Method of and system for delivering manufacturer-managed consumer product related information to consumers over the internet
First Claim
1. A system of finding information pertaining to a particular product on the Internet, comprising:
- a database server connected to the Internet and including URL/UPN information storage means for storing information representative of (i) a plurality of universal product numbers (UPNs) assigned to a plurality of products, and (ii) a plurality of URLs symbolically linked to said plurality of UPNs, each said URL specifying the location of an information resource located on the Internet related to a particular one of said products, and request servicing means for servicing a request made by a client system, for information about one of said plurality of products located on the Internet, wherein said request is transmitted to said Internet database server and includes information representative of the UPN assigned to said product; and
a plurality of product-information servers, each connected to the Internet and including product-related information storage means for storing information related to said plurality of products, and information delivery means, responsive to said request servicing means, for delivering to said client system, information related to one of said plurality of products specified by the URL symbolically linked to the UPN included in said request made by said client system.
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Abstract
A novel system and method for collecting, transmitting and delivering consumer product-related information on the Internet. The system includes Internet Servers which store information pertaining to Universal Product Number (e.g. UPC number) preassigned to each product registered in the system, with Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) that point to the location of one or more information resources on the Internet, e.g. World Wide Web-sites, related to such products. Each client computer system includes an Internet browser or Internet application tool which is provided with an Internet Product Information (IPI) Find button and an Universal Product Number (UPN) Search Button. The system enters its “IPI Find Mode” when the “IPI Find” button is selected and enters the “UPN Search Mode” when the “UPN Search” Button is selected. When the system is in its IPI Find Mode, a predesignated information resource (e.g. advertisement, product-information, warranty and servicing, etc.) pertaining to any commercial product registered with the system is automatically accessed from the Internet and displayed from the Internet browser by simply entering the registered product'"'"'s UPN into the Internet browser. When the system is in its “UPN Search Mode”, a predesignated information resource pertaining to any commercial product registered with the system is automatically accessed from the Internet and displayed from the Internet browser by simply entering the registered product'"'"'s trademark(s) and/or associated company name into the Internet browser.
43 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A system of finding information pertaining to a particular product on the Internet, comprising:
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a database server connected to the Internet and including URL/UPN information storage means for storing information representative of (i) a plurality of universal product numbers (UPNs) assigned to a plurality of products, and (ii) a plurality of URLs symbolically linked to said plurality of UPNs, each said URL specifying the location of an information resource located on the Internet related to a particular one of said products, and request servicing means for servicing a request made by a client system, for information about one of said plurality of products located on the Internet, wherein said request is transmitted to said Internet database server and includes information representative of the UPN assigned to said product; and
a plurality of product-information servers, each connected to the Internet and including product-related information storage means for storing information related to said plurality of products, and information delivery means, responsive to said request servicing means, for delivering to said client system, information related to one of said plurality of products specified by the URL symbolically linked to the UPN included in said request made by said client system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of finding information pertaining to a particular product on the Internet, comprising the steps of:
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(a) storing in a database server connected to the Internet, information representative of (i) a plurality of universal product numbers (UPNs) assigned to a plurality of products, and (ii) a plurality of URLs symbolically linked to said plurality of UPNs, each said URL specifying the location of an information resource located on the Internet related to a particular one of said products;
(b) storing in a plurality of product information servers, information related to said plurality of products;
(c) transmitting to said database server from a client system, a request for information about one of said plurality of products located on the Internet, wherein said request includes information representative of the UPN assigned to said product; and
(d) at least one said product information server responding to said request transmitted to said database server, and delivering to said client system, information related to one of said plurality of products specified by the URL symbolically linked to the UPN and included in said request made by said client system. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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8. A system of finding information pertaining to a particular product on the Internet, comprising:
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a database server connected to the Internet and including URL/trademark information storage means for storing information representative of (i) a plurality of trademarks used in connection with a plurality of products, and (ii) a plurality of URLs symbolically linked to said plurality of trademarks, each said URL specifying the location of an information resource located on the Internet related to a particular one of said products, and request servicing means for servicing a request made by a client system, for information about one of said plurality of products located on the Internet, wherein said request is transmitted to said Internet database server and includes information representative of the trademark used in connection with said product; and
a plurality of product-information servers, each connected to the Internet and including product-related information storage means for storing information related to said plurality of products, and information delivery means, responsive to said request servicing means, for delivering to said client system, information related to one of said plurality of products specified by the URL symbolically linked to the trademark included in said request made by said client system. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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10. A method of finding information pertaining to a particular product on the Internet, comprising the steps of:
