SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR REMOTELY ACCESSING A SELECTED GROUP OF ITEMS OF INTEREST FROM A DATABASE
First Claim
1. System for remotely determining the position of a selected category of items of interest in a selected geographic vicinity from a database, the system comprising (A) a database for storing information about a plurality of items of interest, the information including, for each of the items of interest, positional coordinates, a geographic vicinity, and at least one associated category, (B) a communications link for communicating between a user of the system and the database, (C) means for transmitting a portion of the information in the database to a user via the link upon receipt of a request signal representative of a selected category and geographic vicinity, the transmitted portion of the information including identification of a position for the items of interest within the selected category and geographic vicinity, and (D) a port for remotely accessing the portion of information via the link, the port generating the request signal in response to inputs by a user which are representative of the selected category and geographic vicinity, the port having a user interface for accepting the inputs and for indicating to the user the position of each of the items of interest in the selected category and geographic vicinity.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A user can access a common database from a remote communications port, at any qualified location, to generate a map or other positional information which locates selected items of interest, e.g., businesses, stores, architectural sites, and the like. The database contains information representing the items of interest, including, for each of the items of interest, positional coordinates, a geographic vicinity, and a selected category. The positional coordinates discretely locate the vicinity, while the vicinity specifies the exact locations of the items of interest in the selected category. For example, a user in New York can select the display of sporting shops in the area surrounding Chicago O'"'"'Hara International Airport selectively. A user can also access a port and display locations of items of interest within the same vicinity as the user and relative to the user'"'"'s position. The database can be modified from qualified remote locations to change, or add to, the information therein. An advertisement can be tagged to the display or print out as an association with the selected items of interest.
30 Citations
37 Claims
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1. System for remotely determining the position of a selected category of items of interest in a selected geographic vicinity from a database, the system comprising
(A) a database for storing information about a plurality of items of interest, the information including, for each of the items of interest, positional coordinates, a geographic vicinity, and at least one associated category, (B) a communications link for communicating between a user of the system and the database, (C) means for transmitting a portion of the information in the database to a user via the link upon receipt of a request signal representative of a selected category and geographic vicinity, the transmitted portion of the information including identification of a position for the items of interest within the selected category and geographic vicinity, and (D) a port for remotely accessing the portion of information via the link, the port generating the request signal in response to inputs by a user which are representative of the selected category and geographic vicinity, the port having a user interface for accepting the inputs and for indicating to the user the position of each of the items of interest in the selected category and geographic vicinity.
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17. Database apparatus for storing information about a plurality of items of interest, the information including, for each of the items of interest, positional coordinates, a geographic vicinity, and at least one associated category, comprising
(A) a communications link for communicating between a user of the database apparatus and a remote port, and (B) means for transmitting a portion of the information to a user via the link upon receipt of a request signal representative of a geographic vicinity and a selected category of the items of interest, the transmitted portion of the information including identification of a position for the items of interest within the selected category and geographic vicinity.
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26. Remote access port for remotely accessing a selected category of items of interest in a selected geographic vicinity from a database, the database being of the type which stores information about a plurality of items of interest, the information including, for each of the items of interest, positional coordinates, a geographical vicinity and at least one associated category, the remote access port comprising
(A) a communications link for communicating between a user of the remote access port and the database, and (B) means for generating a request signal representative of a selected category and a selected geographic vicinity of the items of interest in response to inputs by a user of the remote access port, the remote access port having a user interface for accepting the inputs and for indicating to the user the position of each of the items of interest within the selected category and geographic vicinity.
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35. A method for remotely determining the position of a selected category of items of interest in a selected geographic vicinity from a database, comprising the steps of:
- (i) storing information about a plurality of items of interest in the database, the information including, for each of the items of interest, positional coordinates, a geographic vicinity, and at least one associated category;
(ii) accessing the database from a remote location and over a communication link;
(iii) communicating, from the remote location, information representative of a selected category and a selected geographic vicinity to the database; and
(iv) transmitting a portion of the information from the database and to the user over the link, the information including, at least, identification of a position for the items of interest within the selected category and geographic vicinity.
- (i) storing information about a plurality of items of interest in the database, the information including, for each of the items of interest, positional coordinates, a geographic vicinity, and at least one associated category;
Specification