Method for interconnecting two locations over a network in response to using a tool

• US 7,526,532 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2004
• Issued: 04/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: LV Partners LP (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Philyaw, Jeffry Jovan, Mathews, David Kent
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn, Nathan
• Assistant Examiner(s): JEAN GILLES, JUDE
• Application Number:
  US10/791,665
• Publication Number:
  US 20050021604A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,883 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/208, 709/219
• US Class Current: 709/219
• 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: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• 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

A method for accessing information over a network. A tool is utilized in conjunction with an operation on a user'"'"'s processor at a user location on the network. The tool has associated therewith a unique tool ID. In response to utilizing the tool, the user'"'"'s location is interconnected on the network to a predetermined destination at a remote location on the network, which destination has an association with the unique ID of the tool.

Claims

1. A method for accessing information over a network, comprising the steps of:

utilizing a tool in conjunction with an extraction operation on a user'"'"'s processor at a user location on the network to extract a product information from indicia associated with a product that is external to the tool, the tool having a unique ID that is in a fixed relationship to the tool and is only associated therewith, which unique ID is assembled in combination with the product information during the extraction operation into a message packet; and

in response to utilizing the tool and assembly of the message packet having the unique ID with the product information, interconnecting the user'"'"'s location on the network to a predetermined destination at a remote location on the network, which destination has an association with the unique ID of the tool.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the tool comprises a peripheral on the user'"'"'s processor.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the tool comprises a scanner which is interfaced with the user'"'"'s processor.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the scanner is utilized to scan a bar code.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the information of the remote location on the network is uniquely associated with the unique ID.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of interconnecting the user'"'"'s location on the network to a remote location in response to utilizing the tool having a unique tool ID comprises:

determining the unique tool ID of the tool at the user'"'"'s processor in response to use of the tool in conjunction with the user'"'"'s processor;

transmitting the unique tool ID to an intermediate location on the network in response to determining the unique tool ID;

comparing the transmitted unique tool ID at the intermediate location with an associative database, which associative database has contained therein a plurality of remote locations and associated routing information therefore on the network and associations with one or more of the a plurality of unique tool IDs for one or more of a plurality of tools;

if a match is made between the received unique tool ID and the corresponding said unique tool ID in said associative database, then returning the associated routing information from the associated database to the user'"'"'s location on the network; and

at the user'"'"'s location on the network effecting a communication link over the network between the user'"'"'s location and the remote location defined by the returned routing information.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the associative database is local to the intermediate location.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the tool is used by the user at the user'"'"'s location.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of utilizing further comprises the step of utilizing the tool in conjunction with launching a browser operation on the user'"'"'s processor.