Method and apparatus for distributing supplemental information related to printed articles

• US 5,995,976 A
• Filed: 10/11/1996
• Issued: 11/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Inventor Holdings LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Walker Asset Management Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Case, T. Scott, Walker, Jay S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Coby, Frantz
• Application Number:
  US08/729,426
• Time in Patent Office: 1,145 Days
• Field of Search: 707/104, 707/1, 707/2, 707/10
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9554 by using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• 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

Abstract

A method for readers of standard-length articles in magazines, newspapers, or similar printed media to purchase supplemental information on portions of information in the articles from publishers that print the articles, operators of electronic databases containing the supplemental information, or third party intermediaries handling requests for supplemental information. Embedded in the midst of the printed articles is a code that is physically positioned to identify a limited portion of information in the printed article. A reader may use the code to indicate further interest in supplemental information located in an electronic database, and to select a method of delivery whereby the supplemental information in the database can be delivered the reader.

Claims

1. A method for providing supplemental information to readers, comprising the steps of:

providing standard-length printed articles intended to inform a reader;

embedding in the midst of at least one of said printed articles a code;

said code physically positioned to identify a limited portion of information in said printed article;

providing an electronic database containing supplemental information about said limited portion of information in said article;

providing means by which said reader can use said code to indicate further interest in said supplemental information; and

permitting said reader to select a method of delivery whereby said supplemental information in said database can be delivered to said reader.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing standard-length printed articles includes the substep of:

printing one of a newspaper, magazine, or similar printed media.

3. An apparatus comprising:

an electronic database containing supplemental information corresponding to limited portions of information in printed articles, at least one of said printed articles being embedded with a code physically positioned to identify a limited portion of information in said printed article and for which said electronic database contains supplemental information;

indicating means configured to permit a reader to use said code to indicate further interest in said supplemental information; and

selection means configured to permit said reader to select a method of delivery whereby said supplemental information in said database can be delivered to said reader.

4. A method for providing supplemental information to readers, comprising the steps of:

providing standard-length printed articles intended to inform a reader;

embedding in the midst of at least one of said articles a code;

said code physically positioned to identify a limited portion of information in said article; and

providing written instructions associated with said article which permit said reader to access a remote electronic database containing supplemental information relating to said limited portion of information in said article, utilize said code to indicate further interest directly in said supplemental information, and select a method of delivering said supplemental information in said database to said reader.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of providing standard-length printed articles includes the substep of:

printing one of a newspaper, magazine, or similar printed media.

6. A method for providing supplemental information to readers, comprising the steps of:

receiving from a reader a code, said code indicating a limited portion of information in an otherwise standard-length printed article, said article intended to inform the reader;

utilizing said code to identify a portion of an electronic database containing supplemental information about said article;

providing to said reader a selection of methods of delivery of said supplemental information to said reader; and

initiating delivery of said supplemental information from said electronic database to said reader in accordance with said reader'"'"'s selection of a method of delivery.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of:

updating an account balance for the reader to reflect the delivery of said supplemental information.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of:

billing the reader for the delivery of said supplemental information.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of:

notifying a third party to bill the reader for the delivery of said supplemental information.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver configured to receive from a reader a code, said code indicating a limited portion of information in an otherwise standard-length printed article, said article intended to inform the reader;

an identifier configured to permit said reader to utilize said code to identify a portion of an electronic database containing supplemental information about said article;

delivery selection means configured to provide said reader a selection of methods of delivery of said supplemental information to said reader; and

initiating means configured to initiate delivery of said supplemental information from said electronic database to said reader in accordance with said reader'"'"'s selection of a method of delivery.

11. A method for providing supplemental information to readers, comprising the steps of:

receiving from a reader a code, said code indicating a limited portion of information in an otherwise standard-length printed article, said article intended to inform the reader;

contacting a remote electronic database;

utilizing said code to identify a portion of said remote electronic database containing supplemental information to said article;

providing to said reader a selection of methods of delivery of said supplemental information to said reader; and

initiating delivery of said supplemental information from said remote database to said reader in accordance with said reader'"'"'s selection of method of delivery.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of:

updating an account balance for the reader to reflect the delivery of said supplemental information.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of:

billing the reader for the delivery of said supplemental information.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of:

notifying a third party to bill the reader for the delivery of said supplemental information.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver configured to receive from a reader a code, said code indicating a limited portion of information in an otherwise standard-length printed article, said article intended to inform the reader;

contacting means configured to contact a remote electronic database;

an identifier configured to utilize said code to identify a portion of said remote electronic database containing supplemental information to said article;

selection means configured to provide to said reader a selection of methods of delivery of said supplemental information to said reader; and

delivery means configured to initiate delivery of said supplemental information from said remote database to said reader in accordance with said reader'"'"'s selection of method of delivery.

16. A method of distributing supplemental information corresponding to a printed article intended to inform a reader, comprising the steps of:

receiving from the reader a request identifying a code in the printed article, the code physically positioned in the printed article to indicate the existence of supplemental information related to a limited portion of information in the printed article;

receiving from the reader a selected method of delivery;

retrieving from storage the supplemental information corresponding to the code;

sending the retrieved information to the reader in accordance with the selected method of delivery.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the sending step includes the substep of:

transmitting the retrieved supplemental information as an E-mail response.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the sending step includes the substep of:

transmitting the retrieved information via facsimile.

19. The method of claim 16, further including the step of:

generating a bill for the retrieved information.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the bill generating step includes the substep of:

receiving credit card information from the reader.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the bill generating step includes the substep of:

using a telephone system billing number.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the receiving step includes the substep of:

obtaining in the request an identification of an output device; and

wherein the sending step includes the substep of;

transmitting the supplemental information to the output device identified in the request.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein the sending step includes the substep of:

transmitting an error notification when no supplemental information corresponding to the request can be retrieved from storage.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein the receiving step includes the substep of;

obtaining a numeric identifier embedded in the printed article and distinguishable from the remainder of the article.

25. The method of claim 16, wherein the receiving step includes the substep of:

obtaining an identifier corresponding to the printed article and a location of the identified portion within the printed article.

26. The method of claim 16, wherein the receiving step includes the substep of:

obtaining an identification for the identified portion of the printed article, the identified portion represented by an altered appearance within the printed article.

27. The method of claim 16, wherein the retrieving step includes the substep of:

decoding the code to identify a location of the supplemental information.

28. An apparatus for distributing supplemental information corresponding to a printed article intended to inform a reader comprising:

a receiver configured to receive from the reader (i) a request identifying a code in the printed article, the code physically positioned in the printed article to indicate the existence of supplemental information related to a limited portion of information in the printed article and (ii) a selected method of delivery;

retrieving means configured to retrieve from storage the supplemental information corresponding to the code;

sending means configured to send the retrieved information to the reader in accordance with the selected method of delivery.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the sending means includes:

a transmitter configured to transmit the retrieved supplemental information as an E-mail response.

30. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the sending means includes:

a transmitter configured to transmit the retrieved information via facsimile.

31. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising:

a bill generator configured to generate a bill for the retrieved information.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the bill generator includes:

a receiver configured to receive credit card information from the reader.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the receiver includes:

obtaining means configured to receive in the request an identification of an output device; and

wherein the sending means includes;

a transmitter configured to transmit the supplemental information to the output device identified in the request.

34. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the sending means includes:

a transmitter configured to transmit an error notification when no supplemental information corresponding to the request can be retrieved from storage.

35. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the receiver includes:

obtaining means configured to receive a numeric identifier embedded in the printed article and distinguishable from the remainder of the article.

36. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the receiver includes:

obtaining means configured to receive an identifier corresponding to the printed article and a location of the identified portion within the printed article.

37. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the receiver includes:

obtaining means configured to receive an identification for the identified portion of the printed article, the identified portion represented by an altered appearance within the printed article.

38. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the retrieving means includes:

a decoder configured to decode the code to identify a location of the supplemental information.

39. A method for providing supplemental information to readers, comprising the steps of:

providing to said reader means to identify a location code associated with a limited portion of information physically positioned in the midst of at least one article;

providing an electronic database containing supplemental information about said limited portion of information in said article;

providing means by which said reader can use said location code to indicate further interest in said supplemental information; and

permitting said reader to select a method of delivery whereby said supplemental information in said database can be delivered to said reader.