Patents by Inventor Geoffry A. Westphal

Geoffry A. Westphal has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9001147
    Abstract: A system and method uses an image manipulating application to define in an object image a plurality of discrete cells. Predefined image information is substituted for image information in selected ones of the plurality of discrete cells to form a translated version of the object image. The translated version of the object image may then be provided to an image recognition capable search engine to obtain search results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: W.W. Grainger, Inc.
    Inventor: Geoffry A. Westphal
  • Publication number: 20150081470
    Abstract: An apparatus and methods are provided for personalizing messages that are sent to a recipient when a user of a website wishes to “share” a particular webpage or content thereof with the recipient. The apparatus and methods, which are founded on non-transitory computer readable media, involve using information available about the recipient as well as information about a product or service displayed on the webpage to identify supplemental content to include in the message to the recipient regarding the shared webpage. The recipient's prior browsing and purchasing histories with the website, as well as the purchasing tendencies of other customers, may be particularly helpful in identifying relevant supplemental content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicant: W.W. GRAINGER, INC.
    Inventor: Geoffry A. Westphal
  • Publication number: 20150074205
    Abstract: A user associates a supply chain event with a personalized message. The system causes the personalized message (or a link thereto) to be sent to a recipient using a selected dissemination method when the supply chain event occurs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Applicant: W.W. GRAINGER, INC.
    Inventor: Geoffry A. Westphal
  • Patent number: 8972291
    Abstract: A system and method can monitor inventory of product within storage bins of a storage facility by mounting cameras to the storage bins. The cameras and a user processing device may be operably connected to a network such that the user processing device is in communication with the cameras. Further, the user processing device may search records of a database that correspond to product stored in the storage facility. Once a product of interest is identified, a location of the relevant storage bin may be provided to the user processing device, along with an image and/or video captured by the camera to show contents of the storage bin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: W.W. Grainger, Inc.
    Inventors: George C. Rimnac, Geoffry A. Westphal
  • Publication number: 20140317076
    Abstract: A system and method functions to automatically invoke a selection guide when the search term(s) provided in a freeform search query are determined to be associated with a category of item for which a selection guide will provide the most efficient means for the user to locate items of interest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: W.W. Grainger, Inc.
    Inventor: Geoffry A. Westphal
  • Publication number: 20140316951
    Abstract: A system and method can monitor inventory of product within storage bins of a storage facility by mounting cameras to the storage bins. The cameras and a user processing device may be operably connected to a network such that the user processing device is in communication with the cameras. Further, the user processing device may search records of a database that correspond to product stored in the storage facility. Once a product of interest is identified, a location of the relevant storage bin may be provided to the user processing device, along with an image and/or video captured by the camera to show contents of the storage bin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: W.W. Grainger, Inc.
    Inventors: George C. Rimnac, Geoffry A. Westphal
  • Publication number: 20140304110
    Abstract: A system for managing a procurement process uses an ambient light sensor to detect an operating anomaly regarding at least one light source. A procurement system operatively coupled to the light sensing system receives information indicative of the detected operating anomaly of the at least one light source and, in response thereto, initiates the procurement process to obtain a replacement for the at least one light source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: W.W. Grainger, Inc.
    Inventors: George C. Rimnac, Jr., David Brenner, Michael Cooney, Geoffry A. Westphal, Erwin Munoz Cruz
  • Publication number: 20140279193
    Abstract: A system and method provides product/service recommendations by rendering and analyzing content on webpages that are linked to on a user's personal webpage. In this manner, the system and method compiles a more complete view of the user's interest and preferences, thus providing more effective and finely-attuned user recommendations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: W.W. GRAINGER, INC.
    Inventor: Geoffry A. Westphal
  • Publication number: 20140279188
    Abstract: A system can store a wide variety of information regarding a user's interactions with a website in a first web browsing session. In particular, the information may include a quantity of a product that the user ordered in the first web browsing session. When the user returns to the website to reorder the product in a second web browsing session, the system may display the quantity of the product that the user previously ordered without requiring the user to navigate to and review an order history webpage. The system may display such information regarding the quantity of previously ordered product in a user interface element that appears next to a quantity input box associated with the product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: David Brett Powell, Geoffry A. Westphal
  • Publication number: 20140279248
    Abstract: A systems and methods for providing a search refinement tools that incorporate contextual information, such as supply chain information is disclosed. In general, the example methods and systems provide the customer with the ability to refine search results on an e-commerce website using previously stored historical supply chain information. Supply chain information refers to historical information about a purchaser and the purchaser's previous purchases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: W.W. GRAINGER, INC.
