Patent ID: 8200540
Filing Date: 2012-06-12
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. A method of presenting products in an interactive environment, the method comprising: executing with a processor of an information processing system the following: displaying, in the interactive environment, at least a first product category widget and a second product category widget associated with a given level in a set of levels of the interactive environment; determining that a user has created a boundary indicator surrounding a portion of the interactive environment comprising the first product category widget; determining that the user is performing at least a zoom operation on the interactive environment, wherein the zoom operation dynamically changes a product information detail level of the interactive environment to correspond to one level in the set of levels, and wherein each subsequent level in the set of levels is associated with a set of more detailed product information than a previous level in the set of levels; applying the zoom operation only to the portion of the interactive environment surrounded by the boundary indicator and comprising the first product category widget; maintaining, during the zoom operation, a remaining portion of the interactive environment including the second product category widget at the given level; identifying a level in the set of levels currently being accessed by the zoom operation; dynamically selecting, in response to the identifying, at least one of a product manufacturer and a product to be displayed at the identified level based on at least one dynamic attribute of the product manufacturer and the product, respectively, wherein the dynamic attribute of the product manufacturer comprises at least one of a popularity of the manufacturer and advertising incentives associated with the manufacturer, wherein the dynamic attribute of the product comprises at least one of a cost of the product and a popularity of the product; and displaying the at least one of the product manufacturer and the product that has been selected to the user in the portion of the interactive environment.