METHOD OF AND SYSTEM FOR FINDING CONSUMER PRODUCT RELATED INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET USING AUTOMATIC REGISTRATION SOLICITATION TECHNIQUES TO HELP CREATE UPN/TM/PD/URL DATA LINKS STORED IN AN INTERNET-BASED RELATIONAL DATABASE SERVER
First Claim
1. A method of finding information pertaining to a particular consumer product on the Internet, said method comprising the steps:
- (a) storing in a relational database, information elements representative of (1) a plurality of universal product numbers (UPNs) assigned to a plurality of consumer products associated with one or more manufacturers and registered with said relational database, and (2A) a trademark (TM) symbolically linked to each said UPN, (2B) a product description (PD) symbolically linked to each said UPN, and (2C) a plurality of uniform resource locators (URLs) symbolically linked to each said UPN, wherein each said URL specifies the location of an information resource located on the Internet and related to a particular consumer product, and wherein a UPN/TM/PD/URL data link is created and maintained in said relational database for each consumer product registered with said relational database;
(b) operably connecting an Internet information server to the infrastructure of the Internet and said relational database server, so as to enable said Internet information server to service a request made by an Internet-enabled client system, for information on the Internet about one of said plurality of consumer products registered with said relational database;
(c) operably connecting a plurality of Internet-based product information servers, to the infrastructure of Internet, in which information resources related to one or more of said plurality of consumer products and are stored at said plurality of URLs;
(d) operably connecting an Internet-enabled client system to the infrastructure of the Internet so as to enable a consumer to transmit a request for consumer product information on the Internet about a consumer product registered with said relational database, wherein each said request may include either the UPN, TM and/or PD symbolically linked to the UPN assigned to a registered consumer product on which consumer product information on the Internet is being sought by a consumer using said Internet-enabled client system; and
(e) automatically receiving at said Internet information server, the request transmitted by said Internet-enabled client system, and recovering the UPN, TM and/or PD contained in said request so as to enable said Internet information server to access said plurality of URLs symbolically linked to the UPN, TM, and/or PD and stored in said relational database, and then transmit said accessed plurality of URLs to said Internet-enabled client computer for use in accessing information resources stored in said Internet-based product information servers, at said plurality of URLs;
(f) automatically analyzing said request received at said Internet information server during step (e) to determine whether the consumer product assigned to the recovered UPN or its associated TM and/or PD is registered with said relational database; and
(g) automatically contacting the manufacturer of said consumer product and soliciting said manufacturer to register said consumer product with said relational database if the analysis conducted during step (f) determines that said consumer product is not registered with said relational database.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A novel system and method for finding product and, service related information on the Internet. The system includes Internet Servers which store information pertaining to Universal Product or Service Number (e.g. UPC number) preassigned to each product and service registered in the system, with Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) that point to the location of one or more information resources on the Internet, e.g. World Wide Websites, related to such products or services. Each client computer system includes an Internet browser or Internet application tool which is provided with a “Internet Product/Service Information (IPSI) Finder” button and a “Universal Product/Service Number (UPSN) Search” button. The system enters its “IPSI Finder Mode” when the “IPSI Finder” button is depressed and enters the “UPSN Search Mode” when the “UPSN Search” button is depressed. When the system is in its IPSI Finder Mode, a predesignated information resource (e.g. advertisement, product information, etc.) pertaining to any commercial product or service registered with the system is automatically accessed from the Internet and displayed from the Internet browser by simply entering the registered product'"'"'s UPN or the registered service'"'"'s USN into the Internet browser. When the system is in its “UPSN Search Mode”, a predesignated information resource pertaining to any commercial product or service registered with the system is automatically accessed from the Internet and displayed from the Internet browser by simply entering the registered product'"'"'s trademark(s) or (servicemark) and/or associated company name into the Internet browser.
