Abstract:
Disclosed is an easily identifiable flyover icon placed on or near a visual depiction of an item to be ordered from an e-commerce Web site. The icon calls attention to itself as the mechanism by which a user is to place the item into a shopping cart. The icon provides immediate feedback that the item is ready to be placed in the cart, that the item is being placed in the cart, and that the item has been placed in the cart.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/619,976, filed Oct. 19, 2004, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to computer icons and more particularly to a dynamic icon that is operable for use in e-commerce applications.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     An important aspect of any computer system is the interface that allows a user to input commands and data, and to receive the results of operations performed within the computer. In the area of personal computers, the graphical user interface (GUI) has become almost ubiquitous. These GUIs employ various visual elements to assist the user in managing information within the computer and on Web pages. A fundamental aspect of the GUI is the icon. An icon comprises an image that is displayed on the desktop, or within another window, and represents a particular object or initiates a specific action. For instance, an icon may initiate a purchase routine, act as a hyperlink, represent a file containing data or a program, be employed to represent a window that has been closed or minimized, container objects such as folders, and computer resources such as disk drives and printers. Selecting an icon, for example by means of a mouse or other cursor control device, enables the user to access the information or resource represented by that icon.  
         [0004]     When users access the Internet to look for and purchase items, a key step in the interaction is actually purchasing the desired item. There is no standard for adding an item to the user&#39;s shopping receptacle or shopping basket. A user has to search for the “purchase” button to make a purchase. Additionally, once a user finds the purchase button, each Web page behaves differently to show an item was added to the shopping basket.  
         [0005]     One popular Web site, Amazon.com®, sells products via the Internet. On Amazon.com®, when a user decides to purchase an item, first, the user must find the button for placing an item in the user&#39;s cart. The button for placing items in the user&#39;s cart on Amazon.com® appears on the upper right hand side of the Web page below the Amazon.com® menu bar. Other Web sites place the button for placing an item in the user&#39;s cart in other places on the page so a purchaser has to search the page to purchase an item. If a user gets frustrated searching for the means to buy the desired item in most instances, the sale is lost.  
         [0006]     Turning again to Amazon.com®, and most other Web pages, once a user succeeds in finding the button for placing items in the user&#39;s cart, the user is taken to another page. On this page, other items may be displayed, as selected by the Web site, and the cart is displayed. However, it is difficult for the user to return to the item just added to the cart.  
         [0007]     Additionally, other than changing the page being viewed, there is no visual cue that an item is added to the cart. Once a user clicks the purchase button, the user has no way on knowing the state of the system. Until the user receives the revised web page or a confirmation email, the user does not know if the item has been added to the cart.  
         [0008]     Every time a user adds an item to his or her shopping cart, a new page is displayed showing the cart contents. This adds a significant strain on the network in data transmission, and when the shopping cart Web page is dynamically generated, significantly loads down a server hosting the web page being provided.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     The present invention solves the problems in the prior art by providing an improved icon that depicting adding an item to the shopping receptacle. In particular, the improved icon calls attention to itself as the mechanism by which the user is to place an item into the shopping cart and to provide immediate and graphical feedback that the item has been placed in the cart. In one embodiment, the user is not presented with a shopping cart page.  
         [0010]     According to one aspect of the invention, an easily identifiable flyover icon is placed on or near a visual depiction of an item to be ordered from an e-commerce Web site. The icon is a variation on an icon typically used by the Web site to indicate the shopping receptacle such as a shopping cart, shopping bag, shopping basket, or the like. The icon of the present invention preferably represents the placement of an item into the receptacle using standard graphical devices such as one or more arrows, other conventional suggestions of motion such as are used in cartoons and other drawings, and actual animation. Placement is represented using standard graphical devices such arrows, other suggestions of motion such as are those used in cartoons and other drawings, animation, and the like.  
         [0011]     According to another aspect of the invention, after the user clicks on the icon, the depiction of the icon or its background is altered to indicate the state of the system. In other words, the icon is used to designate activity taking place in the system. For example, during purchase, the colors in the depiction of the icon may become more or less saturated, or change entirely or the icon may be altered from three-dimensional to two-dimensional.  
