Method and apparatus for distributing supplemental information related to printed articles
First Claim
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.
10 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. A method for providing supplemental information to readers, comprising the steps of:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. An apparatus comprising:
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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.
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4. A method for providing supplemental information to readers, comprising the steps of:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (5)
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6. A method for providing supplemental information to readers, comprising the steps of:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. An apparatus comprising:
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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.
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11. A method for providing supplemental information to readers, comprising the steps of:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. An apparatus comprising:
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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.
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16. A method of distributing supplemental information corresponding to a printed article intended to inform a reader, comprising the steps of:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An apparatus for distributing supplemental information corresponding to a printed article intended to inform a reader comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A method for providing supplemental information to readers, comprising the steps of:
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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.
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Specification