Internet-based consumer product kiosk for installation within a retail environment
First Claim
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1. A system of finding and serving information pertaining to a particular product on the Internet, said system comprising:
- 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;
request servicing means for servicing a request made by a client subsystem, 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;
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 serving to said client subsystem, 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 subsystem.
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Abstract
An Internet-based consumer product kiosk for installation within a retail environment.
88 Citations
55 Claims
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1. A system of finding and serving information pertaining to a particular product on the Internet, said system 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;
request servicing means for servicing a request made by a client subsystem, 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;
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 serving to said client subsystem, 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 subsystem. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of finding and serving information pertaining to a particular product on the Internet, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) 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;
(b) storing information related to said plurality of products;
(c) transmitting a request from a client subsystem, 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) responding to said transmitted request and serving to said client subsystem, 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 subsystem. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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8. A system of finding and serving information pertaining to a particular product on the Internet, said system 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;
request servicing means for servicing a request made by a client subsystem, 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
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 serving to said client subsystem, 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 subsystem. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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10. A method of finding and serving information pertaining to a particular product on the Internet, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) 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;
(b) storing information related to said plurality of products;
(c) transmitting from a client subsystem, 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) responding to said transmitted request, and serving to said client subsystem, 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 subsystem. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. An Internet-based consumer product information delivery system comprising:
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means for enabling manufacturers and their agents to link (i.e. relate), manage and update within a database, the UPC (or EAN) numbers on their products and the Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) of HTTP-encoded documents containing particular kinds of consumer product-related information published on the Internet by said manufacturers, their agents and/or third parties; and
means for enabling consumers, in retail shopping environments, at home, in the office and on the road, to access said consumer product-related information from said database, using said UPC (or EAN) numbers and/or by scanning UPC (or EAN) bar code symbols encoded with said numbers.
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14. A consumer product information finding system comprising:
at least one kiosk installed within a retail shopping environment and each said kiosk includes a bar code symbol reader for reading the UPC (or UPC/EAN) numbers on consumer products being offered for sale in the store, and a LCD touch-type display screen for displaying product-related information accessed from hyper-linked Web-sites on the Internet. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of providing consumer product information to consumers in retail stores, at home, in the office or on the road, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) enabling manufacturers and their agents to link (i.e. relate), manage and update within a database, the UPC (and/or UPC/EAN) numbers on their products and the Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) of HTTP-encoded documents containing particular kinds of consumer product-related information published on the Internet by said manufacturers, their agents and/or third parties; and
(b) enabling consumers, in retail stores, at home, in the office or on the road, to access said consumer product-related information from said database, using said UPC (and/or UPC/EAN) numbers and/or by scanning UPC (or UPC/EAN) bar code symbols encoded with said numbers.
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20. A consumer producing information finding and serving system comprising:
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a Manufacturer/Product Registration Mode, wherein manufacturers can register their companies and UPNs and URLs related to consumer products within the system;
an UPN-Directed Information Access Mode, wherein consumers can access and display information menus containing UPC numbers linked to URLs pointing Web pages containing consumer product related information by scanning the UPC label on the consumer product or by entering the UPC number thereof into a data-entry screen displayed by the system in this mode;
a Manufacturer Website Search Mode, wherein the home page of a manufacturer'"'"'s Web-site can be automatically accessed and displayed by scanning the UPC label on any consumer product of the manufacturer or by entering the UPC number thereof into a dataentry screen displayed by the system in this mode;
a Trademark-Directed Search Mode enabling consumers to use trademarks and/or tradenames associated with consumer products to search for consumer-product related information registered within the system; and
a Product-Description Directed Search Mode enabling consumers to use product descriptors associated with particular consumer products to search for consumer-product related information registered within the system.
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21. A consumer producing information finding and serving system comprising:
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a first subsystem, wherein manufacturers can register their companies and consumer products (e.g. UPC numbers and URLs) with the system; and
a second subsytem, wherein consumers can access and display information menus containing UPC numbers linked to URLs pointing Web pages containing consumer product related information by scanning the UPC label on the consumer product or by entering the UPC number thereof into a data-entry screen displayed by the system in this mode. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A consumer information management system enabling access to a predesignated information resource linked to a product assigned a Universal Product Number (UPN) by entering said UPN into an Internet enabled browser.
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29. 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 (30, 31, 32)
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33. 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 (34, 35)
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36. 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 (37)
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38. 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 (39, 40)
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41. 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 (42, 43)
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44. 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 (45)
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46. A system of finding information pertaining to a particular service 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 service numbers (UPNs) assigned to a plurality of services, 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 services, and request servicing means for servicing a request made by a client system, for information about one of said plurality of services located on the Internet, wherein said request is transmitted to said Internet database server and includes information representative of the UPN assigned to said service; and
a plurality of service-information servers, each connected to the Internet and including service-related information storage means for storing information related to said plurality of services, and information delivery means, responsive to said request servicing means, for delivering to said client system, information related to one of said plurality of services specified by the URL symbolically linked to the UPN included in said request made by said client system. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49)
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50. A method of finding information pertaining to a particular service 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 service numbers (UPNs) assigned to a plurality of services, 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 services;
(b) storing in a plurality of service-information servers, information related to said plurality of services;
(c) transmitting to said database server from a client system, a request for information about one of said plurality of services located on the Internet, wherein said request includes information representative of the UPN assigned to said service; and
(d) at least one said service 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 services specified by the URL symbolically linked to the UPN and included in said request made by said client system. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52)
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53. A system of finding information pertaining to a particular service on the Internet, comprising:
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a database server connected to the Internet and including URL/servicemark information storage means for storing information representative of (i) a plurality of servicemarks used in connection with a plurality of services, and (ii) a plurality of URLs symbolically linked to said plurality of servicemarks, each said URL specifying the location of an information resource located on the Internet related to a particular one of said services, and request servicing means for servicing a request made by a client system, for information about one of said plurality of services located on the Internet, wherein said request is transmitted to said Internet database server and includes information representative of the servicemark used in connection with said service; and
a plurality of service-information servers, each connected to the Internet and including service-related information storage means for storing information related to said plurality of services, and information delivery means, responsive to said request servicing means, for delivering to said client system, information related to one of said plurality of services specified by the URL symbolically linked to the servicemark included in said request made by said client system. - View Dependent Claims (54)
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55. A method of finding information pertaining to a particular service on the Internet, comprising the steps of:
(a) storing in a database server connected to the Internet, information representative of (i) a plurality of servicemarks used in connection with a plurality of services, and (ii) a plurality of URLs symbolically linked to said plurality of servicemarks, each said URL
Specification