         [0012]     If the icon is animated, the animation suggests movement of the arrow toward the shopping receptacle. The animation consists of the arrow moving toward the shopping receptacle, the tail of the arrow gradually shortening or becoming less evident, one or more generic objects (suggesting items to be selected) moving into the shopping receptacle, or generic objects jumping directly into the shopping receptacle, without any apparent intermediate locations, or the like.  
         [0013]     When the user clicks on the icon to place the item or items indicated into the shopping receptacle, the user receives feedback in one or more of the following ways: a sound is made, the icon changes, the item&#39;s background changes, a new graphical element is introduced into the icon, or the like.  
         [0014]     Following the user clicking on the icon, the appearance of the icon changes in one or more ways. The arrow or other graphical suggestion of motion is removed entirely or made less evident, by lightening its color, making it apparently transparent, or the like. If the any part of the icon was depicted against a distinctive background, the appearance of that background may change, such as color, outline, or the like. If part of the icon was depicted as a shopping receptacle, the color of the shopping receptacle changes, the appearance of the shopping receptacle changes, if the icon showed one or more items apparently outside the shopping receptacle, it no longer does so, the shopping receptacle appears to contain one or more items in one or more ways the item or items are wholly or partially visible via the open top of the receptacle, the item or items are wholly or partially visible through holes in the shopping receptacle, the item or items are partially visible through the apparently transparent surface of the shopping receptacle, the item or items in the receptacle is suggested by the appearance of one or more bulges, outlines, sagging, or other conventional depiction of a full container, the number of item or items in the receptacle is shown in or near the receptacle, or the like. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES  
       [0015]      FIG. 1  is a depiction of a Web page embodying the inventive icon;  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  depicts one embodiment of the inventive icon in its quiescent state;  
         [0017]      FIGS. 3A-3C  depict one embodiment of the inventive icon in its activated state;  
         [0018]      FIGS. 4A-4G  depict one embodiment of the inventive icon in its performance state;  
         [0019]      FIG. 5  depicts one embodiment of the inventive icon in its updated quiescent state;  
         [0020]      FIGS. 6A-6L  depict adding an item to a shopping cart;  
         [0021]      FIG. 7  depicts various icons for use with the inventive concept; and  
         [0022]      FIG. 8  depicts a system according to the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0023]     The following discussion describes various embodiments of the present invention. Many of the features described below are optional and can be added or removed without departing from the spirit of the invention. As described below, a virtual shopping receptacle is included and may further include various techniques for selection, such as shopping carts, wish lists, bridal registries, or the like.  
         [0024]      FIG. 1  depicts a Web page having an icon according to the present invention in its quiescent state. Web page  10 , hosted on a server, includes items such as navigation tabs  12 , an index of goods  14 , a specific item  16 , a description  18  of the item  16 , and an icon or button  20  for initiating the purchasing process. Icon  20  is located on or near item  16 . The user does not have to search the Web page to find the icon  20  to place the item in a shopping cart because preferably, it is adjacent to the item  16 . In another embodiment, icon  20  overlaps item  16 . In yet another embodiment, icon  20  is near the description  18 .  
         [0025]      FIG. 1  shows only one item  16 . However, multiple items can be displayed on web page  10 . In one embodiment, each item has its own icon or button  20  for initiating the purchasing process. Any changes to icon or button  20  for a first item would not affect an icon associated with another item. In another embodiment, multiple items are displayed with only a single icon or button  20  for initiating the purchasing process. In this embodiment, the item to be purchased is dragged to the icon.  
         [0026]     When Web page  10  first loads in a user&#39;s browser, icon  20  is in its quiescent state. In the quiescent state, icon  20  is static, as depicted in  FIG. 2 . Icon  20  preferably resembles a shopping cart or other easily recognizable shopping receptacle. Icon  20  preferably has an arrow  20 A or other designator indicating that it is used for adding the item to the shopping cart. In its quiescent state, icon  20  and arrow  20 A are a first color.  
         [0027]     In one embodiment, an item or items to be placed into the shopping receptacle is included in the icon  20 . The item or items are small depictions of the actual item or items, or a generic object or objects. For example, as shown in  FIG. 1 , when the item is a shirt, the small item or items are depicted in the shape a shirt. In another embodiment, the small depiction may also depict or suggest the actual color or pattern of the item being viewed.  
         [0028]     When the user moves cursor  22  over icon  20 , icon  20  enters its second state, an activated state as shown in  FIG. 3 . In the activated state, icon  20  changes in appearance by changing in color, size, animates, or the like. In a preferred embodiment, when cursor  22  moves on or near icon  20 , icon  20  changes by having arrow  20 A extending to the shopping cart as shown in  FIGS. 3A-3C . In another embodiment, the arrow  20 A begins moving and icon  20  and arrow  20 A change color. Alternatively, icon  20  and arrow  20 A change to different colors and arrow  20 A cycles through at least two different colors to indicate that icon  20  is used to place the item being viewed into the shopping cart. It should be noted that arrow  20 A, or other designator, can be animated and simultaneously change colors to designate the activated state. In place of an arrow, a generic box, miniature item  16 , or other animation can be used to simulate items moving towards the cart.  
         [0029]     When the user clicks icon  20  in the activated state, the icon enters a third state, the purchase, or action state. In one embodiment, the user receives an audio cue that icon  20  was clicked. In this state, the icon&#39;s designated activity such as adding the item to the user&#39;s cart or registry takes place. As depicted in  FIGS. 4A-4G , the icon depicts placing an item in the cart. The user may also enter the action state by placing an item into the cart by “dragging and dropping” the larger depiction or small depiction of the item into the cart.  
         [0030]     As shown in  FIG. 4 , in a preferred embodiment, arrow  20 A continues the movement began in the activated state. In the action state, in a first embodiment, the arrow  20 A continues its movement into the shopping cart as shown in  FIGS. 4A-4C . In one embodiment, the icon  20  changes color to designate a state change. Once the item is added to the user&#39;s cart during the purchase routine, the icon&#39;s animation changes. The icon  20  develops a ring  24 , flashes, emits fireworks, expands, or has some other visual change to denote the purchase is proceeding. Additionally, cart  26  changes to depict that it is full. Once the purchase routine is complete, the icon animation ceases as shown in  FIG. 4G .  
         [0031]     In the preferred embodiment, when a user clicks icon  20  to initiate the purchase routine, arrow  20 A begins moving into the basket as shown in  FIGS. 4A-4C . While the arrow is moving into the basket, the browser is sending a request to the server hosting the web page  10  to add item  16  to the user&#39;s shopping cart. Once the browser receives acknowledgment that the item has been placed in the user&#39;s shopping cart, a starburst or other visual indicator is displayed, as shown in  FIGS. 4D-4F . Additionally, the cart preferably is shown as being full. Once the transaction is complete, as shown in  FIGS. 4G , the icon returns to a quiescent state showing the cart as full.  
         [0032]     To add additional items to the shopping cart, the user clicks the icon or drags the item into the cart for the quantity of the item desired. Alternatively, a pulldown menu is used to vary the quantity of the item purchased. Even if the user has already placed an item or items into the shopping receptacle and the appearance of the icon has changed, the user can continue to click on the receptacle to add the same item and the system responds by providing appropriate feedback. If the number of items is depicted in or near the receptacle, the number is altered appropriately to display the current quantity of the selected item in the cart.  
         [0033]     In one embodiment, once the user clicks on the icon  20 , the depiction of the item  16  or its background is also altered. For example, the colors in the depiction of the item  16  may become more or less saturated; if the item was depicted in color, it may be depicted in black-and-white, grayscale, or a smaller number or range of colors; the depiction of the item may be less detailed; the depiction of the item may be altered from three-dimensional to two-dimensional; the depiction may be altered from photographic to cartoon; text indicating that the item was purchased or selected (such as, for example, “SOLD”, “SELECTED”, “PURCHASED”, “TAKEN”, etc.) may appear near or over the depiction of the item. The appearance of the background behind the depiction of the item changes, such as in color, outline, or the like.  
