Methods and systems for a dynamic networked commerce architecture
AssigneeInterchange Corp.
InventorHeath B. Clarke
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
One embodiment of the present invention provides systems and methods, which allow a more efficient shopping experience. A cascading commerce menu provides access to a plurality of product, service, and/or content categories. In one embodiment, the cascading commerce menu is stored on a client computer, thereby providing quick access to the menu.
Claims15
A method of providing access to information relating to a plurality of products using a cascading commerce menu, comprising:
- providing a first level menu listing a first set of product categories;
- detecting a position of a cursor over a first product category listed in said first set of product categories;
- providing a cascading second level menu listing a first set of product subcategories related to said first product category in response to said detection of said cursor position, and
- automatically generating a search string based on said first product category and said first product subcategory.
A method of providing access to information relating to a plurality of products using a cascading commerce menu, comprising:
- providing a first level menu listing a first set of product categories;
- detecting a position of a cursor over a first product category listed in said first set of product categories;
- providing a cascading second level menu listing a first set of product subcategories related to said first product category in response to said detection of said cursor position;
- and
- ranking providers based on an aggregate price of an item available from the providers wherein the item corresponds to the first product category and the first product subcategory, the method comprising:
- receiving a first item price for said item from a first provider;
- receiving a first additional cost associated with providing the item by said first provider to a first consumer;
- receiving a second item price for said item from a second provider;
- receiving a second additional cost associated with providing the item by said second provider to said first consumer;
- and
- ranking said first provider and said second provider based on at least said first item price, said second item price, said first additional cost, and said second additional cost.
A method of providing access to information relating to a plurality of products using a cascading commerce menu, comprising:
- providing a first level menu including a set of high-level product categories;
- detecting a customer selection of a high-level product category from said set of high-level product categories;
- providing a cascading second level menu including a set of relatively narrower product categories related to said high-level product category in response to said customer selection;
- detecting a customer selection of a relatively narrower product category from said set of relatively narrower product categories;
- automatically generating a search request based at least in part on said customer selection of said relatively narrower product category;
- and
- providing the customer with information on products related to said selected relatively narrower product category at least partly in response to said search request.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.