component selections of the user.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 24 words
The method of claim 20 , wherein the customizable component selections include one or more of: measurement card; cable, signal conditioning modules and transducer.
Claim 23
Independent Claim 284 words
A method for enabling a user to configure a computer system in an e-commerce system, wherein the e-commerce system includes a client system coupled through a network to an electronic commerce server, the method comprising: receiving a request from a user of the client system to purchase the computer system, wherein the computer system includes one or more customizable components; providing customizable component options of the customizable components to the client system for display after receiving said request, wherein said providing customizable component options of the computer system includes providing an image of the computer system to the client system for display, wherein images of at least a subset of the one or more customizable components form at least a portion of the image of the computer system; receiving customizable component selections for at least one of the one or more customizable components of the computer system in response to user input, wherein the customizable component selections applied to the computer system specify a configured computer system, wherein said receiving customizable component selections includes: receiving user input selecting an image of a first customizable component which is displayed in the image of the computer system, wherein said receiving user input selecting the image of the first customizable component operates to select the first customizable component for configuration; and receiving user input selecting a first customizable component option for the first customizable component, wherein the user input selecting the first customizable component option comprises the customizable component selection for the first customizable component; and providing an image of the configured computer system to the client system for display, wherein the image of the configured computer system visually depicts the customizable component selections of the user.
Claim 24
Independent Claim 284 words
A method for enabling a user to configure a computer system in an e-commerce system, wherein the e-commerce system includes a client system coupled through a network to an electronic commerce server, the method comprising: receiving a request from a user of the client system to purchase the computer system, wherein the computer system includes one or more customizable components; providing customizable component options of the customizable components to the client system for display after receiving said request, wherein said providing customizable component options of the computer system includes providing an image of the computer system to the client system for display, wherein images of at least a subset of the one or more customizable components form at least a portion of the image of the computer system; receiving customizable component selections for at least one of the one or more customizable components of the computer system in response to user input, wherein the customizable component selections applied to the computer system specify a configured computer system, wherein said receiving customizable component selections includes: receiving user input selecting an image of a first customizable component which is displayed in the image of the computer system, wherein said receiving user input selecting the image of the first customizable component operates to select the first customizable component for configuration; and receiving user input selecting a first customizable component option for the first customizable component, wherein the user input selecting the first customizable component option comprises the customizable component selection for the first customizable component; and providing an image of the configured computer system to the client system for display, wherein the image of the configured computer system visually depicts the customizable component selections of the user.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 31 words
The method of claim 22 , wherein said providing the image of the configured computer system includes providing customizable component selection images corresponding to the customizable component selections of the user.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 30 words
The method of claim 23 , wherein at least a subset of the customizable component selection images form at least a portion of the image of the configured computer system.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 27 words
The method of claim 23 , wherein at least a subset of the customizable component selection images are displayed in the image of the configured computer system.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 51 words
The method of claim 22 , wherein said providing the image of the configured computer system includes providing text corresponding to the customizable component selections of the user; wherein the text is visually depicted proximate to respective locations of the customizable components comprised in the image of the configured computer system.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 21 words
The method of claim 22 , wherein the image of the configured computer system appears substantially like the configured computer system.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim 32 words
The method of claim 22 , wherein the image of the configured computer system is viewable by the user and used by the user to evaluate and confirm the customizable component selections.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim 92 words
The method of claim 28 , further comprising: receiving one or more new customizable component selections for at least one of the one or more customizable components of the configured computer system after said providing the image of the configured computer system to the client system, wherein the new customizable component selections applied to the configured computer system specify a new configured computer system; providing an image of the new configured computer system, wherein the image of the new configured computer system visually depicts the new customizable component selections of the user.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim 59 words
The method of claim 22 , wherein said receiving selections includes: receiving user input selecting a first customizable component; providing a menu of possible options for the first customizable component to the client system for display after the user input selecting the first customizable component; receiving user input selecting one of the possible options for the first customizable component.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim 32 words
The method of claim 22 , wherein said providing customizable component options of the customizable components to the client system includes providing images of the customizable component options to the client system.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim 53 words
The method of claim 22 , wherein said receiving user input selecting the image of the first customizable component further includes: receiving user input indicating a position of a cursor of the client system overlaps the location of the image of the first customizable component displayed in the image of the computer system.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim 46 words
The method of claim 22 , wherein said receiving customizable component selections further includes: providing a menu comprising the customizable component options of the first customizable component for display on the client system after said receiving user input selecting the image of the first customizable component.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim 21 words
The method of claim 33 , wherein the menu comprising the customizable component options includes text indicating the customizable component options.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim 21 words
The method of claim 33 , wherein the menu comprising the customizable component options includes images indicating the customizable component options.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim 26 words
The method of claim 33 , wherein the menu is operable to be displayed proximate to the location of the image of the first customizable component.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim 43 words
The method of claim 22 , wherein said receiving customizable component selections further includes: providing a sequence of images corresponding to the customizable component options of the first customizable component after said receiving user input selecting the image of the first customizable component.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim 51 words
The method of claim 22 , wherein said receiving user input selecting the first customizable component option includes: providing customizable component option images corresponding to the customizable component options of the first customizable component; receiving user input selecting a first customizable component option image corresponding to the first customizable component option.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim 41 words
The method of claim 22 , further comprising: providing an image of the first customizable component option for display on the client system in response to said receiving user input selecting the first customizable component option for the first customizable component.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim 79 words
