Internet-based system for managing and delivering consumer product information at points along the world wide web using consumer product information (CPI) requesting and graphical user interface (GUI) displaying subsystems driven by server-side components and managed by consumer product manufacturers and/or authorized parties

• US 7,533,040 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2005
• Issued: 05/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thomas J. Perkowski
• Original Assignee: IPF Incorporated
• Inventors: Perkowski, Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): FADOK, MARK A
• Application Number:
  US11/261,415
• Publication Number:
  US 20060212361A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,292 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27
• US Class Current: 705/26.62
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9554 by using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0234 Rebates after completed purchase
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0611 Request for offers or quotes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0625 Directed, with specific intent or strategy
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor

Abstract

An Internet-based system for managing and delivering consumer product information (CPI) to consumers at points of presence along the World Wide Web (WWW). The Internet-based system includes a subsystem for generating a CPI-requesting and GUI-display subsystem for each registered consumer product, and implemented by: (i) CPIR-enabling servlet stored on and executed within an object-oriented server; and (ii) an HTML servlet tag referencing the CPIR-enabling servlet, and embedded within one or more HTML-encoded pages served by a plurality of Web-based information servers. When an embedded HTML servlet tag is encountered by teh consumer'"'"'s Web browser, the corresponding CPI-requesting and GUI-displaying subsystem generates an object-oriented controlled GUI that displays information content associated with CPI resources served from one or more of the Internet-based CPI servers, for display and review by the consumer at the point of presence along the WWW where the HTML servlet tag has been encountered by the Web browser.

Claims

1. An Internet-based system for managing and delivering consumer product information to consumers at points of presence along the World Wide Web (WWW), said Internet-based system comprising:

a plurality of Web-based information servers, operably connected to the infrastructure of the Internet, supporting a plurality of Web-sites on the WWW, wherein each said Web-site includes a plurality of HTML-encoded pages;

a plurality of Internet-based consumer product information (CPI) servers, operably connected to the infrastructure of the Internet, serving a plurality of consumer product information (CPI) resources located on the WWW having information content, and related to a particular consumer product or group of consumer products registered with said Internet-based system and being marketed along the WWW;

a first Internet-based subsystem, operably connected to the infrastructure of the Internet, allowing manufacturer team members associated with said particular consumer product or group of consumer products, and/or authorized parties, to implement a plurality of consumer product information (CPI) requesting and graphical user interface (GUI) displaying subsystems for said plurality of consumer products being marketed along the WWW, so that each said CPI-requesting and GUI-displaying subsystem is accessed by consumers at points of presence along the WWW, using a client subsystem supporting a Web browser;

an object-oriented server operably connected to the infrastructure of the Internet;

wherein each said CPI-requesting and GUI-displaying subsystem is implemented by (i) a consumer product information request (CPIR) enabling servlet stored on and executed within said object-oriented server independent of the operation of said CPI resource servers, and (ii) an HTML servlet tag embodied with a unique URL referencing said CPIR-enabling servlet, and embedded within at least one of said plurality of HTML-encoded pages, at a point of presence on the WWW;

wherein each said CPI-requesting and GUI-displaying subsystem, when generated by said object-oriented server, serves a CPI graphical user interface (GUI) at the point of presence, for displaying a set of said plurality of CPI resources for selection by the consumer;

a UPN/URL database, operably connected to said object-oriented server, storing and managing a UPN/URL link structure for each consumer product registered with said Internet-based system,

wherein each said UPN/URL link structure includes

(i) a Universal Product Number (UPN) assigned to the consumer product registered within said Internet-based system, and

(ii) a set of URLs for said plurality of CPI resources being served from said plurality of Internet-based CPI servers;

wherein said CPIR-enabling servlet installed on said object-oriented server, for each said consumer product, includes code stored on a medium operable to execute on the object-oriented server, and specifying;

(i) a connection to said UPN/URL database;

(ii) a CPI query to be executed on said UPN/URL database, dependent on the UPN assigned to said consumer product, and returning a set of URLs stored in said UPN/URL database and associated with said UPN; and

