Internet-based method of and system for managing and delivering consumer product information at points along the world wide web using consumer product information (CPI) requesting and graphical user interface (GUI) displaying subsystems driven by server-side components and managed by consumer product manufacturers and/or authorized parties

• US 20100107093A1
• Filed: 05/11/2009
• Published: 04/29/2010
• 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 8,065,201 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/763
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9554 by using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0234 Rebates after completed purchase
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0611 Request for offers or quotes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0625 Directed, with specific intent or strategy
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor

Abstract

Method of and system for delivering consumer product related information to consumers over the Internet. The system and method involves creating a UPN-encoded Consumer Product Information (CPIR) enabling Servlet for each consumer product registered within a manufacturer-managed UPN/URL database management system. The HTML tag associated with each CPIR-enabling Servlet is encapsulated within an executable file and then stored in the UPN/URL database management system. Each CPIR-enabling Servlet is searchable and its HTML tag downloadable by, for example, (1) retailers purchasing products from an electronic-commerce enabled product catalog, (2) advertisers desiring to link consumer product information to Web-based product advertisements, or (3) anyone having a legitimate purpose of disseminating such information within the stream of electronic commerce. After downloading and extraction from its encapsulating file, the CPIR-enabling Servlet tag is embedded within an HTML-encoded document associated with, for example, an EC-enabled store, on-line auction site, product advertisement, Internet search engine or directory, and the like. Upon encountering such an HTML document on the WWW, the consumer need only perform a single mouse-clicking operation to automatically execute the underlying CPIR-enabling Servlet, causing a UPN-directed search to be performed against the manufacturer-defined UPN/URL Database, and the results thereof displayed in an independent Java GUI, without disturbing the consumer'"'"'s point of presence on the WWW. Preferably, the CPIR-enabling Servlet are realized using Java™ technology, although it is understood that alternative technologies can be used to practice the system and methods of the present invention.

Claims

1. :

An Internet-based system for managing and delivering consumer product information to consumers at points of presence along the World Wide Web (WWW), said Internet-based system comprising;

a plurality of Web-based information servers, operably connected to the infrastructure of the Internet, serving a plurality of Web-sites on the WWW, wherein each said Web-site includes a plurality of HTML-encoded pages;

a plurality of Internet-based consumer product information (CPI) servers, operably connected to the infrastructure of the Internet, and serving a plurality of consumer product information (CPI) resources located on the WWW having information content, and related to a particular consumer product or group of consumer products registered with said Internet-based system and being marketed along the WWW;

a first Internet-based subsystem, operably connected to the infrastructure of the Internet, and configured to allow manufacturer team members associated with said particular consumer product or group of consumer products, and/or authorized parties, to implement a plurality of consumer product information (CPI) requesting and graphical user interface (GUI) displaying subsystems for said plurality of consumer products being marketed along the WWW, so that each said CPI-requesting and GUI-displaying subsystem is accessed by consumers at points of presence along the WWW, using a client subsystem supporting a Web browser;

an object-oriented server operably connected to the infrastructure of the Internet;

wherein each said CPI-requesting and GUI-displaying subsystem is implemented by (i) a consumer product information request (CPIR) enabling servlet stored on and executed within said object-oriented server independent of the operation of said Internet-based CPI servers, and (ii) an HTML servlet tag embodied with a unique URL referencing said CPIR-enabling servlet, and embedded within at least one of said plurality of HTML-encoded pages, at a point of presence on the WWW;

wherein said object-oriented server generates each said CPI-requesting and GUI-displaying subsystem and serves a CPI graphical user interface (GUI) at the point of presence, for displaying a set of said plurality of CPI resources for selection by the consumer;

a database, operably connected to said object-oriented server, and storing and managing a link structure for each consumer product registered with said Internet-based system,

wherein each said link structure includes

a product identifier assigned to the consumer product registered within said Internet-based system, and

a set of URLs for a set of said plurality of CPI resources being served from said plurality of Internet-based CPI servers;

wherein said CPIR-enabling servlet installed on said object-oriented server, for each said consumer product, includes code stored on a medium operable to execute on the object-oriented server, and specifying;

(i) a connection to said database;

(ii) a CPI query to be executed on said database, dependent on the product identifier assigned to said consumer product, and returning a set of URLs stored in said database and associated with said UPN; and

(iii) a CPI GUI, object-oriented controlled, displaying the results of the product identifier dependent CPI query at the point of presence where said corresponding HTML servlet tag is embedded within at least one said HTML-encoded page along the WWW;

wherein said HTML servlet tag embodies the unique URL referencing said corresponding CPIR-enabling servlet;

a second Internet-based subsystem configured to allow manufacturer team members associated with a particular consumer product or group of consumer products, and/or authorized parties, to program said set of CPI resources for display in the CPI GUI of each said CPI-requesting and GUI-displaying subsystem; and

wherein, upon the Web-browser of the consumer encountering said HTML servlet tag installed in said HTML-encoded page,

