WO2006044867A2 - System and method for dynamic e-commerce shopping icons - Google Patents
System and method for dynamic e-commerce shopping icons Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO2006044867A2 WO2006044867A2 PCT/US2005/037388 US2005037388W WO2006044867A2 WO 2006044867 A2 WO2006044867 A2 WO 2006044867A2 US 2005037388 W US2005037388 W US 2005037388W WO 2006044867 A2 WO2006044867 A2 WO 2006044867A2
- Authority
- WO
- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- icon
- web page
- item
- state
- user
- Prior art date
Links
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06Q30/00—Commerce
- G06Q30/06—Buying, selling or leasing transactions
- G06Q30/0601—Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
- G06Q30/0603—Catalogue ordering
Definitions
- the present invention relates to computer icons and more particularly to a dynamic icon that is operable for use in e-commerce applications.
- GUI graphical user interface
- An icon comprises an image that is displayed on the desktop, or within another window, and represents a particular object or initiates a specific action. For instance, an icon may initiate a purchase routine, act as a hyperlink, represent a file containing data or a program, be employed to represent a window that has been closed or minimized, container objects such as folders, and computer resources such as disk drives and printers. Selecting an icon, for example by means of a mouse or other cursor control device, enables the user to access the information or resource represented by that icon.
- Amazon.com ® sells products via the Internet.
- Amazon.com ® when a user decides to purchase an item, first, the user must find the button for placing an item in the user's cart.
- the button for placing items in the user's cart on Amazon.com ® appears on the upper right hand side of the Web page below the Amazon.com ® menu bar.
- Other Web sites place the button for placing an item in the user's cart in other places on the page so a purchaser has to search the page to purchase an item. If a user gets frustrated searching for the means to buy the desired item in most instances, the sale is lost.
- the present invention solves the problems in the prior art by providing an improved icon that depicting adding an item to the shopping receptacle.
- the improved icon calls attention to itself as the mechanism by which the user is to place an item into the shopping cart and to provide immediate and graphical feedback that the item has been placed in the cart.
- the user is not presented with a shopping cart page.
- an easily identifiable flyover icon is placed on or near a visual depiction of an item to be ordered from an e-commerce Web site.
- the icon is a variation on an icon typically used by the Web site to indicate the shopping receptacle such as a shopping cart, shopping bag, shopping basket, or the like.
- the icon of the present invention preferably represents the placement of an item into the receptacle using standard graphical devices such as one or more arrows, other conventional suggestions of motion such as are used in cartoons and other drawings, and actual animation. Placement is represented using standard graphical devices such arrows, other suggestions of motion such as are those used in cartoons and other drawings, animation, and the like.
- the depiction of the icon or its background is altered to indicate the state of the system.
- the icon is used to designate activity taking place in the system.
- the colors in the depiction of the icon may become more or less saturated, or change entirely or the icon may be altered from three-dimensional to two-dimensional.
- the animation suggests movement of the arrow toward the shopping receptacle.
- the animation consists of the arrow moving toward the shopping receptacle, the tail of the arrow gradually shortening or becoming less evident, one or more generic objects (suggesting items to be selected) moving into the shopping receptacle, or generic objects jumping directly into the shopping receptacle, without any apparent intermediate locations, or the like.
- the user clicks on the icon to place the item or items indicated into the shopping receptacle, the user receives feedback in one or more of the following ways: a sound is made, the icon changes, the item's background changes, a new graphical element is introduced into the icon, or the like.
- the appearance of the icon changes in one or more ways.
- the arrow or other graphical suggestion of motion is removed entirely or made less evident, by lightening its color, making it apparently transparent, or the like. If the any part of the icon was depicted against a distinctive background, the appearance of that background may change, such as color, outline, or the like.
