System and method of using machine-readable or human-readable linkage codes for accessing networked data resources

• US 6,542,933 B1
• Filed: 04/05/2000
• Issued: 04/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NM, LLC
• Original Assignee: NeoMedia Technologies Inc.
• Inventors: Hunter, Kevin, Durst, Robert T. Jr., Kearns, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar, Saleh
• Application Number:
  US09/543,178
• Time in Patent Office: 1,091 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/217, 709/219, 709/225, 709/226, 709/229, 707/9, 707/10
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9554 by using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access

Abstract

The present invention operates by inputting into the client computer a linkage code (a machine readable code such as a bar code symbol or a human-readable alphanumeric text string) that includes a server identification code and an item identification code. The client computer then extracts the server identification code, and obtains from local cache or from the routing server a URL template associated with the server identification code. The URL template includes the name of an information server and at least one parameter field to be completed by the client computer. The URL template is completed by the client computer by filling in at least the item identification code, and the completed URL template is then sent to the information server named therein as a primary content URL request.

Claims

1. A method of providing a primary content file to a client computer comprising the steps of:

a) inputting into the client computer a linkage code comprising a server identification code and an item identification code;

b) extracting the server identification code from the linkage code;

c) retrieving a URL template associated with the server identification code, the URL template comprising the name of an information server and at least one parameter field to be completed by the client computer, which includes an item identification code;

d) completing the URL template by filling in at least the item identification code obtained from the linkage code previously input into the client computer;

e) sending the completed URL template to the information server named therein as a primary content URL request;

f) determining at the information server the location of the primary content file based on the item identification code;

g) the information server providing the client computer with the primary content file.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the linkage code is a bar code symbol, and wherein the step of inputting comprises the step of scanning the bar code symbol with a bar code scanning device connected to the client computer.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the linkage code is a human-readable alphanumeric text string, and wherein the step of inputting comprises the step of typing in the alphanumeric text string with a keyboard connected to the client computer.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the URL template is retrieved from a local cache stored on the client computer.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the local cache comprises a plurality of template records, each record comprising a server identification code, an associated URL template, and an expiration date.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the client computer uses the SID from the linkage code to retrieve the associated URL template and expiration date, and wherein the template record is not used if the current date is later than the expiration date.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the URL template is retrieved from a routing server when the current date is later than the expiration date.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the routing server access a template database and returns to the client computer a URL template and a current expiration date associated with the server identification code.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the client computer updates the local cache with the URL template and the current expiration date received from the routing server.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the URL template is retrieved from a routing server by sending the server identification code from the client computer to the routing server.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the routing server uses the server identification code to look up the associated URL template in a template database.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the URL template is further completed by filling in user data.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the user data comprises a user identification number.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the user data comprises the gender of the user.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the user data comprises the age of the user.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the user data comprises the preferred language of the user.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein the user data comprises the predefined interests of the user.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein the user data comprises the geographic location of the user.

19. The method of claim 12 wherein the user data is retrieved from memory in the client computer.

20. The method of claim 12 wherein the user data is retrieved from a user database located on a registration server.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the user database is populated by a user during a registration process.

22. The method of claim 12 wherein the information server uses, in addition to the item identification code, the user data in order to determine the location of the primary content file.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein the information server provides the client computer with the primary content file by redirecting the client computer to a content server computer by sending a primary URL to the client computer indicating the location of the primary content file.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein the information server provides the client computer with the primary content file by providing the primary content file from local storage.

25. The method of claim 13 wherein the information server logs the primary content URL request in a hit log.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the information server communicates with the registration server to determine further information linked to a user identification code from the hit log.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the user identification code is obfuscated prior to being sent to the information server.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the obfuscated user identification code is sent to the registration server.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the registration server de-obfuscates the user identification code.

30. A computer system configured to provide a primary content file from a content server computer to a client computer over a computer network, comprising:

a) a client computer interconnected to the computer network; and

b) an information server computer interconnected to the computer network;

wherein

the client computer comprises;

means for inputting a linkage code comprising a server identification code and an item identification code;

means for extracting the server identification code from the linkage code;

means for retrieving a URL template associated with the server identification code, the URL template comprising the name of an information server and at least one parameter field to be completed by the client computer, which includes an item identification code;

means for completing the URL template by filling in at least the item identification code obtained from the linkage code previously input into the client computer;

means for sending the completed URL template to the information server named therein as a primary content URL request; and

the information server comprises;

means for determining the location of the primary content file based on the item identification code; and

means for providing the client computer with the primary content file.

31. The computer system of claim 30 wherein the means for inputting a linkage code comprises a bar code scanning device for scanning a linkage code in the form of a bar code symbol.

32. The computer system of claim 30 wherein the means for inputting a linkage code comprises a keyboard for entering scanning a linkage code in the form of a human-readable alphanumeric text string.

33. The computer system of claim 30 wherein the client computer further comprises a local cache for storing URL templates, and wherein the means for obtaining a URL template accesses the local cache to obtain the URL template.

34. The computer system of claim 31 wherein the local cache comprises a plurality of template records, each record comprising a server identification code, an associated URL template, and an expiration date.

35. The computer system of claim 32 wherein the client computer is adapted to the SID from the linkage code to retrieve the associated URL template and expiration date, and wherein the template record is not used if the current date is later than the expiration date.

36. The computer system of claim 33 further comprising a routing server interconnected to the computer network, and wherein the client computer comprises means for retrieving the URL template from the routing server when the current date is later than the expiration date.

37. The computer system of claim 34 wherein the routing server comprises a template database, and wherein the routing server is configured to return to the client computer a URL template and a current expiration date associated with the server identification code.

38. The computer system of claim 35 wherein the client computer further comprises means for updating the local cache with the URL template and the current expiration date received from the routing server.

39. The computer system of claim 30 further comprising a routing server interconnected to the computer network, wherein the URL template is retrieved from a routing server by sending the server identification code from the client computer to the routing server.

40. The computer system of claim 39 wherein the routing server comprises a template database, and wherein the routing server is configured to use the server identification code to look up the associated URL template in the template database.

41. The computer system of claim 30 wherein the client computer is configured to further complete the URL template by filling in user data.

42. The computer system of claim 41 wherein the user data comprises a user identification number.

43. The computer system of claim 41 wherein the user data comprises the gender of the user.

44. The computer system of claim 41 wherein the user data comprises the age of the user.

45. The computer system of claim 41 wherein the user data comprises the preferred language of the user.

46. The computer system of claim 41 wherein the user data comprises the predefined interests of the user.

47. The computer system of claim 41 wherein the user data comprises the geographic location of the user.

48. The computer system of claim 41 wherein client computer further comprises means for storing user data.

49. The computer system of claim 41 further comprising a registration server computer comprising a user database, and wherein the user data is retrieved from the user database.

50. The computer system of claim 49 wherein the user database is populated by a user during a registration process.

51. The computer system of claim 41 wherein the information server uses, in addition to the item identification code, the user data in order to determine the location of the primary content file.

52. The computer system of claim 30 wherein the means for providing the client computer with the primary content file comprises means for redirecting the client computer to the content server by the information server sending a primary URL to the client computer indicating the location of the primary content file.

53. The computer system of claim 30 wherein the means for providing the client computer with the primary content file comprises means for providing the primary content file to the client computer from local storage.

54. The computer system of claim 42 wherein the information server further comprises a hit log for logging primary content URL requests.

55. The computer system of claim 54 wherein the information server further comprises means for communicating with the registration server to determine further information linked to a user identification code from the hit log.

56. The computer system of claim 55 wherein the user identification code is obfuscated prior to being sent to the information server.

57. The computer system of claim 56 wherein the obfuscated user identification code is sent to the registration server.

58. The computer system of claim 57 wherein the registration server de-obfuscates the user identification code.