WO2015057840A1 - Systems and methods for providing product price information on a mobile device - Google Patents
Systems and methods for providing product price information on a mobile device Download PDFInfo
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- WO2015057840A1 WO2015057840A1 PCT/US2014/060695 US2014060695W WO2015057840A1 WO 2015057840 A1 WO2015057840 A1 WO 2015057840A1 US 2014060695 W US2014060695 W US 2014060695W WO 2015057840 A1 WO2015057840 A1 WO 2015057840A1
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- 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
Definitions
- the present invention relates to systems and methods for providing multiple vendor product price information and single source checkout options to a user on a mobile device.
- the invention provides methods of providing a downloadable product search too! for a user's mobile device such that a user can search for one or more products on a mobile device and obtain the best product price on the user's mobile device from any partner vendor and checkout with products from any partner vendor with a single checkout option.
- the present invention further includes steps for providing notifications and menu's of products of interest to a user and real-time price checks, so that a user can easily review up to date product and service prices and checkout in a single, easy step.
- Methods and systems for single checkout options of multiple products obtained from multiple browser searches, from partnered vendors is an additional unique feature of the embodiments of the present invention. Further, embodiments of the present invention allow for ease of checkout of multiple vendor products using alternative currency checkout options.
- the invention relates generally to computer-implemented mobile applications, which when downloaded, allows users to easily review products of interest and up to date prices and to checkout with products from any partner in one single source checkout option. Additionally, the invention relates to methods that effectively allows a user to search a downloadable tool from the user's mobile device and obtain the best product prices available online in real-time. The invention further relates to a specialized server designated to update, store and conduct real-time price checks of vendor products for display to a user on a mobile device and to provide single source checkout options for multiple vendor product purchases.
- Mobile devices are small handheld computing devices, which typically have a display screen with a miniature keyboard or touch input system for entering information. Mobile devices may run on an operating system, which may host a variety of application software programs. Most mobile devices are also equipped with Internet, Bluetooth and GPS capabilities so that a user may easily access a variety of desired product and service searches from a mobile device. Examples of mobile devices may include but are not limited to smartphones, Personal Digital Assistants and tablet computers.
- Shortcuts allow for convenient access to files that may be stored deep in the operating system of the mobile device, and to online applications that a user may desire ready access to.
- the inventors have created one such online application, which users may readily access from mobile devices.
- the inventors have developed a product shopping tool that can review and update product descriptive language from multiple vendor sites, and provide an updated database of vendor products, prices and listings.
- the inventors have developed a database for storing vendor product offers and prices, wherein the database is updated daily and whenever a price discrepancy from a user's search shows a discrepancy in the price in the database with the price obtained in a user's browser search, in order to maintain accurate product and price listings, and wherein when a user searches for a product, the inventor's application double checks a vendor price offer in real time to corrects any discrepancies in its database before making a vendor product and price available to a user.
- users may have access to the best vendor product deals in real time from a mobile device when searching for a product.
- the present application allows users to checkout on multiple vendor products in one single step, wherein the application or product shopping tool does all of the work to ensure the most cost and time effective shipping options for each product during and after checkout.
- the present invention does not rely on vendor's batch or manual uploading of inventory onto a product search site in order to provide a single source checkout option, rather, in accordance with the embodiments herein, the present invention reliably creates partnerships with vendors so that the current invention reflects real-time prices to confirm product prices and allows single source checkout options to be provided to user's with such reliable vendor information that the user merely has to press a single "buy,"
- the present invention will complete the rest of the checkout and shipping options for the user in a single source checkout option. Unlike the prior art, the present invention does not require "logging-in” or visiting a specific site to search for a product, to reliably obtain product prices and inventory, and to checkout from one source for multiple vendor products, in accordance with the present embodiments products from any browser search may be reviewed and purchased with the unique single source checkout options of the present invention.
- the inventors have further developed a shortcut to the inventors shopping tool application for mobile device users.
- the inventors developed a system to read a uniform resource locator developed by the mobile device shortcut when a user searches for a product, and links this uniform resource locator to a server supporting the inventor's database of vendor products, prices and listings.
- the inventors are able to send information back to the user's mobile device in real-time with lowest vendor product prices, and may also provide real-time notifications on the user's mobile device notification system of the lowest vendor product price listing. It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide a downloadable shortcut to a server-implemented product shopping tool and methods thereof.
- location based services on a mobile device such as global positioning system services to obtain a user's location and to provide notifications of closest and lowest vendor product prices on a user's mobile device based on a user's location and methods thereof.
- Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for providing lowest vendor product prices on mobile devices for ease of review by a user.
