US A United States Patent (19) 11 Patent Number: 6,091,417 Lefkowitz (45) Date of Patent: *Jul.18, 2000

Transcription

1 US A United Sttes Ptent (19) 11 Ptent Number: 6,091,417 Lefkoitz (45) Dte of Ptent: *Jul.18, GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE 5,774,122 6/1998 Kojim et l /571 5,774,370 6/1998 Moutulli / Inventor: Hord Michel Lefkoitz, oodlnd 5,778,178 7/1998 Anonchlm / Hills, Clif. 5,838,326 11/1998 Crd et l /355 5,847,709 12/1998 Crd et l / Assignee: ErthLink Netork, Inc., Atlnt, G. 5,884,029 3/1999 Brush, II et l. 395/ ,889,863 3/1999 eber /25 * Notice: This ptent issued on continued pros ecution ppliction filed under 37 CFR 1.53(d), nd is subject to the tenty yer Primry Exminer Steven Sx ptent term provisions of 35 U.S.C. Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Hunton & illims 154()(2). 57 ABSTRACT 21 Appl. No.: 09/039,565 A virtul mll consists of grphicl user interfce hving 22 Filed: Mr 16, 1998 eb pge ith grphicl imge tht represents the physicl e - Vs Structure of mll. Vrious Sub-regions in the grphicl (51) Int. Cl.... G06F 13/00 imge represent retil Stores. The Stores re hypertext linked 52) U.S. Cl /357; 345/349 to retil eb pges hich llo the user to shop p for items in 58 Field of Serch /335, 357, much the sme y s Shopping in mll. Vrious icons on 345/356, 349,348, , , the eb pge llo the user to move form Store to Store, s , , , ell s to vrious levels of the mll. There re lso Sub regions for informtion, nes nd mgzine Subscriptions s 56) References Cited ell s nv y other fetures or services tht mv y be found in mlls. U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 5,710,887 1/1998 Chellish et l / Clims, 2 Dring Sheets EBSITE l EBSITE 7 Y - EBSITE EBSITE - 7 l ---, 7 EBSITE - EBSITE -...-l" - EBPAGE EBPAGE EBPAGE :EBPAGE ? Y x f f ^ s ', 8 8 f s PAGE--PAGE-----PAGE--PA E PAGE-- PAGE -PAGE-- PAGE f

2 U.S. Ptent Jul.18, 2000 Sheet 1 of 2 6,091,417 FIG. EBSITE l T E EBSITE... EBSITE EBSITE is, -7 n 7 EBSITE EBSITE - - " - EBPAGE EBPAGE EBPAGE Yi Y YY EBPAGE FIG. 2

3 U.S. Ptent Jul.18, 2000 Sheet 2 of 2 6,091,417

4 1 GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention reltes to grphicl user interfce for n electronic Shopping mll, nd more prticulrly to grphicl user interfce hich resembles the lyout of mll to fcilitte the users nvigtion of nd cclimtion to prticulr eb site. 2. Bckground of the Invention The use of the Internet nd the orld ide eb (the eb ) is continuing to expnd t n exponentil rte ith ne users logging on ech dy. Mny eb pges llo users to brose nd purchse merchndise ithout the user ever hving to leve the computer terminl. Before the dvent of on-line Shopping, consumers typi clly hd to go to Stores nd Shopping mlls. Some consumers, hoever, do not enjoy shopping nd ould prefer to do So from their homes. Likeise, mny consumers re pressed to find Significnt time to enjoy the Shopping experience, thereby mking if difficult to spend qulity time in shopping mll. Furthermore, Shopping mlls nd Stores often present obstcles for consumers, including the hndi cpped nd the elderly, ho my be intimidted by crods. Additionlly, Shopping mlls re generlly locted in densely populted res. For mny consumers, prticulrly those in rurl res, time nd distnce re prohibitive fctors in trveling to shopping mll. Mil order ctlogs nd television shopping chnnels hve Sought to ddress these chllenges, ith vrying degrees of Success. Hoever, mil order ctlogs Suffer from the problem tht consumers re limited in their shopping choices by the types of ctlogs they receive through the mil. Television shopping chnnels re not vilble in every city nd consumers hve no control over ht items re vieed. These nd other disdvntges re Sought to be overcome by the preferred embodiments of the invention. It is therefore n object of the preferred embodiments to provide mechnism by hich consumers my shop ith out hving to visit the Shopping mll. It is further object of the preferred embodiments to reduce the time nd effort expended by consumers in meet ing their Shopping needs. It is still further n object of the preferred embodiments is to llo consumers to Shop t vriety of Stores, s ould be the cse in Visiting shopping mll, ithout hving to leve the home nd ithout hving to collect mil order ctlogs. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to grphicl user interfce for use on computer connected to netork tht Supports hypertext links. The grphicl user interfce com prises eb pge hving grphicl imge hich encom psses predetermined re, nd hich represents physicl Structure. In one preferred embodiment, the physicl Struc ture is shopping mll hving t lest to floors. The grphicl imge hs plurlity of Sub-grphicl regions positioned bout the grphicl imge hich, in one preferred embodiment, represent Stores in the shopping mll. In ech of these Sub-regions hypertext link connects the eb site represented by the Sub-region. hen one of these sub regions is ctivted, the corresponding eb site is imported into the eb pge, displying the Specific informtion from 6,091, the connected eb site. In one preferred embodiment, the Specific Store is brought into the eb pge for the user to shop. An icon (lso knon s grphicl buttons), if Selected, preferbly cuses the eb pge to disply preselected grphicl imge. In one preferred embodiment, the prese lected imge is of the first floor of the Shopping mll. This enbles the user to return to fmilir Site nd then enter ne Store, much like ht hppens in the rel orld. Another feture of the present invention is the use of icons to nvigte through the different levels of the grphicl imge. In order to fcilitte the users cclimtion to the grphicl user interfce, these icons represent trnsporttion conduits, thus trnsporting the user beteen different levels s represented by the grphicl imge. In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, these trnsporttion conduits represent escltors, elevtors or flights of Stirs. Ech of these trnsporttion conduits provide rtificil resemblnce to the rel orld, thus providing the user ith fmilir mens of nvigtion. Still nother feture of the present invention is the use of Sub-regions representing conventionl detils in the physicl orld, but hich re merely decortive in the virtul orld. For one preferred embodiment, these types of detils my include restrooms or food court in the Shopping mll. These dditionl levels of detil do not ctully function s their comprble physicl orld embodiments, yet provide Some dditionl fmilirity to the user s the user nvigtes through the grphicl user interfce. Yet nother feture of the present invention is the use of Sub-regions tht represent conventionl detils in the physi cl orld nd tht hve similr functions in the virtul orlds. In one preferred embodiment, Some of these imges include center court, n informtion booth nd nes Stnd. In ech of these loctions, Specific informtion hich ould be vilble in their physicl orld counterprt is lso vilble in the virtul orld. By providing virtul simultion for the physicl orld Structure, user ill likely be ccustomed to receiving certin informtion from Such site. Other fetures nd dvntges of the present invention ill be pprent to those skilled in the rt from creful reding of the Detiled Description of the Preferred Embodi ments presented belo nd ccompnied by the drings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAINGS FIG. 1 is pln Vie of grphicl user interfce ccording to one preferred embodiment of the present inven tion. FIG. 2 is Schemtic vie of the grphicl user interfce of FIG. 1 ccording to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is perspective Vie of the grphicl user interfce shoing multiple levels ccording to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring no to FIG. 1, first preferred embodiment of the invention includes grphicl user interfce comprising eb pge 6 hving grphicl imge 1 depicting physicl Structure. In this embodiment, tht Structure is the floor pln for mll. The grphicl imge 1 encompsses predetermined re on the eb pge. The grphicl imge 1 includes sub-regions 2 (FIG. 2) locted ithin the predeter

