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AssigneeJump Technologies Limited
InventorsTom Healy, Norton Lam
Estimating the term…
A system and method is provided for automating placement of orders from a catalog that has been JumpCode enabled by inclusion of bar codes. A sequence of additive bar codes uniquely identify each item available from the catalog. A scanner is used for designating items from the catalog by scanning the identifying sequences of bar codes, which include at least a bar code element that uniquely identifies the catalog and the page of an item, and a further bar code element that uniquely identifies an item among the other items on a page, using a common reference scheme that is applicable to each page. This combination of bar code elements is a JumpCode, and JumpCodes for the items scanned are grouped into orders by affiliate and sent to the respective e-commerce sites of each affiliate, which are designed to handle orders from the catalog. The web sites generate shopping carts from the orders and appropriate URLs are returned to the user, who can use a browser to complete the order by direct communication with the respective web sites.
A system for automating placement of orders from a catalog, comprising:
A method for automating placement of orders from a catalog, comprising the steps of:
An apparatus for automating placement of orders from a catalog, said catalog being comprised of a plurality of display units for displaying items for ordering, comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.
Electronic shopping [e-shopping]: catalogue creation or management
Payment architectures: specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
Electronic shopping [e-shopping]: managing shopping lists, e.g. compiling or processing purchase lists
Electronic shopping [e-shopping]: utilising user interfaces specially adapted for shopping
About 2 months of term left · ends 24 Dec 2026 (estimated)
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a system and method for connecting conventional ordering materials, such as catalogs distributed in printed form or on CD-ROM, to Internet based purchasing and distribution systems.
2. Background Description
The foregoing and other objects, aspects and advantages will be better understood from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is representation of a typical catalog page, JumpCode enabled by a bar code.
FIG. 2 is a pull out page of bar codes usable for identifying and quantifying the items from a catalog.
Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 3, there is shown a diagram of the components of an exemplar system for using the invention. A catalog 320 is shown with a typical page 321 having a bar code 322 uniquely identifying both the catalog 320 and the page 321. A scanner 330 for reading bar code 322 is attached by data link 335 to device 340 for receiving the output of scanner 330. The device 340 may be personal computer (PC) or a personal data assistant (PDA) or any other device connectable to network 310 (e.g. the Internet) and via network 310 to JumpCart Server 350. Device 340 serves as a client to JumpCart Server 350 and transmits to JumpCart Server 350 the output of scanner 330. JumpCart Server 350 processes the output of scanner 330 and generates ordering information that is sent to web site 360 through network 310. Web site 360 then creates a shopping cart corresponding to the ordering information, and sends the shopping cart information over network 310 to device 340 for presentation on display 345 using a browser application appropriate for device 340. Customer 380 then completes the order directly with web site 360 over network 310. It should be noted that in typical implementations of the invention, customer 380 will have possession of a copy of catalog 320 and will operate scanner 330 and device 340, as shown by the dotted lines from customer 380 on FIG. 3. It should also be noted that in a typical implementation a business 370 will be responsible for development of catalog 320 and web site 360, and provides to the JumpCart Server 350 the information about catalog 320 and the operation of web site 360 necessary for JumpCart Server 350 to prepare ordering information. These functions of business 370 are shown by the dotted lines from business 370.
A best mode of implementing the invention is called JumpCart, and includes the following entities: A uniquely laid out and printed catalog that has scannable JumpCodes.
JumpCodes are bar codes that are specifically designed for JumpCart and can be combined, with consecutive scans, to include a Destination Web site prefix, quantities, items and other options. JumpCodes may be placed in catalogs in various ways, such as on pull out tabs, headers and footers, margins and the like. These JumpCodes may refer to catalog pages, quantities, colors, packaging or other attributes of a product order. For example, a set of colors applicable to a large number of products can be represented by JumpCodes in a single pull out tab, and can be applied to a product being ordered without having to list as separate items the same product, once for each color (or, in general, once for each different combination of attributes). A catalog laid out with these techniques is substantially smaller and more user friendly than a catalog that simply has a separate item for every variation. A scanner that is capable of scanning bar codes.