(a) the CPIR-enabling servlet corresponding to the HTML servlet tag is automatically executed,

(b) the CPI GUI of the corresponding CPI-requesting and GUI-displaying subsystem is automatically generated by said object-oriented server,

(c) said object-oriented controlled CPI GUI is served to the Web browser at the point of presence where said HTML servlet tag is embedded, and

(d) then said object-oriented controlled CPI GUI displays information content that is (i) associated with one or more CPI resources having URLs returned by said UPN-dependent CPI query, and (ii) served from one or more of said plurality of Internet-based CPI servers, for display and review by the consumer at the point of presence along the WWW where said HTML servlet tag has been encountered by the Web browser.

2. :

The Internet-based system of claim 1, wherein each said product identifier comprises a Universal Product Code (UPC).

3. :

The Internet-based system of claim 1, wherein, for each consumer product, said link structure further comprises;

a Trademark (™

) assigned to the consumer product; and

a Product Descriptor (PD) associated with the consumer product.

4. :

The Internet-based system of claim 1, wherein said set of CPI resources are selected from the group consisting of product videos, audio files, product images, product specifications, product advertisements, and product promotions.

5. :

The Internet-based system of claim 1, wherein said second Internet-based subsystem is further configured to allow manufacturer team members associated with a particular consumer product or group of consumer products, and/or authorized parties, to program said set of CPI resources for display in the CPI GUI of each said CPI-requesting and GUI-displaying subsystem, by creating and managing said link structure for each said consumer product.

6. :

The Internet-based system of claim 1, wherein each said HTML-encoded page is selected from the group consisting of Web-pages, product images, product documents, and graphical icons.

7. :

The Internet-based system of claim 3, wherein said product identifier, said Trademark (™

) and said Product Descriptor (PD) associated with each said link structure are imported into said database from a supply-chain information management system, using electronic file transfer techniques.

8. :

The Internet-based system of claim 1, wherein said client subsystem supporting said Web browser is a computing machine selected from the group consisting of a desktop computer, a portable computer, a portable digital assistant (PDA), and physical retail kiosk.

9. :

The Internet-based system of claim 1, wherein said Web browser of the consumer encountering one said HTML tag, further comprises the consumer clicking on a graphical component at which said HTML servlet tag is embedded in said HTML-encoded page.

10. :

The Internet-based system of claim 1, wherein said authorized parties include agents of the manufacturer.

11. :

The Internet-based system of claim 1, wherein said points of presence along the WWW include market spaces selected from the group consisting of EC-enabled WWW-sites, EC-enabled stores and EC-enabled online product catalogs.

12. :

The Internet-based system of claim 1, wherein each said set of CPI resources is arranged within a consumer product information menu, within said CPI GUI, for selection by consumers using said Web browser.

13. :

The Internet-based system of claim 1, wherein said HTML servlet tag is embedded within a graphical object within said HTML-encoded page; and

wherein, upon the Web-browser of the consumer encountering clicking on said graphical object,

(i) said object-oriented server automatically executes the CPIR-enabling servlet corresponding to the HTML servlet tag, and generates the CPI GUI of the corresponding CPI-requesting and GUI-displaying subsystem,

(ii) said object-oriented controlled CPI GUI is served to the Web browser at the point of presence where said HTML servlet tag is embedded, and

(iii) said object-oriented controlled CPI GUI displays information content that is associated with one or more CPI resources having URLs returned by said product identifier dependent CPI query, and served from one or more of said plurality of Internet-based CPI servers, for display and review by the consumer at the point of presence along the WWW where said HTML servlet tag has been encountered by the Web browser.

14. :

The Internet-based system of claim 1, wherein said object-oriented server is a Java server, and each said CPIR-enabling servlet is a Java-implemented CPIR-enabling servlet loaded within said Java server.

