Method for Providing Real-Time Shopping Data to Computer Users

Abstract

A system is disclosed in which a user's personal computer may access a variety of information regarding products and services, through a computer network, in real time. The computer network collects product/service information from various sources, such as gift stores, clothiers, computer dealers, etc. and formats the information in a recognizable manner to enable the information to be viewed by a user at the user's personal computer. The network performs a single search from a single search command from the user.

1 . A method for providing real time shopping data from a plurality of merchants to computer users comprising:
 (a) receiving at a host computer from a plurality of merchant computers product data for products offered for sale by merchants;   (b) storing in a database said product data from said plurality of merchant computers;   (c) receiving at said host computer from a user computer a request for product data from said database for at least one product;   (d) locating in said database product data from at least two different merchants relevant to said request for product data;   (e) formatting for said user computer screen display data comprising product data for said at least one product from said at least two different merchants;   (f) transmitting from said host computer to said user computer for display at said user computer said screen display data comprising said product data;   (g) determining at said host computer whether product data for said at least one product has been updated in said database; and   (h) if said product data has been updated:
 (1) updating said screen display data with said updated product data; 
   (2) transmitting from said host computer to said user computer for display at said user computer said updated screen display data comprising said updated product data.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 (i) determining at said host computer whether product data for said at least one product has been updated in said database; 
 (j) updating said screen display data with said updated product data from said at least one merchant computer; and 
 (k) transmitting from said host computer to said user computer for display at said user computer said updated screen display data comprising said updated product data from said at least one merchant computer. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein updating said screen display data with said updated product data comprises updating said screen display data in response to a request from said user computer to receive continuously updated data from said host computer. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said product data for products offered for sale by merchants further comprises pricing, availability, support, service, and warranty data for said products and sales volume data for said merchants. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising receiving from said user computer a request to purchase said at least one product from one of said merchants. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein receiving at a host computer from a plurality of merchant computers product data for products offered for sale by merchants comprises receiving said product data from each merchant computer in a different data format. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein storing in a database said product data from said plurality of merchant computers comprises storing said product data in a common format. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein receiving at a host computer from a plurality of merchant computers product data for products offered for sale by merchants comprises receiving said product data from a regional host computer. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein receiving at a host computer from a plurality of merchant computers product data for products offered for sale by merchants comprises receiving said product data on a two-way communication path based on TCP/IP transport connectivity. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said screen display data is displayed on a single display screen at said user computer. 
     
     
         11 . A method for providing real time shopping data from a plurality of merchants to computer users comprising:
 (a) receiving at a host computer from a plurality of merchant computers product data for products offered for sale by merchants, said product data comprising product availability data and product pricing data for products offered for sale by each of said merchants;   (b) storing in a database said product data from said plurality of merchant computers;   (c) receiving at said host computer from a user computer a request for product data from said database for at least one product;   (d) locating in said database product data relevant to said request for product data for said at least one product, said product data comprising availability and pricing data for said at least one product from at least two different merchants;   (e) formatting for said user computer screen display data comprising product data for said at least one product from said at least two different merchants;   (f) transmitting from said host computer to said user computer for display at said user computer said screen display data comprising said product data;   (g) receiving at said host computer from at least one merchant computer of said at least two different merchants a first update to product data for said at least one product;   (h) updating said screen display data with said updated product data from said at least one merchant computer; and   (i) transmitting from said host computer to said user computer for display at said user computer said updated screen display data comprising said updated product data from said at least one merchant computer.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising:
 (j) receiving at said host computer from at least one merchant computer of said at least two different merchants a second update of product data for said at least one product; 
 (k) updating said screen display data with said updated product data from said at least one merchant computer; and 
 (l) transmitting from said host computer to said user computer for display at said user computer said updated screen display data comprising said updated product data from said at least one merchant computer. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  wherein updating said screen display data with said updated product data from said at least one merchant computer comprises updating said screen display data in response to a request from said user computer to receive continuously updated data from said host computer. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said product data for products offered for sale by merchants further comprises support, service, and warranty data for said products and sales volume data for said merchants. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising receiving from said user computer a request to purchase said at least one product from one of said merchants. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11  wherein receiving at a host computer from a plurality of merchant computers product data for products offered for sale by merchants comprises receiving said product data from each merchant computer in a different data format. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11  wherein storing in a database said product data from said plurality of merchant computers comprises storing said product data in a common format. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11  wherein receiving at a host computer from a plurality of merchant computers product data for products offered for sale by merchants comprises receiving said product data from a regional host computer. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11  wherein receiving at a host computer from a plurality of merchant computers product data for products offered for sale by merchants comprises receiving said product data on a two-way communication path based on TCP/IP transport connectivity. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said screen display data is displayed on a single display screen at said user computer.