Description

METHOD, SYSTEM AND SERVER FOR PROVIDING SHOPING

SERVICE

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a method, a system, and a server for providing a shopping service. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method, a system, and a server for providing a shopping service, which, in the process of providing the user with content related to shopping through a wired/wireless communication network, makes an estimate of a product combination corresponding to a combination of products in multiple shopping lists selected by a user, checks if there is an estimate of a product combination of another person falling into the same category of a field as the category of the field selected by the user, and compares the estimate of the product combination of the user with at least one estimate of a product combination of another person and outputs a result of the comparison, when it is checked that there is an estimate of a product combination of the another person falling into the same category of a field as the category of the field selected by the user. Background Art

[2] Recently, with advances in Internet technology, Electronic Commerce (EC) called

"Internet shopping mall" has been activated. Currently, the EC as described above plays a significant role as an axis of product distribution by ensuring the reliability of charging and delivery along with convenience.

[3] Conventionally, in order to purchase a product through EC, a purchaser must connect to a particular EC site (hereinafter, referred to as "shopping mall"), obtain information on products and prices of the products, and then determine if he/she will purchase the product.

[4] Also, in order to purchase a product lower in price among products which are the same or belong to the same class, a purchaser must connect to each of several shopping malls, obtain and compare several pieces of price information, and then determine if he/she will purchase the lower-priced product. Accordingly, the purchasing process as described above requires significant effort and a significant waste of time. As a result, these requirements cause the reduction of the purchaser's will to purchase a desired product. Besides, from the viewpoint of a seller, the reduction of a purchaser's will to purcase a desired product causes a reduction in sales.

[5] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a price comparison system acting in concert with particular shopping malls has been provided, which collects information on products and prices of the products from each of the particular shopping malls, and

provides purchasers with the collected information. The price comparison system receives information on prices of products on sale along with information on the products on sale from each of the particular shopping malls, and provides the received information to purchasers. With the price comparison system, a purchaser can check information on products, intended to be collectively purchased by him/her, and prices of the products without connecting to each shopping mall. As a result, the price comparison system can increase a purchaser's will to purchase desired products and sales of a shopping mall.

[6] However, the conventional price comparison system does not smoothly collect product information and price information from each shopping mall with which it acts in concert, and therefore does not satisfy the needs of purchasers. Namely, a system named "price comparison system" must collect, in real-time, a price-change situation of each shopping mall with which it acts in concert, reflect, in real-time, the collected price-change situation in price information, and then provide the real-time price information to a purchaser. However, the conventional price comparison system does not properly include a real-time information collection module as described above, and therefore cannot quickly update information on products and prices of the products and provide the quickly-updated information. Accordingly, for example, the conventional price comparison system cannot produce a result of causing an easy purchase determination by a purchaser and increasing sales of a shopping mall due to the easy purchase determination.

[7] Also, it is usual that the conventional price comparison system provides only information on price comparison of a particular product. Accordingly, when a user intends to purchase multiple products, the user is inconvenienced because he/she must compare prices for each of the multiple products and select a particular product.

[8] Also, when there is a difference in shopping malls, with which each conventional price comparison system acts in concert, between conventional price comparison systems, each conventional price comparison system provides different information. Accordingly, a user is inconvenienced because he/she must visit each conventional price comparison system and search each conventional price comparison system for a particular product.

[9] Hence, there has been a need for developing technology by which, when a user selects multiple shopping lists including multiple products intended to be purchased by the user, a product combination list of the user can be generated by combining the multiple shopping lists, and the product combination list of the user can be compared with a shopping list of another person belonging to the same field as a field selected by the user.