- the color of the shopping receptacle changes, the appearance of the shopping receptacle changes, if the icon showed one or more items apparently outside the shopping receptacle, it no longer does so, the shopping receptacle appears to contain one or more items in one or more ways the item or items are wholly or partially visible via the open top of the receptacle, the item or items are wholly or partially visible through holes in the shopping receptacle, the item or items are partially visible through the apparently transparent surface of the shopping receptacle, the item or items in the receptacle is suggested by the appearance of one or more bulges, outlines, sagging, or other conventional depiction of a full container, the number of item or items in the receptacle is shown in or near the receptacle, or the like.
- FIG. 1 is a depiction of a Web page embodying the inventive icon
- Fig. 2 depicts one embodiment of the inventive icon in its quiescent state
- FIG. 3A-3C depict one embodiment of the inventive icon in its activated state
- Figs. 4A-4G depict one embodiment of the inventive icon in its performance state
- Fig. 5 depicts one embodiment of the inventive icon in its updated quiescent state
- Figs. 6A-6L depict adding an item to a shopping cart
- Fig. 7 depicts various icons for use with the inventive concept.
- Fig. 8 depicts a system according to the present invention.
- a virtual shopping receptacle is included and may further include various techniques for selection, such as shopping carts, wish lists, bridal registries, or the like.
- Figure 1 depicts a Web page having an icon according to the present invention in its quiescent state.
- Web page 10 hosted on a server, includes items such as navigation tabs 12, an index of goods 14, a specific item 16, a description 18 of the item 16, and an icon or button 20 for initiating the purchasing process.
- Icon 20 is located on or near item 16. The user does not have to search the Web page to find the icon 20 to place the item in a shopping cart because preferably, it is adjacent to the item 16. In another embodiment, icon 20 overlaps item 16. In yet another embodiment, icon 20 is near the description 18.
- Figure 1 shows only one item 16. However, multiple items can be displayed on web page 10. In one embodiment, each item has its own icon or button 20 for initiating the purchasing process. Any changes to icon or button 20 for a first item would not affect an icon associated with another item. In another embodiment, multiple items are displayed with only a single icon or button 20 for initiating the purchasing process, hi this embodiment, the item to be purchased is dragged to the icon.
- icon 20 When Web page 10 first loads in a user's browser, icon 20 is in its quiescent state. In the quiescent state, icon 20 is static, as depicted in Fig. 2. Icon 20 preferably resembles a shopping cart or other easily recognizable shopping receptacle. Icon 20 preferably has an arrow 2OA or other designator indicating that it is used for adding the item to the shopping cart, hi its quiescent state, icon 20 and arrow 2OA are a first color.
- an item or items to be placed into the shopping receptacle is included in the icon 20.
- the item or items are small depictions of the actual item or items, or a generic object or objects. For example, as shown in Fig. 1, when the item is a shirt, the small item or items are depicted in the shape a shirt. In another embodiment, the small depiction may also depict or suggest the actual color or pattern of the item being viewed.
- icon 20 When the user moves cursor 22 over icon 20, icon 20 enters its second state, an activated state as shown in Fig. 3. In the activated state, icon 20 changes in appearance by changing in color, size, animates, or the like. In a preferred embodiment, when cursor 22 moves on or near icon 20, icon 20 changes by having arrow 2OA extending to the shopping cart as shown in Figs. 3 A-3C. In another embodiment, the arrow 2OA begins moving and icon 20 and arrow 2OA change color. Alternatively, icon 20 and arrow 2OA change to different colors and arrow 2OA cycles through at least two different colors to indicate that icon 20 is used to place the item being viewed into the shopping cart.
- arrow 2OA can be animated and simultaneously change colors to designate the activated state.
- a generic box, miniature item 16, or other animation can be used to simulate items moving towards the cart.
- the icon enters a third state, the purchase, or action state.
- the user receives an audio cue that icon 20 was clicked.
- the icon's designated activity such as adding the item to the user's cart or registry takes place.
- the icon depicts placing an item in the cart.
- the user may also enter the action state by placing an item into the cart by "dragging and dropping" the larger depiction or small depiction of the item into the cart.
- arrow 2OA continues the movement began in the activated state, hi the action state, in a first embodiment, the arrow 2OA continues its movement into the shopping cart as shown in Figs. 4A-4C.