(iii) a CPI GUI, object-oriented controlled, displaying the results of the UPN-dependent CPI query at the point of presence where said corresponding HTML servlet tag is embedded within at least one said HTML-encoded page along the WWW;

wherein said HTML servlet tag embodies a unique URL referencing said corresponding CPIR-enabling servlet;

a second Internet-based subsystem allowing manufacturer team members associated with a particular consumer product or group of consumer products, and/or authorized parties, to program said set of CPI resources for display in the CPI GUI of each said CPI-requesting and GUI-displaying subsystem; and

wherein, upon the Web-browser of the consumer encountering said HTML servlet tag installed in said HTML-encoded page, the CPIR-enabling servlet corresponding to the HTML servlet tag is automatically executed, and the CPI GUI of the corresponding CPI-requesting and GUI-displaying subsystem is automatically generated by said object-oriented server,

(i) serving said object-oriented controlled CPI GUI to the Web browser at the point of presence where said HTML servlet tag is embedded, and

(ii) then displaying, through said object-oriented controlled CPI GUI, information content that is associated with one or more CPI resources having URLs returned by said UPN-dependent CPI query, and served from one or more of said plurality of Internet-based CPI servers, for display and review by the consumer at the point of presence along the WWW where said HTML servlet tag has been encountered by the Web browser.

2. The Internet-based system of claim 1, wherein each said UPN comprises a Universal Product Code (UPC).

3. The Internet-based system of claim 1, wherein said UPN/URL link structure further comprises, for each consumer product:

(iii) a Trademark (TM) assigned to the consumer product; and

(iv) a Product Descriptor (PD) associated with the consumer product.

4. The Internet-based system of claim 1, wherein said set of CPI resources are selected from the group consisting of product videos, audio files, product images, product specifications, product advertisements, and product promotions.

5. The Internet-based system of claim 1, wherein said second Internet-based subsystem allows manufacturer team members associated with a particular consumer product or group of consumer products, and/or authorized parties, to program said set of CPI resources for display in the GUI of each said CPI-requesting and GUI-displaying subsystem by creating and managing said UPNIURL link structure for each said consumer product.

6. The Internet-based system of claim 1, wherein each said HTML-encoded page is selected from the group consisting of Web-pages, product images, product documents, and graphical icons.

7. The Internet-based system of claim 3, wherein said Universal Product Number (UPN), said Trademark (TM) and said Product Descriptor (PD) associated with each said UPN/URL link structure are imported into said UPN/URL database from a supply-chain information management system, using electronic file transfer techniques.

8. The Internet-based system of claim 1, wherein said client subsystem supporting said Web browser is a computing machine selected from the group consisting of a desktop computer, a portable computer, a portable digital assistant (PDA), and physical retail kiosk.

9. The Internet-based system of claim 1, wherein said Web browser of the consumer encountering one said HTML tag, further comprises the consumer clicking on a graphical component at which said HTML servlet tag is embedded in said HTML-encoded page.

10. The Internet-based system of claim 1, wherein said authorized parties include agents of the manufacturer.

11. The Internet-based system of claim 1, wherein said points of presence along the WWW include market spaces selected from the group consisting of EC-enabled WWW-sites, EC-enabled stores and EC-enabled online product catalogs.

12. The Internet-based system of claim 1, wherein each said set of CPI resources is arranged within a consumer product information menu, within said CPI GUI, for selection by consumers using said Web browser.

13. The Internet-based system of claim 1, wherein said HTML servlet tag is embedded within a graphical object within said HTML-encoded page;

and wherein, upon the Web-browser of the consumer encountering clicking on said graphical object, the CPIR-enabling servlet corresponding to the HTML servlet tag is automatically executed, and the CPI GUI of the corresponding CPI-requesting and GUI-displaying subsystem is automatically generated by said object-oriented server,

(i) serving said object-oriented controlled CPI GUI to the Web browser at the point of presence where said HTML servlet tag is embedded, and

(ii) then displaying, through said object-oriented controlled CPI GUI, information content that is associated with one or more CPI resources having URLs returned by said UPN-dependent CPI query, and served from one or more of said plurality of Internet-based CPI servers, for display and review by the consumer at the point of presence along the WWW where said HTML servlet tag has been encountered by the Web browser.

14. The Internet-based system of claim 1, wherein said object-oriented server is a Java server, and each said CPIR-enabling servlet is a Java-implemented CPIR-enabling servlet loaded within said Java server.