Disclosure of Invention

Technical Problem

[10] Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems occurring in the prior art, and the present invention provides a method, a system, and a server for providing a shopping service, which, in the process of providing the user with content related to shopping through a wired/wireless communication network, makes an estimate of a product combination corresponding to a combination of products in multiple shopping lists selected by a user, checks if there is an estimate of a product combination of another person falling into the same category of a field as the category of the field selected by the user, and compares the estimate of the product combination of the user with at least one estimate of a product combination of another person and outputs a result of the comparison, when it is checked that there is an estimate of a product combination of the another person falling into the same category of a field as the category of the field selected by the user. Technical Solution

[11] In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a server for providing content related to shopping to a user terminal in connection with a wired/ wireless communication network, the server including: a server communication unit operating in connection with the user terminal; a server control unit for controlling the server communication unit so as to receive a particular category selection signal from the user terminal, performing control so as to keep product information corresponding to a particular product selection signal in a shopping-cart interface when receiving the particular product selection signal from the user terminal, performing control so as to combine one or more pieces of product information kept in the shopping-cart interface and generate estimate data of a product combination of a user when receiving a shopping completion signal from the user terminal, checking if there is estimate data of a product combination of another person corresponding to the same category as the particular category selection signal, and performing control so as to generate product combination comparison data by comparing the estimate data of the product combination of the user with at least one estimate data of a product combination of the another person and transmit the generated product combination comparison data to the user terminal, when it is checked that there is estimate data of a product combination of the another person corresponding to the same category as the particular category selection signal; and a server storage unit for storing therein the content, the shopping category information, the product list data, the product information, and the estimate data of the product combination of the user.

[12] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system

for providing content related to shopping to a user terminal, the system including: a shopping service providing server for receiving a particular category selection signal from the user terminal, keeping product information corresponding to a particular product selection signal in a shopping-cart interface when receiving the particular product selection signal from the user terminal, combining one or more pieces of product information kept in the shopping-cart interface and generating estimate data of a product combination of a user when receiving a shopping completion signal from the user terminal, checking if there is estimate data of a product combination of another person corresponding to the same category as the particular category selection signal, and generating product combination comparison data by comparing the estimate data of the product combination of the user with at least one estimate data of a product combination of the another person and transmitting the generated product combination comparison data to the user terminal, when it is checked that there is estimate data of a product combination of the another person corresponding to the same category as the particular category selection signal; and a wired/wireless communication network for wired/wireless communication between the user terminal and the shopping service providing server.

[13] In accordance with further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for providing content related to shopping from a shopping service providing server to a user terminal through a wired/wireless communication network, the method including the steps of: (a) receiving a particular category selection signal from the user terminal; (b) receiving a particular product selection signal from the user terminal; (c) keeping product information corresponding to the particular product selection signal in a shopping-cart interface; (d) combining one or more pieces of product information kept in the shopping-cart interface and generating estimate data of a product combination of a user when receiving a shopping completion signal from the user terminal; (e) checking if there is estimate data of a product combination of another person corresponding to the same category as the particular category selection signal; and (f) g enerating product combination comparison data by comparing the estimate data of the product combination of the user with at least one estimate data of a product combination of the another person, and transmitting the generated product combination comparison data to the user terminal, when it is checked in step (e) that there is estimate data of a product combination of the another person corresponding to the same category as the particular category selection signal.

Advantageous Effects

[14] According to the present invention as described above, in the process of providing the user with content related to shopping through a wired/wireless communication

network, an estimate is made of a product combination corresponding to a combination of products in multiple shopping lists selected by a user, it is checked if there is an estimate of a product combination of another person falling into the same category of a field as the category of the field selected by the user, and the estimate of the product combination of the user is compared with at least one estimate of a product combination of another person and a result of the comparison is output, when it is checked that there is an estimate of a product combination of the another person falling into the same category of a field as the category of the field selected by the user.

[15] According to the present invention, when a user selects multiple shopping lists including multiple products intended to be purchased by the user, a product combination list is generated by combining the multiple shopping lists, and the product combination list is provided, so that the user can check the multiple shopping lists at a glance through the product combination list, and the convenience of the user can be increased since the user does not need to additionally move from one page to another.

