Systems and methods for providing zip code linked web sites

• US 7,802,291 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2001
• Issued: 09/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Campbell, Leo J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Korzuch; William R
• Assistant Examiner(s): AVERY, JEREMIAH L
• Application Number:
  US10/362,805
• Publication Number:
  US 20040133799A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,298 Days
• Field of Search: 726/4
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A system and method that establishes a network node containing public and private information related to a plurality of geographic zones or ZIP Codes; receives a request from a user to access the node (1004); enables the user to view the information related to a zone; receives a user selection of private or public informaton (1008). If private information is selected, determines whether the user is a resident of a geographic area corresponding to the zone (1016); and modifies the user information contained in the node for the zone in response to a user request, it is determined that the user resides in the geographic area corresponding to the zone. If the public information is selected (1010), in response to the user'"'"'s request, searches the public information (1012) and providing the user with general information relevant to the zone (1012).

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing geographic information via a network, comprising the steps of:

establishing a network node containing public and private information related to a plurality of geographic zones;

receiving a first request from a user to access the node;

enabling the user to view the information related to a geographic zone;

receiving a user selection of private or public information;

if private information is selected, determining whether the user is a resident of a geographic area corresponding to the zone;

and if it is determined that the user is a resident of the geographic area corresponding to the zone, modifying user information contained in the node for the zone in response to a second user request, and storing an electronic postmark in an archive database to record the second user request, wherein the electronic postmark includes a digital signature;

if the public information is selected, in response to the user'"'"'s selection,

searching the public information,

providing the user with general information relevant to the zone,

and in response to the user'"'"'s indication of inadequate general information, expanding the search to at least one additional zone surrounding the zone.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the user is a resident of the geographic area comprises authenticating the user.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein authenticating the user comprises using at least one of unique information, a password, and other information specified by the user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the user is one of an individual, a business, and an organization.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein searching the public information comprises receiving input from an area within a map to focus the search.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the node can receive the input from the area on the map, to focus the search, before and after initiating the search.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein searching the public information comprises receiving input from an area within an aerial image to focus the search.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the node can receive the input from the area on the aerial image, to focus the search, before and after initiating the search.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the information relevant to the zone includes information about businesses in the geographic area corresponding to the zone.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the information about businesses in the geographic area includes information related to a target market for the businesses.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the information relevant to the zone includes information about residences in the geographic area corresponding to the zone.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the information relevant to the zone comprises at least one of demographic, socioeconomic, and housing profiles.

59. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one additional zone is adjacent to the zone.

13. A computer-implemented method for providing information relevant to a selected geographic area, comprising the steps of:

establishing a database including information for a plurality of geographic areas;

receiving a request to access information from the database relevant to a selected geographic area;

allowing the user to select between private and public information within the database that is associated with the selected geographic area;

enabling the user to execute a search and view the selected information for the selected geographic area, wherein if a request for private information is received, a determination is made whether the user is a resident of the selected geographic area before allowing the user to modify information contained in the database for the selected geographic area, and storing an electronic postmark in an archive database to record a user request to modify the information, wherein the electronic postmark includes a digital signature;

if a request is received for public information, and in response to the user'"'"'s indication of inadequate selected information, enabling the user to search at least one geographic area surrounding the selected area.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein determining whether the user is a resident of the geographic area comprises authenticating the user'"'"'s unique information, password, and other information specified by the user.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the user is one of an individual, a business, and an organization.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein searching the public information comprises receiving input from an area within a map to focus the search.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the input from the area on the map can be received, to focus the search, before and after initiating the search.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein searching the public information comprises receiving an input from an area within an aerial image to focus the search.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the input from the area on the aerial image can be received, to focus the search, before and after initiating the search.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the public information relevant to the geographic area comprises information relevant to businesses in the geographic area.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the information relevant to businesses in the geographic area comprises sales offers and information related to a target market of the businesses.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein the public information relevant to the geographic area comprises information relevant to residences in the geographic area.

23. The method of claim 13, wherein the public information relevant to the geographic area comprises demographic, socioeconomic, and housing profiles.

60. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one geographic area is adjacent to the selected geographic area.

24. A system that provides geographic information, comprising:

a node on a network that contains a database, and that;

provides information related to a plurality of geographic areas,

receives a user selection between private and public information within a geographic area,

if private information is selected, the node determines whether the user is a resident in the geographic area, and if the user resides in the geographic area, allows the user to modify information contained within the database, and stores an electronic postmark in an archive database to record the modification of the information, wherein the electronic postmark includes a digital signature;

if public information is selected, in response to the user'"'"'s selection, searches the public information and provides the user with general information relevant to the geographic area, in response to the user'"'"'s indication of inadequate general information, expands the search to at least one additional geographic area surrounding the geographic area.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the node determines whether the user resides in the geographic area by authenticating the user'"'"'s unique information, password, and other information specified by the user.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the user is one of an individual, a business, and an organization.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the node can focus the search of the public information by receiving input from an area within a map.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the input from the area on the map can be received, to focus the search, before and after initiating the search.