160 Citations
9 Claims
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1. A method of finding information pertaining to a particular consumer product on the Internet, said method comprising the steps:
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(a) storing in a relational database, information elements representative of (1) a plurality of universal product numbers (UPNs) assigned to a plurality of consumer products associated with one or more manufacturers and registered with said relational database, and (2A) a trademark (TM) symbolically linked to each said UPN, (2B) a product description (PD) symbolically linked to each said UPN, and (2C) a plurality of uniform resource locators (URLs) symbolically linked to each said UPN, wherein each said URL specifies the location of an information resource located on the Internet and related to a particular consumer product, and wherein a UPN/TM/PD/URL data link is created and maintained in said relational database for each consumer product registered with said relational database;
(b) operably connecting an Internet information server to the infrastructure of the Internet and said relational database server, so as to enable said Internet information server to service a request made by an Internet-enabled client system, for information on the Internet about one of said plurality of consumer products registered with said relational database;
(c) operably connecting a plurality of Internet-based product information servers, to the infrastructure of Internet, in which information resources related to one or more of said plurality of consumer products and are stored at said plurality of URLs;
(d) operably connecting an Internet-enabled client system to the infrastructure of the Internet so as to enable a consumer to transmit a request for consumer product information on the Internet about a consumer product registered with said relational database, wherein each said request may include either the UPN, TM and/or PD symbolically linked to the UPN assigned to a registered consumer product on which consumer product information on the Internet is being sought by a consumer using said Internet-enabled client system; and
(e) automatically receiving at said Internet information server, the request transmitted by said Internet-enabled client system, and recovering the UPN, TM and/or PD contained in said request so as to enable said Internet information server to access said plurality of URLs symbolically linked to the UPN, TM, and/or PD and stored in said relational database, and then transmit said accessed plurality of URLs to said Internet-enabled client computer for use in accessing information resources stored in said Internet-based product information servers, at said plurality of URLs;
(f) automatically analyzing said request received at said Internet information server during step (e) to determine whether the consumer product assigned to the recovered UPN or its associated TM and/or PD is registered with said relational database; and
(g) automatically contacting the manufacturer of said consumer product and soliciting said manufacturer to register said consumer product with said relational database if the analysis conducted during step (f) determines that said consumer product is not registered with said relational database. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A system for finding information pertaining to a particular consumer product on the Internet, comprising:
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a relational database for storing information elements representative of (1) a plurality of universal product numbers (UPNs) assigned to a plurality of consumer products associated with one or more manufacturers and registered with said relational database, and (2A) a trademark (TM) symbolically linked to each said UPN, (2B) a product description (PD) symbolically linked to each said UPN, and (2C) a plurality of uniform resource locators (URLs) symbolically linked to each said UPN, wherein each said URL specifies the location of an information resource located on the Internet related to a particular consumer product, and wherein a UPN/TM/PD/URL data link is created and maintained in said relational database for each consumer product registered with said relational database;
an Internet information server, operably connected to the infrastructure of the Internet and said relational database server, and being capable of servicing a request made by an Internet-enabled client system, for information on the Internet about one of said plurality of consumer products registered with said relational database;
a plurality of Internet-based product information servers, each operably connected to the infrastructure of Internet and storing information resources located at one or more of said plurality of URLs stored in said relational database, and being related to one or more of said plurality of consumer products; and
a plurality of Internet-enabled client systems, each being operably connected to the infrastructure of the Internet and being capable of transmitting a request for consumer product information on the Internet about a consumer product registered with said relational database, wherein each said request may include either the UPN, TM and/or PD symbolically linked to the UPN assigned to a registered consumer product on which consumer product information on the Internet is being sought by a consumer using one of said plurality of Internet-enabled client systems, whereby each request transmitted by one of said plurality of Internet-enabled client systems is received by said Internet information server, and the UPN, TM and/or PD contained in said request is automatically recovered by said Internet information server and used to automatically access said plurality of URLs symbolically linked to the UPN, TM, and/or PD and stored in said relational database, and said plurality of URLs accessed from said relational database are transmitted to said Internet-enabled client computer for use in accessing information resources stored in said Internet-based product information servers, at said plurality of URLs; and
wherein said request received at said Internet information server is automatically analyzed to determine whether the consumer product assigned to the recovered UPN or its associated TM and/or PD is registered with said relational database, and if said analysis determines that said consumer product is not registered with said relational database, then the manufacturer of said consumer product is automatically contacted and said manufacturer is solicited to register said consumer product with said relational database. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
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Specification