[16] Also, an estimate of a product combination selected by the user is compared with an estimate of a product combination selected by another person, and a result of the comparison is provided. Accordingly, the user can save money through reasonable online purchase. Brief Description of Drawings

[17] The above and other exemplary features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[18] FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a system for providing a shopping service according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[19] FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a server for providing a shopping service according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[20] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a method for providing a shopping service according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[21] FIG. 4 is an illustrative view showing shopping categories according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[22] FIG. 5 is an illustrative view showing shopping list data according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

[23] FIG. 6 and 7 are illustrative views showing a shopping service according to an embodiment of the present invention. Mode for the Invention

[24] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Regarding the same configuration

elements in the accompanying drawings, it should be noted that the same configuration elements will be designated by the same reference numerals all through the following description and drawings although they are shown in different drawings. Also, in the following description of the present invention, a detailed description of known functions and configurations incorporated herein will be omitted when it may make the subject matter of the present invention rather unclear.

[25] FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a system for providing a shopping service according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[26] The system for providing a shopping service according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a user terminal 110, a wired/wireless communication network 120, a shopping service providing server 130, and a blog providing server 140.

[27] The term "user terminal" 110 refers to a terminal capable of receiving all types of web page data over the wired/wireless communication network 120 by a user's key operation. The user terminal 110 may be any of a Personal Computer (PC), a notebook computer, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a mobile communication terminal, etc. Also, the user terminal 110 means a terminal equipped with a web browser for connecting to the shopping service providing server 130 through the wired/wireless communication network 120, a memory for storing programs therein, a microprocessor for executing programs to perform arithmetic and control, etc.

[28] The term "wired/wireless communication network" 120 refers to a network capable of transmitting and receiving data in an Internet protocol by using various wired/ wireless communication technologies, including an Internet network, an intranet, a mobile communication network, a satellite communication network, etc. Herein, technology for the wired/wireless communication network 120 is technology already known to the public, and therefore a detailed description of the technology will be omitted.

[29] The shopping service providing server 130 according to an embodiment of the present invention means a server for providing the user terminal 110 with content related to shopping through the wired/wireless communication network 120.

[30] When the user terminal 110 connects to the shopping service providing server 130, the shopping service providing server 130 transmits shopping category information to the user terminal 110 via the wired/wireless communication network 120, and receives a particular category selection signal from the user terminal 110.

[31] The shopping service providing server 130 extracts product list data corresponding to the particular category selection signal, and transmits the extracted product list data to the user terminal 110.

[32] The shopping service providing server 130 checks if a particular product selection

signal is received.

[33] When it is checked that the particular product selection signal is received, the shopping service providing server 130 keeps product information corresponding to the particular product selection signal in a shopping-cart interface. Herein, the product information includes at least one of a product name, manufacturer information, price information, and dealer location information.

[34] When receiving a shopping completion signal, the shopping service providing server

130 combines one or more pieces of product information kept in the shopping-cart interface, and generates estimate data of a product combination of a user of the user terminal 110. Herein, a detailed description of the shopping-cart interface will be made with reference to FIG. 3.

[35] The shopping service providing server 130 checks if there is estimate data of a product combination of another person corresponding to the same category as the particular category selection signal.

[36] When it is checked that there is estimate data of a product combination of the another person corresponding to the same category as the particular category selection signal, the shopping service providing server 130 generates product combination comparison data by comparing the estimate data of the product combination of the user with at least one estimate data of a product combination of the another person, and transmits the generated product combination comparison data to the user terminal 110.

[37] The blog providing server 140 means a server for providing a blog service to the user terminal through the wired/wireless communication network 120.

[38] FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a server for providing a shopping service according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[39] The shopping service providing server 130 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a server communication unit 210, a server control unit 220, and a server storage unit 230.

[40] Although an embodiment of the present invention exemplifies that the shopping service providing server 130 includes a server communication unit 210, a server control unit 220, and a server storage unit 230, this embodiment is only an illustrative description of the idea of the art in the present invention, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made, in order to be able to be applied, in configuration elements of the shopping service providing server 130 without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[41] The server communication unit 210 is a communication means operating in connection with the user terminal 110 through the wired/wireless communication network 120, and transmits/receives all types of data.

[42] As a means for controlling overall functions of the server, the server control unit 220

controls the server communication unit 210 so as to transmit shopping category information to the user terminal 110 and receive a particular category selection signal from the user terminal 110.