29. The system of claim 24, wherein the node can focus the search of the public information by receiving input from an area within an aerial image.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the input from the area on the aerial image can be received, to focus the search, before and after initiating the search.

31. The system of claim 24, wherein the public information relevant to the geographic area comprises information relevant to businesses in the geographic area.

32. The system of claim 24, wherein the node can expand the search using a multi-stage search to provide the user with the information relevant to the geographic area.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein the information relevant to businesses in the geographic area comprises sales offers and information related to a target market of the businesses.

34. The system of claim 24, wherein the public information relevant to the geographic area comprises information relevant to residences in the geographic area.

35. The system of claim 24, wherein the public information relevant to the geographic area comprises demographic, socioeconomic, and housing profiles.

61. The system of claim 24, wherein the at least one additional geographic area is adjacent to the geographic area.

36. A computer-implemented method for providing geographic information via a network, comprising the steps of:

establishing a network node containing public and private information related to a plurality of ZIP Codes;

receiving a first request from a user to access the node;

enabling the user to view the information related to a zone;

receiving a user selection of private or public information;

if private information is selected, determining whether the user is a resident of a ZIP Code corresponding to the zone;

modifying user information contained in the node for the zone in response to a second user request and storing an electronic postmark in an archive database to record the second user request, wherein the electronic postmark includes a digital signature, if it is determined that the user resides in the ZIP Code corresponding to the zone;

if the public information is selected, in response to the user'"'"'s selection, searching the public information and providing the user with general information relevant to the zone, in response to the user'"'"'s indication of inadequate general information, expanding the search to at least one additional zone surrounding the zone.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein determining that the user resides in the ZIP Code comprises authenticating the user.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein authenticating the user comprises using at least one of unique information, a password, and other information specified by the user.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein the user is one of an individual, a business, and an organization.

40. The method of claim 36, wherein searching the public information comprises receiving input from an area within a map to focus the search.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the node can receive the input from the area on the map, to focus the search, before and after initiating the search.

42. The method of claim 36, wherein searching the public information comprises receiving input from an area within an aerial image to focus the search.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the node can receive the input from the area on the aerial image, to focus the search, before and after initiating the search.

44. The method of claim 36, wherein the information relevant to the zone includes information about businesses in the Zip Code corresponding to the zone.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the information about businesses in the ZIP Code includes information related to a target market for the businesses.

46. The method of claim 36, wherein the information relevant to the zone includes information about residences in the ZIP Code corresponding to the zone.

47. The method of claim 36, wherein the information relevant to the zone comprises at least one of demographic, socioeconomic, and housing profiles.

62. The method of claim 36, the at least one additional zone is adjacent to the zone.

48. A system that provides geographic information, comprising:

a node on a network that contains a database, and that;

provides information related to a plurality of ZIP Codes, receives a user selection between private and public information within a ZIP Code,

if private information is selected, the node determines whether the user is a resident in the ZIP Code, and if the user resides in the ZIP Code, allows the user to modify information contained within the database in response to a user request, and stores an electronic postmark in an archive data base to record the user request, wherein the electronic postmark includes a digital signature,

if public information is selected, in response to the user'"'"'s selection, searches the public information and provides the user with general information relevant to the ZIP Code, in response to the user'"'"'s indication of inadequate general information, expands the search to at least one additional ZIP Code surrounding the ZIP Code.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein the node determines whether the user resides in the ZIP Code by authenticating the user'"'"'s unique information, password, and other information specified by the user.

50. The system of claim 48, wherein the user is one of an individual, a business, and an organization.

51. The system of claim 48, wherein the node can focus the search of the public information by receiving input from an area within a map.

52. The system of claim 51, wherein the input from the area on the map can be received, to focus the search, before and after initiating the search.

53. The system of claim 48, wherein the node can focus the search of the public information by receiving input from an area within an aerial image.

54. The system of claim 53, wherein the input from the area on the aerial image can be received, to focus the search, before and after initiating the search.

55. The system of claim 48, wherein the public information relevant to the ZIP Code comprises information relevant to businesses in the ZIP Code.

56. The system of claim 55, wherein the information relevant to businesses in the ZIP Code comprises sales offers and information related to a target market of the businesses.

57. The system of claim 48, wherein the public information relevant to the ZIP Code comprises information relevant to residences in the ZIP Code.

58. The system of claim 48, wherein the public information relevant to the ZIP Code comprises demographic, socioeconomic, and housing profiles.

63. The system of claim 48, wherein the at least one additional ZIP code is adjacent to the ZIP code.