Method and apparatus for embedding routing information to a remote web site in an audio/video track

• US 6,970,914 B1
• Filed: 08/19/1999
• Issued: 11/29/2005
• 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): Thompson, Marc D.
• Application Number:
  US09/378,222
• Time in Patent Office: 2,294 Days
• Field of Search: 709/218, 709/219, 709/203, 709/201, 709/238, 709/217, 709/227
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• 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 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]

Abstract

A redirect system is provided which is operable to redirect information over a network 1610. This information is associated with a compressed MP3 audio file which is initially transmitted through the network from a source 1612 to a user PC 1600. The user PC 1600 will then play the information and, upon playing the information, embedded information within the audio file will be detected by an application program 1604. This will cause a browser 1602 to launch and route the embedded information to an intermediate node 1620. This information will be matched with information in a database 1624, which information provides routing information to a producer location 1614. This is transmitted back to the user PC 1600 which will then effect a connection with the producer 1614 to either view in the simple case a web page and, in the more complex case, actually transmit information from the database 1624 through the user PC 1600 to the producer 1614 to provide a customized communication in the form of a customized web page.

Claims

1. A method for effecting a connection between a user node and a destination node on the network with an audio program, comprising the steps of:

playing at the user node the audio program having embedded therein a unique header code, the user node further includes user ID information that uniquely identifies the user node;

detecting the unique header code at the user node during the playing of the audio program at the user node;

in response to detecting output of the unique header code during playing of the audio program at the user node, without user intervention assembling the unique header code into a message packet and transmitting information regarding the unique header code over the first network to an intermediate node on the first network, and also transmitting the user ID information to the intermediate node;

matching the received information regarding the unique header code with routing information stored in a database at the intermediate node and matching the received user ID information of the user node with the stored profile information in the database associated with the received user ID information, which routing information defines the location on the first network of a plurality of destination nodes, the database having stored therein a correspondence between unique header codes and select ones of the destination nodes and wherein the database includes a stored profile which is associated therein with the user ID information of the user node; and

if there is a match between the received unique header code and a unique header code stored in the database, causing the destination node and the user node to be connected over the first network with the corresponding routing information, such that the destination node can transmit information to the user node, the step of causing the destination node and the user node to be connected if there is a match comprises the steps of;

transmitting back to the user node the routing information determined to be stored in the database and corresponding to the received unique header code as associated with the information regarding the unique header code at the intermediate node and appended thereto the stored profile information,

the user node utilizing the received routing information to effect a connection to the destination node from the user node and transmit thereto the received stored profile information, and

the destination node, in response to being connected to the user node via the routing information, operable to transfer information to the user node.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique header code is an audible code.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique header code comprises a unique tone.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first network comprises a global communication network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitted information regarding the unique code comprises substantially all of the unique code.

6. A system for effecting a connection between a user node on a network and a destination node with an audio program, comprising:

a unique header code embedded within said audio program, said audio program playing at said user node, wherein said user node further includes user ID information which uniquely identifies said user node;

a detector for detecting said unique header code at said user node during play of said audio program at said user node when received;

an intermediate node disposed on said first network for receiving information regarding said unique header code, said information regarding said unique header code and said user ID information being assembled into a message packet and transmitted without user intervention over said network to said intermediate node in response to said detector detecting output of said unique header code during play of said audio program at said user node;

routing information stored in a database at said intermediate node, in addition to a stored profile which is associated therein with said user ID information at said user node, such that said routing information is matched with said received information regarding said unique header code, which said routing information defines a location on said network having a plurality of destination nodes, said database having stored therein a correspondence between said unique header codes and select ones of said destination nodes, and the received said user ID information of said user node is matched with stored profile information associated with said received user ID information; and

if there is a match between said received unique header code and a said unique header code stored in said database, said routing information determined to be stored in said database and corresponding to said received unique header code as associated with said information regarding said unique header code stored at said intermediate node with said matching profile information is transmitted back to said user node, said user node utilizing said received routing information to effect a connection to said destination node from said user node and send thereto said matching stored profile information, said destination node in response to being connected to said user node via said routing information is operable.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said unique header code is an audible code.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein said unique header code comprises a unique tone.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein said network comprises a global communication network.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein said transmitted information regarding said unique code comprises substantially all of said unique code.