NL1017358C2 - Remote purchasing of products with sensory properties, especially wine, by matching interactively inputted properties with those of products stored in database - Google Patents

Abstract

A large number of products with classified perceptible sensory properties is stored in a database (10). An increasingly precise number of these properties are entered interactively into a computer connected to the database and once the properties desired by the customer are established, one or more products likely to be of interest to the customer are displayed on a screen (16). The purchasing method can be carried out over the internet. The sensory properties include taste and/or aroma. Independent claims are also included for (a) a second purchasing method in which a relatively large number of products is stored in a database, a product known to the customer can be selected, and a number of products with sensory properties identical or similar to that of the known product are searched for in the database and then displayed to the customer, (b) a system for carrying out either of these methods, comprising a first computer with the database and a software program stored in its memory, and at least one further computer which can contact the first computer via e.g. the internet, and (c) the computer with the database and software program used in this system.

Description

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR THE TASTE SELECTION OF WINE

In various countries of Europe there is legislation to guarantee the quality of wine. On other continents there are more possibilities for experimenting with new winemaking methods and vinification techniques.

Many consumers have relatively little knowledge of wine while still consuming on a larger or lesser scale. The market has many distribution channels and there are very many wine producers from 10 different countries. .

From the article "An interchange format for cross-media personalized publishing" by P. van Amstel et al. Computer Networks, Elsevier Science Publishers B.V. in Amsterdam, Vol. 33, No. 1-6 June 2000 (2000-06), it is known to order wine "on-line" via the internet.

The present invention relates to a method for ordering and choosing from a distance, for example via a computer using a computer, a product with one or more sensory perceptible properties, such as taste and / or odor, characterized in that a large number of products with classified sensory perceptible properties are stored in a data file, are introduced stepwise and increasingly accurately sensory perceptible properties interactively via a computer connected to the data file; and after the desired sensory perceptible property has been determined, one or more products with that desired sensory perceptible property are displayed on a screen 30 of the remote computer.

Thanks to the present invention, the user can remotely specify, for example via the Internet, the desired taste, and thus select the desired wine with some experience.

Although the present invention may relate to other products, such as perfume, it is preferably wine and preferably the type of wine such as red, white, rosé or sparkling is first selected, then the taste style and then the so-called taste profile.

A computer terminal specially known for wine is known per se from German patent specification DE 10 196 38 548 A, in which a database of classified wines can be present. However, this computer terminal is not suitable for the consumer to order wine remotely via the internet.

Furthermore, the present invention provides a method for ordering and choosing from a distance, e.g. via the internet, a product with one or more sensory perceptible properties, such as taste and / or odor, characterized in that a relatively large number of products in a data file have been saved; and a product known to a user is selectable; and a number of products with wholly or partially similar sensory perceptible properties can be searched in the database and shown to the user.

Thanks to this aspect of the present invention, a wine can easily be ordered whose taste style and profile matches a wine known to the remote user.

The present invention also provides a system for elegantly and simply selecting and ordering wine or similar products.

Further advantages, features and details of the present invention will be elucidated on the 9017358 * 3 by reference to the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a flow chart for explaining a preferred embodiment of a method and system according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flow chart for explaining another preferred embodiment of a method and system according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 an example of a screen to be displayed to a user 10; and

FIG. 4 an example of another screen to be shown to a user when using the method and system according to the present invention.

For example, a database 10 (Fig. 1) stores more than 15,000 wines with more than 40 characteristics per wine. If, for example, a computer is to be selected via the internet (11), the corresponding characteristics are searched for in the database 10 (12) and shown to the user (13), such as type of wine (red, rosé, white 20 or sparkling). , the taste style (young, supple; ...) and the taste profile, ie various categories (from 1 to 5) for each of the dry / sweet, body, wood, complexity and balance characteristics.

It is also possible to enter other characteristics such as country, region, year and the like in a manner not shown. If the user, usually connected via the internet, wants to find wines corresponding to the chosen wine, he can give the so-called 'match taste' command (14), after which the search (15) is carried out in the database and the result is shown (16) on the user's screen.