- one embodiment of the invention includes providing product pricing information on a mobile apparatus by providing a mobile shortcut to a product shopping tool, having a user search for one or more products on a mobile apparatus, obtaining a uniform resource locator address based on a user's search for one or more products from a mobile apparatus, linking the uniform resource locator to a server supporting the product shopping tool, wherein the server can review product descriptive language from multiple vendor sites, retrieving product and pricing information from the server based on a user's search for one or more products, organizing said product and pricing information by a best vendor product price offer; sharing the product and pricing information from the server with the mobile apparatus; displaying the product and pricing information on the mobile apparatus for a user to review, and providing a single checkout option for product purchases from vendors obtained from multiple browsers searches.
- Fig. 1 is a flow-chart showing the steps for providing product prices using the product shopping tool in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
- Fig. 2 is an example diagram showing a mobile device display of product search results using the product shopping tool in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
- Fig. 3 is a flow-chart showing the steps for obtaining accurate price points for products of interest to a user in a mobile device search, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Description of the Invention
- a method for providing product pricing information on a mobile apparatus is described.
- a first step of providing a mobile shortcut to a product shopping tool allows a user to have ready access to the inventors product shopping tool from the user's mobile display.
- the mobile shortcut may have a designated trademark or designed shortcut icon for ease of recognition of a user, for instance, the shortcut icon may be in the shape of a shopping cart to remind a user to shop using the inventor's product shopping tool.
- a next step of having a user search for one or more products on any browser on a mobile apparatus allows the shopping tool developed by the inventors in the mobile shortcut to collect information on the products of interest and initiate a product search.
- a user may use any browser available to search for online product offers, and the product shopping tool in accordance with the present embodiment will collect descriptive product data based on a user's search, and provide lowest vendor product prices using the product shopping tool in accordance with the present invention.
- the inventors have designated uniform resource locator addresses obtained from product searches on a user's mobile apparatus to search the product shopping tool for the lowest vendor product prices.
- a next step in accordance with the present embodiment of linking the uniform resource locator to a server supporting the product shopping tool, wherein the server can review product descriptive language from multiple vendor sites obtained from multiple browser searches the inventors have designed a server that can easily search multiple vendor product information, which leads to the next step of retrieving product and pricing information from the server based on the user's search for one or more products and organizing the products offers by price or other criteria.
- the product shopping tool provides a single source checkout option to a user for all of the products that a user intends to purchase, regardless of how many different browsers were used to obtain products, thereby requiring the product shopping tool to check each vendors inventory and current prices in real time and allowing the product shopping tool to confirm purchases instantly to user, and proceed with checkout for each product, from multiple vendors, without further input from the user.
- this unique checkout option systems and methods of checking vendor product prices and inventory in real-time so that the product shopping tool may accurately and instantly confirm a single checkout option to a user without further input from a user is a unique feature of the embodiments of the present invention. Further, allowing a user to checkout in a single step using alternative currencies is another feature in accordance with the present embodiments.
- ease of review of the best product prices on a user's mobile apparatus is an important step.
- a user can readily review best product deals for products of interest on a mobile device notification system.
- a further step of sorting the vendor product and pricing information based on lowest price offers is a further step of displaying a menu of lowest vendor product prices may be listed from a notification system, from a user's wish list, in an email or text message notification, or other menu on a mobile device.
- this step allows for competitive price offers by vendors in order to be the most attractive offer to a user.
- a vendor may compete to be the lowest price and thereby the vendor that is indicated in mobile device notifications, pop-up bubbles, emails, text messages or the like for products of interest by a user.
- other discounts may be provided by vendors in accordance with the present invention, wherein vendors may compete to be the lowest priced product through a variety of coupons and discount offers.
- the present embodiment of the invention further includes methods and systems for providing real-time updates of vendor products and prices, such that when a user searches for a product the product search tool is always providing accurate data back to a user.
- a step of updating the product shopping tool is provided, wherein the vendor prices are verified when a user searches for a product of interest.
- the prices are updated when there is a price discrepancy between the data on the product shopping tool server, the data obtained from browsers on a user's search, and the real-time product checks on vendor sites.
- real-time price checks allows users to obtain accurate vendor product prices on their mobile devices when the user is searching for a product. This step further ensures that users feel confident when the user receives a notification of a lowest price offer that the notification will be accurate and that accepting a single checkout step for all of the products being purchased from multiple browsers will still result in the best product prices for each product.
- Fig. I shows a flow-chart of one method in accordance with the embodiments of the present invention, of providing a mobile shortcut to a product shopping tool to a user, step 102; and having a user search for one or more products on any browser, step 104.
- the product shopping tool uniquely captures product price information from any browser the user is searching from, for further analysis in accordance with the following steps.
- step 106 In a next step of obtaining a uniform resource locator address based on a user's search for one or more products from any browser on a mobile apparatus, step 106; and linking the uniform resource locator to a server supporting the product shopping tool, wherein the server can review product descriptive language from multiple vendor sites, step 108, and retrieving product and pricing information from the server based on the user's search for one or more products, step 1 10.
