Method and apparatus for accessing electronic data via a familiar printed medium

• US 6,834,804 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2001
• Issued: 12/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Marshall Feature Recognition LLC
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey S. Nevid, Lois Fichner-Rathus, Spencer A. Rathus
• Inventors: Fichner-Rathus, Lois, Rathus, Spencer A., Nevid, Jeffrey S.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THIEN MINH
• Application Number:
  US09/769,144
• Publication Number:
  US 20020008137A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,433 Days
• Field of Search: 235/381, 235/375, 235/383, 235/382, 235/462-1-4, 235/472.51, 235/472.03, 235/492, 235/493, 235/436, 235/462, 235/472.01, 235/472.02, 235/454, 235/455, 235/380, 235/379, 434/307-310, 434/423, 434/336, 434/316, 434/315, 434/357, 434/356, 434/350, 434/351
• US Class Current: 235/462.15
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 3/123 incorporating sound producing or light emitting means or carrying sound records
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 90/00 Systems or methods specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial or supervisory purposes, not involving significant data processing

Abstract

The disclosed methods and apparatus relate generally to the electronics media industry, such as cable television (CATV), home shopping services, on-line computer services and computer memory applications. These methods and apparatus allow a user to access and make use of electronic media input and output devices by reference to and/or utilization of standard printed matter, such as magazines, textbooks, or any other printed matter that can be correlated to electronic media.

Claims

1. A method of providing a user access to programming material, comprising the steps of:

printing a machine recognizable feature within a printed catalog;

scanning said machine recognizable feature of said printed catalog; and

transmitting data associated with said machine recognization feature via a communication link to access said programming material, wherein said programming material is related to said printed catalog.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said communication link includes the Internet.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said machine recognizable feature is selected from a group consisting of bar code, universal product code, invisible bar code, magnetic code, printed character, symbol, icon, invisible indicia, two-dimensional figure, icon, invisible icon, watermark, invisible watermark, digital watermark, series of alphanumeric characters, binary code, magnetic strip, code, analog pattern, and hieroglyphic character.

4. A method of providing a user access to supplemental programming material associated with a printed catalog, comprising the steps of:

printing a machine recognizable feature within said printed catalog wherein said machine recognizable feature has associated therewith a command sequence for accessing programming material;

scanning said machine recognizable feature within said printed catalog and downloading data indicative of said machine recognizable feature via the Internet to a remote server;

accessing programming material from said remote server; and

transmitting said programming material to said user allowing said user to perceive said programming material in a humanly perceivable form, wherein said programming material is related to said printed catalog.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said programming material comprises multimedia.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein said machine recognizable feature is selected from a group consisting of a bar code, a universal product code, invisible bar code, magnetic code, printed character, symbol, icon, invisible indicia, two-dimensional figure, icon, invisible icon, watermark, invisible watermark, digital watermark, series of alphanumeric characters, binary code, magnetic strip, code, analog pattern, and hieroglyphic character.

7. A system for displaying programming material to a user, the system comprising:

a printed catalog having at least one printed machine recognizable feature;

a feature recognition unit having associated therewith a means for recognizing said machine recognizable feature and a means for transmitting a coded signal in, response to the recognition of said machine recognizable feature;

an intelligent controller having associated therewith a means for accessing said programming material in response to receiving said coded signal; and

a display unit for presenting said programming material.

8. A system as defined in claim 7 wherein said at least one machine recognizable feature has associated therewith a data link which is recognized by said recognition unit.

9. A system as defined in claim 8 wherein said data link comprises an image data link.

10. A system as defined in claim 8 wherein said data link comprises a video data link.

11. A system as defined in claim 8 wherein said data link comprises a programming data link.

12. A system as defined in claim 8 wherein said data link comprises a sound data link.

13. A system as defined in claim 8 wherein said data link comprises an online data link.

14. A system as defined in claim 8 wherein said data link comprises a online shopping data link.

15. A system as defined in claim 8 wherein said data link comprises a pictorial data link.

16. A system as defined in claim 8 wherein said data link comprises an electronic data link.

17. A System as defined in claim 8 wherein said data link comprises an electronic media link.

18. A system as defined in claim 8 wherein said data link comprises an “

information superhighway”

data link.

19. A system as defined in claim 18 wherein said “

information superhighway”

data link comprises the Internet.

20. A system as defined in claim 18 wherein said “

information superhighway”

data link comprises the world wide web.

21. A system as defined in claim 18 wherein said “

information superhighway”

data link comprises a computer network.

22. A system as defined in claim 18 wherein said “

information superhighway”

data link comprises an integrated service digital network (ISDN).

23. A system as defined in claim 18 wherein said “

information superhighway”

data link comprises a telephone line.

24. A system as defined in claim 18 wherein said “

information superhighway”

data link comprises a cable television (CATV) line.

25. A system as defined in claim 18 wherein said “

information superhighway”

data link comprises a local area network.

26. A system as defined in claim 18 wherein said “

information superhighway”

data link comprises a wide area network.

27. A system as defined in claim 18 wherein said “

information superhighway”

data link comprises a data communications network.

28. A system as defined in claim 18 wherein said “

information superhighway”

data link comprises an Internet Product Service Directory.

29. A system as defined in claim 18 wherein said “

information superhighway”

data link comprises a globally based digital communications network.

30. A system as defined in claim 18 wherein said “

information superhighway”

data link comprises a wireless network link.

31. A system as defined in claim 18 wherein said “

information superhighway”

data link comprises a Wireless Application Protocol Internet.

32. A system as defined in claim 18 wherein said “

information superhighway”

data link comprises an Ethernet network.

33. A system as defined in claim 18 wherein said “

information superhighway”

data link comprises a RF cellular network.

34. A system as defined in claim 7 wherein said at least one machine recognizable feature comprises a printed character.

35. A system as defined in claim 7 wherein said at least one machine recognizable feature comprises a symbol.

36. A system as defined in claim 7 wherein said at least one machine recognizable feature comprises a pictorial icon.

37. A system as defined in claim 7 wherein said at least one machine recognizable feature comprises a two-dimensional figure.

38. A system as defined in claim 7 wherein said at least one machine recognizable feature comprises an icon.

39. A system as defined in claim 7 wherein said at least one machine recognizable feature comprises a series of alphanumeric characters.

40. A system as defined in claim 7 wherein said at least one machine recognizable feature comprises a binary code.

41. A system as defined in claim 7 wherein said at least one machine recognizable feature comprises a code.

42. A system as defined in claim 7 wherein said at least one machine recognizable feature comprises an online shopping product code.

43. A system as defined in claim 7 wherein said at least one machine recognizable feature comprises a home shopping product code.

44. A system as defined in claim 7 wherein said at least one machine recognizable feature comprises an online shopping service code.

45. A system as defined in claim 7 wherein said at least one machine recognizable feature comprises a home shopping service code.

46. A system as defined in claim 7 wherein said at least one machine recognizable feature comprises an analog pattern.

47. A system as defined in claim 7 wherein said at least one machine recognizable feature comprises a hieroglyphic character.

48. A system as defined in claim 7 wherein said programming material comprises information.

49. A system as defined in claim 48 wherein said information comprises product information.

50. A system as defined in claim 48 wherein said information comprises retailer information.

51. A system as defined in claim 48 wherein said information comprises shipping information.

52. A system as defined in claim 48 wherein said information comprises return information.

53. A system as defined in claim 48 wherein said information comprises payment information.

54. A system as defined in claim 48 wherein said programming material comprises a service.

55. A system as defined in claim 54 wherein said service includes displaying promotional programming on said display unit of a user.

56. A system as defined in claim 54 wherein said service includes displaying a Web page related to an organization referenced in said catalog.

57. A system as defined in claim 54 wherein said service includes conducting an interaction with a plurality of individuals associated with said catalog via a telephone.

58. A system as defined in claim 54 wherein said service includes conducting an interaction with a plurality of individuals associated with said catalog via an online communication chat link.

