Routing networks for use with content linking systems

• US 20060274915A1
• Filed: 11/15/2005
• Published: 12/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Hein, William C. III
• Granted Patent: US 7,369,676 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1063 Personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/125 by manipulating the program code, e.g. source code, compiled code, interpreted code, machine code
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/16 Program or content traceability, e.g. by watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6272 by registering files or documents with a third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 Authenticate client device independently of the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2153 Using hardware token as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8358 involving watermark protecting executable software by watermarking G06F21/16; image watermarking in general G06T1/0021; watermarks inserted in still images for transmission purposes H04N1/32144; inserting watermarks during video coding H04N19/467

Abstract

A method of linking a content object with a network resource presents a content object to a reader, discerns an identifier associated with the content object, transfers the identifier to an indexing system, and in response receives an internet address corresponding to the content object. To enhance the response of the indexing system, it includes multiple routers, which it selects based on location relative to the reader. For example, the method sends user location data to a master system, and in response, receives an address of an indexing system close to the user location.

Claims

1. In a method of linking a content object with a network resource, a method comprising:

presenting a content object to a reader;

discerning from data obtained by the reader an identifier associated with the content object;

transferring the identifier to an indexing system; and

receiving from the indexing system an internet address corresponding to said content object;

the method further including;

sending user data to a master system, the user data providing information related to user location;

receiving from said master system an address of an indexing system close to the user location, the master system selecting the indexing system from among plural different indexing systems; and

transferring said identifier to said selected indexing system using the address.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the user data comprises a postal code.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the user data comprises a country identifier.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the user data also comprises object type data, and said identifying comprises identifying the indexing system as a function of both the user location and the object type data.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said content object comprises a printed substrate.

6. A routing method for use by a router in an object-to-web linking system, comprising:

receiving an object identifier sent from a client device, said identifier corresponding to a content object received on said client device;

receiving a location identifier sent from a client device and identifying a location of said device;

by reference to at least said location identifier, determining an address of an content object-related database system remote from said router, from several possible such database systems; and

transferring said object identifier to said determined database system.

7. The method of claim 6 that further includes:

receiving an object type identifier from the client device; and

determining said address by reference to at least said location data and said object type identifier.