IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,277,595
Granted Patent B2
US 12,277,595 · App. 17/551,151 · Granted Apr 15, 2025

Dynamic virtual reality shopping shelf interface

Inventors: Katsuyuki Sakuma (Fishkill, NY); Sarbajit K. Rakshit (Kolkata, IN)
Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
G06Q30/0643G06Q10/087
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,277,595
App. No.
17/551,151
Granted
Apr 15, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A computer implemented method for providing virtual reality shopping provides generating, by a virtual reality (VR) engine, a VR user interface (UI) and a VR session within a VR device. A list of discounted items being discounted based on proximity to an expiration or best by use date is received from the computing device of an institution item source. A VR image of virtual items on virtual shelves in the VR UI is displayed. The virtual items are dynamically displayed in different positions between a first VR session and a second VR session. Virtual representations of the discounted items being discounted are displayed in positions of priority on the virtual shelves, relative to other virtual items on the virtual shelves.

Claims (59)

1. A computer implemented method, comprising:

generating, by a virtual reality (VR) engine, a VR user interface (UI) and a VR session within a VR device;

receiving from a computing device of an institution item source, a list of discounted items being discounted based on a proximity to an expiration or a best by use date;

accessing a smart container for a current inventory of real-life items in a user's possession;

displaying a VR image of virtual items on virtual shelves in the VR UI, wherein the virtual items are dynamically displayed in different positions between a first VR session and a second VR session based on the proximity to an expiration and the current inventory of the real-life items in the user's possession, without a virtual replication of a physical store;

displaying virtual representations of the discounted items being discounted based on the proximity to the expiration or the best by use date and the current inventory of the real-life items in the user's possession, in positions of priority on the virtual shelves, relative to other virtual items on the virtual shelves; and

displaying the expiration or the best by use date for each item being discounted based on the proximity to the expiration or the best by use date in the virtual shelves in the VR UI.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying to the user, in the VR UI, the current inventory.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

identifying the real-life items in the current inventory and expiration dates associated with each of the real-life items; and

displaying a suggestion of virtual items to acquire to replace the real-life items in an event the expiration dates are within a predetermined date from the VR session.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the identification of items and expiration dates is performed by an artificial intelligence (A.I.) module in the smart container.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising determining, by the A.I. module, a historical rate of consumption for the real-life items in the current inventory.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

determining, by the A.I. module, an expected consumption rate of the real-life items in the current inventory;

providing to the VR engine, the expected consumption rate of the real-life items in the current inventory; and

determining by the A.I. module or by the VR engine, a list of recommended real-life items to purchase based on the expected consumption rate of the real-life items in the current inventory.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising displaying, by the VR engine, virtual items on the virtual shelves representing the list of recommended real-life items to purchase.

8. A computer program product for providing virtual reality shopping, the computer program product comprising:

one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media, and program instructions collectively stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, the program instructions comprising:

generating, by a virtual reality (VR) engine, a VR user interface (UI) and a VR session within a VR device;

receiving from a computing device of an institution item source, a list of discounted items being discounted based on a proximity to an expiration or a best by use date;

accessing a smart container for a current inventory of real-life items in a user's possession;

displaying a VR image of virtual items on virtual shelves in the VR UI, wherein the virtual items are dynamically displayed in different positions between a first VR session and a second VR session based on the proximity to an expiration and the current inventory of the real-life items in the user's possession, without a virtual replication of a physical store;

displaying virtual representations of the discounted items being discounted based on the proximity to the expiration or the best by use date and the current inventory of the real-life items in the user's possession, in positions of priority on the virtual shelves, relative to other virtual items on the virtual shelves; and

displaying the expiration or the best by use date for each item being discounted based on the proximity to the expiration or the best by use date in the virtual shelves in the VR UI.

9. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the program instructions further comprise displaying to the user, in the VR UI, the current inventory.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the program instructions further comprise:

identifying the real-life items in the current inventory and expiration dates associated with each of the real-life items; and

displaying a suggestion of virtual items to acquire to replace the real-life items in an event the expiration dates are within a predetermined date from the VR session.

11. The computer program product of claim 10 , wherein the identification of items and expiration dates is performed by an artificial intelligence (A.I.) module in the smart container.

12. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein the program instructions further comprise determining, by the A.I. module, a historical rate of consumption for the real-life items in the current inventory.

13. The computer program product of claim 12 , wherein the program instructions further comprise:

determining, by the A.I. module, an expected consumption rate of the real-life items in the current inventory;

providing to the VR engine, the expected consumption rate of the real-life items in the current inventory; and

determining by the A.I. module or by the VR engine, a list of recommended real-life items to purchase based on the expected consumption rate of the real-life items in the current inventory.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the program instructions further comprise displaying, by the VR engine, virtual items on the virtual shelves representing the list of recommended real-life items to purchase.

15. A computer server for providing virtual reality shopping, comprising:

a network connection;

one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media;

a processor coupled to the network connection and coupled to the one or more computer readable storage media; and

a computer program product comprising program instructions collectively stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, the program instructions comprising:

generating, by a virtual reality (VR) engine, a VR user interface (UI) and a VR session within a VR device;

receiving from a computing device of an institution item source, a list of discounted items being discounted based on a proximity to an expiration or a best by use date;

accessing a smart container for a current inventory of real-life items in a user's possession;

displaying a VR image of virtual items on virtual shelves in the VR UI, wherein the virtual items are dynamically displayed in different positions between a first VR session and a second VR session based on the proximity to an expiration and the current inventory of the real-life items in the user's possession, without a virtual replication of a physical store;

displaying virtual representations of the discounted items being discounted based on the proximity to the expiration or the best by use date and the current inventory of the real-life items in the user's possession, in positions of priority on the virtual shelves, relative to other virtual items on the virtual shelves; and

displaying the expiration or the best by use date for each item being discounted based on the proximity to the expiration or the best by use date in the virtual shelves in the VR UI.

16. The computer server of claim 15 , wherein the program instructions further comprise displaying to the user, in the VR UI, the current inventory.

17. The computer server of claim 16 , wherein the program instructions further comprise:

identifying the real-life items in the current inventory and expiration dates associated with each of the real-life items; and

displaying a suggestion of virtual items to acquire to replace the real-life items in an event the expiration dates are within a predetermined date from the VR session.

18. The computer server of claim 17 , wherein the identification of items and expiration dates is performed by an artificial intelligence (A.I.) module in the smart container.

19. The computer server of claim 18 , wherein the program instructions further comprise determining, by the A.I. module, a historical rate of consumption for the real-life items in the current inventory.

20. The computer server of claim 19 , wherein the program instructions further comprise:

determining, by the A.I. module, an expected consumption rate of the real-life items in the current inventory;

providing to the VR engine, the expected consumption rate of the real-life items in the current inventory;

determining by the A.I. module or by the VR engine, a list of recommended real-life items to purchase based on the expected consumption rate of the real-life items in the current inventory; and

displaying, by the VR engine, virtual items on the virtual shelves representing the list of recommended real-life items to purchase.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 14, 2021
From: SAKUMA, KATSUYUKI; RAKSHIT, SARBAJIT K.
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 058391/0280 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230186375A1 · Jun 15, 2023
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