[43] The server control unit 220 controls the server communication unit 210 so as transmit product list data corresponding to the particular category selection signal to the user terminal 110.

[44] The server control unit 220 checks if a particular product selection signal is received from the user terminal 110.

[45] When it is checked that the particular product selection signal is received, the server control unit 220 performs the control function of keeping product information corresponding to the particular product selection signal in a shopping-cart interface.

[46] When receiving a shopping completion signal, the server control unit 220 performs the function of combining one or more pieces of product information kept in the shopping-cart interface and generating estimate data of a product combination of the user.

[47] The server control unit 220 checks if there is estimate data of a product combination of another person corresponding to the same category as the particular category selection signal.

[48] When it is checked that there is estimate data of a product combination of the another person corresponding to the same category as the particular category selection signal, the server control unit 220 performs the control function of generating product combination comparison data by comparing the estimate data of the product combination of the user with at least one estimate data of a product combination of the another person and transmitting the generated product combination comparison data to the user terminal 110.

[49] As a means for storing all types of data required to drive the server, the server storage unit 230 stores therein both content related to shopping and information/data, including shopping category information, product list data, product information, estimate data of a product combination of a user, etc.

[50] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a method for providing a shopping service according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[51] The user terminal 110 receives as input a key operation by a user or a command from the user, and connects to the shopping service providing server 130 through the wired/ wireless communication network 120 (S310).

[52] The shopping service providing server 130 transmits a user- account request signal for authenticating a user to the user terminal 110 via the wired/wireless communication network 120. Upon receiving the user-account request signal, the user terminal 110 outputs the received user-account request signal, receives as input a key operation by

the user or a command from the user, and then transmits, to the shopping service providing server 130, a response signal to a user account request for authenticating a user. Herein, a response signal to a user account request may include a user name, an IDentification (ID), a password, a resident registration number, etc.

[53] The shopping service providing server 130 checks if the response signal to the user account request received from the user terminal 110 is authenticated (S320).

[54] When it is checked in step 320 that the response signal to the user account request is authenticated, the shopping service providing server 130 transmits shopping category information to the user terminal 110 (S330).

[55] The user terminal 110 outputs the received shopping category information.

[56] Herein, the shopping category information may include categories respectively named, as in FIG. 4, household electrical appliances/mobile phones, leisure/sports, infant/toys/childbirth, cosmetics/perfumery, computers/software, car's goods/used cars, furniture/bedding/interior, kitchen/bathroom/tools, clothing/sundries, luxury goods/ jewelry/watches, health/medical care/beauty treatment, foods, hobbies/ fancy/stationery, pets/musical instruments/flowers/gift certificates, life services, and books. However, an example of the categories is only an illustrative description of the idea of the art in the present invention, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made, in order to be able to be applied, in the shopping category information without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[57] For example, when the user selects a catogory named "leisure/sports" from the shopping category information displayed on the user terminal 110, the user terminal 110 generates a particular category selection signal for "leisure/sports," and transmits the generated particular category selection signal to the shopping service providing server 130.

[58] The shopping service providing server 130 receives the particular category selection signal from the user terminal 110 (S332).

[59] The shopping service providing server 130 transmits product list data corresponding to the particular category selection signal to the user terminal 110 (S334).

[60] The user terminal 110 receives and outputs the product list data.

[61] For example, the product list data may include, as in FIG. 5, golf, in-line, bikes, X-

GAME goods, health equipments, sporting goods, ball sports, swimming, mountain- climbing/camping goods, fishing, sports brands, sports clothing/sundries, ski/board goods, ski/board equipments, etc.

[62] For example, when the user selects board clothing of "ski/board goods" from multiple pieces of product list data displayed on the user terminal 110, the user terminal 110 outputs product information on the selected board clothing. Herein, the

product information includes information on a manufacturer, a price, and a dealer for each product.

[63] When the user selects board clothes of a manufacturer "A" from the product information displayed on the user terminal 110, the user terminal 110 generates a particular product selection signal for the board clothes of the manufacturer "A," and transmits the particular product selection signal to the shopping service providing server 130.

