Computer-readable medium product label apparatus and method

• US 8,050,964 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2000
• Issued: 11/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Etagz
• Original Assignee: Etagz
• Inventors: Montague, David R.
• Primary Examiner(s): DURAN, ARTHUR D
• Application Number:
  US09/488,079
• Publication Number:
  US 20010042009A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,303 Days
• Field of Search: 340/347, 235/462, 235/383, 705/1, 705/6, 705/26, 705/57, 705 14- 23, 380/255, 380/258, 380/44, 380/266, 713/187, 713/190, 713/201, 345/168, 463/30, 707/505, 709/229, 709/225, 709/219, 395/210, 406/38, 403/12, 283/81, 206/216
• US Class Current: 705/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/02 Forms or constructions layered products B32B

Abstract

A user-computer-readable medium provides all or part of a product labeling system for engaging purchasers. Executables, data, or both are recorded in the medium embodied in a tag or other product labeling structure, in order to deliver to a consumer or purchaser engaging presentations of products, information, or registration templates. As a result, purchasers may receive launchers, browsers, viewers, e-mail systems, facsimile centers, players, or interface brokers for the foregoing, if organically installed already on a workstation of a purchaser. Software may provide catalog presentations, user registration templates, communications, linkers, or engines, and the like. Operation modules and profile builders may provide information over ready links implemented by software on the medium. In certain embodiments, entertainment, games, skill tests, and the like, recorded in the medium as a tag or label may execute to engage a purchaser and provide purchaser profiling information, product purchasing information, and the like to a vendor, while providing additional product information, warranty registrations, applications, entertainment, or the like, to a purchaser.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a second computer, associated with a vendor and containing a second processor generating vendor data;

the second computer, configured to communicate through a network the vendor data, and operable to communicate with a first computer, defined by a first processor and associated with a user;

a product provided by the vendor;

a label comprising a face visible to a user at a point of purchase;

the label, further comprising a computer readable medium integrated monolithically with the face;

the label, wherein the computer readable medium further contains the vendor data, provided from the second computer by the vendor over the network, and computer readable instructions executable on the first computer for presenting vendor information to the user through the first computer, based on the vendor data;

the label, further comprising information visible on the face and presenting advertising impressions corresponding to two of a manufacturer, a supplier, another name, content, a source of content, a slogan, a trademark, an image, a logo, a brand, a designation of source of the product, the vendor and the product, to the user at the point of purchase;

a securement mechanism connecting the label to the product and configured to selectively secure to and release from the product label; and

the label, wherein the computer readable medium is operably independent from and the vendor information is substantively distinct from the product.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the computer readable medium further contains executable instructions effective to direct the first processor to obtain additional data over the network.

3. An article comprising:

a computer readable medium integrated monolithically with a label and storing operational and executable data structures, the data structures being configured to be readable by a first computer, associated with a purchaser of a product offered for sale;

the computer readable medium being operably independent from the product;

the computer readable medium, wherein the data structures further comprise vendor data, profiling data, and linking data, the vendor data, profiling data, and linking data being substantively distinct from the product;

the computer readable medium, wherein the vendor data is associated with a source of the product and comprises instructions executable by the first computer to present to the purchaser a presentation provided from the vendor;

the computer readable medium, wherein the profiling data comprises instructions executable by the first computer to obtain information from the purchaser;

the computer readable medium, wherein the linking data comprises instructions executable to control communication of the first computer with a second computer associated with the vendor over a network operably connectable therebetween;

the label, labeling and being removably connected to the product;

the label, further comprising a face presenting an image, visible to and presenting an advertising impression to, the purchaser at a point of purchase; and

the label, wherein the advertising impression corresponds to at least two of a supplier, another name, content, a source of content, a slogan, a trademark, an image, a logo, a brand, a designation of source of the product, a vendor of the product, a manufacturer thereof, and the product.

4. The article of claim 3, wherein:

the data structures further comprise executables comprising instructions executable by the first computer.

5. The article of claim 4, wherein:

the executables are effective to control communication of the first computer with a second computer associated with the vendor.

6. The article of claim 3, wherein the computer readable medium stores a presentation to the user independent from the product.

7. The article of claim 3, further comprising packaging covering at least a portion of the product, the label being selectively secured to the packaging.

8. The article of claim 7, wherein the label is contained within the packaging to be retained therein.

9. The article of claim 8, wherein the label is secured to the exterior of the packaging.

10. A method comprising:

providing a processor;

providing, to the processor, vendor data corresponding to a source of products and directed to purchasers of the products, the vendor data being substantively distinct from the products;

providing a label designating the source and comprising a face, visible to a purchaser at a point of purchase;

providing an image on the face, the image delivering advertising impressions to the purchaser at the point of purchase, corresponding to two of a supplier, another name, content, a source of content, a slogan, a trademark, an image, a logo, a brand, a designation of source of the product, a vendor of the product, a manufacturer thereof, and the product;

the providing the label, wherein the label further comprises a computer readable storage medium, readable by a computer of the purchaser, the computer readable storage medium being operably independent of the products and monolithically integrated within the label;

recording, by the processor, the vendor data on the computer readable storage medium to be readable by and operable on the computer of the purchaser to initiate communication thereof with the vendor;

securing the label to a product, of the products, to be removable by the purchaser; and

distributing the label and product to the purchaser.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

providing instructions for installing the label in a drive associated with the computer of the purchaser.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the vendor data further comprises executables effective to program the computer of the purchaser.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the vendor data comprises instructions effective to present to the purchaser additional advertising impressions from the computer of the purchaser.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

providing packaging for the product, the packaging covering at least a portion of the product.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the packaging connects the label to the product.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing a pedestal positioning the label with respect to the packaging.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the packaging completely encloses the product.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the label is attached to at least one of the product and the packaging in a manner so as to be readily removable by the purchaser without damage to the product and without damage to the label.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising fixing the label directly to at least one of the product and the packaging.

20. A method comprising:

providing a processor;

providing a label selectively securable to products to designate a source of the products and comprising a computer readable storage medium monolithically integrated therein, the computer readable storage medium being operably independent from the products;

providing, to the processor, vendor data corresponding to the source and directed to purchasers of the products, the vendor data being substantively distinct from the products;

recording, by the processor, the vendor data on the computer readable storage medium to be readable by a first computer associated with a retail purchaser, from among the purchasers of the products;

the providing vendor data, further comprising providing instructions executable by the first computer to link to the processor over a network to present to the retail purchaser access, from the source, to a presentation;

the providing the label, further comprising providing a face thereof presenting an image, visible to and presenting advertising impressions to, the retail purchaser at a point of purchase;

the providing the label, wherein the advertising impressions correspond to at least two of a supplier, another name, content, a source of content, a slogan, a trademark, an image, a logo, a brand, a designation of source of the product, a vendor of the product, a manufacturer thereof, and the product;

securing the label to a product of the products;

distributing the label and the product to the retail purchaser.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the presentation comprises entertainment presenting additional advertising impressions corresponding to at least one of the product, the manufacturer, and the source.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the presentation is an audio-visual presentation by the first computer.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the presentation is entertainment selected from a game, a movie, an advertisement, and a test.

24. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a product displayed for sale to a retail purchaser at a retail site;

a securement, connecting a label to the product;

the label, further comprising advertising, visible at a point of purchase, to provide an advertising impression to the retail purchaser for the product, the advertising impression corresponding to at least two of a supplier, another name, content, a source of content, a slogan, a trademark, an image, a logo, a brand, a designation of source of the product, a vendor of the product, a manufacturer thereof, and the product;

the label, further comprising a computer readable storage medium monolithically integrated therein and operably independent from the product; and

the label, wherein the computer readable storage medium further comprises instructions executable by a computing device of the retail purchaser to contact, over a network, a computer corresponding to a source of the advertising impression, the instructions being substantively distinct from the product.

25. The article of claim 24,

wherein the computer readable storage medium comprises a physical object having a face presenting the advertising impression;

wherein the computer readable storage medium is at least one of optically, magnetically, and electronically readable.

26. The article of claim 24, further comprising packaging covering at least a portion of the product, the securement being connected directly to the packaging.

27. The article of claim 26, wherein the packaging completely encloses the product.

28. The article of claim 26, wherein the packaging comprises plastic selected from soft plastic and hard plastic.

29. The article of claim 27, wherein the packaging further comprises a detent fixing the label to the packaging.

30. The article of claim 27, wherein the label is completely inside the packaging.

31. An apparatus comprising:

a product provided by a source;

a label affixed to the product by the source;

the label comprising first information providing an advertising impression, visible by and identifying to a purchaser of the product, at a point of purchase, at least two of a supplier, another name, content, a source of content, a slogan, a trademark, an image, a logo, a brand, a vendor, a manufacturer, the product and the source of the product;

the label further comprising a computer readable storage medium monolithically integrated therewith, operably independent from the product; and

the label, wherein the computer readable storage medium stores instructions executable by a computer of the purchaser of the product including instructions effective to connect the computer of a purchaser over a network with a computer corresponding to the source, the instructions being substantively distinct from the product.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the apparatus further comprises at least one of:

a protector, covering the computer readable storage medium before use; and

the label printed directly on the computer readable storage medium.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the computer readable storage medium is readable by at least one of an electromagnetic, optical, and electronic reader.

34. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the computer-readable computer readable storage medium is formatted in at least one of a compact disk, floppy disk, digital video disk, magnetic strip, bar code, symbolic code, and an embedded chip.

35. The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising:

the first information printed on the label communicating to the user an identification of at least one of the product and the source by at least one of a color, shape, symbol, word, name, and phrase;

the computer readable storage medium further containing second information comprising information about at least one of the product, the source, other products, use of the product, services corresponding to the product, a game, entertainment, music, a data gathering interface, a test, a browser, a launcher, and an internet link; and

the computer readable storage medium, readable by at least one of an electromagnetic, optical, and electronic reader.

36. A method comprising:

providing a processor;

writing, by the processor, on a computer readable storage medium, instructions executable by a computing device of an end user;

providing a product from a supplier to a vendor selling to the end user, the product being substantively distinct from the instructions;

providing a label connected to the product and having a face displaying an advertising impression directed to the end user;

the providing a label, wherein the advertising impression identifies at least two of a manufacturer, another name, content, source of content, slogan, trademark, image, logo, brand, designation of source, product, vendor, and supplier;

the providing the label, wherein the label further comprises the computer readable storage medium monolithically integrated therewith, the computer readable storage medium being operably independent from the product;

providing a communication over a network between the processor and the computing device of the end user, reflecting retailing of the product from the vendor to the end user; and

the providing the communication occurring in consequence of loading and running by the computing device of the end user the instructions written on the computer readable storage medium.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the product is selected from a magazine, a garment, headgear, footwear, a toy, a foodstuff, furniture, an appliance, sporting goods, dry goods, a tool, and a plant.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein:

the product is secured to at least one of a protector covering the computer readable storage medium before use, and the label monolithically printed on the computer readable storage medium;

the computer readable storage medium is readable by at least one of an electromagnetic, optical, and electronic reader; and

the computer-readable storage medium is formatted in at least one of a compact disk, floppy disk, digital video disk, magnetic strip, bar code, symbolic code, and an embedded chip.