Method and system for purchasing products or services appearing in playing media without interrupting viewing

Abstract

Computer-implemented methods for simultaneously viewing a playing multimedia and shopping for a product currently appearing in it comprising: providing, by a computer, an interface for playing the multimedia; providing, by the computer, an interface for selecting the product appearing in the playing multimedia to place the product into a shopping cart without stopping or pausing the playing multimedia, provided that the product is not visually distinguished as selectable, the shopping cart appearing temporarily when the product is added without disturbing the playing multimedia, the selection of the product visually indicated by a graphic icon moving into the shopping cart; providing, by the computer, an interface for accessing the shopping cart at the end of the viewing period; and providing, by the computer, an interface for purchasing, renting, or saving the product or accessing information of the product in the shopping cart at the end of the viewing period.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method for simultaneously viewing a playing multimedia and shopping for a product currently appearing in the playing multimedia comprising:
 a) providing, by a computer, an interface for selecting the product appearing in the playing multimedia during a viewing period to place at least one image frame of the playing multimedia containing the product into a shopping cart without stopping or pausing the playing multimedia, provided that the product is not visually distinguished as selectable in the playing multimedia, the shopping cart and the at least one image frame of the playing multimedia containing the product therein both appearing temporarily when the at least one image frame containing the product is added without blocking and stopping or pausing the playing multimedia, the selection of the at least one image frame containing the product visually indicated by a graphic icon moving into the shopping cart;   b) providing, by the computer, an interface for saving, reviewing, or editing the at least one image frame of the playing multimedia containing the product to purchase, rent, or save the product or a similar product or accessing information of the product or the similar product in the shopping cart at the end of the viewing period.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , provided that the multimedia comprises a video or an audio. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , provided that the multimedia is entertainment multimedia. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , provided that the multimedia is a television show or movie. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , provided that the multimedia does not comprise subject matter directed specifically to the product. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , provided that the multimedia does not advertise or market the product. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , provided that the multimedia is played using a media player. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , provided that the media player is Flash, Silverlight, or HTML 5 player. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , provided that the multimedia is played on a computer, a television, or a mobile electronic device. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , provided that the product is a piece of merchandise or a service that currently appears in the multimedia. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , provided that selecting the product comprises using an input device to interact with the product. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , provided that the input device comprises a touchscreen, a mouse, a keyboard, a pointing device, a camera, a microphone, a motion sensor, a temperature sensor, or a pressure sensor. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , provided that the interaction comprises a touch, a click, a tap, highlighting, circling, contouring, a gesture, pointing, swiping, pressing, or crossing. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , provided that selecting the product is achieved by comparing a selection with pre-recorded tracking information. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , provided that the comparison comprises calculating the difference between the selection and a pre-recorded product in their locations, time points, or sizes. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , provided that the comparison comprises choosing a pre-recorded product with a minimal difference to the selection in their locations, time points, or sizes. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , provided that placing the product into the shopping cart comprises placing the exact product or a similar product into the shopping cart. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , provided that the shopping cart comprises an image, a name, a price, a quantity, or a description of the selected product. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , provided that the shopping cart is temporarily visible without substantially obscuring the playing multimedia. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , provided that the shopping cart is visible at the time when the product is added to the shopping cart. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , provided that the shopping cart is visible for less than 10 seconds, less than 9 seconds, less than 8 seconds, less than 7 seconds, less than 6 seconds, less than 5 seconds, less than 4 seconds, less than 3 seconds, less than 2 seconds, or less than 1 second. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , provided that the product being not visually distinguished comprises being not highlighted, not marked, not contoured, not flashing, not glowing, not checked, not crossed out, not tagged, not labeled, or not superimposed with a shape, a color, a sign, a structure, a word, a phrase, or a sentence. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1 , provided that accessing the shopping cart comprises viewing or editing the shopping cart. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 1 , provided that purchasing comprises placing an order for the product at one or more webpages. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 1 , provided that accessing information of the product comprises connecting to a website of a manufacture, a dealer, a retailor, or obtaining information about physical stores that sells the product. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 1 , provided that a similar product has similarity to the selected product in color, style, shape, manufacturer, composition, function, designer, or brand. 
     
     
         27 . Non-transitory computer-readable storage media encoded with a computer program including instructions executable by a processor to create a shopping application for a viewer comprising:
 a) a software module for selecting the product appearing in the playing multimedia during a viewing period to place at least one image frame of the playing multimedia containing the product into a shopping cart without stopping or pausing the playing multimedia, provided that the product is not visually distinguished as selectable in the playing multimedia, the shopping cart and the at least one image frame of the playing multimedia containing the product therein both appearing temporarily when the at least one image frame containing the product is added without blocking and stopping or pausing the playing multimedia, the selection of the at least one image frame containing the product visually indicated by a graphic icon moving into the shopping cart;   and   b) a software module for saving, reviewing, or editing the at least one image frame of the playing multimedia containing the product to purchase, rent, or save the product or a similar product or accessing information of the product or the similar product in the shopping cart at the end of the viewing period.   
     
     
         28 . A computer-implemented system for simultaneously viewing a playing multimedia and shopping for a product currently appearing in the playing multimedia comprising a processor configured to provide a shopping application for a viewer comprising:
 a) a software module for selecting the product appearing in the playing multimedia during a viewing period to place at least one image frame of the playing multimedia containing the product into a shopping cart without stopping or pausing the playing multimedia, provided that the product is not visually distinguished as selectable in the playing multimedia, the shopping cart and the at least one image frame of the playing multimedia containing the product therein both appearing temporarily when the at least one image frame containing the product is added without blocking and stopping or pausing the playing multimedia, the selection of the at least one image frame containing the product visually indicated by a graphic icon moving into the shopping cart;   and   b) a software module for saving, reviewing, or editing the at least one image frame of the playing multimedia containing the product to purchase, rent, or save the product or a similar product or accessing information of the product or the similar product in the shopping cart at the end of the viewing period.