         [0034]     After the transaction is complete and item  16  is added to the user&#39;s cart, the icon  20  enters a fourth state, an updated quiescent state. In the fourth state, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the cart is preferably depicted as being full. Additionally, in a preferred embodiment, icon  20  changes color. In one embodiment, until the purchase is complete, i.e., the user completes a checkout process, whenever Web page  10  is viewed icon  20  is displayed in the fourth state indicating that item  16  has been added to the user&#39;s cart. In the preferred embodiment, after icon  20  enters the fourth state, it does not enter either of the first two states. In one embodiment, there is a button to get a review of the items in the cart. Alternatively, once icon  20  enters the fourth state, clicking the icon takes the user to a cart review page.  
         [0035]     If the user removes the selection of the item from the shopping cart, the graphic appearance of the item and its associated selection icon  20  reverts to the original quiescent state, shown in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0036]      FIGS. 6A-6L  depict adding an item  16  to a shopping cart according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. As shown,  FIG. 6   a  depicts icon  20  in its quiescent state. When cursor  22 , overlaps or comes within a specified distance to icon  20 , icon  20  enters the second state. As discussed above, when icon  20  enters the second state, it visually entices a user to place an item into the cart as shown in  FIGS. 6A-6D . If the user then clicks on the icon  20  or drags item  16  into the cart, the icon enters the third state, shown in  FIGS. 6E-6K , and the cart is depicted as being filled. Finally, once the item is added to the cart, the second quiescent state is entered as shown in  FIG. 6L .  
         [0037]     It should be noted that the used is apprised of the state of the system at each step. As shown in  FIG. 6A , the system is in a quiescent state awaiting action by a user. When the user&#39;s cursor  22  approaches the flyover icon  20  the icon changes, as shown in  FIGS. 6B-6D , notifying the user that icon  20  is the means to add item  16  to the user&#39;s cart. In a preferred embodiment, when the user clicks icon  20  a message is sent to add item  16  to the user&#39;s cart. Icon  20  visually displays that the item is being added to the cart, as shown in  FIGS. 6E-6G , thereby notifying the user that the add item message has been sent. Once the system adds the item to the user&#39;s cart, a second cue is presented to the user thereby confirming that the item was added to the cart, as shown in  FIGS. 61-6K . Thus, the user is, in a preferred embodiment, notified of the system state at each step of the process.  
         [0038]     It should be noted that web page  10  requires fewer resources than a prior art e-commerce Web pages. In the prior art, when a user selected an item for purchase, a separate Web page was displayed to indicate the state of the system. According to the present invention, only the icon changes during the purchase experience to indicate a change of state. In this manner, network traffic is minimized because information regarding the icon state is transmitted instead of an entire Web page. Additionally, the user is presented with immediate feedback that an item is being placed in the cart and visual display provides feedback regarding the state of the system. In an alternative embodiment, after the item is added to the cart, a separate page to verify placement of an item in the user&#39;s cart can be presented to the user.  
         [0039]     As shown in  FIG. 7 , various receptacles can be used. Shopping receptacles include a shopping cart, a shopping bag, a shopping basket, a box, an envelope, a truck, a plane, or the like. In one embodiment, multiple icons appear on or near each item. Each icon represents not only the user&#39;s shopping cart, but also the preferred shipping method. In other words, a mailbox can appear for standard shipping and an airplane can appear for overnight or expedited delivery.  
         [0040]     The icon operates in a system where the icon is responsive to a user&#39;s activity on a web page. A typical system is shown in  FIG. 8 . Although shown as a distributed network, the multistate icon can be used in a centralized system. The system includes an icon display code module, stored in a computer readable medium, to process a plurality of icon display instructions associated with the web page. In one embodiment, the icon display code module and web page  10  are hosted by server  30 . When a user  34  accesses web page  10 , a request is sent to server  30  to provide web page  10  and its associated active icon. As the user  34  interacts with web page  10 , icon display instructions are processed in response to user&#39;s activity. In one embodiment, the activity includes selecting an item on the web page  10 . As discussed above, the icon then enters a plurality of states. The icon display code module provides the distinct icon states. The states include a first quiescent state indicating no activity relative to the icon, a second active state indicating that an icon is available for selection; and a third action state indicating that a process associated with the icon is proceeding.  
         [0041]     While this invention has been described by reference to preferred embodiments, it should be understood that numerous changes could be made within the spirit and scope of the inventive concepts described. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the disclosed embodiment, but that it have the full scope permitted by the language of the following claims.