Techniques For Delivering A Product Promotion To A Consumer

1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, at a processing device of a commerce server, one or more signals from a head mountable unit corresponding to a forward direction and a position of the head mountable unit;

identifying, with the processing device, at least one product that is in the forward direction of the head mountable unit based on the signal received from the head mountable unit;

obtaining, with the processing device, at least one product promotion for the at least one product; and

transmitting, with the processing device, the at least one product promotion to the head mountable unit.

2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein said transmitting step includes the step of:

controlling the head mountable unit with the processing device to generate a visual display associated with the at least one product promotion on a display screen of the head mountable unit.

3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 2 wherein said controlling step is further defined as:

controlling the head mountable unit with the processing device to generate an outline around the at least one product on the display screen of the head mountable unit.

4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 2 wherein said controlling step is further defined as:

controlling the head mountable unit with the processing device to generate text associated with the at least one product on the display screen of the head mountable unit.

5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 2 wherein said controlling step is further defined as:

controlling the head mountable unit with the processing device to generate a highlight around the at least one product on the display screen of the head mountable unit.

6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 2 wherein said controlling step is further defined as:

controlling the head mountable unit with the processing device to generate a flashing visual display on the display screen of the head mountable unit.

7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 2 wherein said transmitting step includes the step of:

controlling the head mountable unit with the processing device to generate a visual display on the display screen of the head mountable unit and emit audio from a speaker of the head mountable unit.

8 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

establishing, at the processing device, that the head mountable unit has substantially stopped moving within the retail store before said transmitting step.

9 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

receiving, at the processing device, an audio command through a microphone of the head mountable unit before said transmitting step.

10 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

generating, with the processing device, an invoice associated with the at least one product promotion after said transmitting step.

11 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

maintaining a third database containing purchase history of a consumer wearing the head mountable unit; and

correlating, with the processing device, the purchase history with at least one product promotion in the second database.

12 . A commerce server comprising:

a processing device operable to receive one or more signals from a head mountable unit corresponding to a forward direction and a position of the head mountable unit and operable to execute:

an identification module operable to identify at least one product that is in the forward direction of the head mountable unit based on the signal received from the head mountable unit;

a correlation module operable to obtain at least one product promotion for the at least one product; and

a transmission module operable to transmit the at least one product promotion to the head mountable unit.

13 . The commerce server of claim 12 further comprising:

a first database containing identities of product in a retail store and the location of each of the products within the retail store; and

a second database containing product promotions associated with one or more of the products.

14 . A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, at a processing device of a commerce server, one or more signals from a head mountable unit indicative of at least one product for sale;

obtaining, with the processing device, at least one product promotion for the at least one product;

transmitting, with the processing device, the at least one product promotion to the head mountable unit; and

verifying, with the processing device, that the at least one product has been at least provisionally chosen for purchase.

15 . The computer implemented method of claim 14 further comprising the step of:

transmitting, with the processing device, the product promotion to a checkout station after said verifying step.

16 . The computer-implemented method of claim 16 wherein said verifying step includes the step of:

analyzing, with the processing device, a video signal received from the head mountable unit.

17 . The computer-implemented method of claim 16 wherein said verifying step includes the step of:

determining, with the processing device, if the at least one product is being held by a consumer.

18 . The computer-implemented method of claim 16 wherein said verifying step includes the step of:

determining, with the processing device, if the at least one product has been placed in one of a basket and a shopping cart.

19 . The computer-implemented method of claim 14 wherein said transmitting step is further defined as:

transmitting, with the processing device, a first product promotion to the head mountable unit prior to said verifying step and a second product promotion different from the first product promotion to the head mountable unit after said verifying step.

20 . The computer-implemented method of claim 14 further comprising the step of:

generating, with the processing device, an invoice for the at least one product promotion after said verifying step.

21 . A method for delivering one or more product promotions to a consumer comprising:

maintaining a product database of the identities and locations of products within a retail store and a promotion database of product promotions associated with the products;

receiving, with a processing device of a commerce server, an indication of purchasing interest in a first product in the retail store from a consumer positioned within the retail store and remote from a checkout station of the retail store;

correlating, with the processing device, the first product with at least one product promotion from among a plurality of product promotions contained in the promotion database; and

delivering, with the processing device, the at least one product promotion to the consumer as the consumer is considering purchasing the first product.

