Method and apparatus for opening and launching a web browser in response to an audible signal

• US 6,829,650 B1
• Filed: 08/24/1999
• Issued: 12/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jack A. Turpin, RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: LV Partners LP (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Philyaw, Jeffry Jovan, Mathews, David Kent
• Primary Examiner(s): KANG, PAUL H
• Application Number:
  US09/382,427
• Time in Patent Office: 1,932 Days
• Field of Search: 705/23, 709/246, 709/206, 709/207, 709/217, 709/238, 709/219, 709/202, 709/203
• US Class Current: 709/238
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9554 by using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9566 URL specific, e.g. using aliases, detecting broken or misspelled links
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/93 which locates resources of other pieces of information, e.g. URL [Uniform Resource Locator]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/30 Managing network names, e.g. use of aliases or nicknames name-to-address mapping H04L61/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/301 Name conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/45 Network directories; Name-to-address mapping
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

The present invention disclosed and claimed herein comprises a system and method for launching a web browser on a network comprising a computer having an all new input interface and a communication interface coupled to a computer network; said audio input coupled to the audio output of a source for receiving an audio signal having encoded therein a unique code that is associated with a predetermined destination on the network; and a program operable on said computer responsive to receipt and decoding of the audio signal received from the source for interacting with connections of the computer to a web site available on the computer network wherein the location of the predetermined destination is not stored in a computer.

Claims

1. A method for launching a web browser on a communications network comprising the steps of:

coupling a computer at a user location on the network to an audio source and the network, the computer having an audio input interface responsive to an audio signal output from an audio source and a communication interface for coupling the computer with the communication network;

receiving the audio signal at the audio input interface, the audio signal having a unique code that is associated with a predetermined destination on the network encoded therein and which unique code comprises a perceptible portion of the audio signal output, and decoding the unique code to extract unique information therefrom for processing by the computer; and

launching the browser program responsive to the receipt and decoding of the audio signal having the encoded unique code wherein the location of the predetermined destination is not stored in the computer;

in response to the step of receiving and launching;

assembling a message packet containing the unique information,

transmitting the message packet to an intermediate location on the network,

receiving from the intermediate location on the network instructional code that includes routing information that instructs the user location to connect to one of a plurality of destination locations on the network that has a defined association with the unique information defined in a database at the intermediate location on the network; and

interconnecting, in response to the step of receiving from the intermediate location on the network instructional code and without any intervention at the user location, the user'"'"'s location to the one of the plurality of destination locations across the network in accordance with the network routing information and in accordance with the received instructional code such that connection to the one of the plurality of destination locations is controlled by the intermediate location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of coupling a computer comprises the steps of:

providing an audio input interface for receiving the audio signal output from the audio source;

converting the received audio signal to a form readable by the computer; and

transmitting converted audio signal information to the computer.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of providing an audio input interface comprises the steps of:

providing an audio circuit having an input coupled to a microphone and an output; and

coupling an A/D converter between said output of aid audio circuit and a system bus of said computer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of coupling a computer comprises the steps of:

coupling a modem having a system bus terminal and transmit and receive terminals to a system bus of the computer; and

coupling the transmit and receive terminals of the modem to a telephone line connected to the communication network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of coupling a computer comprises the steps of:

providing a connection between the computer and an Internet service provider; and

installing a program for controlling communications of the computer with the Internet communication network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving comprises the steps of:

providing a broadcast or recorded program source having the unique code encoded therein;

wherein the unique code includes information selected from the group consisting of product identity, product description, manufacturer identity, advertising messages or program execution commands.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said audio signal comprises:

a sound effect selected from the group consisting of clapping, clicking, whistling, audible tones, subaudible tones, superaudible tones or a combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of launching the browser comprises the steps of:

interpreting information in the unique code received during the receiving step; and

launching a browser application for assembling a communication message packet in preparation for communication on the communication network.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of launching comprises the step of:

launching said browser to the predetermined destination.