    Inventor: Geoffry A. Westphal
  • Publication number: 20140279290
    Abstract: A system and method can monitor inventory of product within storage bins of a storage facility by mounting cameras to the storage bins. The cameras and a user processing device may be operably connected to a network such that the user processing device is in communication with the cameras. Further, the user processing device may search records of a database that correspond to product stored in the storage facility. Once a product of interest is identified, a location of the relevant storage bin may be provided to the user processing device, along with an image and/or video captured by the camera to show contents of the storage bin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: George C. Rimnac, Geoffry A. Westphal
  • Publication number: 20140279249
    Abstract: An third party cross-referencing functionality related to an item number directed to a product within an electronic catalog hosted by a vendor system is presented on a client computing device in a page providing an access point for searching an item. The system allows a customer to enter a vendor or non-vendor specific item number into a vendor system and have the provided number display a catalog page and/or item information related to the item number to the user whether the displayed data is vendor information or non-vendor information alike.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventor: Geoffry A. Westphal
  • Patent number: 8838717
    Abstract: A system determines if functionality offered via a Web site is being underutilizing by a user, e.g., not being using at all or not being using with some desired degree of regularity. When it is determined that the functionality offered via the Web site is being underutilized by the user, the system provides an email to the user to direct the attention of the user to this functionality of the Web site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: W.W. Grainger, Inc.
    Inventor: Geoffry A. Westphal
  • Patent number: 8781917
    Abstract: A dynamic merchandising system creates for each of a plurality of products in a plurality of purchase orders a list of products purchased together. This information is then used to create ordered lists reflecting relationships between various product attributes, e.g., the relationships between different brand names purchased together, different product categories purchased together, different catalog pages of products purchased together, etc. From these ordered relationship lists information may be selected and presented to the customer for the purpose of directing the customer to additional purchasing opportunities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: W.W. Grainger, Inc.
    Inventors: Geoffry A. Westphal, Thomas John Carroll
  • Publication number: 20140188551
    Abstract: The example systems and methods provide ways for websites to monitor, store, retrieve, and display navigation tendencies of users of websites. More particularly, the systems and methods involve websites displaying measures of user traffic associated with various categories of web content. The measures of user traffic may inform a user of how the user previously navigated the various hierarchical categories of web content, or the measures of user traffic may inform a user of how others navigate the various hierarchical categories of web content. Moreover, the user may select an identifiable group of users for which the website will display navigation tendencies. In the alternative, the website may display navigation tendencies of an identifiable group of users based on an identity of the user viewing the website.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2012
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: W.W. GRAINGER, INC.
    Inventor: Geoffry A. Westphal
  • Publication number: 20140180876
    Abstract: A system and method for allowing a consumer to quickly access product information and/or commerce functionalities as related to one or more products that are associated with an electronic document, such as a web page, that is currently being viewed by the consumer in an electronic document viewing program, such as an Internet browser.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: W.W. GRAINGER, INC.
    Inventor: Geoffry A. Westphal
  • Publication number: 20140172744
    Abstract: A system causes an image of a product and a ratings dashboard to be presented on a client computing device. Interaction with the ratings dashboard causes a quick review summary for the product to be presented. The quick review summary for the product provides a top line visual summary of review information provided by product reviewers which information includes a visualization of at least a number of product reviewers that have given the product each of a plurality of overall product reviewer ratings and a visualization of an average overall product reviewer rating of at least one characteristic of the product. Interaction with the quick review summary for the product may be used to cause a presentation of a more detailed summary of the product reviewer information for the product or information related to all product reviewer reviews for the product which information is further capable of being at least one of sorted and filtered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: W.W. GRAINGER, INC.
    Inventors: Hala Farouk El-Hmayssi, Geoffry A. Westphal
  • Publication number: 20140172638
    Abstract: A system causes an image of a product and a ratings dashboard to be presented on a client computing device. Interaction with the ratings dashboard causes a quick review summary for the product to be presented. The quick review summary for the product provides a top line visual summary of review information provided by product reviewers which information includes a visualization of at least a number of product reviewers that have given the product each of a plurality of overall product reviewer ratings and a visualization of an average overall product reviewer rating of at least one characteristic of the product. Interaction with the quick review summary for the product may be used to cause a presentation of a more detailed summary of the product reviewer information for the product or information related to all product reviewer reviews for the product which information is further capable of being at least one of sorted and filtered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: W.W. GRAINGER, INC.
    Inventors: Hala Farouk El-Hmayssi, Geoffry A. Westphal
  • Publication number: 20140156466
    Abstract: An auto cross-referencing functionality related to an order number directed to a product within an electronic catalog hosted by a vendor system is presented on a client computing device in a page providing an access point for ordering an item. The system allows a customer to enter a manufacturer, competitor, or other non-vendor specific ordering number into an ordering system and have the provided number transformed in-situ to the vendor's ordering number, either in real-time and/or through a batch-like process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: W.W. GRAINGER, INC.
    Inventor: Geoffry A. Westphal
  • Publication number: 20140156471
    Abstract: An auto cross-referencing functionality related to an order number directed to a product within an electronic catalog hosted by a vendor system is presented on a client computing device in a page providing an access point for ordering an item. The system allows a customer to enter a manufacturer, competitor, or other non-vendor specific ordering number into an ordering system and have the provided number transformed in-situ to the vendor's ordering number, either in real-time and/or through a batch-like process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2012
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: W.W. GRAINGER, INC.
    Inventor: Geoffry A. Westphal