US8606642B2
Active / In Force
US
⏱️ 4.3 years remaining
Remote and/or virtual mall shopping experience
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 2011-02-01
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Granted: 2013-12-10
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Expires: 2031-02-01
Abstract
Abstract A computer-implemented method of enabling remote and/or a virtual shopping of an actual retail store is disclosed. Software provides a means of creating custom, electronic shopping mall configurations that may include a plurality of participating retail stores, each of which may be selected from a list of participating retailers. The mall's stores and walkways may be selectable to launch a remote/virtual shopping experience. Navigation is by moving a cursor to browse for desired merchandise. Remote shopping is achieved through the use of a plurality of cameras at participating stores to provide live streaming images of store merchandise for remote shopping, or a series of recorded images that permit virtual shopping. All images may be embedded with merchandise information. Holding the cursor over a merchandise image may reveal embedded information. Views obstructed by a live shopper in the live streaming image may be supplanted by the beginning-of-day stored images.
Inventors
- 👤 Constantine Siounis
- 👤 Christine Siounis
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 23:16
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06Q; G06Q30/00; G06Q30/06; G06Q30/0601; G06Q30/0641; G06Q30/0643
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
325 words
A computer program product for use in creating a combination of a remote and/or a virtual shopping experience relating to an actual retail store environment, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code configured for causing a computer system to cause the display of one or more screens configured for said remote and/or virtual shopping experience and comprising: creating a custom shopping mall configuration comprising respective icons for one or more participating retail stores, each of said one or more retail store icons in said shopping mall configuration being selectable to launch said remote/virtual shopping experience; displaying of an image received from one or more cameras configured to provide one or more visual images of the merchandise available for purchase at each of said participating retail stores, said visual images comprising a live streaming image of the merchandise available for purchase; displaying of information for each item of the merchandise available for purchase, said merchandise information being stored within a store server, said stored merchandise information being embedded with respect to a corresponding merchandise image; said remote and/or a virtual shopping experience including; creating said electronic shopping mall configuration by populating a template of one or more actual existing mall store locations by selecting from a list of the actual existing participating retail stores, selecting one or more of said icons for said respective participating retail stores from said custom shopping mall configuration, said selection of said one or more retail store icons causing said displaying of an image received from said one or more cameras for said selected participating retail store; navigating remotely around said selected store by manipulating a cursor for browsing for a desired merchandise item from among said visual images of the merchandise available for purchase; and placing of the cursor over said visual image of said desired merchandise item to reveal said embedded merchandise information.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
325 words
A computer program product for use in creating a combination of a remote and/or a virtual shopping experience relating to an actual retail store environment, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code configured for causing a computer system to cause the display of one or more screens configured for said remote and/or virtual shopping experience and comprising: creating a custom shopping mall configuration comprising respective icons for one or more participating retail stores, each of said one or more retail store icons in said shopping mall configuration being selectable to launch said remote/virtual shopping experience; displaying of an image received from one or more cameras configured to provide one or more visual images of the merchandise available for purchase at each of said participating retail stores, said visual images comprising a live streaming image of the merchandise available for purchase; displaying of information for each item of the merchandise available for purchase, said merchandise information being stored within a store server, said stored merchandise information being embedded with respect to a corresponding merchandise image; said remote and/or a virtual shopping experience including; creating said electronic shopping mall configuration by populating a template of one or more actual existing mall store locations by selecting from a list of the actual existing participating retail stores, selecting one or more of said icons for said respective participating retail stores from said custom shopping mall configuration, said selection of said one or more retail store icons causing said displaying of an image received from said one or more cameras for said selected participating retail store; navigating remotely around said selected store by manipulating a cursor for browsing for a desired merchandise item from among said visual images of the merchandise available for purchase; and placing of the cursor over said visual image of said desired merchandise item to reveal said embedded merchandise information.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
72 words
The computer program product according to claim 1 , said computer readable program code further configured for recording said visual images at a beginning of each day for said participating retail stores and storing said beginning-of-day images on said store server, and said computer readable program code further configured for said remotely navigating for said browsing for said desired merchandise item from either said live streaming images or said beginning-of-day stored images.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
The computer program product according to claim 2 , said computer readable program code further configured for supplanting said live streaming images with said beginning-of-day stored images wherein when a portion of said live streaming images of said desired merchandise item are obstructed.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
The computer program product according to claim 3 , said computer readable program code further configured for remotely offering assistance, by a customer service representative, when the cursor is held over said embedded information for said desired merchandise item.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
The computer program product according to claim 4 , said computer readable program code further configured for storing a sale sign in said embedded information and displaying said sale sign with said merchandise in said images, when said merchandise available for purchase is on sale.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
The computer program product according to claim 5 , said computer readable program coded further configured for selecting of said desired merchandise item and purchasing said desired merchandise item.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The computer program product according to claim 6 , said computer readable program code further configured for creating said custom mall configuration using an actual mall configuration.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
42 words
The computer program product according to claim 7 , said computer readable program code further configured for viewing of images from one or more cameras in one or more indoor walkways of said actual mall to permit remote browsing of said walkways.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
The computer program product according to claim 8 , said computer readable program code further configured to selecting respective icons for one or more kiosks of said actual indoor mall configuration.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2016-12-09 | 2017-06-10 | 2017-12-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2020-12-09 | 2021-06-10 | 2021-12-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2024-12-09 | 2025-06-10 | 2025-12-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |