Characteristic-Based Clothing Selection System

Solution Overview

Problem

Individuals with visual impairments, such as color blindness, face challenges in selecting clothing due to the high cost and susceptibility to loss of existing optical filtering devices, necessitating a cost-effective and reliable solution for characteristic-based item selection.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented method in a networked computing environment populates a storage device with items associated with characteristics, generates compatibility scores, and matches additional items based on criteria, enabling characteristic-based selection of clothing items.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If optical filtering devices are used to address visual impairments, then the ability to select clothing items is improved, but the cost increases and reliability decreases due to susceptibility to loss

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to select clothing itemsVSAvoidreliability of visual aid

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a digital copy of the user's clothing inventory and characteristics in a database, allowing the system to analyze and match items without requiring physical optical filtering devices. The computer generates compatibility scores based on stored characteristics, replacing the need for physical aids with digital information processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces mechanical/optical filtering devices with a computer-based information processing system. Instead of using optical filters to help users perceive color and characteristics, the system uses software to analyze item characteristics, calculate compatibility scores, and present matching recommendations, substituting a mechanical optical system with an electronic computational system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Ease of operation

If optical filtering devices are used to address visual impairments, then the ability to select clothing items is improved, but the cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to select clothing itemsVSAvoidcost of solution

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a digital copy of the user's clothing inventory and characteristics in a database, allowing the system to analyze and match items without requiring physical optical filtering devices. The computer generates compatibility scores based on stored characteristics, replacing the need for physical aids with digital information processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces mechanical/optical filtering devices with a computer-based information processing system. Instead of using optical filters to help users perceive color and characteristics, the system uses software to analyze item characteristics, calculate compatibility scores, and present matching recommendations, substituting a mechanical optical system with an electronic computational system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Measurement precision

If compatibility scores are generated for all items, then the accuracy of item matching is improved, but the computational complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of item matchingVSAvoidcomputational complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the item matching process into distinct phases: first storing characteristics during inventory creation, then generating compatibility scores only when items need to be matched. The system divides the large set of all possible item comparisons into manageable operations by pre-processing characteristics and only calculating scores for relevant item pairs based on user queries or shopping scenarios.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary action by storing and organizing item characteristics in advance during inventory creation. When matching is needed, the system retrieves pre-stored characteristics and calculates compatibility scores based on these pre-processed data, rather than analyzing all items from scratch each time a match is needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS8935264B2Characteristic-based selection in a networked computing environment

Publication Date: 2015.01.13 WRP IP MANAGEMENT LLC

AI summary

Embodiments of the present invention relate to an approach for characteristic-based (e.g., color) selection of items (e.g., clothing) in a networked computing environment (e.g., a cloud computing environment). Specifically, at least one computer storage device will be populated with a first set of items. The first set of items may be associated in the at least one computer storage device with a first set of corresponding characteristics. A computer data structure may then be generated that comprises compatibility scores of the first set of items to one another. A second set of items may then be received in the at least one computer storage device. The second set of items may also be accompanied by a second set of corresponding characteristics. A set of matches between the first set of items and the second set of items may then be generated according to one or more criteria.