Method for updating a remote computer

• US 5,761,649 A
• Filed: 06/05/1995
• Issued: 06/02/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Charles E. Hill & Associates
• Original Assignee: Charles E. Hill & Associates
• Inventors: Hill, Charles E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Poinvil, Frantzy
• Application Number:
  US08/460,913
• Time in Patent Office: 1,093 Days
• Field of Search: 364/401, 364/406, 364/408, 364/200.75, 379/90, 379/98, 379/90.01, 379/93.12, 395/155, 395/425, 395/650, 395/600, 395/226, 395/227, 395/601, 395/712, 395/701, 380/4, 380/25, 380/30, 283/50, 707/530, 707/539, 707/540, 707/902, 707/100, 707/104, 705/26, 705/27
• US Class Current: 705/26.62
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• 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: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

A method for accessing product information data includes storing product data including graphics data and textual data related to a plurality of products in a memory of a main computer, storing a first subset of product data including graphics data related to at least one product in a memory of the remote computer, and transmitting a data request query related to a selected product from the remote computer to the main computer. The method also includes identifying a second subset of product data related to the selected product stored in the memory of the main computer based on the data request query; transmitting textual data from second subset of product data from the main computer to the remote computer, transmitting only updated graphics data from the main computer to the remote computer, storing the updated graphics data in the memory of the remote computer, and combining the textual data received from the main computer with graphics data stored in the memory of the remote computer to provide complete product information data related to the selected product.

Claims

1. A method for accessing product information data related to a selected product stored in a vendor'"'"'s main computer from a customer'"'"'s remote computer, the method comprising:

storing product data including graphics data and textual data related to a plurality of products in a memory of the main computer;

storing a first subset of product data including graphics data related to at least one of the plurality of products in a memory of the remote computer;

selecting at least one product at the remote computer;

transmitting a data request query related to the at least one selected product from the remote computer to the main computer;

identifying a second subset of product data including graphics data and textual data related to the selected product from the product data stored in the memory of the main computer based on the data request query;

transmitting the textual data from second subset of product data from the main computer to the remote computer;

transmitting only updated graphics data from the second subset of product data that is different from the graphics data in the first subset of product data from the main computer to the remote computer;

storing the updated graphics data in the memory of the remote computer; and

combining the textual data from the second subset of product data received from the main computer with graphics data related to the selected product stored in the memory of the remote computer to provide complete product information data related to the selected product including both graphics and textual data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the complete product information data at the remote computer.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a map from the main computer to the remote computer along with the second subset of product data to permit the remote computer to perform the combining step.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically establishing a data link between the remote computer and the main computer after the selecting step.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising automatically disconnecting the data link between the remote computer and the main computer after the second subset of product data is transmitted from the main computer to the remote computer.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising compressing the data request query at the remote computer prior to the transmitting the data request query to the main computer and uncompressing the data request query at the main computer.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising compressing the second subset of product data at the main computer prior to transmitting the second subset of product data from the main computer to the remote computer, and uncompressing the second subset of product data at the remote computer.

8. A method for accessing product information related to a selected product stored in a vendor'"'"'s main computer from a customer'"'"'s remote computer, the method comprising:

storing and maintaining product data including graphics data and textual data related to a plurality of products in a memory of the main computer;

storing a first subset of product data related to at least one of the plurality of products in a memory of the remote computer;

selecting at least one product at the remote computer;

generating a data request query related to the at least one selected product at the remote computer;

generating identification data at the remote computer;

transmitting the data request query and the identification data from the remote computer to the main computer;

interpreting the identification data at the main computer and selecting a program at the main computer to be executed;

executing the data request query using the selected program at the main computer to generate a second subset of product data related to the at least one selected product from the product data stored in the memory of the main computer;

transmitting the second subset of the product data from the main computer to the remote computer along with a map to instruct the remote computer regarding integrating the second subset of product data received from the main computer with the first subset of product data stored in the memory of the remote computer; and

integrating a second subset of product data received from the main computer with the first subset of product data related to the selected product stored in the memory of the remote computer to provide a combined set of product information data at the remote computer.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising displaying the combined set of product data at the remote computer.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising automatically establishing a data link between the remote computer and the main computer after generating the identification data and the data request query.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising testing the identification data received by the main computer for validity, the main computer automatically disconnecting the data link from the remote computer if the identification data is invalid.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising automatically disconnecting the communication link between the remote computer and the main computer after the second subset of product data is received by the remote computer from the main computer.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the first subset of product data includes graphics data and the second subset of product data includes graphics data and textual data related to the selected product, and wherein the step of transmitting the second subset of the product data from the main computer to the remote computer includes transmitting textual data from second subset of product data from the main computer to the remote computer and transmitting only updated graphics data from the second subset of product data from the main computer to the remote computer.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising storing the updated graphics data received from the main computer in the memory of the remote computer.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the integrating step includes combining the textual data of second subset of product data received from the main computer with graphics data related to the selected product stored in the memory of the remote computer to provide the combined set of product information related to the selected product including both graphics and textual data.

16. A method for accessing product information data related to a selected product stored in a vendor'"'"'s main computer from a customer'"'"'s remote computer, the method comprising:

storing product data including constant data and variable data related to a plurality of products in a memory of the main computer;

storing a first subset of product data including constant data related to at least one of the plurality of products in a memory of the remote computer;

selecting at least one product at the remote computer;

transmitting a data request query related to the at least one selected product from the remote computer to the main computer;

identifying a second subset of product data including constant and variable data related to the selected product from the product data stored in the memory of the main computer based on the data request query;

transmitting variable data from second subset of product data from the main computer to the remote computer;

transmitting only updated constant data from the second subset of product data that is different from the constant data in the first subset of product data from the main computer to the remote computer;

storing the updated constant data in the memory of the remote computer; and

combining the variable data received from the main computer with constant data related to the selected product stored in the memory of the remote computer to provide complete product information related to the selected product.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising displaying the complete product information at the remote computer.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising transmitting a map from the main computer to the remote computer along with the second subset of product data related to the selected product to permit the remote computer to perform the combining step.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising automatically establishing a data link between the remote computer and the main computer after the selecting step, and automatically disconnecting the data link between the remote computer and the main computer after the second subset of product data is transmitted from the main computer to the remote computer.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the constant data includes high resolution graphics data and the variable data includes textual data.