Interactive system for investigating products on a network

• US 6,430,554 B1
• Filed: 04/04/2001
• Issued: 08/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NM, LLC
• Original Assignee: Barpoint.com Incorporated
• Inventors: Rothschild, Leigh M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Hosain T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALAM, SHAHID AL
• Application Number:
  US09/806,723
• Time in Patent Office: 489 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/4, 707/5, 707/6, 707/103.R, 707/10, 707/104.1, 707/206, 707/503, 707/504, 707/523, 705/23, 705/1, 705/7, 705/10, 701/201, 709/219, 370/401
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

An interactive search system for use primarily with a global computer network, e.g., the Internet, using a search identifying barcode, such as a UPC code, to rapidly and effectively obtain a supply of related information for presentation to a user. A computer may be used to input a UPC code, taken from a package or advertisement or pre-stored in the computer, to an implementing server on the network. The server contains a database of product and manufacturer identifying UPC codes and uses the input UPC code and the database to identify the manufacturer and is programmed to then perform a search of the network to locate sites relating to or operated by the manufacturer. Also, the server may search the network on a product basis to locate other sites containing the UPC under search. To reduce search time, the user can identify the optional category of the product when the UPC is entered and the server may be programmed to initially search sites where a greater likelihood of uncovering a particular UPC exists. Using “parsing” technology, the server “pulls out” the product description, transmits it to and places it in a random access memory (RAM) or storage of the computer, and proceeds to perform further searching relying on the product description to uncover relevant information. Accordingly, using a single input, a collection of product-related and manufacturer information is quickly assembled in the computer available for a user'"'"'s consideration all at once at any time. To purchase the particular product, the server can automatically link the computer with the manufacturer'"'"'s site on the network or the server, to permit direct ordering.

Claims

1. An interactive search system for obtaining a supply of information relating to the object of the search from a global computer network for presentation to a user, said system comprising:

an implementing server coupled to the global computer network and comprising database means for storing search-object-related information and associated information on where further search-object-related information can be located on the global computer network;

a computer input terminal coupled to said implementing server and operable by a user to send a coded input for accessing said implementing server, said coded input addressing said stored search-object-related information;

means, responsive to said coded input, for activating said implementing server to use said associated information to access said further search-object-related information on the global computer network; and

means for collecting and storing at said computer input terminal said further search-object-related information accessed by said implementing server to provide a supply of search-object-related information from the global computer network ready for presentation to the user in accordance with the coded input.

2. A system as in claim 1 wherein said coded input comprises a barcode.

3. A system as in claim 1 wherein said coded input comprises a UPC code.

4. A system as in claim 1 wherein said search-object-related information comprises product-related information and said coded input comprises a manufacturers code and a related product category.

5. A system as in claim 1 wherein said coded input comprises a code printed on a document.

6. A system as in claim 1 wherein said implementing server has an administrator and said coded input comprises a code provided by said administrator.

7. A system as in claim 1 further comprising means for scanning said coded input into said computer input terminal.

8. A system as in claim 1 wherein said computer input terminal comprises a wireless portable computer.

9. A system as in claim 1 wherein said computer input terminal comprises a wireless internet phone.

10. A system as in claim 1 wherein said computer input terminal comprises a server accessible phone.

11. A system as in claim 1 wherein said computer input terminal comprises means for storing a library of coded inputs for selective transmission to said implementing server.

12. A system as in claim 1 further comprising means, in said implementing server, for prestoring specialized search-object-related information associated with said coded input, and responsive to said coded input for sending said associated specialized search-object-related information to said computer input terminal.

13. A system as in claim 1 further comprising means for directly linking said implementing server to certain sites on the global computer network.

14. A system as in claim 1 further comprising means for directly linking said computer input terminal to certain sites on the global computer network.

15. An interactive search method for obtaining a supply of information relating to the object of the search from a global computer network for presentation to a user, comprising the steps of:

inputting, by means of an electronic terminal, a coded input relating to the object of the search, to an implementing server containing databases relating the coded input to web sites on a global network;

checking to verify that the coded input is valid and making any predetermined conversions that are required for the search;

first querying said databases of said implementing server to find web sites on the global network related to said coded input;

second querying the websites found related to said coded input for information regarding the object of the search;

transferring all of the information regarding the object of the search that results from said second querying of the websites, to said electronic terminal for providing a supply of information regarding the object of the search obtained from the global computer network ready for presentation to the user in accordance with the coded input.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said information regarding the object of the search comprises product-related information.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein said coded input comprises a barcode.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein said coded input comprises a UPC code.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein said coded input comprises a manufacturer'"'"'s code and a related product category.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein said coded input comprises a code printed on a document.

21. The method of claim 15 wherein said implementing server has an administrator and said administrator provides said coded input.

22. The method of claim 15 wherein said inputting step comprises scanning said coded input into said electronic terminal.

23. The method of claim 15 wherein said electronic terminal comprises a wireless portable computer.

24. The method of claim 15 wherein said electronic terminal comprises a wireless internet phone.

25. The method of claim 15 wherein said electronic terminal comprises a server accessible phone.

26. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of storing a library of coded inputs in said electronic terminal for selective inputting to said implementing server.

27. The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of:

storing in said implementing server, specialized product-related information associated with said coded input; and

sending, in response to the input of said coded input, said associated specialized product-related information to said electronic terminal.

28. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of directly linking said implementing server to certain sites on the global computer network.

29. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of directly linking said electronic terminal to certain sites on the global computer network.