22 . The method of claim 21 wherein said receiving step includes the steps of:

obtaining, with the processing device, an electronic signal as the indication of purchasing interest in the first product from the consumer; and

identifying, with the processing device, the first product in response to the electronic signal.

23 . The method of claim 22 wherein said obtaining step is further defined as:

obtaining, with the processing device, a video signal from the consumer as the indication of purchasing interest in the first product.

24 . The method of claim 22 wherein:

said obtaining step includes obtaining, with the processing device, a plurality of electronic signals from the consumer as the indication of purchasing interest in the first product; and

said identifying step includes harmonizing the data contained in the plurality of electronic signals and selecting the identity of the first product in response to the harmonized data with the processing device.

25 . The method of claim 24 wherein said obtaining step is further defined as:

obtaining, with the processing device, a plurality of electronic signals from the consumer including a position signal, an orientation signal, and an acceleration signal as the indication of purchasing interest in the first product.

26 . The method of claim 21 wherein said correlating step includes:

correlating, with the processing device, the first product with a plurality of product promotions including a first product promotion associated with the first product and second product promotion associated with a second product, wherein the first and second products are physically proximate to one another within the retail store.

27 . The method of claim 21 wherein said correlating step includes:

selecting a first product promotion from among the plurality of product promotions with the processing device; and

applying, with the processing device, a purchase history of the consumer in executing said selecting step.

28 . The method of claim 21 wherein said delivering step includes:

transmitting, with the processing device, the at least one product promotion electronically to the consumer as the consumer is considering purchasing the first product.

29 . The method of claim 21 said delivering step includes:

transmitting, with the processing device, first and second product promotions, different from one another and sequentially, to the consumer as the consumer is considering purchasing the first product.

30 . A method of selling products in a retail store comprising:

providing a plurality of products in a retail store;

communicating electronically with at least one consumer shopping in the retail store with a processing device of a commerce server;

receiving, with the processing device, an indication of purchasing interest in a first product of the plurality of products from the at least one consumer when the at least one consumer is remote from a checkout station of the retail store;

correlating, with the processing device, the first product with one or more product promotions from among a plurality of product promotions contained in promotion database; and

delivering, with the processing device, the at least one product promotion to the at least one consumer as the at least one consumer is considering purchasing the first product.

31 . The method of claim 30 further comprising:

automatically applying the promotion, with the processing device, when the at least one consumer pays for the first product at the checkout station of the retail store.

32 . The method of claim 30 further comprising the step of:

linking, with the processing device, the first product with a second product by directing two different product promotions to the at least one consumer.

33 . The method of claim 30 further comprising:

generating, with the processing device, an invoice to a manufacturer of the first product in response to said delivering step.

34 . The method of claim 30 further comprising:

providing a communication device to the customer configured to communicate the indication of purchasing interest in the first product.

35 . The method of claim 30 wherein said communicating step includes:

communicating electronically, through the processing device, with at least one consumer by an electronic device supplied by the at least one consumer.

36 . A commerce system for offering, over a network, a product promotion to a consumer, the system comprising:

at least one commerce server configured to exchange data with a plurality of electronic devices;

said commerce server having a processing device with an area of memory for executing program code under the direction of the processor;

a database for storing data; and

the code being stored in said area of memory and executing under the direction of said processor to perform the steps of:

receiving from a consumer positioned within a retail store, remote from a checkout station of the retail store, an indication of purchasing interest in a first product in the retail store;

correlating, for the consumer, the first product with at least one product promotion from among a plurality of product promotions contained in a database; and

delivering the at least one product promotion to the consumer as the consumer is considering purchasing the first product.

37 . The commerce system of claim 36 further comprising:

an electronic device configured to be retained by a consumer during shopping and operable to transmit electronic signals as the indication of purchasing interest.

38 . The commerce system of claim 36 wherein the electronic device is further defined as being wearable by the consumer.

39 . The commerce system of claim 36 wherein the database further comprises:

a product database containing the identities and locations of products offered for sale in the retail store; and

a promotions database containing a plurality of product promotions associated with products offered for sale in the retail store.

40 . The commerce system of claim 36 wherein the database further comprises:

a purchase history database containing a purchasing history of the consumer.