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(a) storing in a database server connected to the Internet, information representative of (i) a plurality of trademarks used in connection with a plurality of products, and (ii) a plurality of URLs symbolically linked to said plurality of trademarks, each said URL specifying the location of an information resource located on the Internet related to a particular one of said products;
(b) storing in a plurality of product-information servers, information related to said plurality of products;
(c) transmitting to said database server from a client system, a request for information about one of said plurality of products located on the Internet, wherein said request includes information representative of the trademark used in connection with said product; and
(d) at least one said product information server responding to said request transmitted to said database server, and delivering to said client system, information related to one of said plurality of products specified by the URL symbolically linked to the trademark and included in said request made by said client system. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A database server connected to the Internet comprising:
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URL/UPN information storage means for storing information representative of (i) a plurality of universal product numbers (UPNs) assigned to a plurality of products, and (ii) a plurality of URLs symbolically linked to said plurality of UPNs, each said URL specifying the location of an information resource located on the Internet related to a particular one of said products, and request servicing means for servicing a request made by a client system, for information about one of said plurality of products located on the Internet, wherein said request is transmitted to said Internet database server and includes information representative of the UPN assigned to said product. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. A database server connected to the Internet comprising:
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URL/trademark information storage means for storing information representative of (i) a plurality of trademarks used in connection with a plurality of products, and (ii) a plurality of URLs symbolically linked to said plurality of trademarks, each said URL specifying the location of an information resource located on the Internet related to a particular one of said products, and request servicing means for servicing a request made by a client system, for information about one of said plurality of products located on the Internet, wherein said request is transmitted to said Internet database server and includes information representative of the trademark used in connection with said product. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A system of finding information pertaining to a particular product on the Internet, comprising:
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a database server connected to the Internet and including URL/UPN information storage means for storing information representative of (i) a plurality of manufacturer identification numbers (MINs) assigned to a plurality of products made by a plurality of manufacturers, and (ii) a plurality of URLs symbolically linked to said plurality of MINs, each said URL specifying the location of an information resource located on the Internet related to a particular one of said products, and request servicing means for servicing a request made by a client system, for information about one of said plurality of products located on the Internet, wherein said request is transmitted to said Internet database server and includes information representative of the MIN assigned to said product; and
a plurality of product-information servers, each connected to the Internet and including product-related information storage means for storing information related to said plurality of products, and information delivery means, responsive to said request servicing means, for delivering to said client system, information related to one of said plurality of products specified by the URL symbolically linked to the MIN included in said request made by said client system. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of finding information pertaining to a particular product on the Internet, comprising the steps of:
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(a) storing in a database server connected to the Internet, information representative of (i) a plurality of manufacturer identification numbers (MINs) assigned to a plurality of manufacturers of a plurality of products, and (ii) a plurality of URLs symbolically linked to said plurality of MINs, each said URL specifying the location of an information resource located on the Internet related to a particular one of said products;
(b) storing in a plurality of product-information servers, information related to said plurality of products;
(c) transmitting to said database server from a client system, a request for information about one of said plurality of products located on the Internet, wherein said request includes information representative of the MIN assigned to said manufacturer of said product; and
(d) at least one said product information server responding to said request transmitted to said database server, and delivering to said client system, information related to one of said plurality of products specified by the URL symbolically linked to the MIN and included in said request made by said client system. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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25. A product-related information brochure which comprises:
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printed matter bearing information related to a product; and
a UPC number assigned to said particular product and printed on said printed matter.
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26. A consumer product information accessing system installable within a store, comprising:
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an optical scanner for reading the UPC symbols on products being offered for sale in the store;
means for accessing product-related information from Internet Web-sites hyper-linked to scanned UPC symbols; and
a display screen for visually displaying said product-related information accessed from said hyper-linked Web-sites.
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27. A system for collecting and transmitting product related information on the Internet, said system comprising:
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a database management subsystem including URL/UPN information storage means for storing product-related information representative of (i) a plurality of universal product numbers (UPNs) assigned to a plurality of products, and (ii) a plurality of URLs symbolically linked to said plurality of UPNs, each said URL specifying the location of an information resource located on the Internet related to a particular one of said products; and
a database server connected to the Internet and said database management subsystem and including product-related information receiving and storage means for receiving and storing said product-related information transmitted from said database management subsystem. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
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Specification