Mobile Product Search Scoring in Retail
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Solution Overview
Problem
Customers face difficulties in efficiently finding desired products in retail environments due to the vast number of products from different manufacturers, leading to time-consuming searches, especially in large stores, where existing methods like electronic lists and bar code scanners do not optimize search time effectively.
Innovation Solution
A method using a mobile device to receive search criteria, retrieve products, determine product scores based on factors like price discounts, ratings, and energy stars, and present them to the customer in a user-friendly interface, allowing for easier product selection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If customers manually search for products in large retail stores, then they can find desired products, but the search time becomes excessively long
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a mobile device as an intermediary between the customer and the retail store environment. The mobile device captures images of products, automatically identifies them using image recognition technology, and retrieves relevant information from a database. This intermediary system eliminates the need for customers to manually search through products, reducing search time from potentially hours to seconds while maintaining ease of operation through simple photo-taking actions.
2Loss of information
If electronic lists and bar code scanners are provided, then product information access is improved, but search optimization is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical interaction required by traditional bar code scanners and electronic list systems with an automated image recognition system. Instead of requiring customers to manually scan bar codes or navigate electronic lists, the system automatically captures product images, identifies products through pattern recognition algorithms, and retrieves information. This substitution of mechanical scanning with automated visual recognition significantly improves search efficiency while maintaining complete product information accessibility.
3Reliability
If comprehensive product information is displayed, then customer decision-making is supported, but information overload increases search complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing customized information display based on the specific product being searched and the customer's implicit needs. Rather than displaying all possible product information uniformly, the system analyzes the captured product image, identifies key attributes, and selectively presents relevant information such as price, availability, specifications, and customer reviews. This targeted information presentation maintains high product selection accuracy by providing the right information while reducing search system complexity by filtering out unnecessary data.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, one or more search criteria are received from a mobile device. In response, one or more products corresponding to the search criteria are extracted. Further, a plurality of factors associated with the one or more products are retrieved and weightages are assigned to the plurality of factors. Furthermore, product scores of the one or more products are determined based on the plurality of factors and the weightages. Based on the product scores, the one or more products are presented to assist product searching in retail environment.