Method and system for additive bar codes to minimize the size and optimize the function and usability of a bar code scannable business catalog
First Claim
1. A system for automating placement of orders from a catalog, comprising:
- means for using a bar code to uniquely identify the catalog, the catalog having a layout comprising one or more display pages with a plurality of items being located on each display page;
means for using bar codes to uniquely locate each of said items by reference to said layout of display pages and by further reference to a location of said item on one of said display pages, said item locating means further comprisingat leastmeans for uniquely locating a display page of said layout, andmeans for uniquely locating said item on said uniquely located display page, the means for uniquely locating said item being commonly usable for catalog items on different display pages;
a scanner for designating an item in the catalog by scanning a sequence of said bar codes, the sequence in combination uniquely locating the item, said sequence uniquely locating at least said display page within the catalog and said item on said display page, both said display page locating means and said means for uniquely locating the item on the display page being part of said catalog; and
automated means for converting the locating sequence of bar codes into an order at an e-commerce web site, whereinthe bar code uniquely locating the display page within the catalog is located on the page in the catalog on which said item is located and uniquely locates said catalog and said page within said catalog; and
the bar code uniquely locating the item on the display page is contained on a common reference that displays an ordered series of symbols and corresponding bar codes, where each item is uniquely located on each catalog page by a symbol in said series.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method is provided for automating placement of orders from a catalog that has been JumpCode enabled by inclusion of bar codes. A sequence of additive bar codes uniquely identify each item available from the catalog. A scanner is used for designating items from the catalog by scanning the identifying sequences of bar codes, which include at least a bar code element that uniquely identifies the catalog and the page of an item, and a further bar code element that uniquely identifies an item among the other items on a page, using a common reference scheme that is applicable to each page. This combination of bar code elements is a JumpCode, and JumpCodes for the items scanned are grouped into orders by affiliate and sent to the respective e-commerce sites of each affiliate, which are designed to handle orders from the catalog. The web sites generate shopping carts from the orders and appropriate URLs are returned to the user, who can use a browser to complete the order by direct communication with the respective web sites.
16 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A system for automating placement of orders from a catalog, comprising:
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means for using a bar code to uniquely identify the catalog, the catalog having a layout comprising one or more display pages with a plurality of items being located on each display page; means for using bar codes to uniquely locate each of said items by reference to said layout of display pages and by further reference to a location of said item on one of said display pages, said item locating means further comprising at least means for uniquely locating a display page of said layout, and means for uniquely locating said item on said uniquely located display page, the means for uniquely locating said item being commonly usable for catalog items on different display pages; a scanner for designating an item in the catalog by scanning a sequence of said bar codes, the sequence in combination uniquely locating the item, said sequence uniquely locating at least said display page within the catalog and said item on said display page, both said display page locating means and said means for uniquely locating the item on the display page being part of said catalog; and automated means for converting the locating sequence of bar codes into an order at an e-commerce web site, wherein the bar code uniquely locating the display page within the catalog is located on the page in the catalog on which said item is located and uniquely locates said catalog and said page within said catalog; and the bar code uniquely locating the item on the display page is contained on a common reference that displays an ordered series of symbols and corresponding bar codes, where each item is uniquely located on each catalog page by a symbol in said series. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for automating placement of orders from a catalog, comprising the steps of:
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using a bar code to uniquely identify the catalog, the catalog having a layout comprising one or more display pages with a plurality of items being located on each display page; using bar codes to uniquely locate each of said items by reference to said layout of display pages and by further reference to a location of said item on one of said display pages, said item locating step further comprising at least a step for uniquely locating a display page of said layout, and a step for uniquely locating said item on said uniquely located display page, the step for uniquely locating said item being commonly usable for catalog items on different display pages; designating an item on a page in the catalog by scanning a sequence of bar codes, the sequence in combination uniquely locating the item, said sequence uniquely locating at least said display page within the catalog and said item on said display page, both said display page locating step and said step for uniquely locating the item on the display page being operable on said catalog; converting by automated means the locating sequence of bar codes scanned in the designating step into an order at an e-commerce website, wherein the bar code uniquely locating the display page within the catalog is located on the page in the catalog on which said item is located and uniquely locates said catalog and said page within said catalog; and the bar code uniquely locating the item on the display page is contained on a common reference that displays an ordered series of symbols and corresponding bar codes, where each item is uniquely located on each catalog page by a symbol in said series, receiving by a computing device the identifying sequence of bar codes scanned in the designating step; receiving by a server the identifying sequence of bar codes from the computing device; translating by the server the received sequence of bar codes into an order readable by an e-commerce web site; and sending the translated order to the e-commerce web site. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An apparatus for automating placement of orders from a catalog, said catalog being comprised of a plurality of display units for displaying items for ordering, comprising:
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a first bar code uniquely locating each of said display units within said catalog, said first bar code being a page reference located on each said respective display unit and uniquely identifying said catalog and said respective display unit; a common reference displaying a series of bar codes representing, respectively and uniquely, each of an ordered set of symbols used to uniquely locate an item displayed on a display unit, where each item displayed on a display unit is uniquely identified by association on said display unit with a respective one of said ordered set of symbols, the bar codes on said common reference being commonly usable for catalog items in different display units; a scanner for designating an item in the catalog by scanning an identifying sequence of bar codes comprising a first bar code serving as a page reference of the display unit on which the item is displayed together with a bar code from said common reference representing a respective one of said symbols uniquely associated with said item on said display unit; automated means for converting the identifying sequence of bar codes into an order at an e-commerce web site, wherein both said page reference and said common reference are part of said catalog. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification