System and method for requesting and retrieving contact information via an encoded business card

• US 20030019935A1
• Filed: 06/14/2001
• Published: 01/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Thomas Christophar Giannulli
• Original Assignee: Thomas Christophar Giannulli
• Inventors: Giannulli, Thomas Christophar
• Application Number:
  US09/879,626
• Publication Number:
  US 20030019935A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/462.25
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/077 Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/08 using markings of different kinds or more than one marking of the same kind in the same record carrier, e.g. one marking being sensed by optical and the other by magnetic means

Abstract

A system and method for requesting and retrieving contact information from an encoded business card comprises a business card having a unique serial number imprinted thereon; a card reader device such as bar code reader adapted to read an encoded unique serial number; and an electronic communication device or computer coupled to the reader for communication to a central repository of contact information. In operation the bar-code imprinted on the business card is read by the card reader device and is then transmitted to a central networked computer for retrieval of business and./or personal contact information associated with the bar-coded serial number.

Claims

1. A system for requesting and retrieving contact information by means of a unique identification code from a business card, comprising:

a) a business card having printed business data and a unique identification bar-code

b) a card reader device adapted to read said identification bar-code, and convert to a digital code or analog signal;

c) a computer and or communication device coupled to said reader for communicating said signal or code to a remote computer system through standard networking protocols, such as TCP/IP;

d) a remote computer system that stores electronic business card data indexed by unique digital code;

e) a remote computer system that can retrieve electronic business card data when queried by a unique digital code

f) a remote computer system that can transmit retrieved electronic business card data to other computers or communication devices through standard networking protocols;

2. A system as in claim 1, wherein the imprinted bar code may be detected via optical or magnetic sensing means

3. A system as in claim 1, wherein:

a) said business card data includes at least a person'"'"'s name and address.

4. A method for electronically requesting and receiving business card data, comprising the steps of:

a) acquiring a digital identification code from a business card through the use of a bar code reader;

b) uploading said digital identification code from said bar-code reader to a remote networked computer which contains a database of electronic business card data;

c) downloading the electronic business card data associated with said digital identification code, to a remote computer or communication device.