5 3 mined re. These Sub-regions 2 re hypertext linked (or linked) to other eb pge sites 7. In other embodiments, the Sub-regions 2 my be connected to eb pge Sites 7 in different mnner. In one preferred embodiment, t lest Some of the Sub-regions 2 depict retil shops tht, for exmple, might be found in mll. The grphicl user interfce is used ith broser on computer. The computer, in turn, is connected to netork hich, in this preferred embodiment, is cpble of Support ing hypertext links. Netorks cpble of Supporting other mnners of connection re lso envisioned. The prticulr type of broser, computer, or netork is not importnt to this invention. Rther, the type of broser, netork, or computer to use ill be redily pprent to one of ordinry skill in the rt. In preferred embodiment, hen Sub-region is Selected, retil site is imported into the second frme 14 of the eb pge. Importtion of the retil Site into the Second frme 14 of the eb pge my occur in number of different ys, including, in this preferred embodiment, by hypertext link. The first frme 9 remins unchnged, giving the ppernce to the user of remining t the originl Site. The user my then interct ith the retil site. An icon 10 in the first frme of the eb pge of the retil site is lys vieble to the user. The icon 10 is connected to the grphicl imge 1. nd in the preferred embodiment, the icon 10, hen ctivted, returns the user to the min re of the mll. The connection controls the eb pge 6 in tht it determines ht is displyed on the eb pge 6. Icon 10 my be linked to the min re of the mll, or, in other embodiments, connected in different mnner. For exmple, hen user is redy to exit virtul Store, the user moves to the door nd is returned to the min re of the mll. It ill be pprent to person of ordinry skill in the rt tht bnner, single frme, or tble my be used ith the present invention ithout deprting from the Spirit nd Scope of the present invention. These retil Sites my in turn be linked to other eb pges or sites 8. In ddition to the grphicl imge 1, the eb pge 6 my include one or more other ctive res on the eb pge 6. One such ctive re my include bnner 9 (FIG. 1), to give generl informtion bout the pge, Such s the title nd the mker/oner of the pge. Another Such ctive re my include one or more icons 16. Icons 16 my be used to move to Sites ithin the eb pge 6, or my be linked to other Sites, Such s, for exmple, the home pge of the oner of the mll eb site. ith prticulr reference to FIG. 2, more detiled vie of the grphicl imge I is illustrted. Other Sub-regions in the grphicl imge my include one or more trnsporttion icons 3, hich trnsport the user beteen different floors of the mll. Trnsporttion icons 3 my pper s escltors, elevtors, Stirs, or the like. Other Sub-regions my include n informtion re 4, hich provides informtion bout the mll. An informtion re 4 my be used, for exmple, to nser questions users my hve bout the Stores, delivery of items, or the mll in generl. Users my lso, for exmple, be ble to mke comments nd Suggestions bout the mll. Additionlly, nother Sub-region of the grphicl imge my be centrl re 5 hich Serves s posting re for Sles, generl nnouncements, nd Specil events, for exmple, Such s on-line cht Sessions ith retilers, uthors or the like. In one preferred embodiment, Sub-region functions s nesstnd 26. At the nesstnd 26, users my Subscribe to mgzines, nesppers or the like. Additionl embodiments my include links from the nesstnd to Subscriptions or on-line publictions. This list of Sub-region functions is not ment to be exhustive or limit the invention, but rther to illustrte the vrious possibilities nd embodiments. 