The method of claim 22 , further comprising: the client system displaying the image of the configured computer system in response to said providing the customizable component options of the customizable components to the client system, wherein images of at least a subset of the one or more customizable components are displayed in the image of the configured computer system; wherein, for each customizable component, the customizable component options are displayed proximate to the image of the customizable component.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim 84 words
The method of claim 22 , further comprising: the client system displaying customizable component options of the customizable components in response to said providing the customizable component options of the customizable components to the client system; and the client system displaying the image of the configured computer system in response to said providing the image of the configured computer system to the client system for display, wherein the displayed image of the configured computer system visually depicts the customizable component selections of the user.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim 27 words
The method of claim 41 , wherein the customizable component selections include one or more of: display, peripheral devices, storage devices, memory size, communication type, memory type.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim 306 words
A memory medium comprising program instructions for enabling a user to configure a measurement system in an e-commerce system, wherein the e-commerce system includes a client system coupled through a network to an electronic commerce server, wherein the program instructions are executable to implement: receiving a request from a user of the client system to configure the measurement system, wherein the measurement system includes one or more customizable components, wherein at least one of the customizable components is a measurement device; providing customizable component options of the customizable components to the client system for display after receiving said request, wherein said providing the customizable component options of the measurement system includes providing an image of the measurement system to the client system for display, wherein images of at least a subset of the one or more customizable components form at least a portion of the image of the measurement system; receiving customizable component selections for at least one of the one or more customizable components of the measurement system in response to user input, wherein the customizable component selections applied to the measurement system specify a configured measurement system, wherein said receiving customizable component selections includes: receiving user input selecting an image of a first customizable component which is displayed in the image of the measurement system, wherein said receiving user input selecting the image of the first customizable component operates to select the first customizable component for configuration; and receiving user input selecting a first customizable component option for the first customizable component, wherein the user input selecting the first customizable component option comprises the customizable component selection for the first customizable component; and providing an image of the configured measurement system to the client system for display, wherein the image of the configured measurement system visually depicts the customizable component selections of the user.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim 306 words
A memory medium comprising program instructions for enabling a user to configure a measurement system in an e-commerce system, wherein the e-commerce system includes a client system coupled through a network to an electronic commerce server, wherein the program instructions are executable to implement: receiving a request from a user of the client system to configure the measurement system, wherein the measurement system includes one or more customizable components, wherein at least one of the customizable components is a measurement device; providing customizable component options of the customizable components to the client system for display after receiving said request, wherein said providing the customizable component options of the measurement system includes providing an image of the measurement system to the client system for display, wherein images of at least a subset of the one or more customizable components form at least a portion of the image of the measurement system; receiving customizable component selections for at least one of the one or more customizable components of the measurement system in response to user input, wherein the customizable component selections applied to the measurement system specify a configured measurement system, wherein said receiving customizable component selections includes: receiving user input selecting an image of a first customizable component which is displayed in the image of the measurement system, wherein said receiving user input selecting the image of the first customizable component operates to select the first customizable component for configuration; and receiving user input selecting a first customizable component option for the first customizable component, wherein the user input selecting the first customizable component option comprises the customizable component selection for the first customizable component; and providing an image of the configured measurement system to the client system for display, wherein the image of the configured measurement system visually depicts the customizable component selections of the user.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim 293 words
A memory medium comprising program instructions for enabling a user to configure a computer system in an e-commerce system, wherein the e-commerce system includes a client system coupled through a network to an electronic commerce server, wherein the program instructions are executable to implement: receiving a request from a user of the client system to purchase the computer system, wherein the computer system includes one or more customizable components; providing customizable component options of the customizable components to the client system for display after receiving said request, wherein said providing customizable component options of the computer system includes providing an image of the computer system to the client system for display, wherein images of at least a subset of the one or more customizable components form at least a portion of the image of the computer system; receiving customizable component selections for at least one of the one or more customizable components of the computer system in response to user input, wherein the customizable component selections applied to the computer system specify a configured computer system, wherein said receiving customizable component selections includes: receiving user input selecting an image of a first customizable component which is displayed in the image of the computer system, wherein said receiving user input selecting the image of the first customizable component operates to select the first customizable component for configuration; and receiving user input selecting a first customizable component option for the first customizable component, wherein the user input selecting the first customizable component option comprises the customizable component selection for the first customizable component; and providing an image of the configured computer system to the client system for display, wherein the image of the configured computer system visually depicts the customizable component selections of the user.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim 293 words
A memory medium comprising program instructions for enabling a user to configure a computer system in an e-commerce system, wherein the e-commerce system includes a client system coupled through a network to an electronic commerce server, wherein the program instructions are executable to implement: receiving a request from a user of the client system to purchase the computer system, wherein the computer system includes one or more customizable components; providing customizable component options of the customizable components to the client system for display after receiving said request, wherein said providing customizable component options of the computer system includes providing an image of the computer system to the client system for display, wherein images of at least a subset of the one or more customizable components form at least a portion of the image of the computer system; receiving customizable component selections for at least one of the one or more customizable components of the computer system in response to user input, wherein the customizable component selections applied to the computer system specify a configured computer system, wherein said receiving customizable component selections includes: receiving user input selecting an image of a first customizable component which is displayed in the image of the computer system, wherein said receiving user input selecting the image of the first customizable component operates to select the first customizable component for configuration; and receiving user input selecting a first customizable component option for the first customizable component, wherein the user input selecting the first customizable component option comprises the customizable component selection for the first customizable component; and providing an image of the configured computer system to the client system for display, wherein the image of the configured computer system visually depicts the customizable component selections of the user.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2009-01-09 2009-07-11 2010-01-10 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2013-01-09 2013-07-11 2014-01-10 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2017-01-09 2017-07-11 2018-01-10 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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