Launching a web site using a passive transponder

• US 8,028,036 B1
• Filed: 07/11/2000
• Issued: 09/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jack A. Turpin, RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: RPX-LV Acquisition LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Inventors: Philyaw, Jeffry Jovan
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAW, PELING ANDREW
• Application Number:
  US09/614,937
• Time in Patent Office: 4,095 Days
• Field of Search: 709217-219, 709/227, 709/238, 709/245, 705/23, 705/26, 705/14, 707/999.01, 707/E17.112, 707/999.002, 707/999.003, 707/999.004
• US Class Current: 709/217
• 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: 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 63/102 Entity profiles
• 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 21/25841 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; arrangements for identifying locations of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/51; location of the user terminal in data switching networks H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4182 for identification purposes, e.g. storing user identification data, preferences, personal settings or data restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code in combination with an additional device, e.g. dongle or smart card G06F21/123
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42202 environmental sensors, e.g. for detecting temperature, luminosity, pressure, earthquakes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42684 Client identification by a unique number or address, e.g. serial number, MAC address, socket ID network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• 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 21/6581 : Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 : involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method of displaying a web page to a user. A triggering device (2502) having a unique code stored therein is provided to the user. The unique code is extracted from the triggering device (2502) with an activation system (302), the activation system (302) disposed on a network (306). Location information associated with the unique code is retrieved from a database (1614 or 310), the location information corresponding to a location of the web page on a remote location (312) disposed on the network (306). In response to retrieving the location information, the activation system (302) is connected to the remote location (312). The web page corresponding to the location information of the remote location (312) is then presented to the user via the activation system (302).

Claims

1. A method of displaying a web page to a user who has in close association therewith a portable triggering device having a unique code stored therein and a unique portable triggering device identification code stored therein, the unique portable triggering device identification code being exclusively associated with that portable triggering device, comprising the steps of:

in response to the portable triggering device being within a predetermined proximity of an activation system, the activation system interacting with the portable triggering device causing the unique code from the triggering device to be extracted therefrom through first, activation of the portable triggering device by the activation system and then transmission of the unique code to the activation system, the activation system interfaced with a network and physically separate from the portable triggering device;

appending, to the unique code, routing information which defines the location of an intermediary location on the network such that the unique code is transmitted to the intermediary location by the activation system in accordance with the appended routing information;

retrieving location information associated with the unique code from a database at the intermediary location, the location information corresponding to a location of the web page on a remote location disposed on the network, wherein the step of retrieving location information is a result of matching the unique code with the location information of the database;

in response to retrieving the location information, automatically connecting the activation system to the remote location; and

presenting the web page corresponding to the location information of the remote location to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable triggering device is a portable wireless passive transponder.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the portable wireless passive transponder has the unique code stored therein in a non-volatile memory.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique code is uniquely associated with the web page.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of causing further includes causing the unique portable triggering device identification code to be extracted from the portable triggering device with the activation system.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of retrieving location information further comprises the step of matching the unique code and the unique portable triggering device identification code with the location information of the database.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the activation system comprises a transmitter and a receiver each operatively connected to a computer, the transmitter for activating the portable triggering device with an activating signal, and the receiver for receiving a triggering signal having the unique code contained therein.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the database in the step of retrieving is local to the activation system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the activation system in the step of causing further includes a unique interface identification code associated with the activation system.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of retrieving location information further comprises the step of appending the unique interface identification code to the unique code and transmitting it to the database.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of retrieving location information further comprises the step of matching the unique code and the unique interface identification code with the location information of the database.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of connecting is performed using a browser program.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of presenting comprises displaying the web page to the user via a display operatively connected to the activation system.

14. An apparatus for displaying a web page to a user having a portable triggering device with a unique code stored therein and a unique portable triggering device identification code stored therein, said unique portable triggering device identification code being exclusively associated with said portable triggering device, comprising:

an activation system disposed on a network that, when the portable triggering device is within a predetermined proximity thereof, the activation system operable to interface with the portable triggering device to cause the unique code from said triggering device to be extracted therefrom in response to activation of the portable triggering device by the activation system and then transmission of the unique code to the activation system when said portable triggering device is proximate to said activation system, said activation system physically separate from said portable triggering device;

wherein routing information which defines the location of an intermediary location on the network is appended to the unique code such that the unique code is transmitted to the intermediary location by the activation system in accordance with the routing information;

wherein location information associated with said unique code is retrieved from a database at the intermediary location, said location information corresponding to a location of the web page on a remote location disposed on said network, wherein retrieving location information is a result of matching the unique code with the location information of the database;

wherein in response to said location information being retrieved from said database, said activation system is automatically connected to said remote location;

wherein the corresponding web page of said remote location is presented to the user via said activation system on a display.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said portable triggering device is a portable wireless passive transponder.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said portable wireless passive transponder has said unique code stored therein in a non-volatile memory.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said unique code is uniquely associated with the web page.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said activation system comprises a transmitter and a receiver each operatively connected to a computer, said transmitter for activating said portable triggering device with an activating signal, and said receiver for receiving a triggering signal having said unique code contained therein.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said activation system is further adapted for receiving a unique transponder identification code from said portable triggering device.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein a unique transponder identification code is also matched with said location information of said database.

21. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said activation system further includes a unique interface identification code associated with said activation system.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein activation system retrieves location information corresponding to said unique code and said unique interface identification code from said database.

23. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said activation system is connected to said remote location using a browser program.

24. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the web page is presented to the user via a video display operatively connected to said activation system.