- the icon 20 changes color to designate a state change.
- the icon's animation changes. The icon 20 develops a ring 24, flashes, emits fireworks, expands, or has some other visual change to denote the purchase is proceeding. Additionally, cart 26 changes to depict that it is full. Once the purchase routine is complete, the icon animation ceases as shown in Fig. 4G.
- arrow 2OA begins moving into the basket as shown in Figs. 4A-4C. While the arrow is moving into the basket, the browser is sending a request to the server hosting the web page 10 to add item 16 to the user's shopping cart. Once the browser receives acknowledgment that the item has been placed in the user's shopping cart, a starburst or other visual indicator is displayed, as shown in Figs. 4D-4F. Additionally, the cart preferably is shown as being full. Once the transaction is complete, as shown in Figs. 4G, the icon returns to a quiescent state showing the cart as full.
- a pulldown menu is used to vary the quantity of the item purchased. Even if the user has already placed an item or items into the shopping receptacle and the appearance of the icon has changed, the user can continue to click on the receptacle to add the same item and the system responds by providing appropriate feedback. If the number of items is depicted in or near the receptacle, the number is altered appropriately to display the current quantity of the selected item in the cart.
- the depiction of the item 16 or its background is also altered.
- the colors in the depiction of the item 16 may become more or less saturated; if the item was depicted in color, it may be depicted in black-and-white, grayscale, or a smaller number or range of colors; the depiction of the item may be less detailed; the depiction of the item maybe altered from three-dimensional to two-dimensional; the depiction may be altered from photographic to cartoon; text indicating that the item was purchased or selected (such as, for example, "SOLD”, “SELECTED”, “PURCHASED”, “TAKEN”, etc.) may appear near or over the depiction of the item.
- the appearance of the background behind the depiction of the item changes, such as in color, outline, or the like.
- the icon 20 enters a fourth state, an updated quiescent state.
- the cart is preferably depicted as being full. Additionally, in a preferred embodiment, icon 20 changes color.
- the purchase is complete i.e., the user completes a checkout process
- icon 20 is displayed in the fourth state indicating that item 16 has been added to the user's cart
- hi the preferred embodiment after icon 20 enters the fourth state, it does not enter either of the first two states, hi one embodiment, there is a button to get a review of the items in the cart.
- Figs. 6A-6L depict adding an item 16 to a shopping cart according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.
- Fig. 6a depicts icon 20 in its quiescent state.
- cursor 22 overlaps or comes within a specified distance to icon 20, icon 20 enters the second state.
- icon 20 enters the second state.
- it visually entices a user to place an item into the cart as shown in Figs. 6A-6D. If the user then clicks on the icon 20 or drags item 16 into the cart, the icon enters the third state, shown in Figs. 6E-6K, and the cart is depicted as being filled.
- the second quiescent state is entered as shown in Fig. 6L.
- Fig. 6 A the system is in a quiescent state awaiting action by a user.
- the icon changes, as shown in Figs. 6B-6D, notifying the user that icon 20 is the means to add item 16 to the user's cart.
- Figs. 6E-6G the user clicks icon 20 a message is sent to add item 16 to the user's cart.
- Icon 20 visually displays that the item is being added to the cart, as shown in Figs. 6E-6G, thereby notifying the user that the add item message has been sent.
- a second cue is presented to the user thereby confirming that the item was added to the cart, as shown in Figs. 6I-6K.
- the user is, in a preferred embodiment, notified of the system state at each step of the process.
- web page 10 requires fewer resources than a prior art e- commerce Web pages.
- a separate Web page was displayed to indicate the state of the system.
- network traffic is minimized because information regarding the icon state is transmitted instead of an entire Web page.
- the user is presented with immediate feedback that an item is being placed in the cart and visual display provides feedback regarding the state of the system.
- a separate page to verify placement of an item in the user's cart can be presented to the user.
