Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TITLE: ONLINE INTERACTIVE MARKET
Field of Invention:
The present invention belong to the field of the Internet electronic commerce
and
more particularly the present invention relates to an improved online shopping
system that facilitates an interactive shopping experience for goods and
services.
Background of the Invention:
The conduct of commercial transactions has been simpiified into different
trading
modes, and is done in different ways at different time. For example, the
Barter
system in ancient time refers to exchanging goods with goods, and the
platinum,
gold, money, paper money, check, money remittance are also used as an
instrument for making payment. The trading medium has changed from fair,
store,
to mail order. As to the application of credit instruments such as a credit
card,
online shopping can be paid by credit cards, which indicates the cultural
development of mankind.
The use of computers to access data via the Internet has pervaded practically
every aspect of life today. Businesses can have offices around the world, all
connected through the Internet, allowing employees sitting in the US to work
on a
project with other co-workers in offices in other sites, and even other
countries.
Most homes have some method in place to access this same Internet, either
through the telephone lines or some form of high-speed connection such as
cable,
satellite, to name a few. With the world becoming increasingly connected, it
is
possible for individuals to do things through this ever-expanding virtual
world that
previously needed to be done in the real world.
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One specific aspect of the Internet, more widely used than most, is the World
Wide
Web. People use the Web to talk to their friends, check mail, read the paper,
and
even shop online for goods and services that used to be purchased through
"brick
and mortar" retail channels. The number of online shopping options available
to
consumers has increased dramatically over the past few years to accommodate
the growing demand for interactive online shopping. From the shopper's point
of
view, online shopping can eliminate much of the stress associated with the
more
traditional shopping experience. Moreover, online prices are generally lower
than
prices offered by retail merchants with a physical storefront as well. Given
the
current regulatory environment, most Internet purchases are also exempt from
taxes. Additionally, online shopping allows customers to quickly and easily
locate
the desired goods and/or services, perform rapid price comparisons, and
complete
their purchases, all without leaving their home or office. All of this can
create an
opportunity for shoppers to save both time and money.
It is a known fact that the internet based shopping system allows the customer
a
great pleasure, flexibility and relaxation which have proved a great success
in the
electronic shopping arena. For a number of years, shopping over the internet
has
grown increasingly popular for both business and personal use as more
merchants
offer goods and services through associated websites. Normally, with an
intemet
based shopping system, a customer accesses a website, views products and/or
services and associated specifications, chooses a product and/or service for
purchase, selects a delivery option, provides delivery and credit card payment
information and authorizes a purchase transaction.
In the recent years it is very well known that the shopping over through the
internet
has grown rapidly to a maximum extent, which has made the business and the
personal use very popular for both the buyers and sellers who offer goods and
all
other services through the websites. Generally in an intemet based shopping
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system, a user accesses a website, views products for purchase, and selects a
delivery option and payment procedures. While accessing the internet for the
electronic commerce many shopping systems provide a virtual shopping store
which holds the selected products for sale, similarly the product is kept in
the
virtual store until it is being sold out or the customer completes their
shopping. And
this virtual shopping store can examined at any time to check whether the
store is
genuinely functioning and their contents can be edited or deleted at the
option of
the customer. If the customer/buyer decides to buy a product from the virtual
office, he may print the contents of the virtual shopping store in order to
obtain a
hard copy record of the transaction.
When ordering goods, many shopping systems provide a virtual shopping cart for
holding items selected for purchase. Successive items selected for purchase
are
placed into the virtual shopping cart until a customer completes their
shopping trip.
Virtual shopping carts may be examined at any time, and their contents can be
edited or deleted at the option of the customer. Once the customer decides to
submit a purchase order, the customer may print the contents of the virtual
shopping basket in order to obtain a hard copy record of the transaction.
The relevant prior art methods, which relates to a secure online interactive
market,
are as follows:
United States Patent Application 20050033650 describes an online Gift Registry
Service provides registration of information for a gift registrant and allows
access
to the registry by potential gift giver users. In addition, users can tag
items of
interest at participating Service Provider (SP) sites and the SP sites will
register
these items with the Gift Registry Service on the usees behalf. It further
provides a
streamlined checkout process for purchasing these gift items with the
registered
SP sites (e.g. World Wide Web sites) over a distributed public network. Users
and
Service Providers (SP) initially register with the Gift Registry Service and
are
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provided additional functionality. For users, a reminder service is provided
to notify
individuals automatically upon the trigger of certain events, such as
important
dates or product sales from online merchants. In addition, there are various
occasion planning services available such as distribution lists, discussion
groups,
and other related resources for multiple events including weddings, baby
showers,
etc. These other resources include sending out announcements, reserving halls,
and contracting services of related businesses for the occasion. A distinct
advantage of this system is that users can perform all the planning for the
event
online in the comfort of their home or office. Service Providers on the other
hand,
can register system notification messages to be triggered on pre-determined
events. In addition, Service Providers can obtain marketing information to
tailor
their products and services.