- step 1 12 In a next step of organizing the product and pricing information by a best vendor product price offer, step 1 12, sharing the product and price information from the server with the mobile apparatus, step 1 14, and finally displaying the product and price information on the mobile apparatus for a user to review, step 1 16, allows the systems and methods of the present invention to provide best product prices to user's using the product shopping tool of the present invention.
- step 1 18 In a last step of providing a single checkout option for product purchases from vendors obtained from multiple browsers using the product shopping tool, step 1 18, allows users to checkout with one simple click, even when the user purchases products using different browser searches and from different vendors.
- the present invention can manage the checkout process of any product purchased by a user, from any site after when a user presses a simple checkout button, while still being able to assure the user of the best product prices and the best checkout options for multiple vendor products by having immediate access to vendor catalogs.
- Fig. 2 shows one embodiment of the present invention, downloaded on a users mobile device.
- a summary window showing a user the products that a user selected from a multiple-browser search, 231, along with the lowest price point obtained by the product shopping tool, 233, the cost of each product in virtual coins, 235, and links including but not limited to, a summary of a virtual coin wallet account, 237, a link to a virtual coin wallet account, 239, a link to purchase more coins, 241, an add to cart button, 243, for adding additional vendor products to a user's cart, a single source checkout now button, 245, for immediate product purchase, thereby allowing the methods and systems in accordance with the present invention to complete the checkout portion, a link to find additional coupons from vendors, 247, a sales and promotion link, 249, and one or more alert buttons, 251 , 253, for setting and viewing products stored and of interest to a user, along with a link to competitively priced products that require submission of a coupon code, 255.
- Fig. 3 shows one embodiment of the present invention of verifying product information in a server-implemented program for display on a mobile device, including but not limited to the steps of: collecting vendor product price information from a computer agent and/or a vendor catalog, step 305, providing price information to a server, step 307, storing server information in a database, step 309, having access to a mobile phone, step 31 1 , providing a provider controlled downloadable price comparison tool to a user, step 313, collecting product information based on a user's expressed interest in a product on a browser search on a mobile device, step 315, and sending the product information to a server, step 317.
- the server will search vendor information for a matching product based on the users search, step 320 and checking for discrepancies, step 330 in the price obtained from the user's browser and the price obtained from the server databases.
- a provider controlled browser search is conducted to verify the price of the product in real-time, step 335 to determine the actual correct price of a product, step 340 and to update a database, step 345.
- the pricing information is then sent to the web browser on a user's mobile device, step 350, and a double check is made for a lower price, step 355, which if found is displayed to a user, step 357 and any applicable coupons, step 360, which is displayed to a user, step 362.
- step 355 which if found is displayed to a user, step 357 and any applicable coupons
- step 360 which is displayed to a user, step 362.
- all or just the lowest of the vendor offers obtained from the present search may be listed on the users mobile device, 365.
- a user may add multiple products to their shopping cart from multiple browser searches, step 367, and the user may choose to purchase products from multiple vendors in a single source checkout step, step 370.
- by the present invention can provide immediate checkout options to a user and complete the checkout options for a user because of the accurate data obtained in searching the products of interest to a user, the product price points and the product specifications.
- a vendor with the lowest product price offer may be provided based on a user's location.
- a notification may be received on the user's mobile device notification system, indicating that a product of interest is at a low price in a nearby retail store.
- location based services may use techniques such as checking for known nearby wireless internet connections, internet protocol addresses, cellular triangulation services, global positioning system services, network addresses and any other service that may be used to detect a user's location.
- a method for providing product price information in a server-implemented program including but not limited to the steps of: comparing product price information in a server controlled database with product price information obtained on a user's browser when a user searches for a product of interest; wherein any discrepancy in the product price between the database and the user's browser is detected; providing a trusted server agent to validate the product price, wherein the trusted server agent determines the price information from a provider controlled web browser; providing backend server- implemented software for comparing the price information obtained from the trusted computer agent with the database and the user's browser; updating any discrepancies in the database with the product price obtained from the trusted computer agent; and, displaying to a user a product price offer from one or more vendors on a mobile device.
- In another method for providing product price offers on a mobile or other portable device for server-implemented product purchases include but are not limited to the steps of: providing a vendor integration software extension to retail stores, wherein the vendor integration software extension collects real-time data on retail store product prices, accessing the real-time data from the vendor integration software extension, providing the real-time data on the retail store product prices to a user when a user conducts a search for a specific product on a mobile device.
- a shopping tool for providing vendor services is provided.
- price offers for the same or similar services offered by multiple vendors may be searched on a server supporting the shopping tool and categorized by best service price offers.
- a user may search a shortcut on the user's mobile apparatus to the shopping tool and receive notifications of lowest price offers.