- receptacles include a shopping cart, a shopping bag, a shopping basket, a box, an envelope, a truck, a plane, or the like, hi one embodiment, multiple icons appear on or near each item. Each icon represents not only the user's shopping cart, but also the preferred shipping method. In other words, a mailbox can appear for standard shipping and an airplane can appear for overnight or expedited delivery.
- the icon operates in a system where the icon is responsive to a user's activity on a web page.
- a typical system is shown in Fig. 8.
- the multistate icon can be used in a centralized system.
- the system includes an icon display code module, stored in a computer readable medium, to process a plurality of icon display instructions associated with the web page.
- the icon display code module and web page 10 are hosted by server 30.
- server 30 When a user 34 accesses web page 10, a request is sent to server 30 to provide web page 10 and its associated active icon.
- icon display instructions are processed in response to user's activity.
- the activity includes selecting an item on the web page 10.
- the icon display code module provides the distinct icon states.
- the states include a first quiescent state indicating no activity relative to the icon, a second active state indicating that an icon is available for selection; and a third action state indicating that a process associated with the icon is proceeding.
Abstract
Description
Claims
Priority Applications (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
EP05812018A EP1817733A2 (en) | 2004-10-19 | 2005-10-19 | System and method for dynamic e-commerce shopping icons |
CA002584786A CA2584786A1 (en) | 2004-10-19 | 2005-10-19 | System and method for dynamic e-commerce shopping icons |
AU2005295448A AU2005295448A1 (en) | 2004-10-19 | 2005-10-19 | System and method for dynamic e-commerce shopping icons |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US61997604P | 2004-10-19 | 2004-10-19 | |
US60/619,976 | 2004-10-19 |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
WO2006044867A2 true WO2006044867A2 (en) | 2006-04-27 |
WO2006044867A3 WO2006044867A3 (en) | 2007-03-22 |
Family
ID=36203658
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/US2005/037388 WO2006044867A2 (en) | 2004-10-19 | 2005-10-19 | System and method for dynamic e-commerce shopping icons |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP1817733A2 (en) |
AU (1) | AU2005295448A1 (en) |
CA (1) | CA2584786A1 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2006044867A2 (en) |
Citations (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20020123368A1 (en) * | 2001-03-02 | 2002-09-05 | Hitoshi Yamadera | Pocket telephone |
US6901557B1 (en) * | 2000-02-25 | 2005-05-31 | Intel Corporation | State/activity indication using icons on an LCD |
US20050120046A1 (en) * | 2003-12-02 | 2005-06-02 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | User interaction and operation-parameter determination system and operation-parameter determination method |
US20060005133A1 (en) * | 2004-06-30 | 2006-01-05 | International Business Machines Corporation | Graphical representation of the availability of an instant messaging user for communication |
-
2005
- 2005-10-19 WO PCT/US2005/037388 patent/WO2006044867A2/en active Application Filing
- 2005-10-19 EP EP05812018A patent/EP1817733A2/en not_active Withdrawn
- 2005-10-19 CA CA002584786A patent/CA2584786A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2005-10-19 AU AU2005295448A patent/AU2005295448A1/en not_active Abandoned
Patent Citations (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US6901557B1 (en) * | 2000-02-25 | 2005-05-31 | Intel Corporation | State/activity indication using icons on an LCD |
US20020123368A1 (en) * | 2001-03-02 | 2002-09-05 | Hitoshi Yamadera | Pocket telephone |
US20050120046A1 (en) * | 2003-12-02 | 2005-06-02 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | User interaction and operation-parameter determination system and operation-parameter determination method |
US20060005133A1 (en) * | 2004-06-30 | 2006-01-05 | International Business Machines Corporation | Graphical representation of the availability of an instant messaging user for communication |
