Method and system for searching a dynamically updated database of UPN/TM/PD and URL data links
First Claim
1. A method of enabling communication of consumer product information between a vendor and a consumer in a stream of commerce supported by the Internet, said method comprising steps of:
- (a) in an Internet-enabled database server operably connected to the Internet, creating and managing a plurality of UPN/TM/PD/URL data links for each consumer product registered with said Internet-enabled database server and being offered for sale by the vendor in said stream of commerce, wherein the term UPN designates the Universal Product Number identifying a particular consumer product of the vendor, the term TM designates the Trademark assigned to the particular consumer product, the term PD designates the Product Descriptor assigned to the particular consumer product, and the term URL designates the Universal Resource Locator specifying the location of a particular information resource on the Internet related to the identified consumer product;
said method including means for automatically soliciting registration of vendors whose data links have been accessed but were not available in said Internet-enabled database server, and means for vendors and/or their agents to dynamically update and manage data links associated with the vendor, (b) operably connecting a http-enabled information server to the infrastructure of the Internet;
(c) publishing from said http-enabled information server, an HTML-encoded graphical user interface (GUI) which functions as a consumer product information (CPI) search screen and enables the consumer situated in said stream of commerce to search for and access one or more URLs associated with one or more UPN/TM/PD/URL data links stored in said Internet-enabled database server, wherein said search and access operation involves using, as search keys, the UPN, TM and/or PD data elements associated with said one or more UPN/TM/PD/URL data links;
(d) operably connecting a Web-enabled computer to the infrastructure of the Internet;
(e) the consumer using said Web-enabled computer to access and display said published HTML-encoded GUI;
(f) the consumer providing one or more UPN, TM and/or PD data elements to said Internet-enabled database server, by way of said published HTML-encoded GUI, and accessing and displaying on said Web-enabled computer, a plurality of URLs associated with said one or more UPN, TM and/or PD data elements entered as search keys, and arranged in the form of a menu of categorized consumer product information resources relating to a particular consumer product;
whereby the consumer can access and display one or more information resources on the Internet specified by the one or more displayed URLs, and thereby enabling communication of consumer product information between the vendor and the consumer in said stream of commerce using said vendor created and managed UPN/TM/PD/URL data links.
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Abstract
An Internet-based method of and system for enabling communication of consumer product information between a vendor and a consumer in a stream of commerce. The Internet-enabled system comprises an Internet-enabled database server for storing a plurality of UPN/TM/PD/URL links for each consumer product registered with the Internet-enabled database server. A first http-enabled information server enables the vendor and/or its agents to create and manage the UPN/TM/PD/URL links stored in the Internet-based information server. A second http-enabled information server publishes an HTML-encoded graphical user interface (GUI) which functions as a consumer product information (CPI) search screen for use by the consumer. An http-enabled client computer enables the consumer to (i) access and display the published HTML-encoded GUI, and (ii) provide one or more UPN, TM and/or PD data elements to the Internet-enabled database server by way of the published HTML-encoded GUI, and access and a plurality of URLs associated with the entered UPN, TM and/or PD data elements and arranged in the form of a menu of categorized consumer product information resources. By virtue of the present invention, the consumer can access and display one or more information resources on the Internet from the information resource menu, thereby enabling enable communication of consumer product information between the vendor and the consumer in the stream of commerce.