- Examples of services that may be reviewed using the shopping tool in accordance with the present invention for display on a mobile apparatus include but are not limited to travel services, airplane tickets, car washes, rental car services, beauty care services, transportation services in addition to many other services that may be reviewed in accordance with the present embodiment.
- another embodiment of the present invention provides methods for providing service pricing information on a mobile apparatus including the steps of providing a downloadable mobile shortcut to a vendor service shopping tool; having a user search on any browser for one or more services of interest on a mobile apparatus, obtaining a uniform resource locator address based on the user's search for one or more services from a mobile apparatus, linking the uniform resource locator to the server, wherein the server can review product descriptive language from multiple vendor sites, retrieving service pricing information by reviewing said product descriptive language from said multiple vendor sites; organizing the service pricing information by lowest price offer, sharing the service pricing information from the server with the mobile apparatus; providing a notification in a notification system of said mobile apparatus with the lowest service price offer; and providing a single checkout option for a user for multiple vendor services.
Abstract
The present invention relates to methods for providing product price information on a mobile device. The invention provides methods of providing a downloadable product search tool for a user's mobile device such that a user can search for one or more products on a mobile device and obtain the best product price on the user's mobile device and checkout with products obtained from different browser searches in one single checkout option. The present invention further includes steps for providing notifications and menu's from the notification system of a user's mobile device and real-time price checks, so that a user can easily review prices and product information and convenient checkout options can be made available for products and services of interest.
Description
Systems and Methods for Providing Product Price Information on a Mobile
Device
Related US Application Data
Continuation-in-part of application No. 61/373,514, filed August 13, 2010. Continuation-in-part of provisional application No. 62/039,975, filed on August 21, 2014. Provisional application No. 61/891,472, filed on October 16, 2013.
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems and methods for providing multiple vendor product price information and single source checkout options to a user on a mobile device. The invention provides methods of providing a downloadable product search too! for a user's mobile device such that a user can search for one or more products on a mobile device and obtain the best product price on the user's mobile device from any partner vendor and checkout with products from any partner vendor with a single checkout option. The present invention further includes steps for providing notifications and menu's of products of interest to a user and real-time price checks, so that a user can easily review up to date product and service prices and checkout in a single, easy step. Methods and systems for single checkout options of multiple products obtained from multiple browser searches, from partnered vendors is an additional unique feature of the embodiments of the present invention. Further, embodiments of the present invention allow for ease of checkout of multiple vendor products using alternative currency checkout options.
Background of the Invention
The invention relates generally to computer-implemented mobile applications, which when downloaded, allows users to easily review products of interest and up to date prices and to checkout with products from any partner in one single source checkout option. Additionally, the invention relates to methods that effectively allows a user to search a downloadable tool from the user's mobile device and obtain the best product prices available online in real-time. The invention further relates to a specialized server designated to update, store and conduct real-time price checks of vendor
products for display to a user on a mobile device and to provide single source checkout options for multiple vendor product purchases.
Mobile devices are small handheld computing devices, which typically have a display screen with a miniature keyboard or touch input system for entering information. Mobile devices may run on an operating system, which may host a variety of application software programs. Most mobile devices are also equipped with Internet, Bluetooth and GPS capabilities so that a user may easily access a variety of desired product and service searches from a mobile device. Examples of mobile devices may include but are not limited to smartphones, Personal Digital Assistants and tablet computers.
Mobile device operating systems often allow shortcuts to be placed on the desktop. Shortcuts allow for convenient access to files that may be stored deep in the operating system of the mobile device, and to online applications that a user may desire ready access to.
The inventors have created one such online application, which users may readily access from mobile devices. In accordance with the embodiments of the invention described herein, the inventors have developed a product shopping tool that can review and update product descriptive language from multiple vendor sites, and provide an updated database of vendor products, prices and listings. In accordance with this application, the inventors have developed a database for storing vendor product offers and prices, wherein the database is updated daily and whenever a price discrepancy from a user's search shows a discrepancy in the price in the database with the price obtained in a user's browser search, in order to maintain accurate product and price listings, and wherein when a user searches for a product, the inventor's application double checks a vendor price offer in real time to corrects any discrepancies in its database before making a vendor product and price available to a user. In accordance with this application developed by the inventors, users may have access to the best vendor product deals in real time from a mobile device when searching for a product. Further, by having partnerships with multiple vendors, the
present application allows users to checkout on multiple vendor products in one single step, wherein the application or product shopping tool does all of the work to ensure the most cost and time effective shipping options for each product during and after checkout. In this case, unlike other commonly used search sites, the present invention does not rely on vendor's batch or manual uploading of inventory onto a product search site in order to provide a single source checkout option, rather, in accordance with the embodiments herein, the present invention reliably creates partnerships with vendors so that the current invention reflects real-time prices to confirm product prices and allows single source checkout options to be provided to user's with such reliable vendor information that the user merely has to press a single "buy,"
"purchase," "checkout now," or the like link, for one or multiple products of interest, the present invention will complete the rest of the checkout and shipping options for the user in a single source checkout option. Unlike the prior art, the present invention does not require "logging-in" or visiting a specific site to search for a product, to reliably obtain product prices and inventory, and to checkout from one source for multiple vendor products, in accordance with the present embodiments products from any browser search may be reviewed and purchased with the unique single source checkout options of the present invention.
