Method and system for distributing product information

• US 8,046,325 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2008
• Issued: 10/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Gudorf, Gregory D., Siegel, Brian M.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEROUX, ETIENNE PIERRE
• Application Number:
  US12/316,867
• Publication Number:
  US 20090106209A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,042 Days
• Field of Search: 707/2, 707/9, 707/607, 705/34
• US Class Current: 707/607
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A method and system of associating product codes with product characteristics, and using those product codes to send and receive information about those characteristics to destinations on a network when the values of those characteristics change.

Claims

1. A method of using a processor to provide product information, comprising:

storing a first characteristic value and a second characteristic value associated with respective characteristics of a product,

setting one or more distinct update values indicating whether an entity is authorized to receive changes relating to the first or second characteristic values,

changing at least one of the characteristic values to produce a changed characteristic value,

retrieving the identity of the entity based on the changed characteristic value,

determining whether the entity is authorized to be sent the changed characteristic value based on one of the one or more distinct update values, and

sending the changed characteristic value to the entity based on the determination,

wherein each of the characteristic values is associated with a code, for each characteristic value that the entity is authorized to receive the code associated with the characteristic value is associated with an entity ID and an update value indicating whether the entity is authorized to receive changes relating to the code, retrieving the identity of the entity comprises retrieving the entity ID associated with the code corresponding to characteristic value that has changed, and determining whether the entity is authorized comprises determining the update value that is associated with both the code of the characteristic value that has changed and the entity ID.

2. The method of claim 1, further including retrieving the identity of a second entity based on the changed value and another of the one or more update values, and sending the changed value to the second entity.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the changed characteristic value comprises sending the changed characteristic value by email.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein retrieving the identity of the entity includes retrieving an electronic address of the entity.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the distinct update values comprise a Boolean value indicating whether the entity is automatically authorized to receive changes relating to the first or second characteristic values.

6. A system of providing product information comprising:

means for storing a first characteristic value and a second characteristic value associated with respective characteristics of a product,

means for setting one or more distinct update values indicating whether an entity is authorized to receive changes relating to the first or second characteristic values,

means for changing at least one of the characteristic values to produce a changed characteristic value,

means for retrieving the identity of the entity based on the changed characteristic value,

means for determining whether the entity is authorized to be sent the changed characteristic value based on one of the one or more distinct update values, and

means for sending the changed characteristic value to the entity based on the determination,

wherein each of the characteristic values is associated with a code, for each characteristic value that the entity is authorized to receive the code associated with the characteristic value is associated with an entity ID and an update value indicating whether the entity is authorized to receive changes relating to the code, retrieving the identity of the entity comprises retrieving the entity ID associated with the code corresponding to characteristic value that has changed, and determining whether the entity is authorized comprises determining the update value that is associated with both the code of the characteristic value that has changed and the entity ID.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the means for sending the changed characteristic value comprises means for sending the value by email.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the distinct update value comprise a Boolean value that indicates whether the entity should be sent the modified information.

9. A system for providing product information comprising:

a processor, data and instructions executable by the processor,

the instructions including;

storing a first characteristic value and a second characteristic value associated with respective characteristics of a product,

setting one or more distinct update values indicating whether an entity is authorized to receive changes relating to the first or second characteristic values,

changing at least one of the characteristic values to produce a changed characteristic value,

retrieving the identity of the entity based on the changed characteristic value,

determining whether the entity is authorized to be sent the changed characteristic value based on one of the one or more distinct update values, and

sending the changed characteristic value to the entity based on the determination,

wherein each of the characteristic values is associated with a code, for each characteristic value that the entity is authorized to receive the code associated with the characteristic value is associated with an entity ID and an update value indicating whether the entity is authorized to receive changes relating to the code, retrieving the identity of the entity comprises retrieving the entity ID associated with the code corresponding to characteristic value that has changed, and determining whether the entity is authorized comprises determining the update value that is associated with both the code of the characteristic value that has changed and the entity ID.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the system comprises a server connected to a network and the entity comprises another server connected to the network.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the system comprises a server connected to a network, the first and second characteristic values are maintained by a seller, and the entity is a buyer of the product.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the product is a service.