Internet based resource retrieval system

• US 20050267893A1
• Filed: 05/26/2005
• Published: 12/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Craig S. Callaway, Travis L. Headd
• Original Assignee: Blackbird Tech LLC
• Inventors: Headd, Travis L., Callaway, Craig S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,996,546 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries

Abstract

A resource retrieval system comprises a server having a searchable database wherein users can readily access region-based publications similar to, but not necessarily limited to, printed telephone directories. The resource retrieval system communicates with at least one user system, preferably via the Internet. In one embodiment, the server is accessed by the user system via an icon, which initiates an interactive interface wherein the user can “point and click” to a geographic area so as to further narrow the searchable field until arriving at a “virtual phone book,” or an electronic replica of an actual or physical telephone directory for a desired geographic region. Preferably, the replicated telephone directory is displayed in a manner so as to digitally or electronically replicate the traditional format of the physical telephone directory. Further, the replicated telephone directory can be further searched or accessed in a relative manner common with the use of the physical telephone directory while allowing for additional capabilities currently not found or available in print directories. In one embodiment, the present invention also includes interactive features which the user can utilize to access Internet addresses (e.g., webpage addresses) and/or telephone numbers provided within the content of the printed telephone directory.

Claims

1. A resource retrieval system for providing a plurality of region-based publications to a user system, the system comprising:

a server storing, for each region-based publication, document information from which a digital replica of at least a portion of the region-based publication can be provided, the server further storing a region identifier for each region based publication;

the server being accessed by the user system and receiving a region input indicative of a location of interest from the user system; and

the server utilizing the region input received from the user system and the plurality of region identifiers stored by the server to retrieve the document information for at least one region-based publication and transmitting at least a portion of the document information to the user system so as to provide the digital replica of at least a portion of the at least one region-based publication.

2. The resource retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of region-based publications are telephone directories.

3. The resource retrieval system of claim 1, wherein at least two of the region-based publications are from different sources.

4. The resource retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the digital replica of at least a portion of the at least one region-based publication includes information indicative of an Internet address and the server further transmits a link to the Internet address to the user system.

5. The resource retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the digital replica of at least a portion of the at least one region-based publication includes information indicative of a phone number and the server further transmits a link to the phone number to the user system.

6. The resource retrieval system of claim 1, further comprising an icon provided on the user system, the icon providing access to the server.

7. The resource retrieval system of claim 6, wherein the icon further provides access to an Internet search service.

8. The resource retrieval system of claim 6, wherein the icon further provides a link to an Internet address.

9. The resource retrieval system of claim 6, wherein the icon further provides access to a secondary server.

10. The resource retrieval system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the document information and the region identifier for each region-based publication is stored on the server using a software developer'"'"'s kit.

11. A method for providing a plurality of region-based publications to a user system, the method comprising the steps of:

storing, for each region-based publication, document information from which a digital replica of at least a portion of the region-based publication can be provided;

storing a region identifier for each region based publication;

receiving a region input indicative of a location of interest from the user system; and

utilizing the region input and the plurality of region identifiers to retrieve the document information for at least one region-based publication and to transmit at least a portion of the document information to the user system so as to provide the digital replica of at least a portion of the at least one region-based publication.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of region-based publications are telephone directories.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein at least two of the region-based publications are from different sources.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the digital replica of at least a portion of the at least one region-based publication includes information indicative of an Internet address and the method further comprises the step of transmitting a link to the Internet address to the user system.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the digital replica of at least a portion of the at least one region-based publication includes information indicative of a phone number, and the method further comprises the step of transmitting a link to the phone number to the user system.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of storing, for each region-based publication, document information comprises inputting the document information for each region-based publication into a server using a software developer'"'"'s kit.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of storing a region identifier for each region-based publication comprises inputting the region identifier for each region-based publication into a server using a software developer'"'"'s kit.

18. A resource retrieval system for providing a plurality of telephone directories to a user system, the system comprising:

a server storing, for each telephone directory, document information from which a digital replica of at least a portion of the telephone directory can be provided;

the server being accessed by the user system and receiving a region input indicative of a location of interest from the user system; and

the server utilizing the region input received from the user system to retrieve the document information for at least one telephone directory and transmitting at least a portion of the document information to the user system so as to provide the digital replica of at least a portion of the at least one telephone directory.

19. The resource retrieval system of claim 18, wherein the digital replica of at least a portion of the at least one region-based publication includes information indicative of an Internet address and the server further transmits a link to the Internet address to the user system.

20. The resource retrieval system of claim 18, wherein the digital replica of at least a portion of the at least one region-based publication includes information indicative of a phone number and the server further transmits a link to the phone number to the user system.