# US 12,112,362 B2 · Collaborative activities in on-line commerce > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,112,362 B2 - Document ID: US12112362B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/218,299 - Filed: 2023-07-05 - Published: 2023-11-09 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2009-05-21 - Assignees: NIKE, Inc. - Applicants: NIKE, Inc. - Inventors: Roger D. Chen; Timmy L. Pacholke; Stacey J. Pool; Michael J. Wood - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12112362B2 ## CPC - G06Q 30/0605: {Pooling transaction partners, e.g. group buying or group selling} - G06Q 10/10: Office automation; Time management - G06Q 10/40: Business processes related to social networking or social networking services - G06Q 30/0601: Electronic shopping [e-shopping] - G06Q 30/0621: {by configuring or customising goods or services} - G06Q 30/0641: {utilising user interfaces specially adapted for shopping} - G06Q 30/0643: {graphically representing goods, e.g. 3D product representation} - 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 ## Abstract Computer based systems and methods allow collaborative shopping for and/or designing of (e.g., customization) consumer products, such as articles of footwear, apparel, athletic equipment, etc., by plural users using different computing devices. The users' computing devices may be in communication with one another in various manners, such as over networked connections (e.g., a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), an internet connection, etc.); via peer-to-peer communications; through a common server or combination of servers that establish a communications link; etc.). The various parties may participate in an on-line or other computer communicative session to create and buy customized products. Additionally, user interfaces for providing these collaborative sessions are described. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system comprising: an input system configured to: receive, from a user of a plurality of users, input indicating a product; a display device configured to output for display a user interface; and a computing device comprising: one or more processors; and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to: enable the plurality of users to provide, during any time period of a design session, design input associated with the product; and based on receiving product design input from at least one user of the plurality of users, send, to the display device, data indicating an appearance of the product. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the display device is associated with the user of the plurality of users, and wherein the display device is external from the input system. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the display device comprises at least one of: a projection display or a monitor display. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the display device presents, based on data received from the computing device, a user interface indicating the appearance of the product. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the display device visually updates, based on data received from the computing device, one of a cost or performance characteristic associated with the product. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a plurality of computing devices associated with the plurality of users, and wherein the plurality of computing devices communicate using one of: an internet connection or a peer-to-peer connection. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein: a first computing device, of the plurality of computing devices, is associated with a second display device, and the second display device presents, based on data received from the computing device, a user interface indicating the appearance of the product. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the product design input comprises one or more data packets, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the computing device to: determine, based on the one or more data packets, whether to accept product design input from different users of the plurality of users. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the computing device to: initiate, based on the received product design input, a first in time modification to the product; and disregard, for a time period, subsequent product design input provided by a user of the plurality of users. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the computing device to: determine a user hierarchy associated with the plurality of users; and initiate, based on the determined user hierarchy and the received product design input, one or more modifications to the appearance of the product. ### Claim 11 A method comprising: receiving, by a computing device and from a user of a plurality of users, input indicating a product; enabling the plurality of users to provide, during any time period of a design session, design input associated with the product; and based on receiving product design input from at least one user of the plurality of users, sending, to one or more display devices associated with the plurality of users, data indicating an appearance of the product. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein a display device, of the one or more display devices, comprises at least one of: a projection display or a monitor display. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein a display device, of the one or more display devices, presents, based on data received from the computing device, a user interface indicating the appearance of the product. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein a display device, of the one or more display devices, visually updates, based on data received from the computing device, one of a cost or performance characteristic associated with the product. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the product design input comprises one or more data packets, the method further comprising: determining, based on the one or more data packets, whether to accept the product design input from different users of the plurality of users. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein a data packet of, the one or more data packets, includes at least one of: a timestamp, an indication of a user providing the product design input, an indication of a portion of the product being modified by the product design input, or a data payload indicating a modification to the product. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: determining a user hierarchy associated with the plurality of users; and initiating, based on the determined user hierarchy and the received product design input, one or more modifications to the appearance of the product. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: initiating, based on the received product design input, a first in time modification to the product; and disregarding, for a time period, subsequent product design input provided by a user of the plurality of users. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: outputting, to one or more display devices associated with the plurality of users, a recommendation of available design alternatives for the product. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: outputting, to one or more display devices associated with the plurality of users, based on the received product design input, an indication of an anticipated effect on a first performance characteristics of the product. ### Claim 21 An apparatus comprising: one or more processors; and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to: receive, from a user of a plurality of users, input indicating a product; enable the plurality of users to provide, during any time period of a design session, design input associated with the product; and based on receiving product design input from at least one user of the plurality of users, send, to one or more display devices associated with the plurality of users, data indicating an appearance of the product. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The apparatus of claim 21, wherein a display device, of the one or more display devices, comprises at least one of: a projection display or a monitor display. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The apparatus of claim 21, wherein a display device, of the one or more display devices, presents, based on data received from the apparatus, a user interface indicating the appearance of the product. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The apparatus of claim 21, wherein a display device, of the one or more display devices, visually updates, based on data received from the apparatus, one of a cost or performance characteristic associated with the product. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the product design input comprises one or more data packets, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to: determine, based on the one or more data packets, whether to accept the product design input from different users of the plurality of users. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The apparatus of claim 25, wherein a data packet of, the one or more data packets, includes at least one of: a timestamp, an indication of a user providing the product design input, an indication of a portion of the product being modified by the product design input, or a data payload indicating a modification to the product. ### Claim 27 (depends on 21) The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to: determine a user hierarchy associated with the plurality of users; and initiate, based on the determined user hierarchy and the received product design input, one or more modifications to the appearance of the product. ### Claim 28 (depends on 21) The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to: initiate, based on the received product design input, a first in time modification to the product; and disregard, for a time period, subsequent product design input provided by a user of the plurality of users. ### Claim 29 (depends on 21) The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to: output, to one or more display devices associated with the plurality of users, a recommendation of available design alternatives for the product. ### Claim 30 (depends on 21) The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to: output, to one or more display devices associated with the plurality of users, based on the received product design input, an indication of an anticipated effect on a first performance characteristics of the product. ### Claim 31 One or more non-transitory computer readable media storing instructions that, when executed cause: receiving, from a user of a plurality of users, input indicating a product; enabling the plurality of users to provide, during any time period of a design session, design input associated with the product; and based on receiving product design input from at least one user of the plurality of users, sending, to one or more display devices associated with the plurality of users, data indicating an appearance of the product. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 31, wherein a display device, of the one or more display devices, comprises at least one of: a projection display or a monitor display. ### Claim 33 (depends on 31) The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 31, wherein a display device, of the one or more display devices, presents, based on data received from a computing device, a user interface indicating the appearance of the product. ### Claim 34 (depends on 31) The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 31, wherein a display device, of the one or more display devices, visually updates, based on data received from a computing device, one of a cost or performance characteristic associated with the product. ### Claim 35 (depends on 31) The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 31, wherein the product design input comprises one or more data packets, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause: determining, based on the one or more data packets, whether to accept the product design input from different users of the plurality of users. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 35, wherein a data packet of, the one or more data packets, includes at least one of: a timestamp, an indication of a user providing the product design input, an indication of a portion of the product being modified by the product design input, or a data payload indicating a modification to the product. ### Claim 37 (depends on 31) The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 31, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause: determining a user hierarchy associated with the plurality of users; and initiating, based on the determined user hierarchy and the received product design input, one or more modifications to the appearance of the product. ### Claim 38 (depends on 31) The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 31, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause: initiating, based on the received product design input, a first in time modification to the product; and disregarding, for a time period, subsequent product design input provided by a user of the plurality of users. ### Claim 39 (depends on 31) The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 31, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause: outputting, to one or more display devices associated with the plurality of users, a recommendation of available design alternatives for the product. ### Claim 40 (depends on 31) The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 31, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause: outputting, to one or more display devices associated with the plurality of users, based on the received product design input, an indication of an anticipated effect on a first performance characteristics of the product.