United States Patent Application 20010054013 discloses a method for operating
databases in an electronic commerce business system and a computer-readable
recording medium of storing programs for realizing the method. 2. Technical
subject the invention tends to solve The present invention provides a goods
sale
method in the internet electronic commerce business of performing goods sales
in
types customers wish by individually and systematically managing databases of
various goods, and a computer-readable recording medium of storing programs
for
realizing the method. 3. Gist in a solution method of the invention The
present
invention comprises steps of (1) building an option-type goods database for
option-type goods saleable in option; (2) building an option items database
for
respective constituents consisting of the respective option-type goods; (3)
building
an option items classification database for options substantially saleable as
to the
respective option items; and (4) providing information on the respective
databases
to users who connect to a service-providing server through a network, and
completing deals in option-type goods by considering respective options
selected
by the users. 4. Important use of the invention. The present invention is used
for
the internet electronic commerce business and the like.
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United States Patent Application 20030055745 relates to an electronic commerce
system using live images of virtual space on the internet and a method of
utilizing
the same, in which an online shopping mall is established by inputting live
images
captured by a plurality of cameras set up in an actual shopping mall and
mapping
link information in the live images, so that consumers can directly
participate in
electronic commercial transactions, communicating with sales clerks of the
live
images by phone or computer on the interact as well as checking around market
situations on the real-time basis.
In United States Patent Application 20010029472 an anonymous purchase and
sale system applicable to online shopping using computers between a purchaser
and a salesperson is actualized by an anonymous purchase and sale
management server, a purchaser terminal device, a salesperson terminal device,
an anonymous settlement server and an anonymous delivery system, all of which
are linked together via a network. Herein, the anonymous purchase and sale
management server activates a commodity sales processor and an analyzer in
connection with a sales history storage device, a purchaser's preference
storage
device and a commodity information storage device. Receiving purchase request
information from a purchaser terminal device, the commodity sales processor
retrieves from all items of commodity information stored in the commodity
information storage device, at least one item of the commodity information
that
suits to the purchase request information. The purchaser selects a desired
item
from the retrieved commodity information to send purchasing commodity
specifying information to the server, wherein the commodity sales processor
generates an order ID. A pair of the order ID and purchasing commodity
specifying
information are sent to the purchaser terminal device and salesperson terminal
device, thus allowing payment of a value for the commodity over the anonymous
settlement sever and delivery of the commodity over the anonymous delivery
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system in connection with the order ID. The purchasing commodity specifying
information and purchase request information are respectively registered with
the
sales history storage device and purchaser's preference storage device for use
in
provision of information and analysis results for the salesperson.
United States Patent Application 20020156688 relates to a comprehensive system
that effectuates global electronic commerce on the Internet across frontiers
of
nations, cultures, and languages. Referral Websites serving various locales
offer
Buyers the opportunity to view products for purchase. A Buyer selects
categories
of products for viewing by using drop-down menus that organize products into a
clear taxonomy that can be expressed across all languages. Having selected a
category of products for viewing, a Buyer receives, from a multi-version
relational
database, a version of marketing information about each product. The version
is
one automatically sent from the database to match the Buyer's language,
culture,
and nationality, as deduced from the use of a particular Referral Website. A
shopping cart allows Buyers to select a product for purchase in an interactive
way
that encourages completion of the purchase. Products can be offered with
custom
options and in wholesale quantities. Personalized Web pages allow
comprehensive customer service after a sale.
United States Patent Application 20070088615 relates to a system and method
that can provide a system and method that manage both an online store and
physical stores utilizing dual-interfaces general-purpose computers. The
present
invention utilizes a centralized database for managing both an online store
and
physical stores. The management functionalities for the online store and the
physical stores are integrated into one system. In order to utilize the
benefits of
both a general-purpose computer interface and a POS-style interface, and avoid
their disadvantages at the same time, dual interfaces are used in the present
invention. A POS-style interface is used to perform easy daily operations,
while a
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general-purpose computer interface is used to perform complicated management
tasks and other general-purpose computer tasks.
