Methods and apparatus for facilitating a sales transaction via an interactive display platform

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016307259-A1
Application number	US-201514801291-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 16, 2015
Priority date	Apr 16, 2015
Publication date	Oct 20, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for facilitating, via an interactive display platform, a sales transaction conducted in real time between a consultant associated with a consultant device and a customer associated with a customer device. Independent user interaction control capabilities are assigned to the consultant device and the customer device for controlling the sharing of information, the identification of selections pertaining to the shared information and the population of a virtual shopping cart based on the selections, and/or for interacting with the shared information, selections and populated virtual shopping cart. The disclosed methods, systems, and apparatus can facilitate a sales transaction involving any type of product and/or service, including the sale of a report containing product data.

First claim

1 . A method to control computer interactions between a first device and a second device involved in a real time sales transaction conducted via an interactive display platform, the method to offload a processing resources demand to a server in communication between the first and second devices, the method comprising:
assigning a first user interaction control capability to the first device and a second user interaction control capability to the second device, the first user interaction control capability independent of the second user interaction control capability; providing shared information via the server to present contemporaneously on the first and second devices, the shared information including data representing a plurality of products available for purchase; and receiving, at the server, a selection applied to the shared information presented contemporaneously on the first and second devices, the selection based on the first device using the first user interaction control capability, the selection also based on a selection indication communicated from the second device to select at least one of the products available for purchase.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the shared information is based on an interest indication communicated from the second device, the interest indication based on the second device using the second user interaction control capability.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the shared information provided via the server to present on the second device is based on a first request received by the server from the first device to share the shared information, and also based on a second request received by the server from the second device for the shared information, the second request for the shared information based on a shared information alert communicated from the first device to the second device via a peer-to-peer connection.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein respective ones of the products available for purchase constitute data that is available for purchase.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the selection is based on a filter applied to the data representing the plurality of products available for purchase.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the selection is at least one of a category selection, a location selection, a fact selection, a channel selection, or a date range selection.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the selection indication is based on the second device using the second user interaction control capability.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the selection indication is communicated from the second device to the first device via a peer-to-peer connection.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the selection indication is communicated via at least one of a text chat communication, a video chat communication, or a voice over internet protocol communication transmitted from the second device to the first device via the peer-to-peer connection.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further including providing a populated virtual shopping cart via the server to present contemporaneously on the first and second devices based on a population indication received from the first device using the first user interaction control capability, the population indication based on a purchase indication communicated from the second device to the first device via a peer-to-peer connection, the populated virtual shopping cart including a representation of the shared information and the selection.

11 . (canceled)

12 . (canceled)

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the providing of the shared information and the receiving of the selection are performed using processing resources of the server to facilitate participation of the first and second devices in the interactive display platform without imposing a processing resources burden corresponding to the offloaded processing resources demand on the first and second devices to manage sharing of the shared information and information selections between the first and second devices.

14 . An apparatus to control computer interactions between a first device and a second device involved in a real time sales transaction conducted via an interactive display platform, the apparatus to offload a processing resources demand to a server in communication between the first and second devices, the apparatus comprising:
the server to host the interactive display platform, the server to:
assign a first user interaction control capability to the first device and a second user interaction control capability to the second device, the first user interaction control capability independent of the second user interaction control capability;
provide shared information to present contemporaneously on the first and second devices, the shared information including data representing a plurality of products available for purchase; and
receive a selection applied to the shared information presented contemporaneously on the first and second devices, the selection based on the first device using the first user interaction control capability, the selection also based on a selection indication communicated from the second device to select at least one of the products available for purchase.

15 . (canceled)

16 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the shared information provided to present on the second device is based on a first request received by the server from the first device to share the shared information, and also based on a second request received by the server from the second device for the shared information, the second request for the shared information based on a shared information alert communicated from the first device to the second device via a peer-to-peer connection.

17 . (canceled)

18 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the selection is based on a filter applied to the data representing the plurality of products available for purchase.

19 . (canceled)

20 . (canceled)

21 . (canceled)

22 . (canceled)

23 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the server is further to provide a populated virtual shopping cart to present contemporaneously on the first and second devices based on a population indication received from the first device using the first user interaction control capability, the population indication based on a purchase indication communicated from the second device to the first device via a peer-to-peer connection, the populated virtual shopping cart including a representation of the shared information and the selection.

24 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the server is further to provide a peer-to-peer connection between the first device and the second device.

25 . (canceled)

26 . (canceled)

27 . An article of manufacture comprising computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to control computer interactions between a first device and a second device involved in a real time sales transaction conducted via an interactive display platform, the processor to offload a processing resources demand to a server in communication between the first and second devices, the processor to at least:
assign a first user interaction control capability to the first device and a second user interaction control capability to the second device, the first user interaction control capability independent of the second user interaction control capability; provide shared information

Assignees

• Nielsen Co Us Llc

Inventors

• Lubeck Lauren
• Sudarsan Vivek
• Fisher Ron

Classifications

• G06Q30/0641

  utilising user interfaces specially adapted for shopping · CPC title

• G06Q30/06

  Buying, selling or leasing transactions · CPC title

• G06Q30/0635 Primary

  replenishment orders; recurring orders · CPC title

• G06Q30/0601

  Electronic shopping [e-shopping] · CPC title

• G06Q30/0613

  using intermediate agents · CPC title