System and method of providing an online user with directory listing information about an entity

• US 20040230562A1
• Filed: 05/17/2004
• Published: 11/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Christian Frerecks, David Barrett, Stephen J. Wysoczanski
• Original Assignee: Christian Frerecks, David Barrett, Stephen J. Wysoczanski
• Inventors: Barrett, David, Frerecks, Christian, Wysoczanski, Stephen J.
• Application Number:
  US10/848,596
• Publication Number:
  US 20040230562A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/284 Relational databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation

Abstract

A method, system, and recording medium for operating a yellow-pages type directory comprising providing a central relational database resident on a web server, the database comprising a set of primary contact records, each primary contact record including a primary key and, for each primary contact record, a set of related data records comprising the primary key of the related primary contact record, the database comprising a set of subscriber to contact record relationships. Upon receipt of related data from a subscriber, the system and method update the related record for the primary contact corresponding to the subscriber. Upon receipt of a search request from a user, preferably a primary contact record is returned to the user and either at the user'"'"'s option or automatically, the related information is returned.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of operating a yellow-pages type directory comprising

providing a central relational database resident on a web server, the database comprising a set of primary contact records, each primary contact record including a primary key and, for each primary contact record, a related data record comprising the primary key of the related primary contact record;

the database further comprising a set of subscriber-to-contact record relationships;

upon receipt of related data from a subscriber, updating the related record for the primary contact corresponding to the subscriber.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the related record comprises one or more advertisement, image, URL, document, video, data in HTML format, or audio.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the primary contact record is a directory listing comprising contact name, address, and phone number fields.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein primary contact records can be entered, deleted, and modified, and an incremented primary key value is assigned to each new contact record entered into said database.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein subscriber clients are authenticated by use of cookies and/or passwords, and an authenticated subscriber client is permitted to update the primary contact record related to said authenticated subscriber and an authenticated subscriber client is further permitted to revise the primary contact record.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving directory search requests comprising search criteria from a user, returning primary contact record data which match search request criteria, and returning related records to the user either automatically or upon selection by the user.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the search request and returning of records are facilitated by an applet

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the related records comprise one or more related contact records.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the authenticated subscriber enters updated related data and/or updated contact data via a web page which comprises a posting feature.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the posting feature is a post button or a save button displayed on the web page with the data entry fields for receiving said related data.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the database comprises a table of previously-accessed primary contact records which correspond to users so that when a user accesses the directory, a list of primary contact records previously accessed can be returned.

12. The method of claim 11 further including identifying a user when the user opens a directory page on the web server, storing a personal contact list for the user, and returning the personal contact list when an identified user opens the directory page, thereby facilitating the user'"'"'s recollection of previously chosen contacts.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein a subscriber is authenticated upon payment of a subscription fee and is denied authentication upon failure to pay the subscription fee.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the primary key is a numeric value or alphanumeric value.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the primary key is a numeric value or alphanumeric value.

16. A system for processing information comprising

a web server programmed to store a central relational database comprising a set of primary contact records, each primary contact record including a primary key;

a set of related data records, each related data record comprising the primary key of a related primary contact record, the relational database; and

a set of subscriber-to-contact record relationships;

the web server programmed to authenticate a subscriber client to establish, modify, and/or remove related data records and, upon receipt of commands and data from an authenticated subscriber, updating a related data record.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the related records comprise one or more advertisement, image, URL, document, video, data in HTML format, or audio.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the server is programmed to assign an incremented primary key numeric or alphanumeric value to each new contact entered into the database.

19. The system of claim 16 programmed to receive search request criteria from a user and return one or more primary contact records matching the search criteria, and to either automatically return the related data to the user or to return the related data for a primary contact at the users option.

20. A recording medium on which a computer-readable program is recorded, the program comprising

code for a central relational database comprising a set of primary contact records, each primary contact record including a primary key;

a set of related data records, each related data record comprising the primary key of a related primary contact record, the relational database; and

a set of subscriber to contact record relationships;

code for authenticating a subscriber client to establish, modify, and/or remove related data records and, upon receipt of commands and data from an authenticated subscriber, updating a related data record.

21. The recording medium of claim 20 further comprising code for assigning an incremented primary key numeric or alphanumeric value to each new contact entered into the database.

22. The recording medium of claim 20 further programmed to receive search request criteria from a user and return one or more primary contact records matching the search criteria, and to either automatically return the related data to the user or to return the related data for a primary contact at the users option.