Non-Patent Citations (2)
Title |
---|
JONES T. ET AL.: 'Architecture for Conveying Important Information using Animation' IBM TECH. DIS. BULL. vol. 37, no. 7, July 1994, pages 657 - 658, XP013101297 * |
KROPFF C.J. ET AL.: 'Using an Icon to Represent Present State and Future State' IBM TECH. DIS. BULL. vol. 39, no. 11, November 1996, page 219, XP013106218 * |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
AU2005295448A1 (en) | 2006-04-27 |
WO2006044867A3 (en) | 2007-03-22 |
CA2584786A1 (en) | 2006-04-27 |
EP1817733A2 (en) | 2007-08-15 |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
US20060122916A1 (en) | System and method for dynamic e-commerce shopping icons | |
CA2824165C (en) | Virtual packaging and electronic gifting system and methodology | |
US20130110671A1 (en) | Methods and systems for online shopping incorporating dashboard features | |
US8689124B2 (en) | Method, medium, and system for simplifying user management of products during online shopping | |
US7181684B2 (en) | Dynamic tree control system | |
Morris | Android user interface development | |
EP2843610A1 (en) | A method and a system for displaying a plurality of items within a graphical interface | |
US20100115471A1 (en) | Multidimensional widgets | |
US11756109B2 (en) | System and method for providing a portable and interactive storefront | |
US6928623B1 (en) | Method and system for selecting a target window for automatic fill-in | |
WO2011106727A2 (en) | Smooth layout animation of visuals | |
CA2681697A1 (en) | Methods and systems for online shopping | |
EP2218043A2 (en) | On-line payment transactions | |
US20140129932A1 (en) | Interactive digital catalogs for touch-screen devices | |
US20060225091A1 (en) | Customizing and personalizing views in content aggregation frameworks | |
US8121900B1 (en) | Facilitating review of products considered for purchase | |
TWI539397B (en) | A browsing device, a display control method, a recording medium, and a program | |
IL229139A (en) | Navigation user interface in support of page-focused, touch - or gesture-based browsing experience | |
JP5041530B2 (en) | Product sales system | |
CN113722630B (en) | Method and equipment for presenting resource data in web page based on client rendering | |
WO2006044867A2 (en) | System and method for dynamic e-commerce shopping icons | |
JP2006302152A (en) | Commodity graphics selector | |
CN105094547B (en) | Information interacting method and device based on input method background information | |
US20040012639A1 (en) | Prototype page for simulating navigation in computer programs | |
Jackson et al. | Android Design Patterns: UI Design Paradigms |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
AK | Designated states |
Kind code of ref document: A2 Designated state(s): AE AG AL AM AT AU AZ BA BB BG BR BW BY BZ CA CH CN CO CR CU CZ DE DK DM DZ EC EE EG ES FI GB GD GE GH GM HR HU ID IL IN IS JP KE KG KM KP KR KZ LC LK LR LS LT LU LV LY MA MD MG MK MN MW MX MZ NA NG NI NO NZ OM PG PH PL PT RO RU SC SD SE SG SK SL SM SY TJ TM TN TR TT TZ UA UG US UZ VC VN YU ZA ZM ZW |
|
AL | Designated countries for regional patents |
Kind code of ref document: A2 Designated state(s): BW GH GM KE LS MW MZ NA SD SL SZ TZ UG ZM ZW AM AZ BY KG KZ MD RU TJ TM AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IS IT LT LU LV MC NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR BF BJ CF CG CI CM GA GN GQ GW ML MR NE SN TD TG |
|
121 | Ep: the epo has been informed by wipo that ep was designated in this application | ||
WWE | Wipo information: entry into national phase |
Ref document number: 2584786 Country of ref document: CA |
|
NENP | Non-entry into the national phase in: |
Ref country code: DE |
|
WWE | Wipo information: entry into national phase |
Ref document number: 2005295448 Country of ref document: AU |
|
WWE | Wipo information: entry into national phase |
Ref document number: 2005812018 Country of ref document: EP |
|
ENP | Entry into the national phase in: |
Ref document number: 2005295448 Country of ref document: AU Date of ref document: 20051019 Kind code of ref document: A |
|
WWP | Wipo information: published in national office |
Ref document number: 2005812018 Country of ref document: EP |