FIG. 3 shows a screen that is displayed if a wine which, for example, has similar characteristics to Chateau La Fleur Fabienne and which is no longer available, for example, has been clicked with the aid of 'match taste'. In addition to the description, it is indicated in field 17 that it is a red wine, in field 18 that it concerns a half bottle, while in field 19 the price of 1017358 «4 is to be found in this bottle. The wine can be ordered in field 20 and a 'match taste' can be carried out in field 21 with a mouse click. For the 'match taste' assignment, so-called expert rules are used in a manner not shown, that is to say that the taste style and flavor profile of certain wines can only match if, for example, substantially the same grapes are used under comparable circumstances. The method described above can give as a surprising result that, for example, of an expensive French wine, a taste-equivalent equivalent wine is available that can be less expensive.

Furthermore, it will be clear that taste style and taste profile are mutually correlated. For red wines, the following possible taste styles apply in the current implemented embodiment: young, supple; fruity, juicy; full, round; rich, sultry; and powerful, spicy. The following 20 flavor styles apply to white wine: light, fresh, dry; very dry; lots of fruit, dry; ripe summer fruit, dry; full, rich, dry (wood-aged); and light, sweet. The following flavor styles apply to the sweet / dessert wine: slightly sweet; half sweet; full of sweet; and exceptionelle. For sparkling wine: 25 slightly sweet; sparkling fresh; elegant; "prestige"; and light, dry. For rosé wine: fruitful, dry; spicy, rich, dry. Based on these taste styles, a limited number of values are possible for each of five elements of the taste profile. In Fig. 4, the open circles indicate the possible but not selected values, while the black discs or points indicate the values chosen by the user with the mouse. In practice it will of course also be made clear on the screen with color.

In the method shown in Fig. 2, a wine is searched in the database 10 for each step in an increasingly accurate manner. First, the wine type, i.e. white, red, rosé or sparkling, is selected (31) and the corresponding flavor styles are selected (32) by the system (32) and shown to the user. After choosing the taste style such as young and supple, corresponding taste profiles are selected (34) that, for example,

5 include dry / sweet, body, wood, complexity and balance. After the desired flavor profile has been selected by the user (35), a search is performed (36) in data file 10, the result of which is then displayed (37). The search result shown can, for example, again be the screen of Fig. 3.

Fig. 4 shows the screen used in the method according to Fig. 2, where in field 41 a type of wine (with pull down menu 42 for the other options) is indicated, in field 43 the taste style (with pull 15 down ^ 44 for the other options) and in field 45 the taste profile is indicated. Searching can be given via field 46 with a mouse click.

As will be apparent to all, the methods described above are preferably implemented over the internet, that is to say, with the help of a computer, the user contacts a server, the database, and the computer program for performing the methods. Via this electronic route, orders can also be placed very quickly, which can then also be delivered quickly.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described preferred embodiment thereof, but the rights sought are defined by the following claims within the scope of which many modifications are conceivable.

1017358 ·

Claims (7)

Method for ordering and choosing a product with one or more sensory perceptible properties, such as taste and / or odor, remotely, for example via the internet using a computer, characterized in that a large number of products with classified sensory perceptible properties are stored in a data file, step-by-step and increasingly accurate sensory perceptible properties are entered interactively via a computer connected to the data file; and after the desired sensory perceptible characteristic has been established, one or more products with that desired sensory perceptible characteristic are displayed on a screen. 2. Method for ordering and choosing from a distance, for example via the internet, a product with one or more sensory perceptible properties, such as taste and / or odor, characterized in that a relatively large number of products are stored in a data file; and a product known to a user is selectable; and a number of products with wholly or partially similar sensory perceptible properties can be searched in the database and shown to the user. Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the product is wine and wherein first of all the type of wine such as red, white, rosé, dessert / sweet or sparkling is chosen. Method according to claim 3, wherein subsequently the taste style such as young and supple are determined. The method of claim 4, wherein the taste profile is then determined. 1017358 · System for carrying out the method according to one or more of claims 1-5, comprising a first computer with memory in which the data file and a program are stored and at least a second computer which can contact the first computer, for example via the Internet to make. Computer apparently intended for the system according to claim 6, provided with a memory with the data file and a computer program for performing the method according to one or more of the claims 1-5. F017358