Method, Apparatus, and System for Presenting Three-Dimensional Shopping Destinations through an Electronic Information Distribution System

Abstract

Some embodiments provide a method of electronic shopping through a computer network. The method presents, on a display of a computer system, a three-dimensional scene that represents a shopping destination. The three-dimensional scene includes multiple selectable objects and multiple non-selectable objects. The method also allows a user of the computer system to browse the three-dimensional shopping scene. Allowing includes receiving a selection of a particular selectable object.

1 - 42 . (canceled) 
     
     
         43 . A method of electronic shopping through a computer network, the method comprising:
 presenting, on a display of a computer system, a three-dimensional scene representing a shopping destination, said three-dimensional scene comprising a plurality of selectable objects and a plurality of non-selectable objects; and   allowing a user of the computer system to browse the three-dimensional shopping scene, wherein said allowing comprises receiving a selection of a particular selectable object.   
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the user selects the particular selectable object through a cursor control operation. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44  wherein the shopping destination is a mall that comprises a number of stores, wherein the three-dimensional scene represents an interior of the mall, and a plurality of the selectable objects in the scene represent stores in the mall. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 44  further comprising modifying the three-dimensional scene based on a profile of the user. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 45  further comprising allowing the user to enter a store by selecting the selectable object that represents the store. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47  further comprising presenting the user with a three-dimensional scene representing the interior of the selected store, said three-dimensional store scene comprising one or more selectable objects and one or more non-selectable objects. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 48  wherein a plurality of the selectable objects in the selected store scene represent items in the selected store, the method further comprising allowing the user to browse a particular item in the selected store by selecting the selectable object for the particular item. 
     
     
         50 . (canceled) 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 48  further comprising modifying the three-dimensional store scene based on a profile of the user. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 48  wherein a particular selectable object in the store scene represents a department in the store. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52  further comprising allowing the user to enter the department in the selected store by selecting the particular selectable object that represents the department. 
     
     
         54 - 60 . (canceled) 
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the shopping destination is a store, wherein the three-dimensional scene represents the interior of the store, and some of the selectable objects in the scene represent items in the store. 
     
     
         62 - 72 . (canceled) 
     
     
         73 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein said cursor control operation comprises a movement of a cursor control device, the method further comprising:
 detecting the direction of said cursor movement; and   enlarging a display of at least one selectable object in the detected cursor direction.   
     
     
         74 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein said cursor control operation comprises a movement of a cursor control device the method further comprising:
 detecting the direction of said cursor movement; and   downloading to said computer system at least one object located in the detected cursor direction.   
     
     
         75 . A computer readable storage medium storing a computer program for electronic shopping through a computer network, the computer program, comprising sets of instructions stored on said computer readable storage medium, the sets of instructions executable by at least one processor of a computer system, said sets of instructions comprising:
 a) a set of instructions for presenting, on a display of said computer system, a three-dimensional scene representing a shopping destination, said three-dimensional scene comprising a plurality of selectable objects and a plurality of non-selectable objects; and   b) a set of instructions for allowing a user of the computer system to browse the three-dimensional shopping scene, wherein said allowing comprises receiving a selection of a particular selectable object.   
     
     
         76 . (canceled) 
     
     
         77 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 75  further comprising a set of instructions for automatically generating a selection operation after the user places a cursor over a particular presented selectable object for more than a threshold time amount. 
     
     
         78 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 77 , wherein said threshold time amount is a first threshold time amount the computer readable storage medium further comprising:
 a) a set of instructions for detecting that the user has placed the cursor over the particular presented selectable object for a second time amount, said second amount greater than a third threshold time amount but less than the first threshold time amount; and   b) a set of instructions for recording a passive cursor click operation to indicate that the user passively viewed the presented selectable object by placing the cursor over this object for more than the third threshold time amount.   
     
     
         79 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 76  further comprising:
 a) a set of instructions for receiving a plurality of cursor control operations from the user;   b) a set of instructions for recording one or more of the cursor control operations to gauge the user's actions in the three-dimensional shopping scene; and   c) a set of instructions for analyzing the recorded cursor control operations to generate a user profile based on the user's actions in the three-dimensional shopping scene.   
     
     
         80 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 79  further comprising a set of instructions for providing an incentive to the user based on the amount of cursor control operations performed by the user in the three-dimensional shopping scene. 
     
     
         81 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 75  wherein at least one of the selectable objects is a dynamic object, the computer readable storage medium further comprising a set of instructions for presenting the a multi-media presentation regarding a dynamic object when the user selects the dynamic object. 
     
     
         82 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 75  further comprising a set of instructions for presenting an animated sales presentation upon receiving a selection of one of the selectable objects. 
     
     
         83 - 141 . (canceled)