[64] The shopping service providing server 130 checks if a particular product selection signal is received from the user terminal 110 (S340).

[65] When it is ckecked in step S340 that the particular product selection signal is received from the user terminal 110, the shopping service providing server 130 keeps product information corresponding to the particular product selection signal in the shopping-cart interface (S350).

[66] Herein, the shopping service providing server 130 may provide the shopping-cart interface allowing the user terminal 110 to display an empty slot of a shopping cart in a lower part of a screen of the user terminal 110, as in FIG. 6. Also, the user selects the board clothes of the manufacturer "A," and then can move the selected board clothes of the manufacturer "A" to the empty slot of the shopping cart by drag & drop.

[67] The shopping service providing server 130 checks if a shopping completion signal is received from the user terminal 110 (S360).

[68] When it is checked in step S360 that the shopping completion signal is not received from the user terminal 110, the shopping service providing server 130 repeatedly performs steps 330 to 360.

[69] For example, as in FIG. 6, the user can move the selected board clothes of the manufacturer "A" to a first empty slot of the shopping cart by drag & drop after selecting the board clothes of the manufacturer "A," he/she can move selected goggles of a manufacturer "B" to a second empty slot of the shopping cart by drag & drop after selecting the goggles of the manufacturer "B," and then he/she can move a selected board of a manufacturer "C" to a third empty slot of the shopping cart by drag & drop after selecting the board of the manufacturer "C."

[70] When it is checked in step S360 that the shopping completion signal is received from the user terminal 110, the shopping service providing server 130 combines one or more pieces of product information existing in the shopping cart, and generates estimate data of a product combination of the user (S370).

[71] For example, as in FIG. 6, the shopping service providing server 130 combines the board clothes of the manufacturer "A," the goggles of the manufacturer "B," and the board of the manufacturer "C" existing in the shopping cart, and generates estimate data of a product combination of the user.

[72] Herein, the shopping service providing server 130 can transmit the estimate data of the product combination of the user to the blog providing server 140 while operating in connection with the blog providing server 140.

[73] The shopping service providing server 130 checks if there is estimate data of a product combination of another person falling into the same category as a particular category selected by the user terminal 110 (S380).

[74] Namely, the shopping service providing server 130 checks if there is estimate data of a product combination of another person falling into a category named "leisure/sports."

[75] When it is checked in step S380 that there is estimate data of a product combination of another person falling into the same category as the particular category selected by the user terminal 110, the shopping service providing server 130 generates product combination comparison data by comparing the estimate data of the product combination of the user with at least one estimate data of a product combination of the another person, and transmits the generated product combination comparison data to the user terminal 110 (S390).

[76] As in FIG. 7, the user terminal 110 outputs the product combination comparison data generated by comparing the estimate data of the product combination of the user with at least one estimate data of a product combination of the another person.

[77] Although exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims. Therefore, the embodiments disclosed in the present invention do not restict but describes the idea of the art in the present invention, and do not restrict the scope of the idea of the art in the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention should be interpreted by the appended claims, all ideas of the arts falling within the scope equivalent to the appended claims should be interpreted as falling within the scope of right of the present invention. Industrial Applicability

[78] As described above, the present invention is applied to the field of a shopping service capable of, in the process of providing the user with content related to shopping through a wired/wireless communication network, making an estimate of a product combination corresponding to a combination of products in multiple shopping lists selected by a user, checking if there is an estimate of a product combination of another person falling into the same category of a field as the category of the field selected by the user, and comparing the estimate of the product combination of the user with at least one estimate of a product combination of another person and providing a result of

the comparison, when it is checked that there is an estimate of a product combination of the another person falling into the same category of a field as the category of the field selected by the user. Accordingly, when a user selects multiple shopping lists including multiple products intended to be purchased by the user, a product combination list is generated by combining the multiple shopping lists, and the product combination list is provided, so that the user can check the multiple shopping lists at a glance through the product combination list, and the convenience of the user can be increased since the user does not need to additionally move from one page to another. Hence, the present invention is a very useful invention.