Apparatus and Methods for Providing Route-Based Advertising and Vendor-Reported Business Information over a Network
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of providing information about vendors to a user, the method comprising:
- receiving from the user a query identifying a contemplated route;
providing a computer database of self-reported business information from the vendors, each vendor having an identified geographic location; and
providing to the user, via a server accessible over a network, information from the database concerning the business information of a set of vendors extracted from the database on the basis of geographic proximity to the route identified by the user.
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Abstract
A method of providing information about vendors to a user includes receiving from the user a query identifying a contemplated route, providing a computer database of self-reported business information from the vendors, each vendor having an identified geographic location, and providing to the user, via a server accessible over a network, information from the database concerning the business information of a set of vendors extracted from the database on the basis of geographic proximity to the route identified by the user.
29 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of providing information about vendors to a user, the method comprising:
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receiving from the user a query identifying a contemplated route;
providing a computer database of self-reported business information from the vendors, each vendor having an identified geographic location; and
providing to the user, via a server accessible over a network, information from the database concerning the business information of a set of vendors extracted from the database on the basis of geographic proximity to the route identified by the user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus for providing information about vendors to a user, the apparatus comprising:
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a digital storage medium on which is resident a computer database of self-reported business information from the vendors, each vendor having an identified geographic location that is stored in the database; and
a query handling process running on a digital computer system, in communication with the digital storage medium, for causing extraction from the database of the business information of a set of vendors pursuant to a query received from the user; and
for providing such business information to the user, via a server accessible over a network,wherein the query identifies a contemplated route and wherein the query handling process causes selection of the set of vendors on the basis of geographic proximity to the route.
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12. A method of providing, over a network, advertising to a user, the method comprising:
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receiving from a user a query identifying a contemplated route;
accessing a computer database in which are stored vendors, each vendor having an identified geographic location, and identifying a set of vendors selected on the basis at least of proximity of geographic location to the route; and
providing to the user, over the network, advertising from the set of vendors. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of providing business information and advertising to a user, the method comprising:
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receiving from the user a query identifying a contemplated route;
providing a computer database of self-reported business information from vendors, each vendor having an identified geographic location;
providing to the user, via a server accessible over a network, information from the database concerning the business information of a set of vendors extracted from the database on the basis of geographic proximity to the route identified by the user; and
providing to the user, over the network, advertising from the set of vendors. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification