System and method for finding and serving consumer product related information to consumers using internet-based information servers and clients

• US 20050251458A1
• Filed: 04/19/2005
• Published: 11/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thomas J. Perkowski
• Original Assignee: Thomas J. Perkowski
• Inventors: Perkowski, Thomas J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,441,710 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0625 Directed, with specific intent or strategy
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor

Abstract

A novel system and method are disclosed for finding and serving consumer product-related information over the Internet to consumers. The system includes Internet information servers which store information pertaining to Universal Product Number (e.g. UPC number) preassigned to each consumer product registered with the system, along with a list of Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) that point to the location of one or more information resources on the Internet, e.g. World Wide Web-sites, which related to such registered consumer products. Upon entering the UPC number into the system using a conventional Internet browser program, the menu of URLs associated with the entered UPC number is automatically displayed for user selection. The displayed menu of URLs are categorically arranged according to specific types of product information such as, for example: product specifications and operation manuals; product wholesalers and retailers; product advertisements and promotions; product endorsements; product updates and reviews; product warranty/servicing; related or complementary products; product incentives including rebates, discounts and/or coupons; manufacturer'"'"'s annual report and 10K information; electronic stock purchase; etc. As part of the product registration process, manufacturers are provided with turn-key database construction tools that allow them to create, maintain and serve on the WWW, limited versions of the UPC/URL databases which contain information relating only to the manufacturer'"'"'s products, and no other manufacturers. The master UPC/URL database of the system is updated using the UPC/URL information in these manufacturer maintained UPC/URL databases.

Claims

1-19. -19. (canceled)

20. A method of delivering manufacturer-specified consumer product information to consumers in the marketplace, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) for a plurality of UPN-labeled consumer products offered for sale within the marketplace, having the manufacturer of said plurality of UPN-labeled consumer products or an agent thereof, access a relational database and store therein, information elements representative of

(1) a plurality of universal product numbers (UPNs) assigned to said plurality of UPN-labeled consumer products manufactured by said manufacturer and registered with said relational database, and

(2A) a trademark (™

) symbolically linked to each said UPN,

(2B) a product description (PD) symbolically linked to each said UPN, and

(2C) one or more uniform resource locators (URLs) symbolically linked to each said UPN,

wherein each said URL specifies the location of an information resource located on the Internet and related to one of said plurality of UPN-labeled consumer products registered with said relational database by said manufacturer, and

wherein a UPN/TM/PD/URL data link is created and maintained in said relational database for each said UPN-labeled consumer product registered with said relational database by the manufacturer and/or agent thereof;

(b) said manufacturer and/or its agent remotely and actively managing said UPN/TM/PD/URL data links by updating information elements stored in said relational database so as to compose a menu of URLs for each consumer product registered in said relational database, for delivery and presentation to consumers in the marketplace;

(c) operably connecting an Internet information server to the infrastructure of the Internet and to said relational database server, so as to enable said Internet information server to service a request made by an Internet-enabled consumer product information kiosk, for information on the Internet about one of said plurality of UPN-labeled consumer products registered with said relational database by said manufacturer;

(d) operably connecting one or more Internet-based product information servers, to the infrastructure of Internet, in which information resources related to one or more of said plurality of UPN-labeled consumer products and are stored at said plurality of URLs;

(e) operably connecting a plurality of Internet-enabled client computers to the infrastructure of the Internet;

(f) transmitting from at least one of said Internet-enabled client computers, a request for information on the Internet about a UPN-labeled consumer product registered with said relational database, wherein each said request may include either the UPN, TM and/or PD symbolically linked to the UPN assigned to a registered UPN-labeled consumer product on which consumer product information on the Internet is being sought by a consumer within said marketplace; and

(g) receiving at said Internet information server, the request transmitted by said Internet-enabled client computer, and recovering the UPN, TM and/or PD contained in said request so as to enable said Internet information server to access said URLs symbolically linked to the UPN, TM and/or PD and stored in said relational database, and then transmit said accessed URLs to said Internet-enabled client computer for use in accessing information resources stored in said Internet-based product information servers, at said URLs.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein at least one of said Internet-based client computers comprises an Internet-enabled consumer product information kiosk installed within said marketplace, wherein said Internet-enabled consumer product information kiosk has (i) an automatic bar code symbol reader for reading the UPN labels on said plurality of UPN-labeled consumer products and entering UPN information into said Internet-enabled consumer product information kiosk, (ii) a touch-type data entry and display screen for entering TM and PD related information into said Internet-enabled consumer product information kiosk and displaying consumer product information resources accessed from Internet-based information servers, and (ii) UPN, TM and PD directed modes of consumer product information search operation

