Systems and Methods of referencing uniform resource locators
First Claim
1. A URL referencing system, comprising:
- (a) a first group of one or more computers connected to a network;
(b) a database accessible to said computers of said first group, said database containing records having the fields of a reference code, a series identifier, a URL, and optionally a name, the records being indexable by at least a reference code and a series identifier;
and (c) first computer readable instructions installed to said computers of said first group, said first instructions implementing the functions of;
(i) receiving first HTTP requests through the network, the first requests containing index information from users, the index information including at least a reference code and optionally a series identifier, (ii) asserting a default series identifier if a series identifier is not provided in said first HTTP requests, (iii) retrieving a URL and a status from said database using the index information, the status indicating the presence or absence of a record associated with said index in said database, (iv) forming first HTTP replies containing the retrieved URL if said status indicates a record exists for the index information in said database, the first HTTP replies containing an error response if the status indicates a record does not exist for the index information in said database, and (v) sending the first HTTP replies through the network to the users that initiated the first HTTP requests.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system having a server or group of servers connected to a network providing redirection for entered information containing reference codes and series identifiers to URLs in a given database. That system with additional servers providing an entry form for the reference codes and series identifiers. Those systems operating with the HTTP protocol. A method of referencing a URL indexed by a provided reference code in a database and returning the indexed URL. That method using the HTTP protocol. A system whereby an entry is made to a URL referencing database, the entry being provided with either a URL and series identifier or a code, URL and series identifier.
18 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A URL referencing system, comprising:
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(a) a first group of one or more computers connected to a network;
(b) a database accessible to said computers of said first group, said database containing records having the fields of a reference code, a series identifier, a URL, and optionally a name, the records being indexable by at least a reference code and a series identifier;
and (c) first computer readable instructions installed to said computers of said first group, said first instructions implementing the functions of;
(i) receiving first HTTP requests through the network, the first requests containing index information from users, the index information including at least a reference code and optionally a series identifier, (ii) asserting a default series identifier if a series identifier is not provided in said first HTTP requests, (iii) retrieving a URL and a status from said database using the index information, the status indicating the presence or absence of a record associated with said index in said database, (iv) forming first HTTP replies containing the retrieved URL if said status indicates a record exists for the index information in said database, the first HTTP replies containing an error response if the status indicates a record does not exist for the index information in said database, and (v) sending the first HTTP replies through the network to the users that initiated the first HTTP requests. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of directing a user to a URL using a short reference code, said method comprising the steps of:
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receiving index information through electronic communication from a user, the index information including at least a reference code an d optionally a series identifier;
asserting a default series identifier if a series identifier is not provided with the index information;
retrieving a URL from a database using the index information;
forming a message containing the retrieved URL;
and sending the message through electronic communication to the user. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A URL reference entry system, comprising:
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(a) a database designed to contain records, said records having the fields of a reference code, a series identifier, a URL, and optionally a name;
and (b) a computer system in communication with said database, said computer system having memory, said memory having computer readable instructions implementing the functions of;
(i) receiving a first HTTP request containing an entered URL, and optionally an entered series identifier (ii) asserting an entered series identifier of a default series identifier if an entered series identifier is absent in the first HTTP request, (iii) first testing for the presence of a record containing the entered URL in the URL field of said database, said first testing indicating absence or presence, (iv) on condition of said second testing indicating presence, identifying a return code by retrieving the reference code in the record containing the entered URL in the URL field from said database, (v) on condition of said second testing indicating absence, creating an unused reference code and inserting a record in the database for the created reference code having the entered URL in the URL field, the entered series identifier in the series identifier field, and the created code in the code field, and (vi) returning a first HTTP response containing the created code. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification