Interactive Item Placement Simulation for Online Retail
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face challenges in selecting and purchasing items like couches and chairs online without in-person inspection, leading to lost traffic for online platforms as users prefer brick-and-mortar stores for in-person item selection.
Innovation Solution
A client device-based system that simulates digital representations of items in a user's environment using a live video stream, allowing users to interactively place, resize, and rotate 2D or 3D models of items within their space, generating a custom image package for later recreation and editing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If users purchase items online without in-person inspection, then online sales can proceed efficiently, but users cannot verify item appearance and fit in their space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a digital copy of the item (image or 3D model) that can be placed into a captured image of the user's room. This copy allows users to visualize the item in their space without physically having the item present, resolving the contradiction by providing visualization information while maintaining online shopping efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses an intermediary process that captures the user's room environment, overlays the item image onto the room image, and presents this composite view to the user. This intermediary visualization bridge provides the missing spatial context information while keeping the online shopping workflow intact
2Loss of information
If users visit brick-and-mortar stores for in-person inspection, then users can verify item appearance, but online platforms lose traffic
Solution Approach 1:
By creating and displaying a digital copy of the item within the user's actual room environment, the system provides appearance and fit information that previously required in-person inspection, thereby retaining users on online platforms
Solution Approach 2:
The system combines multiple functions into one online interaction: it displays the item, shows how it fits in the user's space, allows size/position adjustment, and provides confidence for purchase decision - all functions that previously required a physical store visit
3Manufacturing precision
If users manually adjust item size and position in simulations, then customization accuracy improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically performs complex tasks such as capturing the room environment, processing the image, determining appropriate item placement, and rendering the composite view. This self-service automation provides accurate item placement without requiring users to manually manage the complex simulation parameters
4Speed
If the system captures and processes live video streams for item simulation, then real-time visualization is achieved, but processing time and resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system captures the room image first, then overlays the item image in subsequent processing steps. This preliminary capture and staged processing approach enables real-time or near-real-time visualization while managing processing time efficiently by not requiring continuous full-frame processing
Data Source
AI summary
An approach for simulating items in an environment, such as a room, is disclosed. A package file can store information including an image of the environment and metadata including an identifier that uniquely identifies a selected image. The package file can be used to regenerate a simulation of the item arranged over the image of the environment. Later changes can be made to the simulation of the item by accessing the metadata.