United States Patent Application 20020023009 provides a method of giving
gifted
goods utilizing communication networks in which gift senders or gift
recipients
register information on gift recipients related to gift recipients in the
server of gift
dealers handling gifts. Gift dealers handling gifts provide the information on
preferable goods related to preferable gifted goods to gift senders based on
the
information on gift recipients. Gift senders select and give gifted goods to
gift
recipients based on the information on gift recipients. Based on the
information on
gift senders and gift recipients or the messages exchanged by users in the
virtual
space, the virtual stores are prepared, and by giving the gifted goods in the
virtual
space, the gifts are given in reality.
United States Patent Application No: 20020072974 discloses a ShopLive system
that supports existing merchants and malls to better serve customers by
providing
easy access to merchandise and sales assistants over a communication network
to display items and to provide expert information on products. The shopping
experience is enhanced by tokens to allow ease of shopping and checkout. Items
purchased that need installation or service or supported by accessing live
experts.
Direct connection to service providers is available over the network. If a
shopper
does not find the desired merchandise they are referred to another merchant
who
has the product and the referring merchants receives a commission or other
consideration.
United States Patent Application 20070186238 describes a system for providing
first person, streamed video data to a prospective purchaser to create a
realistic
shopping experience on-line, consists of or includes receiving data from a
user
designating a shopping area, presenting to the user video data streams of the
selected area, receiving navigation commands from the user to modify the
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streams, creating for the user the appearance of moving through the selected
area, whereby the user may select a store, and likewise receive video data
streams for shopping within the store, and for selecting products.
United States Patent Application No: 20040230676 discloses a knowledge
network and semcards enabling intelligent matching of offers and requests,
involving all types of information and knowledge, including information such
as
classified ads, data about products and services, or knowledge, expertise,
ideas,
suggestions, opinions, and other forms of tacit knowledge is described. The
invention is capable of intelligent matching of offers and requests, involving
all
types of knowledge: information, ideas, suggestions, opinions, products,
services,
jobs, events, people, skills, etc, using semcards and semcard-like structures,
creating a bi-directional marketplace on the Internet, desktop or intranet.
The
invention enables parties to search and do marketing in the same way, in the
same environment. A semcard can be designated as an offer or a request. When
the semcard has been specified to the user's satisfaction it can be test-
posted.
Using semantic routing, semcards that represent offers, requests, and queries,
can be routed semantically between nodes on the network. The routing profile
describes salient features of the semcard, as deemed necessary for supporting
efficient routing of semcards. Collections of semcards can also be matched or
compared in a knowledge network. Users can also create new semcard templates
or extend the ontology, and share these extensions with other users in the
network. In another aspect of the invention, the semcard management
application
provides statistics on phenomena such as supply and demand trends for
particular
types of offers, requests and semcards, number of users with a particular
interest
profiles, number of potential matches for particular advertisements, and
distribution of the user population along multiple dimensions.
United States Patent Application No: 20040034607 describes trusted contract
enforcement in the context of an electronic marketplace infrastructure. In
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particular, it describes the model and the component for mediated service
delivery
developed by the applicant. The presented solution is based on the concept of
externalisation for service consumer views of the business processes of
service
providers.
United States Patent Application No: 20050171862 includes a method for
transacting business over a network between multiple buyers and sellers. In an
exemplary embodiment, the invention operates within an improved extranet
system which is a secure, limited access network which operates within the
larger
public packet switched network (Intemet) and allows only registered buyers and
sellers to access the website while the system communicates with, and takes
advantage of, existing credit, billing, collection, clearinghouse, insurance,
transportation, tracking and banking systems. The interactive database
includes
real-time information in connection with a transaction, where the buyer
submits a
request for product and the request for the product locks out the requested
product
from selection by any other buyers.
United States Patent Application No: 20050171862 discloses a system for
enhancing trust in transactions, most particularly in remote transactions
between a
plurality of transactional parties, for instance a seller and buyer(s) of
goods and/or
services over a public computer network such as the internet. Trust is
disclosed to
be a multivalent commodity, in that the trust that is to be enhanced relates
to
information about the subject matter of the transactions (e.g., the
suitability of the
goods and services sold), the bona fides of the supplier of the goods and
services,
the appropriateness of a pricing structure for a particular transaction or
series of
transactions, a quantum of additional transactional value that may be imparted
to
the transactional relationship, security of information exchange, etc. An
important
contributor to trust for such aspects of the transaction is disclosed to be
the use of
highly-secure steganographic computer processing means for data
identification,
authentication, and transmission, such that confidence in the transaction
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components is enhanced. By providing an integrated multivalent system for
enhancing trust across a variety of categories (for a variety of transaction
species,
including those in which the need for trust is greater on the part of one
party than
of another, as well as those in which both require substantial trust
enhancement),
the invention reduces barriers to forming and optimizing transactional
relationships.