59. A system as defined in claim 7 wherein said display unit comprises a personal computer.

60. A system as defined in claim 59 wherein said personal computer comprises a laptop computer.

61. A system as defined in claim 7 wherein said display unit comprises a television.

62. A system as defined in claim 7 wherein said display unit comprises a device containing a microprocessor.

63. A system as defined in claim 62 wherein said device containing a microprocessor is hand-held.

64. A system as defined in claim 62 wherein said device containing a microprocessor is portable.

65. A system as defined in claim 7 wherein said display unit comprises a personal digital planner.

66. A system as defined in claim 7 wherein said display unit comprises an Internet appliance.

67. A system as defined in claim 7 wherein said display unit comprises a cellular telephone.

68. A system as defined in claim 7 wherein said display unit comprises a wireless communication device.

69. A system as defined in claim 7 wherein said display unit comprises a simulated book.

70. A system as defined in claim 7 wherein said display unit comprises an intelligent terminal.

71. A system as defined in claim 7 wherein said display unit comprises a web-based television.

72. A system as defined in claim 7 wherein said display unit comprises a pager.

73. A system as defined in claim 7 wherein said display unit comprises an Internet-enabled telephone.

74. A system as defined in claim 7 wherein said recognition unit is selected from a group consisting of a hand-held unit, a scanner, a bar code scanner, an optical code reader, an optical reader, a personal camera, a personal computer reader, a digital camera, a digital mouse and an optical mouse.

75. A system as defined in claim 74 wherein said recognition unit is linked to a personal computer.

76. A system as defined in claim 74 wherein said recognition unit is linked to a wireless interface.

77. A system as defined in claim 76 wherein said wireless interface comprises a wireless network.

78. A system as defined in claim 77 wherein said wireless network comprises a cellular network.

79. A system as defined in claim 77 wherein said wireless interface comprises a cellular telephone.

80. A system as defined in claim 77 wherein said wireless interface comprises a pager.

81. A system as defined in claim 77 wherein said wireless interface comprises a wireless personal computer.

82. A system as defined in claim 77 wherein said wireless interface comprises a personal digital assistant.

83. A system as defined in claim 74 wherein said recognition unit is linked to a personal digital assistant.

84. A system as defined in claim 74 wherein said recognition unit is linked to an Internet appliance.

85. A system as defined in claim 74 wherein said recognition unit is linked to a television set.

86. A system as defined in claim 74 wherein said recognition unit comprises a portion of a cellular telephone.

87. A system as defined in claim 74 wherein said recognition unit comprises a portion of a personal digital assistant.

88. A system as defined in claim 74 wherein said recognition unit comprises a portion of a remote control unit.

89. A system as defined in claim 74 wherein said recognition unit comprises a portion of a handwriting implement.

90. A system for displaying programming material to a user, the system comprising:

a printed catalog having at least one bar code;

a feature recognition unit having associated therewith a means for recognizing said bar code and a means for transmitting a coded signal in response to the recognition of said bar code;

an intelligent controller having associated therewith a means for accessing said programming material in response to receiving said coded signal; and

a display unit for presenting said programming material.

91. A system as defined in claim 90 wherein said bar code comprises a Universal Product Code.

92. A system as defined in claim 90 wherein said at least one bar code comprises an invisible bar code.

93. A system for displaying programming material to a user, the system comprising:

a printed catalog having at least one magnetic code;

a feature recognition unit having associated therewith a means for recognizing said magnetic code and a means for transmitting a coded signal in response to the recognition of said magnetic code;

an intelligent controller having associated therewith a means for accessing said programming material in response to receiving said coded signal; and

a display unit for presenting said programming material.

94. A system defined in claim 93 wherein said at least one magnetic code comprises a magnetic strip.

95. A system for displaying programming material to a user, the system comprising:

a printed catalog having at least one watermark;

a feature recognition unit having associated therewith a means for recognizing said watermark and a means for transmitting a coded signal in response to the recognition of said watermark;

an intelligent controller having associated therewith a means for accessing said programming material in response to receiving said coded signal; and

a display unit for presenting said programming material.

96. A system as defined in claim 95 wherein said at least one watermark comprises an invisible watermark.

97. A system as defined in claim 96 wherein said invisible watermark comprises a digital watermark.

98. A system as defined in claim 95 wherein said at least one watermark comprises a digital watermark.

99. A system for displaying programming material to a user, the system comprising:

a printed catalog having at least one invisible machine recognizable feature;

a feature recognition unit having associated therewith a means for recognizing said machine recognizable feature anti a means for transmitting a coded signal in response to the recognition of said machine recognizable feature;

an intelligent controller having associated therewith a means for accessing said programming material in response to receiving said coded signal; and

a display unit for presenting said programming material.

100. A system as defined in claim 99 wherein said at least one invisible machine recognizable feature comprises invisible indicia.

101. A system as defined in claim 99 wherein said at least one invisible machine recognizable feature comprises an invisible icon.