Interactive Television Preprogrammed Purchasing Trigger System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing television commerce systems lack the capability to allow users to preprogram purchases of products offered during television shopping channels, leading to missed opportunities due to time zone differences and inconvenient timing.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for preprogramming purchases of television offered products, which involves receiving trigger instructions in a television signal, prompting users to input order information, storing it, and transmitting the information to a remote site upon a second trigger, enabling unattended ordering across different time zones.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If television shopping channels use 'One Time Only' and 'Today's Special Value' product spots with simultaneous offers across different time zones, then product availability is maximized, but users in certain time zones (e.g., Eastern Time Zone) miss the opportunity due to inconvenient timing (late at night)
Solution Approach 1:
The system allows users to pre-program purchase instructions before the actual product offer time. Users can set up their ordering preferences, product selections, and payment information in advance, so that when the offer appears on television, the system automatically executes the purchase without requiring user presence or action during the offer window. This resolves the time zone inconvenience while maintaining product availability.
2Reliability
If television shopping channels require users to be present and actively place orders during the offer window, then order accuracy is ensured, but users may miss opportunities due to being unable to watch or respond in real-time
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automated self-service purchasing where users pre-configure their purchase parameters and the system autonomously executes orders based on trigger instructions from the television signal. The automated system maintains order accuracy through pre-programmed specifications while eliminating the need for user presence during the offer, thus preventing missed opportunities.
3Ease of operation
If the system implements preprogramming purchasing capability with automated trigger instruction processing, then user convenience and opportunity capture are improved, but system complexity increases due to additional components like memory storage and back channel communication
Solution Approach 1:
The television system is enhanced with multi-functional capabilities including memory storage for order information, processing of trigger instructions from television signals, and automated communication through back channel networks. These additional functions are integrated into the existing television system, allowing it to perform both traditional viewing and automated purchasing operations, thereby improving user convenience without requiring entirely separate systems.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, the present invention is an improved interactive television system and method for t-commerce. The data for upcoming products is pre-loaded into the system's memory. When a product becomes available, a “trigger” appears on the Vertical Blanking Interval (“VBI”) of the shopping channel that causes the system to display special graphics with which the user can interact to order a product. The displayed special graphics may include text, graphics, and/or video about the product. A user can browse a list of upcoming products and select items that he or she wishes to purchase, as soon as the products become available. The system then monitors the VBI of the shopping channel and when a trigger for a selected product appears in the VBI, the system immediately sends a message (the order form) to the order center of the shopping channel and orders the product. The system can accomplish this function unattended while the user is asleep or otherwise occupied.