Patent · US Active

Virtual retail assistant

US8353452B2 · kind B2 · utility

12Cited by
2References
28Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 1, 2007
Grant dateJan 15, 2013
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 27, 2030

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06Q30/0601
  • WIPO fieldIT methods for management
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to systems and methods for facilitating communication between a customer at a retail store and a specialized agent at a remote location. The customer uses an in-store smart client kiosk to initiate a communication session with the agent. The agent can instruct the smart client kiosk to display information relevant to the customer's questions. In embodiments, the messages are XML messages transmitted between the agent's device and the smart client kiosk. The XML information contains information to retrieve content, rather than the content itself, which allows the communication to take place over a small bandwidth connection. Communication takes place in an environment that does not require co-browsing, which allows the agent to analyze large amounts of information but send only helpful information to the client.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.