Methods for selecting, ordering and purchasing glass products
The present invention relates to a system, apparatus and method for facilitating the selection, purchasing and ordering glass products. The apparatus includes a processor which is controlled by software to facilitate a selection process which integrates the comparison of glass products and their properties, as well as, including particular properties of particular components of a glass product. The apparatus can work with a user input device and is programmed to display graphics associated with selections and potential selections for glass products. The system and method providing selection menus for display on a display device and an animation graphic associated with a selection presented to the user. The system, apparatus, and method integrates the glass product selection information, and makes selections for the user, based on the user's previous choices and specified target performances to present to the user potential glass products.
1. A method for purchasing a glass-product assembly, the method comprising selecting a glass-product assembly and transacting value for purchase of the glass-product assembly, wherein selecting the glass-product assembly comprises:
identifying the glass-product assembly having at least one glass layer;
specifying, via a computer, a characteristic property for each layer of the at least one glass layer;
specifying, via a computer, a characteristic component of the at least one glass layer;
determining via a computer, one or more glass products having the characteristic property and the characteristic component;
displaying a list of glass products having the characteristic property and the characteristic component;
processing with the computer a selection of at least one selected glass product from the list of glass products; and
displaying actual performance characteristics for the glass-product assembly.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a request to change the characteristic property to an updated characteristic property;
determining, via a computer, at least one glass product having the updated characteristic property; and
displaying a list of glass products having the updated characteristic property.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
displaying a list of additional properties that are compatible with the characteristic property;
selecting at least one additional property from the list of additional properties;
wherein the displaying and the selecting occur after the specifying, via a computer, a characteristic property.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selecting the at least one additional property is repeated until no further selections are provided.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising purchasing the selected glass product.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the characteristic property includes at least one of color and a performance characteristic.
7. A method for purchasing a glass product, the method comprising:
(a) using a first computer capable of accessing a second computer through a communication linkage to communicate with the second computer;
(b) inputting an instruction from the first computer to the second computer, the instruction specifying a component of the glass product;
(c) comparing, via the second computer, glass-product data stored in a glass-product database with the component specified by the instruction;
(d) communicating, from the second computer to the first computer, a glass product having the component;
(e) displaying, via the first computer, a list of glass products having the component;
(f) transmitting, from the first computer to the second computer, a selection of a selected glass product from the list of glass products; and
(g) responsive to the selection of the selected glass product, displaying, via the first computer, actual performance characteristics of the selected glass product.
8. The method of claim 7 , comprising:
identifying a list of additional properties compatible with the component corresponding to the instruction; and
selecting at least one additional property from the list of additional properties.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the selecting the at least one additional property is repeated until no further selections are provided.
10. The method of claim 7 , comprising:
updating the component specified by the instruction to an updated component; and
identifying at least one glass product having the updated component.
11. The method of claim 7 , further comprising purchasing the selected glass product.
12. The method of claim 7 , wherein inputting the instruction from the first computer to the second computer includes selecting at least one component of the glass product based on at least one of color and a performance characteristic.
13. The method of claim 7 , wherein inputting the instruction includes selecting at least one target performance characteristic for the glass product, wherein the target performance characteristic is selected from the group consisting of:
nominal thickness;
visible reflectance;
visible transmittance;
u-value; and
shading coefficient.
14. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
receiving a request to change the instruction to a changed instruction;
processing the request;
identifying one or more glass products having properties associated with the changed instruction; and
displaying a list of glass products having properties corresponding to the changed instruction.
15. A method for purchasing a glass product, the method comprising:
(a) using a first computer capable of accessing a second computer through a communication linkage to communicate with the second computer;
(b) inputting an instruction from the first computer to the second computer, the instruction specifying a component of the glass product;
(c) comparing, via the second computer, glass-product data stored in a glass-product database with the component specified by the instruction;
(d) providing a list of glass products having the component specified by the instruction;
(e) receiving a selection of a selected glass product from the list of glass products; and
(f) responsive to the selection of the selected glass product, displaying actual performance characteristics of the selected glass product.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the instruction includes selecting at least one target performance characteristic for the glass product, wherein the at least one target performance characteristic is selected from the group consisting of: nominal thickness, visible reflectance, visible transmittance, u-value, and shading coefficient.
17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
selecting at least one target performance characteristic for the glass product;
wherein the at least one target performance characteristic is selected from the group consisting of:
nominal thickness;
visible reflectance;
visible transmittance;
u-value; and
shading coefficient; and
comparing the at least one selected target performance characteristic to actual performance characteristics for the glass product.
18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
receiving a request to change the instruction to a changed instruction;
processing the request;
identifying one or more glass products having properties associated with the changed instruction; and
displaying a list of glass products having properties corresponding to the changed instruction.
19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising purchasing the selected glass product.