6,091, Other sub-regions my include restrooms 13 or food court 15. The restroom 13. for exmple my be linked to eb pge hich includes picture of men's room door nd omen's room door. hile these sub-regions obviously do not function s their counterprts in n ctul mll function, they do provide dditionl fmilirity s the user nvigtes through the virtul mll. FIG.3 presents depiction of virtul mll ith multiple levels. hile this vie is not ho the virtul mll ould pper to user on eb pge 11 it is illustrtive of ho the virtul mll functions. The virtul mll in this embodiment consists of three seprte grphicl imges 101, 201, 301, ech similr in function to the grphicl imge 1 of FIG. 2. Ech grphicl imge represents floor of the virtul mll. A Single grphicl imge is locted on eb pge t time. In this embodiment, the floors re connected by trnspor ttion icon represented s n elevtor 12. Alterntively, escltors (s shon, e.g., in FIG. 1), Stirs, or other trnsporttion devices my lso be used. Activting the elevtor 12 icon llos the user to move beteen floors of the Virtul mll in much the sme y s shopper ould move beteen different floors of rel mll. Ech grphicl imge 101, 201, 301, encompsses predetermined re of the eb pge nd lso includes sub-regions 102, 202, 302 hich depict retil stores com mon to mll. These sub-regions 102, 202, 302 re in turn linked to retil sites. Some sub-regions 203, 303, my represent the sme Store hich cn be ccessed from the different floors. Just s rel mlls hve "nchor stores hich hve mny levels, the Virtul mll my include lrger retil Sites hich hve entrnces on more thn one floor. hile the invention hs been described in connection ith the preferred embodiments, it ill be pprent to those skilled in the rt tht mny chnges nd Substitutions cn be mde to the preferred embodiments herein described ithout deprting from the Spirit nd Scope of the present invention s defined by the ppended clims. I clim: 1. A grphicl user interfce for use ith broser on computer connected to netork cpble of Supporting hypertext links, Sid grphicl user interfce comprising: eb pge cpble of being displyed on the broser of the computer, Sid eb pge hving embedded therein: ) grphicl menu imge representing the physicl Structure of shopping mll nd hving plurlity of Sub-regions representing Stores in the Shopping mll, ech of Sid plurlity of Sub-regions hving hypertext link corresponding to retil eb site of one of Sid stores embedded therein so tht hen one of Sid Sub-regions is ctivted Sid eb pge is linked to one of Sid retil eb sites nd Sid one retil eb site is imported into Sid eb pge, nd b) n icon connected to Sid grphicl menu imge So tht hen Sid icon is ctivted, Sid eb pge displys Sid grphicl menu imge. 2. The grphicl user interfce s recited in clim 1, herein user my interct ith Sid one retil eb site. 3. The grphicl user interfce s recited in clim 1, herein to or more of Sid Sub-regions hve hypertext links hich correspond to the sme retil eb site. 4. The grphicl user interfce s recited in clim 1, further comprising Sub-region ith hypertext link to eb site hich provides informtion bout Sid eb pge nd Sid grphicl menu imge.

6 S 5. A grphicl user interfce for use ith broser on computer connected to netork cpble of Supporting hypertext links, Sid grphicl user interfce comprising: eb pge cpble of being displyed on the broser of the computer, Sid eb pge hving embedded therein: first grphicl menu imge representing the physicl Structure of first floor of shopping mll; Second grphicl menu imge representing the physicl Structure of Second floor of shopping mll; first icon positioned on Sid first grphicl menu imge, Sid first icon linking Sid first grphicl menu imge to Sid Second grphicl menu imge So tht hen Sid first icon is ctivted Sid Second grphicl menu imge is imported into the eb pge, nd Second icon positioned on Sid Second grphicl menu imge, Sid Second icon linking Sid Second grphicl menu imge to Sid first grphicl menu imge So tht hen sid Second icon is ctivted Sid first grphicl menu imge is imported into Sid eb pge. 6. The grphicl user interfce s recited in clim 5, further comprising n icon embedded in Sid eb pge, So tht hen Sid icon is ctivted Sid first grphicl menu imge is imported into Sid eb pge. 7. The grphicl user interfce s recited in clim 5, herein Sid first icon nd Sid Second icon depict trns porttion conduit Selected from the group consisting of n escltor, flight of Stirs, nd n elevtor. 