System and method of providing restrained, streamlined access to a computerized information source

• US 6,768,483 B1
• Filed: 01/21/2000
• Issued: 07/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Prosisa Overseas LLC
• Original Assignee: Prosisa Overseas LLC
• Inventors: Becker, Thomas, Watson, Richard, Morton, Gregory, Nachinson, Jon, Krebs, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Saras, Steven
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bell, Paul A.
• Application Number:
  US09/489,482
• Time in Patent Office: 1,649 Days
• Field of Search: 345/112, 345/156, 345/157, 345/158, 345/163, 345/168, 345/169, 345/172, 345/173, 345/302, 345/326, 345/327, 345/329, 345/335, 341/20, 341/21, 341/22, 341/23, 348/13, 348/734, 248/118, 700/83, 700/84, 700/17, 711/163, 711/164
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/02 Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0395 Mouse pads

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a system for providing restrained, streamlined access to a computerized information source. The system—which works in association with a multipurpose computer—includes a discrete article, such as an advertising specialty like a mouse pad, having facilities to receive a user input and, in turn, generate a unique predetermined signal based on the input. The system further includes software for configuring the computer to respond to each unique predetermined signal by executing one or more commands, as selected and stored within the software. Each configuration can be dynamically locked such that the commands to be executed upon the unique input are not alterable without an authorization mechanism, such as a password. The software also responds to receipt of one of the unique predetermined signals by executing the commands associated with the received signal. A method for performing same is also disclosed. This system and method have particular application in advertising a business on the Internet, facilitating access to various locations within the domain of an Internet content provider and in managing a computer network.

Claims

1. A system for providing a user access to Internet web sites, the system comprising:

means for generating one or more unique predetermined inputs;

means for configuring one or more switch data records, each switch data record having a predetermined input and a set of one or more commands to be executed in response to the user inputting the predetermined input, a first one of the one or more switch data records being configured and dynamically locked to connect the user to an Internet web site via the Internet such that the first one of the one or more switch data are configurable by the user in association with an authorization mechanism;

means for receiving said predetermined input selected by the user, said predetermined input being associated with a selected one of the one or more switch data records; and

means for executing said one or more commands stored in the selected switch data record.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the authorization mechanism is a password.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for receiving said predetermined input includes a plurality of buttons.

4. A method for providing a user access to Internet web sites the method comprising:

configuring one or more switch data records, each switch data record having a predetermined input and a set of one or more commands to be executed in response to the user inputting the predetermined input by activating a corresponding one of a plurality of buttons, a first one of the one or more switch data records being configured and dynamically locked to connect the user to a first Internet web site via the Internet such that the first one of the one or more switch data are configurable by the user in association with an authorization mechanism;

receiving said predetermined input selected, by the user, said predetermined input being associated with a selected one of the one or more switch data records; and

executing said one or more commands stored in the selected switch data record.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

obtaining authorization from the authorization mechanism;

reconfiguring the first one of the one or more switch data to connect the user to a second Internet web site.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of obtaining authorization includes entering a password.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising a step of identifying at least one of the plurality of buttons using an indicia including information associated with a business, the business being associated with the first Internet web site.