System and method of facilitating the dissemination of information by means of active advertisements in portable information transceivers

• US 20040110517A1
• Filed: 08/27/2003
• Published: 06/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Louis Ellman
• Original Assignee: Louis Ellman
• Inventors: Ellman, Louis
• Granted Patent: US 7,596,602 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

A system and method to provide a user with a requisite receiving device (e.g., PDA, cell telephone) with the ability to record contact information, no matter how lengthy, from an interactive advertisement for storage and later use, or, at the user'"'"'s option, to obtain the information at his or her convenience even at the location of the advertisement. The invention can work accurately in any environment, including those regions where there might be heavy traffic or congestion, and a plurality of interaction signs or posters can readily interface with the recipient'"'"'s device. However, an important feature of the present invention is that the user can choose to only accept that contact information that is of interest to him or her, and does not have to automatically record and/or interact with any transmitter just because it is in the sphere of influence of the receiving device.

Claims

1. A system of facilitating the dissemination of information comprising:

a target comprising;

a display that is visible to a plurality of interested users;

a memory assembly for storing a URL for a web-site related to the display;

a transmitter assembly adapted to transmit the URL; and

an identifier that indicates to the plurality of users that the target comprises the memory assembly and transmitter,

whereby a respective interested user upon seeing the display and graphic identifier may use a respective hand-held transceiver to receive the URL transmitted by the target and selectively activate the URL independent of the target.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the information display is an advertisement.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter assembly comprises a radio frequency transmitter or an infrared transmitter.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter is an active transmitter, whereby the URL is substantially constantly available to the plurality of interested users.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter is a passive transmitter, whereby the respective hand-held transceiver is adapted to provide energy that activates the transmitter.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the hand-held transceiver is a cellular phone, personal data assistant, or laptop computer.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the URL is a specific embedded page of a website.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the URL is received by a respective hand-held transceiver operated by respective interested user only when the respective interested user initiates communication with the transmitter, whereby the URL is selectively received.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the URL is transmitted with a filtering code adapted to be used in a respective hand-held transceiver to avoid receiving interference or incorrect information.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the URL may be received, previewed, stored, activated, or transferred by a respective user using a respective hand-held transceiver.

11. A system of facilitating the dissemination of information comprising:

a target comprising;

a display that is visible to a plurality of interested users;

a memory assembly for storing URL of a website related to the display;

a transmitter assembly adapted to transmit the URL; and

an identifier that indicates to the plurality of users that the target comprises the memory assembly and transmitter; and

a hand-held transceiver;

whereby a respective interested user upon seeing the display and graphic identifier may use the hand-held transceiver to receive the URL transmitted by the target.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the information display is an advertisement.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein the transmitter assembly comprises a radio frequency transmitter or an infrared transmitter.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein the transmitter is an active transmitter, whereby the URL is substantially constantly available to the plurality of interested users.

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein the transmitter is a passive transmitter, whereby the respective hand-held transceiver is adapted to provide energy that activates the transmitter.

16. The system according to claim 11, wherein the hand-held transceiver is a cellular phone, personal data assistant, or laptop computer.

17. The system according to claim 11, wherein the URL is a specific embedded page of a website.

18. The system according to claim 11, wherein the URL is received by a respective hand-held transceiver operated by respective interested user only when the respective interested user initiates communication with the transmitter, whereby the URL is selectively received.

19. The system according to claim 11, wherein the URL is transmitted with a filtering code adapted to be used in a respective hand-held transceiver to avoid receiving interference or incorrect information.

20. The system according to claim 11, wherein the URL may be received, previewed, stored, activated, or transferred by a respective user using a respective hand-held transceiver.

21. A method of facilitating the dissemination of information comprising the steps of:

providing a target comprising;

a display that is visible to a plurality of interested users,

a memory assembly adapted to receive and store URL related to the display,

a transmitter adapted to transmit the URL, and

an identifier that indicates to the plurality of users that the target comprises the memory assembly and transmitter;

receiving and storing the URL in the memory assembly;

transmitting the URL

whereby a respective interested user upon seeing the display and graphic identifier may use a respective hand-held transceiver to receive the URL transmitted by the target.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the information display is an advertisement.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein the transmitter assembly comprises a radio frequency transmitter or an infrared transmitter.

24. The method according to claim 21, wherein the transmitter is an active transmitter, whereby the URL is substantially constantly available to the plurality of interested users.

25. The method according to claim 21, wherein the transmitter is a passive transmitter, whereby the respective hand-held transceiver is adapted to provide energy that activates the transmitter.

26. The method according to claim 21, wherein the hand-held transceiver is a cellular phone, personal data assistant, or laptop computer.

27. The method according to claim 21, wherein the URL is a specific embedded page of a website.

28. The method according to claim 21, wherein the URL is received by a respective hand-held transceiver operated by respective interested user only when the respective interested user initiates communication with the transmitter, whereby the URL is selectively received.

29. The method according to claim 21, wherein the URL is transmitted with a filtering code adapted to be used in a respective hand-held transceiver to avoid receiving interference or incorrect information.

30. The method according to claim 21, wherein the URL may be received, previewed, stored, activated, or transferred by a respective user using a respective hand-held transceiver.