In accordance with the present invention, the inventors have further developed a shortcut to the inventors shopping tool application for mobile device users. In order to obtain the product and price data developed by the inventors on the mobile device shortcut, the inventors developed a system to read a uniform resource locator developed by the mobile device shortcut when a user searches for a product, and links this uniform resource locator to a server supporting the inventor's database of vendor products, prices and listings. In accordance with the present invention the inventors are able to send information back to the user's mobile device in real-time with lowest vendor product prices, and may also provide real-time notifications on the user's mobile device notification system of the lowest vendor product price listing.
It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide a downloadable shortcut to a server-implemented product shopping tool and methods thereof.
It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide single source checkout options for multiple vendor products from a mobile or other portable device and methods thereof.
It is further an objective of the present invention to provide a method of verifying and providing updated vendor product prices, obtained from a server-implemented product shopping tool, on a mobile device.
It is further an objective of the present invention to provide a method of searching the internet in real-time for updated vendor product prices when a user searches for products on any browser on a mobile device, and sharing the updated prices on the user's mobile device.
It is further an objective of the present invention to provide a single source checkout method to a user for checking out with multiple products obtained from any browser search on a mobile device.
It is further an objective of the present invention to provide partnerships with multiple vendors for uploading vendor catalogs into the server in accordance with the present invention, for ease of access to real-time vendor prices.
It is further an objective of the present invention to provide a virtual currency for checking out on multiple products from any browser on a mobile device.
It is further an objective of the present invention to provide notifications on a user's mobile device of lowest vendor product prices and methods thereof.
It is further an objective of the present invention to provide notifications on a user's mobile device of lowest vendor product prices in a notification system of a user's mobile device and methods thereof.
It is further an objective of the present invention to provide notifications on a mobile device of lowest vendor product prices in a pop-up bubble on a user's mobile device and methods thereof.
It is further an objective of the present invention to provide a list on a users mobile device of multiple vendor product offers and methods thereof.
It is further an objective of the present invention to provide product discount offers on a notification system on a user's mobile device and methods thereof.
It is further an objective of the present invention to obtain a uniform resource locator address based on a user's search for a product on a mobile device and search a server- implemented price comparison tool for lowest vendor prices, and methods thereof.
It is further an objective of the present invention to use location based services on a mobile device such as global positioning system services to obtain a user's location and to provide notifications of closest and lowest vendor product prices on a user's mobile device based on a user's location and methods thereof.
It is further an objective of the present invention to obtain a user's location on a mobile device and to provide real-time discount and coupon notifications on a user's mobile device to obtain vendor product discounts and methods thereof.
Other methods and features and advantages of the present invention will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the present invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims.
Summary of the invention
Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for providing lowest vendor product prices on mobile devices for ease of review by a user. Briefly described, one embodiment of the invention, amongst others, includes providing product pricing information on a mobile apparatus by providing a mobile shortcut to a product shopping tool, having a user search for one or more products on a mobile apparatus, obtaining a uniform resource locator address based on a user's search for one or more products from a mobile apparatus, linking the uniform resource locator to a server supporting the product shopping tool, wherein the server can review product descriptive language from multiple vendor sites, retrieving product and pricing information from the server based on a user's search for one or more products, organizing said product and pricing information by a best vendor product price offer; sharing the product and pricing information from the server with the mobile apparatus; displaying the product and pricing information on the mobile apparatus for a user to review, and providing a single checkout option for product purchases from vendors obtained from multiple browsers searches.
Brief Description of the Figures
Many aspects of the invention can be better understood with reference to the following figures. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present invention.
Fig. 1 is a flow-chart showing the steps for providing product prices using the product shopping tool in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 2 is an example diagram showing a mobile device display of product search results using the product shopping tool in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 3 is a flow-chart showing the steps for obtaining accurate price points for products of interest to a user in a mobile device search, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
Detailed Description of the Invention
Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention belongs. Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of systems and methods featured in the invention, suitable systems and methods are described below.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a method for providing product pricing information on a mobile apparatus is described. In accordance with this embodiment a first step of providing a mobile shortcut to a product shopping tool allows a user to have ready access to the inventors product shopping tool from the user's mobile display. In accordance with this embodiment the mobile shortcut may have a designated trademark or designed shortcut icon for ease of recognition of a user, for instance, the shortcut icon may be in the shape of a shopping cart to remind a user to shop using the inventor's product shopping tool.
In accordance with this embodiment, a next step of having a user search for one or more products on any browser on a mobile apparatus allows the shopping tool developed by the inventors in the mobile shortcut to collect information on the products of interest and initiate a product search. In this embodiment, a user may use any browser available to search for online product offers, and the product shopping tool in accordance with the present embodiment will collect descriptive product data based on a user's search, and provide lowest vendor product prices using the product shopping tool in accordance with the present invention. In accordance with this embodiment and in a next step of obtaining a uniform resource locator address based on the user's search for one or more products on a mobile apparatus, the inventors have designated uniform resource locator addresses obtained from product searches on a user's mobile apparatus to search the product shopping tool for the lowest vendor product prices. In a next step in accordance with the present embodiment of linking the uniform resource locator to a server supporting the product shopping tool, wherein the server can review product descriptive language from multiple vendor sites
obtained from multiple browser searches, the inventors have designed a server that can easily search multiple vendor product information, which leads to the next step of retrieving product and pricing information from the server based on the user's search for one or more products and organizing the products offers by price or other criteria. Once the product and pricing information is obtained from the server, the next steps of sharing the product and pricing information obtained from the server with the mobile device and displaying the product and pricing information for a user to review are completed.
In yet another step in accordance with the present embodiment, the product shopping tool provides a single source checkout option to a user for all of the products that a user intends to purchase, regardless of how many different browsers were used to obtain products, thereby requiring the product shopping tool to check each vendors inventory and current prices in real time and allowing the product shopping tool to confirm purchases instantly to user, and proceed with checkout for each product, from multiple vendors, without further input from the user. In accordance with this unique checkout option, systems and methods of checking vendor product prices and inventory in real-time so that the product shopping tool may accurately and instantly confirm a single checkout option to a user without further input from a user is a unique feature of the embodiments of the present invention. Further, allowing a user to checkout in a single step using alternative currencies is another feature in accordance with the present embodiments.
In accordance with the present embodiment, ease of review of the best product prices on a user's mobile apparatus is an important step. Thus, in yet another step of displaying a vendor with a lowest product price in a notification system on the mobile apparatus, a user can readily review best product deals for products of interest on a mobile device notification system. In addition, in yet another step of sorting the vendor product and pricing information based on lowest price offers is a further step of displaying a menu of lowest vendor product prices may be listed from a notification system, from a user's wish list, in an email or text message notification, or other menu on a mobile device.
In yet another step of providing one or more vendor coupons on the mobile device, wherein the coupon may result in a vendor product price becoming the lowest price offer for one or more products, this step allows for competitive price offers by vendors in order to be the most attractive offer to a user. In accordance with this embodiment, a vendor may compete to be the lowest price and thereby the vendor that is indicated in mobile device notifications, pop-up bubbles, emails, text messages or the like for products of interest by a user. Similarly, other discounts may be provided by vendors in accordance with the present invention, wherein vendors may compete to be the lowest priced product through a variety of coupons and discount offers.
The present embodiment of the invention further includes methods and systems for providing real-time updates of vendor products and prices, such that when a user searches for a product the product search tool is always providing accurate data back to a user. In accordance with this method, a step of updating the product shopping tool is provided, wherein the vendor prices are verified when a user searches for a product of interest. In accordance with this step, when a user searches for a product the prices are updated when there is a price discrepancy between the data on the product shopping tool server, the data obtained from browsers on a user's search, and the real-time product checks on vendor sites. In accordance with the method described in this embodiment, real-time price checks allows users to obtain accurate vendor product prices on their mobile devices when the user is searching for a product. This step further ensures that users feel confident when the user receives a notification of a lowest price offer that the notification will be accurate and that accepting a single checkout step for all of the products being purchased from multiple browsers will still result in the best product prices for each product.
In the following detailed description of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and which is shown by way of illustration of specific exemplary embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, but other embodiments may be utilized and logical
and other changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense.
Fig. I shows a flow-chart of one method in accordance with the embodiments of the present invention, of providing a mobile shortcut to a product shopping tool to a user, step 102; and having a user search for one or more products on any browser, step 104. In accordance with these first two steps, the product shopping tool uniquely captures product price information from any browser the user is searching from, for further analysis in accordance with the following steps. In a next step of obtaining a uniform resource locator address based on a user's search for one or more products from any browser on a mobile apparatus, step 106; and linking the uniform resource locator to a server supporting the product shopping tool, wherein the server can review product descriptive language from multiple vendor sites, step 108, and retrieving product and pricing information from the server based on the user's search for one or more products, step 1 10. In a next step of organizing the product and pricing information by a best vendor product price offer, step 1 12, sharing the product and price information from the server with the mobile apparatus, step 1 14, and finally displaying the product and price information on the mobile apparatus for a user to review, step 1 16, allows the systems and methods of the present invention to provide best product prices to user's using the product shopping tool of the present invention. In a last step of providing a single checkout option for product purchases from vendors obtained from multiple browsers using the product shopping tool, step 1 18, allows users to checkout with one simple click, even when the user purchases products using different browser searches and from different vendors. In accordance with this step, by forming partnership with various vendors, the present invention can manage the checkout process of any product purchased by a user, from any site after when a user presses a simple checkout button, while still being able to assure the user of the best product prices and the best checkout options for multiple vendor products by having immediate access to vendor catalogs.
