Methods, systems and devices relating to merged images and storage thereof

Abstract

An e-commerce method involves on-line viewing of a first article through a linking node for virtual merging on another structure. A particular application of the invention is directed to online apparel shopping involving a color matching scheme using color codes provided with images to be merged. For example, on-line viewing of one article, such as clothing, on another structure, includes creating an item from image-data corresponding to a colored article selected by an on-line viewer from an on-line viewer site with an image of a color structure selected by the on-line viewer, and indicating whether the colored article and the colored structure satisfy a color-matching criterion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 accessing a user profile via logon data, the user profile including:
 a virtual closet, 
 a list of websites of retailer data indicating one or more retailers, and 
 data of purchases associated with the user profile; 
   suggesting a clothing article representing an article offered for sale by the one or more retailers, the suggesting based upon the data of purchases and at least one selected first image data stored in the virtual closet;   retrieving the at least one selected first image data stored in the virtual closet and a selected suggested clothing article image data;   accessing foundation structure image data;   merging the retrieved at least one selected first image data, the retrieved selected suggested clothing article image data, and the accessed foundation structure image data to form a merged image data; and   displaying the merged image data on a display device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 storing the user profile associated with the logon data; and   receiving the logon data from a communicator device.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 providing the retrieved at least one selected image data to a communicator device;   presenting article selection options to the communicator device;   receiving article selection data from the communicator device; and   retrieving, from at least one retailer website, the selected suggested clothing article image data.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 storing the at least one second image data in the virtual closet; and   retrieving the at least one second article image data in response to receiving logon data from the communicator device.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising receiving, from the communicator device, favorite retailer data indicating various ones of the one or more retailers and in response to subsequently receiving the logon data from the communicator device, providing a list of the various ones of the one or more retailers. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising linking the communicator device to a first website associated with a first favorite retailer from the list of the various ones of the one or more retailers and therefrom linking the communicator device to a second website associated with a second favorite retailer from the list of the various ones of the one or more retailers. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising placing the selected suggest clothing article on hold. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing purchase options to the communicator device for articles corresponding to image data stored in the virtual closet. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating a fee for a user having the user profile associated with the logon data. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 tracking purchases;   saving the data of purchases along with the user profile; and   providing demographic information of user interests.   
     
     
         11 . A system including at least one server configured to perform operations comprising:
 accessing a user profile via logon data, the user profile including:
 a virtual closet, 
 a list of websites of retailer data indicating one or more retailers, and 
 data of purchases associated with the user profile; 
   suggesting a clothing article representing an article offered for sale by the one or more retailers, the suggesting based upon the data of purchases and at least one selected first image data stored in the virtual closet;   retrieving the at least one selected first image data stored in the virtual closet and a selected suggested clothing article image data;   accessing foundation structure image data;   merging the retrieved at least one selected first image data, the retrieved selected suggested clothing article image data, and the accessed foundation structure image data to form a merged image data; and   displaying the merged image data on a display device.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 storing the user profile associated with the logon data; and   receiving the logon data from a communicator device.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 providing the retrieved at least one selected image data to a communicator device;   presenting article selection options to the communicator device; and   receiving article selection data from the communicator device.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising retrieving, the selected suggested clothing article image data. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one server is further configured to perform operations comprising storing the selected suggested clothing article image data image data in the virtual closet. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one server is further configured to perform operations comprising receiving, from the communicator device, favorite retailer data indicating various ones of the one or more retailers and in response to subsequently receiving logon data from the communicator device, providing a list of the various ones of the one or more retailers. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one server is further configured to perform operations comprising placing a selected suggested clothing article on hold. 
     
     
         18 . A computer-readable medium storing executable instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to perform operations comprising:
 accessing a user profile via logon data, the user profile including:
 a virtual closet, 
 a list of websites of retailer data indicating one or more retailers, and 
 data of purchases associated with the user profile; 
   suggesting a clothing article representing an article offered for sale by the one or more retailers, the suggesting based upon the data of purchases and at least one selected first image data stored in the virtual closet;   retrieving the at least one selected first image data stored in the virtual closet and a selected suggested clothing article image data;   accessing foundation structure image data;   merging the retrieved at least one selected first image data, the retrieved selected suggested clothing article image data, and the accessed foundation structure image data to form a merged image data; and   displaying the merged image data on a display device.