System and method for exhibiting at least visual content in one or more physical retail stores

A method performed in a computing system for exhibiting at least visual content in a physical retail store, comprising:

• displaying in the physical retail store at least a first physical potential item to be purchased and a second physical potential item to be purchased;
• locating at least a first client computer and a second client computer in the physical retail store, wherein the first client computer has installed thereon a first application and the second client computer has installed thereon a second application;
• associating the first client computer to the first physical potential item to be purchased;
• associating the second client computer to the second physical potential item to be purchased;
• storing, in a correlation data structure associated with a central server, data relating to:
• (a) correlation between the first client computer to the first physical potential item to be purchased;
• and (b) correlation between the second client computer to the second physical potential item to be purchased;
• storing, in an item data structure associated with the central server, data relating to:
• (a) information of the first physical potential item to be purchased including a specified physical retail store and specifications regarding the first physical potential item to be purchased;
• and (b) information of the second physical potential item to be purchased including a specified physical retail store and specifications regarding the second physical potential item to be purchased;
• wherein the central server periodically communicates with the first client computer and the second client computer,
• wherein the first client computer has at least one input device that is connected to the first client computer, wherein the input device connected to the first client computer is located in the physical retail store, and wherein the input device connected to the first client computer is configured to allow for direct interaction with a potential purchaser of the first physical potential item to be purchased;
• wherein the second client computer has at least one input device that is connected to the second client computer, wherein the input device connected to the second client computer is located in the physical retail store, and wherein the input device connected to the second client computer is configured to allow for direct interaction with a potential purchaser of the second physical potential item to be purchased;
• wherein the first application installed on the first client computer comprises:
• i) a default browser for communicating with the Internet, an intranet or a combination thereof;
• ii) a software program that directly interacts with the input device connected to the first client computer;
• and
• iii) a custom browser comprising:
• 1. a first software element that is capable of obtaining at least visual content from a source other than the central server;
• and
• 2. a second software element that receives instructions from the central server on a periodic basis;
• and
• wherein the second application installed on the second client computer comprises:
• i) a default browser for communicating with the Internet, an intranet or a combination thereof;
• ii) a software program that directly interacts with the input device connected to the second client computer;
• and
• iii) a custom browser comprising:
• 1. a first software element that is capable of obtaining at least visual content from a source other than the central server;
• and
• 2. a second software element that receives instructions from the central server on a periodic basis.

A programmed computer for exhibiting at least visual content in a physical retail store displaying at least a first physical potential item to be purchased and a second physical potential item to be purchased, comprising:

• a central server comprising:
• a memory having at least one region for storing computer executable program code;
• and
• a processor for executing the program code stored in the memory;
• a first client computer that has installed thereon a first application, the first client computer comprising:
• a memory having at least one region for storing the first application;
• and
• a processor for executing the first application stored in the memory;
• a second client computer that has installed thereon a second application, the second client computer comprising:
• a memory having at least one region for storing the second application;
• and
• a processor for executing the second application stored in the memory;
• a correlation data structure associated with the central server, wherein the correlation database stores data relating to:
• (a) correlation between the first client computer to the first physical potential item to be purchased;
• and (b) correlation between the second client computer to the second physical potential item to be purchased;
• an item data structure associated with the central server, wherein the item database stores data relating to:
• (a) information of the first physical potential item to be purchased including a specified physical retail store and specifications regarding the first physical potential item to be purchased;
• and (b) information of the second physical potential item to be purchased including a specified physical retail store and specifications regarding the second physical potential item to be purchased;
• wherein the program code stored in the memory of the central server is executed by the processor of the central server to periodically communicate with the first client computer and the second client computer,
• wherein the first client computer is located in the physical retail store;
• wherein the second client computer is located in the physical retail store;
• wherein the first client computer is associated to the first physical potential item to be purchased;
• wherein the second client computer is associated to the second physical potential item to be purchased;
• wherein the first client computer has at least one input device that is connected to the first client computer, wherein the input device connected to the first client computer is located in the physical retail store, and wherein the input device connected to the first client computer is configured to allow for direct interaction with a potential purchaser of the first physical potential item to be purchased;
• wherein the second client computer has at least one input device that is connected to the second client computer, wherein the input device connected to the second client computer is located in the physical retail store, and wherein the input device connected to the second client computer is configured to allow for direct interaction with a potential purchaser of the second physical potential item to be purchased;
• wherein the first application installed on the first client computer comprises:
• i) a default browser for communicating with the Internet, an intranet or a combination thereof;
• ii) a software program that directly interacts with the input device connected to the first client computer;
• and
• iii) a custom browser comprising:
• 1. a first software element that is capable of obtaining at least visual content from a source other than the central server;
• and
• 2. a second software element that receives instructions from the central server on a periodic basis;
• and
• wherein the second application installed on the second client computer comprises:
• i) a default browser for communicating with the Internet, an intranet or a combination thereof;
• ii) a software program that directly interacts with the input device connected to the second client computer;
• and
• iii) a custom browser comprising:
• 1. a first software element that is capable of obtaining at least visual content from a source other than the central server;
• and
• 2. a second software element that receives instructions from the central server on a periodic basis.

A computer readable medium encoded with computer readable program code for exhibiting at least visual content in a physical retail store displaying at least a first physical potential item to be purchased and a second physical potential item to be purchased, wherein a first client computer is associated to the first physical potential item to be purchased, wherein the first client computer has installed thereon a first application, wherein the second client computer is associated to the second physical potential item to be purchased, and wherein the second client computer has installed thereon a second application, the program code including subroutines for:

• storing, in a correlation data structure associated with a central server, data relating to:
• (a) correlation between the first client computer to the first physical potential item to be purchased;
• and (b) correlation between the second client computer to the second physical potential item to be purchased;
• storing, in an item data structure associated with the central server, data relating to:
• (a) information of the first physical potential item to be purchased including a specified physical retail store and specifications regarding the first physical potential item to be purchased;
• and (b) information of the second physical potential item to be purchased including a specified physical retail store and specifications regarding the second physical potential item to be purchased;
• wherein the central server periodically communicates with the first client computer and the second client computer,
• wherein the first client computer has at least one input device that is connected to the first client computer, wherein the input device connected to the first client computer is located in the physical retail store, and wherein the input device connected to the first client computer is configured to allow for direct interaction with a potential purchaser of the first physical potential item to be purchased;
• wherein the second client computer has at least one input device that is connected to the second client computer, wherein the input device connected to the second client computer is located in the physical retail store, and wherein the input device connected to the second client computer is configured to allow for direct interaction with a potential purchaser of the second physical potential item to be purchased;
• wherein the first application installed on the first client computer comprises:
• i) a default browser for communicating with the Internet, an intranet or a combination thereof;
• ii) a software program that directly interacts with the input device connected to the first client computer;
• and
• iii) a custom browser comprising:
• 1. a first software element that is capable of obtaining at least visual content from a source other than the central server;
• and
• 2. a second software element that receives instructions from the central server on a periodic basis;
• and
• wherein the second application installed on the second client computer comprises:
• i) a default browser for communicating with the Internet, an intranet or a combination thereof;
• ii) a software program that directly interacts with the input device connected to the second client computer;
• and
• iii) a custom browser comprising:
• 1. a first software element that is capable of obtaining at least visual content from a source other than the central server;
• and
• 2. a second software element that receives instructions from the central server on a periodic basis.