United States Patent No: 6,850,900 provides an internet based or locally
hosted
business to business full service secure commercial electronic marketplace
which
facilitates transactions between suppliers and buyers. The system transforms
the
suppliers' content into generic content and enables the suppliers to review,
correct
and update the supplier content. The system distributes the content back to
the
supplier and to selected buyers in a generic and usable format across multiple
forums. The system further provides multiple levels of sourcing for the
suppliers
and buyers including a private on-contract sourcing level, a, private off-
contract
sourcing level, a private index off-contract sourcing level, a private
supplier or
seller sourcing level, a public buyer sourcing level, and content distribution
for buy
side sourcing levels, supply side sourcing levels, multi-buyer exchanges and
multi-
supplier exchanges.
However the online shopping model has a limited success while delivering the
goods and customers are very often not satisfied for shopping using an online
or
internet system. For example, if the seller wants to access the online
shopping
portal he needs to go through a series of steps and get signed up to a new
interface which actually allows him to access to a personalized control panel.
Again the current search techniques used by most online vendors require that
the
user input their entire search request, strike a key to indicate they've
finished
entering the search parameters, then wait for any possible matching products.
If
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there are no products, the consumer must try to create a new search request,
and
then wait again resulting in delay time.
Again the online shopping service is usually limited to a few goods and does
not
fulfill all the needs of the customer including need for various kinds of
services.
Hence, the customer often is not satisfied in using the online shopping
system.
Again the ambience of real stores and offices is not matched by the online
shopping experience and certainly does not parallel the full sensory
experience of
visiting a real store or office.
There should be a utility model which makes very convenient and comprehensive
search method and thus a common interface for linking both the sellers and
buyers by simply using the personalized domain name to directly access the
online virtual office/store.
Thus even though the existing variations of online shopping are not without
merit,
the present variations of online shopping have one or more significant
drawbacks,
such as search methodology and data access limitations, disjointed information
presentation, or the like. In these situations and with the current
technology,
additional opportunities for the streamlined processing of online shopping
transactions are similarly limited and lack significant potential for growth
and
widespread adoption. In order to improve the customer satisfaction in the
electronic commerce there is a need for an improved and more flexible item
delivery system. There is a further need for an improved and more flexible
delivery
or service window capability. Additionally, there is a need in the art for a
visual
presentation of the shops and offices that offer their good and services
online in
the online shopping portal.
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Summary of Invention:
The invention described herein describes a method that provides worldwide
business promotion & accessibility.
Generally speaking, exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a
method and system for maintaining portable virtual offices & stores by i)
constructing a product and service database systematically and in real time,
in
such a manner that a user interface for inputting product and service
information
systematically is provided to a seller / subscriber and procedures of
registering
the product or service are performed and ii) if the product or service is
selected by
a buyer, reflecting information associated with the seller or the product or
service
in the product database systematically and in real time.
According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, there is a
method
and system for minimal cost (subscription fee for online virtual offices &
store)
involved in the process and minimal time spent, unlike physical offices &
stores.
A further embodiment of the present invention provide a method and system that
involves a very convenient & comprehensive search method by using the online
shopping portal's geographic index & product categories to locate existing
online
virtual offices, stores and products in any desired city.
Yet another embodiment of the present invention provide a method and system
for
that enables enhanced suitability for practicing business persons and
professionals to conduct business due to elaborate search tools and
interactive
features.
Detailed Description of the Invention
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The description of the invention is presented to enable any person skilled in
the art
to make and use the invention, and the working of the invention is displayed
as
follows.
The present invention comprises two essential requirements for the actual
functioning of the invention and they are the seller/subscriber and the buyer.
The seller I subscriber
1. Signs up - As the present invention relates to the online shopping market,
the
seller who wants to do business through the internet has to sign up on the
online
shopping portal.
2. Gets access to a personalized control panel to customize the online virtual
office & store - The seller will be provided with username and password of his
choice, and after the sign up process is over he gets access to a personalized
control panel.