Fig. 2 shows one embodiment of the present invention, downloaded on a users mobile device. In accordance with this embodiment a summary window showing a user the products that a user selected from a multiple-browser search, 231, along with the lowest price point obtained by the product shopping tool, 233, the cost of each product in virtual coins, 235, and links including but not limited to, a summary of a virtual coin wallet account, 237, a link to a virtual coin wallet account, 239, a link to purchase more coins, 241, an add to cart button, 243, for adding additional vendor products to a user's cart, a single source checkout now button, 245, for immediate product purchase, thereby allowing the methods and systems in accordance with the present invention to complete the checkout portion, a link to find additional coupons from vendors, 247, a sales and promotion link, 249, and one or more alert buttons, 251 , 253, for setting and viewing products stored and of interest to a user, along with a link to competitively priced products that require submission of a coupon code, 255.
Fig. 3 shows one embodiment of the present invention of verifying product information in a server-implemented program for display on a mobile device, including but not limited to the steps of: collecting vendor product price information from a computer agent and/or a vendor catalog, step 305, providing price information to a server, step 307, storing server information in a database, step 309, having access to a mobile phone, step 31 1 , providing a provider controlled downloadable price comparison tool to a user, step 313, collecting product information based on a user's expressed interest in a product on a browser search on a mobile device, step 315, and sending the product information to a server, step 317. In a next step the server will search vendor information for a matching product based on the users search, step 320 and checking for discrepancies, step 330 in the price obtained from the user's browser and the price obtained from the server databases. In the event of a discrepancy, in accordance with the present embodiment a provider controlled browser search is conducted to verify the price of the product in real-time, step 335 to determine the actual correct price of a product, step 340 and to update a database, step 345. The pricing information is then sent to the web browser on a user's mobile device, step 350, and a double check is made for a lower price, step 355, which if found is displayed to a user, step 357 and any applicable coupons, step 360, which is displayed
to a user, step 362. In a next step all or just the lowest of the vendor offers obtained from the present search may be listed on the users mobile device, 365. In a next step a user may add multiple products to their shopping cart from multiple browser searches, step 367, and the user may choose to purchase products from multiple vendors in a single source checkout step, step 370. In accordance with this last step, by the present invention can provide immediate checkout options to a user and complete the checkout options for a user because of the accurate data obtained in searching the products of interest to a user, the product price points and the product specifications.
In yet another step of using location based services on a user's mobile device, a vendor with the lowest product price offer may be provided based on a user's location. In accordance with this step, when a user is traveling, a notification may be received on the user's mobile device notification system, indicating that a product of interest is at a low price in a nearby retail store. In this embodiment, location based services may use techniques such as checking for known nearby wireless internet connections, internet protocol addresses, cellular triangulation services, global positioning system services, network addresses and any other service that may be used to detect a user's location. In addition, and as yet another step of providing product discounts and coupons to a user on a notification system of a mobile apparatus when a user is in proximity of a vendor store, the present embodiment allows vendors to provide low and attractive product offers to user's when the customers are in or close by to the vendor retail establishments.
In accordance with the embodiment shown in Fig. 3, a method for providing product price information in a server-implemented program is described, including but not limited to the steps of: comparing product price information in a server controlled database with product price information obtained on a user's browser when a user searches for a product of interest; wherein any discrepancy in the product price between the database and the user's browser is detected; providing a trusted server agent to validate the product price, wherein the trusted server agent determines the price information from a provider controlled web browser; providing backend server-
implemented software for comparing the price information obtained from the trusted computer agent with the database and the user's browser; updating any discrepancies in the database with the product price obtained from the trusted computer agent; and, displaying to a user a product price offer from one or more vendors on a mobile device.
In another method for providing product price offers on a mobile or other portable device for server-implemented product purchases include but are not limited to the steps of: providing a vendor integration software extension to retail stores, wherein the vendor integration software extension collects real-time data on retail store product prices, accessing the real-time data from the vendor integration software extension, providing the real-time data on the retail store product prices to a user when a user conducts a search for a specific product on a mobile device.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention a shopping tool for providing vendor services is provided. In this embodiment, price offers for the same or similar services offered by multiple vendors may be searched on a server supporting the shopping tool and categorized by best service price offers. In this embodiment, a user may search a shortcut on the user's mobile apparatus to the shopping tool and receive notifications of lowest price offers. Examples of services that may be reviewed using the shopping tool in accordance with the present invention for display on a mobile apparatus include but are not limited to travel services, airplane tickets, car washes, rental car services, beauty care services, transportation services in addition to many other services that may be reviewed in accordance with the present embodiment.