22. The method of claim 20, wherein said UPN assigned to each said UPN-labeled consumer product is a unique Uniform Product Code (UPC) number assigned to said UPN-labeled consumer product.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein said Internet-enabled consumer product information kiosk comprises an Internet browser program enabling either the UPN, TM and/or TM symbolically linked to the UPN of a registered UPN-labeled consumer product, to be used to access consumer product information contained within said Internet-based product information servers on the Internet.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein said information resources contain multi-media information content relating to one or more of said plurality of UPN-labeled consumer products.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein said manufacturer or an agent thereof uses an Internet-enabled browser to access said relational database, and store UPN/TM/PD/URL information links therein.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein said automatic laser scanning bar code symbol reader is used to read the UPN-label on at least one of said plurality of UPN-labeled consumer products.

33. The system of claim 25, wherein the manufacturer or an agent thereof uses an Internet-enabled browser to access said relational database, and store UPN/TM/PD/URL information links therein.

27. A system for delivering manufacturer-specified consumer product information to consumers within a marketplace, said system comprising:

a relational database accessible by the manufacturer of a plurality of UPN-labeled consumer products offered for sale within a retail store environment, or by an agent thereof, for storing therein information elements representative of

(1) a plurality of universal product numbers (UPNs) assigned to a plurality of UPN-labeled consumer products manufactured by said manufacturer and registered with said relational database, and

(2A) a trademark (™

) symbolically linked to each said UPN,

(2B) a product description (PD) symbolically linked to each said UPN, and

(2C) one or more uniform resource locators (URLs) symbolically linked to each said UPN,

wherein each said URL specifies the location of an information resource located on the Internet related to one of said plurality of UPN-labeled consumer products registered with said relational database by said manufacturer, and

wherein a UPN/TM/PD/URL data link is created and maintained in said relational database for each UPN-labeled consumer product registered with said relational database by the manufacturer, and offered for sale in said marketplace

an Internet information server, operably connected to the infrastructure of the Internet and said relational database server, and being capable of servicing a request made by an Internet-enabled consumer product information kiosk, for information on the Internet about one of said plurality of UPN-labeled consumer products registered with said relational database by said manufacturer;

a plurality of Internet-based manufacturer-managed computers, each being operably connected to the infrastructure of the Internet, and enabling the manufacturer and/or its agent to remotely and actively manage said UPN/TM/PD/URL data links by updating information elements stored in said relational database so as to compose a menu of URLs for each consumer product registered in said relational database, for delivery and presentation to consumers in the marketplace;

a plurality of Internet-based product information servers, each operably connected to the infrastructure of Internet and storing information resources located at one or more of said plurality of URLs stored in said relational database, and being related to one or more of said plurality of UPN-labeled consumer products; and

a plurality of Internet-enabled client computers installed within said marketplace, each said Internet-enabled client computer being operably connected to the infrastructure of the Internet and being capable of transmitting a request therefrom for information resources on the Internet about a UPN-labeled consumer product registered with said relational database;

wherein each said request may include either the UPN, TM and/or PD symbolically linked to the UPN assigned to a registered UPN-labeled consumer product on which consumer product information on the Internet is being sought by a consumer within said retail store environment,

whereby each request transmitted by said Internet-enabled consumer product information kiosk is received by said Internet information server, and the UPN, TM and/or PD contained in said request is recovered by said Internet information server and used to access said URLs symbolically linked to the UPN, TM and/or PD and stored in said relational database, and said URLs accessed from said relational database are transmitted to said Internet-enabled client computer for use in accessing information resources stored in said Internet-based product information servers, at said URLs.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein said UPN assigned to each said UPN-labeled consumer product is a unique Uniform Product Code (UPC) number assigned to said UPN-labeled consumer product.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein at least one of said Internet-enabled client computers comprises an Internet-enabled consumer product information kiosk having (i) an automatic bar code symbol reader for automatically reading the UPN labels on said plurality of UPN-labeled consumer products and entering UPN information into said Internet-enabled consumer product information kiosk, (ii) a touch-type data entry and display screen for entering TM and PD related information into said Internet-enabled consumer product information kiosk and displaying consumer product information resources accessed from Internet-based information servers, and (ii) UPN, TM and/or PD directed modes of consumer product information search operation;

30. The system of claim 27, wherein each said Internet-enabled client computer comprises an Internet browser program enabling either the UPN, TM and/or PD symbolically linked to the UPN of a registered UPN-labeled consumer product, to be used to access consumer product information contained within said Internet-based product information servers on the Internet.

31. The system of claim 27, wherein said information resources contain multi-media information content relating to one or more of said plurality of UPN-labeled consumer products.

32. The system of claim 27, wherein said automatic bar code symbol reader is an automatic laser scanning bar code symbol reader.