3. Receives a subdomain or a nonexclusive domain name ( online office & store
number), to access the online office or store - the subscriber/seller receives
either
a subdomain or a nonexclusive domain name (both domains are added with online
office or store numbers and integrated with the main domain name of the
website),
to access the online ofrice or store - the seller will be provided with a
subdomain or
nonexclusive domain in the personalized control panel and this will allow the
seller
and the buyer a direct access to the online virtual office or store with out
the
search method. also the seller may use a pre-owned exclusive domain name or
numbers to access online virtual office and store, but at the same time the
exclusive domain name or numbers will be redirected to the subdomain or
nonexclusive domain (describe above) of the website
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4. Edits and customizes the online office or store and uploads images & videos
-
After receiving the personalized domain name from the online shopping portal
the
seller/subscriber can do any kind of designs works, post product or service
information or can edit and customize his virtual office and store. The
product or
service information may include information on a price or fees of the product
or
service, a category thereof, image data thereof, whether an after-sale service
thereof is paid or free, size or color thereof, the number thereof, a delivery
method
thereof and a registration date thereof and whether a gift or a point is
offered to a
purchaser of the product or service, a payment method of the product or
service
(whether a credit card or a payment by installment is available) and the like.
Designing the virtual office and store by using and choosing different colors
and
shades provided in the personalized control panel and similarly editing part
like
editing the business and personal profile and descriptions of products and
services
and providing contact information such as address, phone etc., and all these
newly
edited items will be displayed in the online virtual office and store.
Similarly
customizing the size, style and color of the fonts, rewriting of profiles,
products and
services, re uploading the images and videos and changing the colors and
shades
of online virtual office and store can also be done. And all these works can
be
done by using the demo and instructions provided in the personalized control
panel.
5. Chooses desired country, city and product category - The seller/subscriber
chooses the country, city location from a provided list of countries and
cities for
online virtual office and store. After selecting the country and city location
the
seller/subscriber has. to select the product category. The proceeding online
shopping portal offers its five main categories such as Health business
education,
professional entertainment and each of these categories has its sub categories
such as doctor, lawyer, tutor, DJ, etc., to select from the listed events, the
seller
may select numerous product categories that are relating to his business.
Generally this process of choosing of country, city and product category will
allow
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and assist the buyer/public to search effectively and also helps to locate the
online
virtual offices and stores by using the the online shopping portal's
geographic
index and product categories. For instance if a seller/subscriber selects the
country of USA, the fields may be displayed as CITY-NEWYORK, CATEGORY-
BUSINESS, SUBCATEGORY-TEXTILES & PERFUMES.
Similarly when a buyer/public from India or abroad searches for textiles and
perfumes in USA - NEWYORK, it will give a link to the seller/subscriber's
virtual
office or store which would show up among the other results for online virtual
office
and stores.
After subscription, the online office or store become viewable for the buyer /
public
on the online shopping portal, however, since the sign up is free, the online
office
or store can be designed , edited and customized within the personal control
panel
after just signing up. After the subscription process as described above
becomes
viewable to public, the seller I subscriber call seli products and services,
choose
the payment and shipping method by mutual agreement between buyer and seller.
The buyer:
1. Logs into the online shopping portal and searches for online office or
store
through the geographic index. The buyer also can directly access the online
office
or store (with out the search method) by simply using the sub domain and
exclusive domain name provided to seller/subscriber by the online shopping
portal
after signing up, that can be provided to buyer / public by the seller /
subscriber.
2. Selects a product or service category - The online shopping portal search
enables the buyer to search for the product or service by a keyword-oriented
searching method. In case that a search query is received as above, the online
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shopping portal searches for a product or service corresponding to the search
query and generates a search result list for the searched product or service.
3. Receives the search results for existing online offices or stores to choose
from
In future, there is a great potential for this business method to become an
organized and comprehensive search facility (online virtual offices & stores
directory) for consumers to locate the national and international online
virtual
offices & stores that offer all the main business within the online shopping
portal.
In this application, the terminology `embodiment' can be used to describe any
aspect, feature, process or step, any combination thereof, and/or any portion
thereof, etc. While the invention has been described in connection with
specific
embodiments thereof, it will be understood that it is capable of further
modifications and this application is intended to cover any variations, uses
or
adaptations of the invention following, in general, the principles of the
invention
and including such departures from the present disclosure come within known or
customary practice within the art to which the invention pertains and may be
applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forth.
