Method and apparatus for a user to shop online in a three dimensional virtual reality setting

An apparatus for a user to shop online in a three dimensional (3D) virtual reality (VR) setting, the apparatus comprising:

• means for receiving a request at a shopping server, the shopping server having a shopping cart memory, to view a virtual shopping location;
• means for displaying the virtual shopping location on a user computer by streaming a 3D interactive simulation view via a web browser to emulate a real-life shopping experience for the user, the virtual shopping location having a first store and a second store;
• means for displaying on request a virtual concierge, linked to a concierge database;
• means for obtaining a request to enter into the first store of the virtual shopping location;
• means for displaying an actual store website of the first store on the user computer in the same web browser, in response to the request to enter into the first store, wherein the actual store website of the first store is linked to the virtual shopping location, is independently managed by the first store, and resides on a second server;
• means for receiving a request to insert a product from the actual store website of the first store into a virtual shopping cart;
• means for storing the product from the actual store website of the first store in the shopping cart memory of the shopping server;
• means for obtaining a request to enter into the second store of the virtual shopping location;
• means for displaying an actual store website of the second store on the user computer in the same web browser, in response to the request to enter into the second store, wherein the actual store website of the second store is linked to the virtual shopping location, is independently managed by the second store, and resides on a third server;
• means for receiving a request to insert a product from the actual store website of the second store into the virtual shopping cart;
• means for storing the product from the actual store website of the second store in the shopping cart memory of the shopping server;
• means for receiving a request to purchase the products in the virtual shopping cart.

An apparatus for a user to shop online in a three dimensional (3D) virtual reality (VR) setting, the apparatus comprising:

• a shopping server having a shopping cart memory;
• a virtual shopping location displayer coupled to the shopping server to display a virtual shopping location on a user computer by streaming 3D interactive simulation view via a web browser to emulate a real-life shopping experience for the user, the virtual shopping location having a first store and a second store;
• a virtual concierge, linked to a concierge database;
• a store requester coupled to the shopping server, the store requester to request to enter into the first store or the second store of the virtual shopping location;
• a website displayer coupled to the store requester, the website displayer to display an actual store website of the first store and an actual store website of the second store, respectively, on the user computer in the same web browser, in response to the request to enter into the first store or the second store, wherein the actual store website of the first store and the actual store website of the second store each is linked to the virtual shopping location, is independently managed by the respective store, and reside on separate respective servers;
• a product inserter coupled to the website displayer to insert a product from the actual store website of the first store and a product from the actual store website of the second store into a virtual shopping cart by storing the products in the shopping cart memory;
• and
• a purchase requester coupled to the shopping server to receive a request to purchase the products in the virtual shopping cart, wherein the products are from different stores.

A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for a user to shop online in a three dimensional (3D) virtual reality (VR) setting, said method comprising:

• receiving a request at a shopping server, the shopping server having a shopping cart memory, to view a virtual shopping location;
• displaying the virtual shopping location on a user computer by streaming a 3D interactive simulation view via a web browser to emulate a real-life shopping experience for the user, the virtual shopping location having a first store and a second store;
• displaying on request a virtual concierge, linked to a concierge database;
• obtaining a request to enter into the first store of the virtual shopping location;
• displaying an actual store website of the first store on the user computer in the same web browser, in response to the request to enter into the first store, wherein the actual store website of the first store is linked to the virtual shopping location, is independently managed by the first store, and resides on a second server;
• receiving a request to insert a product from the actual store website of the first store into a virtual shopping cart;
• storing the product from the actual store website of the first store in the shopping cart memory of the shopping server;
• obtaining a request to enter into the second store of the virtual shopping location;
• displaying an actual store website of the second store on the user computer in the same web browser, in response to the request to enter into the second store, wherein the actual store website of the second store is linked to the virtual shopping location, is independently managed by the second store, and resides on a third server;
• receiving a request to insert a product from the actual store website of the second store into the virtual shopping cart;
• storing the product from the actual store website of the second store in the shopping cart memory of the shopping server;
• receiving a request to purchase the products in the virtual shopping cart.