In this regard, another embodiment of the present invention provides methods for providing service pricing information on a mobile apparatus including the steps of providing a downloadable mobile shortcut to a vendor service shopping tool; having a user search on any browser for one or more services of interest on a mobile apparatus, obtaining a uniform resource locator address based on the user's search for one or more services from a mobile apparatus, linking the uniform resource locator to the server, wherein the server can review product descriptive language from multiple
vendor sites, retrieving service pricing information by reviewing said product descriptive language from said multiple vendor sites; organizing the service pricing information by lowest price offer, sharing the service pricing information from the server with the mobile apparatus; providing a notification in a notification system of said mobile apparatus with the lowest service price offer; and providing a single checkout option for a user for multiple vendor services.
It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments of the present invention, are merely possible examples of implementations, merely set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the invention. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments of the invention without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the invention. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein, within the scope of this disclosure and the present invention and protected by the following claims.
IS
Claims
1. A method for providing product price information on a mobile apparatus comprising the steps of:
providing a mobile shortcut to a product shopping tool;
having a user search for one or more products on any browser on a mobile apparatus;
obtaining a uniform resource locator address based on said user's search for one or more products from said mobile apparatus;
linking said uniform resource locator to a server supporting said product shopping tool, wherein said server can review product descriptive language from multiple vendor sites;
retrieving product and price information from said server based on said user's search for one or more products;
organizing said product and price information by a best vendor product price offer;
sharing said product and price information from said server with said mobile apparatus; and,
displaying said product and price information on said mobile apparatus for a user to review; and,
providing a single checkout option for product purchases from vendors obtained from multiple browsers using said product shopping tool.
2. The method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising the step of providing a partnership with each of said vendors, wherein said partnership allows real-time access to vendor catalogs by said product shopping tool.
3. The method in accordance with claim 2 further comprising the step of allowing access by said product shopping tool to retrieve real-time inventory and product prices from said vendor catalogs when a user searches for a product using a web browser.
4. The method in accordance with claim 3 further comprising the step of allowing said product shopping tool to finalize a checkout process with each vendor after a user has confirmed a single checkout option confirming products of interest from multiple browsers, at a displayed price using the product shopping tool.
5. The method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising the step of providing a virtual currency payment option for user's purchasing products through said product shopping tool.
6. The method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising the step of displaying a vendor with a lowest product price in a notification system on said mobile apparatus.
7. The method in accordance with claim 1, 2 or 4 further comprising the step of providing one or more vendor coupons on said mobile apparatus display, wherein said coupon may result in a vendor product price becoming the lowest price offer for one or more products.
8. The method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising the step of displaying a menu of lowest priced vendors from said user's search for one or more products on a mobile device.
9. The method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising the step of updating said server when there is a change in vendor product prices.
10. The method in accordance with claim 4 further comprising the step of verifying a product price on said server prior to offering a single checkout option to a user,
1 1. A method for verifying product price information in accordance with claim 1 , including but not limited to the steps of:
comparing product price information in a server controlled database with a product price information obtained on a user's browser when a user searches for a product of interest; wherein any discrepancy in said product price between said database and said user's browser is detected;
providing a trusted server agent to validate said product price, wherein said trusted server agent determines the price information from a provider controlled web browser;
providing backend server-implemented software for comparing said price information obtained from said trusted computer agent with said database and said user's browser;
updating any discrepancies in said database with said product price obtained from said trusted computer agent; and,
displaying to a user a product price offer from one or more vendors on a mobile device,
12. A method for providing product price information in accordance with claim 1 including the steps of:
providing a vendor integration software extension to retail stores, wherein said vendor integration software extension collects real-time data on retail store product prices,
accessing said real-time data from said vendor integration software extension, providing said real-time data on said retail store product prices to a user when a user conducts a search for a specific product.
Applications Claiming Priority (4)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US201361891472P | 2013-10-16 | 2013-10-16 | |
| US61/891,472 | 2013-10-16 | ||
| US201462039975P | 2014-08-21 | 2014-08-21 | |
| US62/039,975 | 2014-08-21 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| WO2015057840A1 true WO2015057840A1 (en) | 2015-04-23 |
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ID=52828652
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US2014/060695 WO2015057840A1 (en) | 2013-10-16 | 2014-10-15 | Systems and methods for providing product price information on a mobile device |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| WO (1) | WO2015057840A1 (en) |
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