3D Virtual Product Visualization for Retail Space Constraints

Solution Overview

Problem

In 'brick and mortar' retail environments, limited floor and shelf space restricts the display and interaction with larger products, leading to missed sales opportunities, and existing digital solutions lack life-sized, interactive formats, limiting customer appreciation and engagement.

Innovation Solution

A virtual, three-dimensional display system that allows customers to interact with products in a life-size format, featuring a display system, selection system, and interactive processing system, enabling users to select and animate product actions, and display textual marketing messaging, reducing the need for physical space and inventory.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If physical products are displayed on floor and shelf space in brick and mortar retail environments, then customers can see and interact with actual products, but limited space restricts the number of products that can be displayed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecustomer interaction with productsVSAvoidfloor and shelf space

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates virtual copies of physical products that can be displayed in a three-dimensional virtual environment. These digital replicas allow customers to interact with products without requiring physical display space, thereby resolving the contradiction between maintaining product interaction capability and reducing physical space requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical system of physical product display with a digital/virtual display system. By substituting physical products with virtual representations on screens or augmented reality interfaces, the system eliminates the need for extensive floor and shelf space while preserving customer interaction through touch, zoom, and animation capabilities

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Quantity of substance

If internet web sites and in-store kiosks are used to display additional products, then more products can be showcased, but the displays provide limited interaction with products

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of products displayedVSAvoidcustomer interaction with products

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from two-dimensional flat screen displays to three-dimensional virtual product representations. This dimensional enhancement allows customers to view products from multiple angles, explore internal components through animated disassembly, and interact more naturally, thereby improving interaction quality while maintaining the ability to display numerous products virtually

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Ease of operation

If floor and shelf space is used to display products, then customers can interact with actual products, but the cost of floor and shelf space is expensive

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecustomer interaction with productsVSAvoidcost of floor and shelf space

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates virtual copies of physical products that can be displayed in a three-dimensional virtual environment. These digital replicas allow customers to interact with products without requiring physical display space, thereby resolving the contradiction between maintaining product interaction capability and reducing physical space requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical system of physical product display with a digital/virtual display system. By substituting physical products with virtual representations on screens or augmented reality interfaces, the system eliminates the need for extensive floor and shelf space while preserving customer interaction through touch, zoom, and animation capabilities

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS8797327B2Product visualization and interaction systems and methods thereof

Publication Date: 2014.08.05 KAON INTERACTIVE

AI summary

A method and system for displaying one or more products includes displaying a virtual, three-dimensional view of at least one product on a display system, selecting at least one action with the virtual, three-dimensional view of the product, and displaying a three-dimensional animation of the selected action with the product on the display system.