15. The Internet-based system of claim 1, wherein said database is a relational database management system (RDBMS).

16. :

A method of managing and delivering consumer product information to consumers enabling the purchase of consumer products at points of presence along the World Wide Web (WWW), said method comprising the steps of;

(a) serving a plurality of Web-sites from a plurality of Web-based information servers, operably connected to the infrastructure of the Internet, wherein each said Web-site includes a plurality of HTML-encoded pages;

(b) serving a plurality of consumer product information (CPI) resources from a plurality of Internet-based consumer product information (CPI) servers, operably connected to the infrastructure of the Internet, wherein each said CPI resource has information content related to a particular consumer product or group of consumer products registered with said Internet-based system and being marketed along the WWW;

(c) operably connecting a first Internet-based subsystem to the infrastructure of the Internet, and allowing manufacturer team members associated with said particular consumer product or group of consumer products, and/or authorized parties, to use said first Internet-based subsystem to implement a plurality of consumer product information (CPI) requesting and graphical user interface (GUI) displaying subsystems for said plurality of consumer products being marketed along the WWW, so that each said CPI-requesting and GUI-displaying subsystem is accessible by consumers at points of presence along the WWW, using a client subsystem supporting a Web browser;

(d) operably connecting an object-oriented server to the infrastructure of the Internet and said first Internet-based subsystem;

wherein each said CPI-requesting and GUI-displaying subsystem is implemented by (i) a consumer product information request (CPIR) enabling servlet stored on and executed within said object-oriented server independent of the operation of said Internet-based CPI servers, and (ii) an HTML servlet tag embodied with a unique URL referencing said CPIR-enabling servlet, and embedded within at least one of said plurality of HTML-encoded pages, at a point of presence on the WWW;

(e) operably connecting a database to said object-oriented server, for storing and managing a link structure for each consumer product registered with said Internet-based system,

wherein each said link structure includes

a product identifier assigned to the consumer product registered within said Internet-based system, and

a set of URLs for a set of said plurality of CPI resources being served from said plurality of Internet-based CPI servers;

wherein said CPIR-enabling servlet stored on said object-oriented server, for each said consumer product, includes code stored on a medium operable to execute on the object-oriented server, and specifying;

(i) a connection to said database;

(ii) a CPI query to be executed on said database, dependent on the product identifier assigned to said consumer product, and for returning a set of URLs stored in said database and associated with said UPN; and

(iii) a CPI GUI, object-oriented controlled, for displaying the results of the product identifier dependent CPI query at the point of presence where said corresponding HTML servlet tag is embedded within at least one said HTML-encoded page along the WWW;

wherein said HTML servlet tag embodies the unique URL referencing said corresponding CPIR-enabling servlet;

(f) operably connecting a second Internet-based subsystem to the infrastructure of the Internet, and allowing manufacturer team members associated with a particular consumer product or group of consumer products, and/or authorized parties, to use said second Internet-based subsystem to program said set of CPI resources for display in the CPI GUI of each said CPI-requesting and GUI-displaying subsystem; and

(g) upon the Web-browser of the consumer encountering said HTML servlet tag installed in said HTML-encoded page,

(i) the CPIR-enabling servlet corresponding to the HTML servlet tag is automatically executed,

(ii) the CPI GUI of the corresponding CPI-requesting and GUI-displaying subsystem is automatically generated by said object-oriented server,

(iii) said object-oriented controlled CPI GUI is served to the Web browser at the point of presence where said HTML servlet tag is embedded, and

(iv) then said object-oriented controlled CPI GUI displays information content that is (1) associated with one or more CPI resources having URLs returned by said UPN-dependent CPI query, and (2) served from one or more of said plurality of Internet-based CPI servers, for display and review by the consumer at the point of presence along the WWW where said HTML servlet tag has been encountered by the Web browser.

17. :

The method of claim 16, wherein each said product identifier comprises a Universal Product Code (UPC).

18. :

The Internet-based system of claim 16, wherein said Web browser of the consumer encountering one said HTML tag, further comprises the consumer clicking on a graphical component at which said HTML servlet tag is embedded in said HTML-encoded page.

19. :

The Internet-based system of claim 16, wherein said points of presence along the WWW include market spaces selected from the group consisting of EC-enabled WWW-sites, EC-enabled stores and EC-enabled online product catalogs.

20. :

The Internet-based system of claim 16, wherein each said set of CPI resources is arranged within a consumer product information menu, within said CPI GUI, for selection by consumers using said Web browser.

21. :

The Internet-based system of claim 16, wherein said HTML servlet tag is embedded within a graphical object within said HTML-encoded page; and

wherein, upon the Web-browser of the consumer encountering clicking on said graphical object,

(i) said object-oriented server automatically executes the CPIR-enabling servlet corresponding to the HTML servlet tag, and generates the CPI GUI of the corresponding CPI-requesting and GUI-displaying subsystem,

(ii) said object-oriented controlled CPI GUI is served to the Web browser at the point of presence where said HTML servlet tag is embedded, and

(iii) said object-oriented controlled CPI GUI, displays information content that is associated with one or more CPI resources having URLs returned by said product identifier dependent CPI query, and served from one or more of said plurality of Internet-based CPI servers, for display and review by the consumer at the point of presence along the WWW where said HTML servlet tag has been encountered by the Web browser.