System and method for facilitating transactions of a physical product or real life service via an augmented reality environment

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for facilitating electronic commerce in an augmented reality environment. In some embodiments, a method comprises detecting, by a mobile device, presence of the physical product or the real life service; and presenting, on the mobile device, information to conduct the transaction of a physical product or a real life service via the augmented reality environment. In some embodiments, a method comprises detecting one or more targets in the augmented reality platform using a select area in a perspective of a user, the perspective being captured by a mobile device; and prompting the user to choose an object of interest from the one or more detected targets. Among other advantages, embodiments disclosed herein provide an intuitive and integrated user experience in shopping using augmented reality devices, thereby reducing the consumer user's effort in conducting such activities, reducing necessary sales personnel and their working hours, and increasing sales.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for facilitating transactions of a physical product or real life service via an augmented reality environment on a mobile device, the method, comprising:
 detecting, by the mobile device, presence of the physical product or the real life service; and   presenting, on the mobile device, information to conduct the transaction of the physical product or the real life service via the augmented reality environment.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, the presence of the product is detected or identified in the augmented reality environment by a shape or other physical characteristics for presentation via the mobile device to facilitate transactions. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, the presence of the product or service is detected or identified in the augmented reality environment by a geographic location of the product or service. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, the presence of the product is detected or identified in the augmented reality environment by one or more of: (i) a visual marker; (ii) a marker or tag; (iii) a one-dimensional barcode; or (iv) a multi-dimensional barcode, on the product. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, the presence of the product is detected or identified in the augmented reality environment by a radio frequency identification (RFID) chip coupled to the product. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, the presence of the product is detected or identified in the augmented reality environment by optical character recognition (OCR) of written materials on or nearby the product. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving input from the user to disambiguate an identity of the product or service.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the user's input includes at least partially a name of the product or service. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving advisory data associated with the product or service, the advisory data being added by another user of the augmented reality environment.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the advisory data includes one or more of:
 (i) metadata or tags relevant to the product or service, or (ii) an annotation that is descriptive of the product or service.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 prompting the user to enter an advisory data for the product or service; and   sharing the user's entry to another user of the augmented reality environment.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 initiating the transaction of the product or service via the mobile device based on responses to the presented information from the user.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, the mobile device includes one or more of: (i) an eyewear, (ii) a visor, (ii) a pair of goggles, (iv) a mobile phone, (v) a smart phone, (vi) a tablet, (vii) a phablet, or (viii) a head mounted display or device. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, the information is rendered translucently and disposed adjacently or partially overlaid with the product or service depicted in the augmented reality environment on the mobile device. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein, the information includes advisory data associated with the product or service. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein, the advisory data includes annotations or metadata or tags contributed by another user of the augmented reality environment. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein, the information includes purchase or service exchange information. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, an advertisement relevant to the product or service is identified and displayed in the augmented reality environment via the mobile device. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein, the advertisement is identified or detected based on one or more of:
 (i) location, (ii) time, (iii) interest or profile of a user of the mobile device.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein, the advertisement is identified or detected based on a pointing direction of the mobile device. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein, the advertisement is identified or detected based on velocity or speed of movement of the mobile device. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein, the advertisement is identified or detected based on an ambient temperature in which the mobile device physically resides. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein, the advertisement is identified or detected based on a plurality of sensors on the mobile device. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein, the advertisement is identified or detected based on a landmark which the mobile device is pointed at or in a vicinity of. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, the information include one or more of:
 (i) a price, (ii) a price comparison among different merchants, (iii) a review, or (iv) an availability, of the product or service.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, the mobile device prompts the user to contact the sale representative of the product or service based on a contact information included in the information. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, the mobile device allows the user to bookmark the product or service. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein, the mobile device allows the user to share the bookmark with another user of the augmented reality environment. 
     
     
         29 . A method for facilitating electronic commercial transactions in an augmented reality environment, the method comprising:
 automatically identifying a physical product from a perspective of a user captured by a mobile device; and   rendering, on a display of the mobile device, a transaction information associated with the physical product.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the transaction information is rendered or projected translucently on the display and is disposed adjacent to or partially overlaid with the physical product in the augmented reality environment. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising:
 acquiring the transaction information from an online server that enables electronic commerce.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising:
 initiating, via the display, an online transaction according to the transaction information.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising:
 displaying an advertisement relevant to the physical product based on the transaction information.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the information includes an annotation, a review, or a tag of the physical product entered from another user. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising:
 querying, using information about the physical product gathered by sensors of the mobile device, an online server hosting a database to assist the automatic identification of the physical product.   
     
     
         36 . A system for facilitating transactions of a physical product or real life service via an augmented reality environment, the system comprising:
 a processor;   a memory having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the system to:
 detect, by the system, presence of the physical product or the real life service; and 
 present, on a display of the system, information to conduct the transaction of the physical product or the real life service via the augmented reality environment. 
   
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the presence of the product is detected or identified in the augmented reality environment by a shape or other physical characteristics for presentation via the system to facilitate transactions. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the presence of the product or service is detected or identified in the augmented reality environment by a geographic location of the product or service. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the instructions further cause the system to:
 receive input from the user to disambiguate an identity of the product or service, wherein the user's input includes at least partially a name of the product or service.   
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the instructions further cause the system to:
 receive advisory data associated with the product or service, the advisory data being added by another user of the augmented reality environment.   
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the instructions further cause the system to:
 prompt the user to enter an advisory data for the product or service; and   share the user's entry to another user of the augmented reality environment.   
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the instructions further cause the system to:
 initiate the transaction of the product or service via the system based on responses to the presented information from the user.   
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the information is rendered translucently and disposed adjacently or partially overlaid with the product or service depicted in the augmented reality environment on the system. 
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein an advertisement relevant to the product or service is identified and displayed in the augmented reality environment via the system. 
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein, the advertisement is identified or detected based on a pointing direction of the system. 
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the system comprises a mobile computing device. 
     
     
         47 . A system for facilitating transactions of a physical product or real life service via an augmented reality environment, the system comprising:
 means for detecting, by the system, presence of the physical product or the real life service; and   means for presenting, on a display of the system, information to conduct the transaction of the physical product or the real life service via the augmented reality environment.   
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 47 , wherein the presence of the product is detected or identified in the augmented reality environment by a shape or other physical characteristics for presentation via the mobile device to facilitate transactions. 
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 47 , further comprising:
 means for receiving input from the user to disambiguate an identity of the product or service, wherein the user's input includes at least partially a name of the product or service.   
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 47 , further comprising:
 means for receiving advisory data associated with the product or service, the advisory data being added by another user of the augmented reality environment.   
     
     
         51 . The system of  claim 47 , further comprising:
 means for prompting the user to enter an advisory data for the product or service; and   means for sharing the user's entry to another user of the augmented reality environment.   
     
     
         52 . The system of  claim 47 , further comprising:
 means for initiating the transaction of the product or service via the mobile device based on responses to the presented information from the user.   
     
     
         53 . The system of  claim 47 , wherein the information is rendered translucently and disposed adjacently or partially overlaid with the product or service depicted in the augmented reality environment on the mobile device. 
     
     
         54 . The system of  claim 47 , wherein an advertisement relevant to the product or service is identified and displayed in the augmented reality environment via the mobile device.