8. The grphicl user interfce s recited in clim 5, Sid first grphicl menu imge hving first plurlity of Stores nd Sid Second grphicl menu imge hving Second plurlity of stores herein ech of sid first plurlity of Stores nd Sid Second plurlity of Stores hs hypertext link embedded therein; nd ech of Sid hypertext links corresponding to retil eb Site So tht hen one of Sid first plurlity of Stores or Sid Second plurlity of Stores is ctivted, sid eb pge is linked to Sid retil eb site nd imports Sid retil eb site into Sid eb pge. 9. The grphicl user interfce recited in clim 8, herein to or more of Sid first plurlity of Stores nd Sid Second plurlity of Stores hve hypertext links hich correspond to the sme Sid retil eb site. 10. A grphicl user interfce for use ith broser on computer connected to netork cpble of Supporting hypertext links, Sid grphicl user interfce comprising: eb pge hving fist nd Second frme, Sid eb pge cpble of being displyed on the broser of the computer, first grphicl menu imge depicting first floor of shopping mll embedded on Sid Second frme of Sid eb pge, Second grphicl menu imge depicting Second floor of shopping mll embedded on Sid Second frme of Sid eb pge; first icon positioned on Sid first grphicl menu imge, Sid first icon depicting first trnsporttion conduit nd linking Sid first grphicl menu imge to Sid Second grphicl menu imge So tht hen Sid first icon is ctivted Sid Second grphicl menu imge is imported into Sid Second frme of Sid eb pge; Second icon positioned on Sid Second grphicl menu imge, Sid Second icon depicting Second trnspor ttion conduit nd linking Sid Second grphicl menu imge to Sid first grphicl menu imge, So tht hen Sid Second icon is ctivted Sid first grphicl menu imge is imported into Sid Second frme of Sid eb pge, nd 6,091, third icon positioned in Sid first frme of Sid eb pge, Sid third icon controlling Sid Second frme of Sid eb pge So tht hen Sid third icon is ctivted Sid first grphicl menu imge is imported into Sid Second frme of Sid eb pge. 11. The grphicl user interfce s recited in clim 10, herein Sid first trnsporttion conduit nd Sid Second trnsporttion conduit re Selected from the group consisting of flight of Stirs, n escltor nd n elevtor. 12. The grphicl user interfce s recited in clim 10, herein Sid first floor of shopping mll hs Store positioned therein, Sid Store hving hypertext link embed ded therein, So tht hen Sid Store is ctivted Sid hyper text link imports eb site corresponding to Sid Store into Sid Second frme of Sid eb pge. 13. A method for nvigting the orld ide eb using grphicl user interfce, the method comprising the Steps of: ccessing eb pge cpble of being displyed on the broser of computer; displying Sid eb pge, Sid eb pge hving embed ded therein: ) first grphicl menu imge hving plurlity of Sub-regions Sid first grphicl menu imge depicting first floor of shopping mll nd Sid Sub-regions representing Stores, ech of Sid plurlity of Sub regions hving hypertext 1 embedded therein, herein ech of Sid hypertext links corresponds to retil eb Site of Sid Store, nd b) n icon for controlling sid eb ge; ctivting one of Sid plurlity of Sub-regions to link sid eb pge to Sid retil eb site nd import Sid retil eb site into Sid eb pge; nd ctivting Sid icon nd importing Sid first grphicl menu imge into Sid eb pge. 14. The method recited in clim 13, herein sid eb Sites represent retil eb sites Sid method further compris ing the Step of using Sid retil eb site to purchse items. 15. The method s recited in clim 14, herein sid eb pge hving further embedded therein Second grphicl menu imge on Sid eb pge, Sid Second grphicl menu imge depicting Second floor of Shopping mll nd hving Sub-regions representing Stores, ech of Sid Sub regions hving hypertext link embedded therein, herein ech of Sid hypertext links corresponds to retil eb site of one of Sid Stores nd herein: first icon is positioned on Sid first grphicl menu imge, Sid first icon being linked to Sid Second grphicl menu imge; nd Second icon is positioned on Sid Second grphicl menu imge, Sid Second icon being linked to Sid first grphicl menu imge. 16. The method recited in clim 15, further comprising the Steps of ctivting Sid first icon; nd importing Sid Second grphicl menu imge into Sid eb pge. 17. The method recited in clim 15, further comprising the Steps of ctivting Sid Second icon; nd importing Sid first grphicl menu imge into Sid eb pge.