131 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of enabling communication of consumer product information between a vendor and a consumer in a stream of commerce supported by the Internet, said method comprising steps of:
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(a) in an Internet-enabled database server operably connected to the Internet, creating and managing a plurality of UPN/TM/PD/URL data links for each consumer product registered with said Internet-enabled database server and being offered for sale by the vendor in said stream of commerce, wherein the term UPN designates the Universal Product Number identifying a particular consumer product of the vendor, the term TM designates the Trademark assigned to the particular consumer product, the term PD designates the Product Descriptor assigned to the particular consumer product, and the term URL designates the Universal Resource Locator specifying the location of a particular information resource on the Internet related to the identified consumer product;
said method including means for automatically soliciting registration of vendors whose data links have been accessed but were not available in said Internet-enabled database server, and means for vendors and/or their agents to dynamically update and manage data links associated with the vendor, (b) operably connecting a http-enabled information server to the infrastructure of the Internet;
(c) publishing from said http-enabled information server, an HTML-encoded graphical user interface (GUI) which functions as a consumer product information (CPI) search screen and enables the consumer situated in said stream of commerce to search for and access one or more URLs associated with one or more UPN/TM/PD/URL data links stored in said Internet-enabled database server, wherein said search and access operation involves using, as search keys, the UPN, TM and/or PD data elements associated with said one or more UPN/TM/PD/URL data links;
(d) operably connecting a Web-enabled computer to the infrastructure of the Internet;
(e) the consumer using said Web-enabled computer to access and display said published HTML-encoded GUI;
(f) the consumer providing one or more UPN, TM and/or PD data elements to said Internet-enabled database server, by way of said published HTML-encoded GUI, and accessing and displaying on said Web-enabled computer, a plurality of URLs associated with said one or more UPN, TM and/or PD data elements entered as search keys, and arranged in the form of a menu of categorized consumer product information resources relating to a particular consumer product;
whereby the consumer can access and display one or more information resources on the Internet specified by the one or more displayed URLs, and thereby enabling communication of consumer product information between the vendor and the consumer in said stream of commerce using said vendor created and managed UPN/TM/PD/URL data links. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An Internet-based system for enabling communication of consumer product information between a vendor and a consumer in a stream of commerce, said Internet-based system comprising:
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an Internet-enabled database server operably connected to the Internet, for creating, managing and storing a plurality of UPN/TM/PD/URL data links for each consumer product registered with said Internet-enabled database server and being offered for sale by the vendor in said stream of commerce, wherein the term UPN designates the Universal Product Number identifying a particular consumer product of the vendor, the term TM designates the Trademark assigned to the particular consumer product, the term PD designates the Product Descriptor assigned to the particular consumer product, and the term URL designates the Universal Resource Locator specifying the location of a particular information resource on the Internet related to the identified consumer product;
said Internet-enabled database server providing means for automatically soliciting registration of vendors whose data links have been accessed, but were not available in said Internet-enabled database server, said Internet-enabled database server further providing means for vendors and/or their agents to dynamically update and manage data links associated with said vendor, a first http-enabled information server operably connected to the infrastructure of the Internet, for enabling the vendor and/or its agents to create and manage said UPN/TM/PD/URL data links stored in said Internet-enabled database server;
a second http-enabled information server, operably connected to the infrastructure of the Internet, for publishing an HTML-encoded graphical user interface (GUI) which functions as a consumer product information (CPI) search screen and enables the consumer situated in said stream of commerce to search for and access one or more URLs associated with one or more UPN/TM/PD/URL data links stored in said Internet-enabled database server, wherein said search and access operation involves using, as search keys, the UPN, TM and/or PD data elements associated with said one or more UPN/TM/PD/URL data links; and
an http-enabled client computer operably connected to the infrastructure of the Internet, for enabling the consumer to (i) access and display said published HTML-encoded GUI, and (ii) provide one or more UPN, TM and/or PD data elements to said Internet-enabled database server, by way of said published HTML-encoded GUI, and access and display on said http-enabled client computer, a plurality of URLs associated with said one or more UPN, TM and/or PD data elements entered as search keys, and arranged in the form of a menu of categorized consumer product information resources relating to a particular consumer product;
whereby the consumer can access and display one or more information resources on the Internet specified by the one or more displayed URLs, and enable communication of consumer product information between the vendor and the consumer in said stream of commerce using said vendor created and managed UPN/TM/PD/URL data links. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23)
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20. The Internet-based system of 19, wherein said touch-type display screen comprises an LCD panel.
Specification