Methods and apparatus for using information regarding actions performed using traceable objects
First Claim
1. A communication system comprising:
- a client device adapted to receive a traceable object that includes tracer information identifying a business entity associated with the origin of the traceable object, to perform one or more of a plurality of different object-related actions using the traceable object, wherein a unique action code is associated with each of the plurality of different object-related actions, wherein each unique action code is associated with a particular type of the different object-related actions, to store, for each object-related action that has been performed using the traceable object, a record that includes object usage information and the tracer information identifying the business entity, wherein the object usage information includes the unique action code for the object-related action that has been performed by the client device using the traceable object, and to send the object usage information and an identification of the business entity from the tracer information to a server; and
the server adapted to receive and store the object usage information.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An embodiment of a communication system includes a client device adapted to receive a traceable object that includes tracer information, and to perform one or more object-related actions using the traceable object. The client device stores the tracer information and object usage information, which describes the one or more object-related actions that have been performed using the traceable object. The client device also sends the stored information to a server. The system also includes the server, which is adapted to receive the object usage information and the tracer information reported by the client device. In an embodiment, the system also includes a service provider adapted to initiate a billing event, which may include generation and transmission of a bill to a sponsor entity based on an evaluation of the object usage information and the tracer information reported by the client device.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A communication system comprising:
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a client device adapted to receive a traceable object that includes tracer information identifying a business entity associated with the origin of the traceable object, to perform one or more of a plurality of different object-related actions using the traceable object, wherein a unique action code is associated with each of the plurality of different object-related actions, wherein each unique action code is associated with a particular type of the different object-related actions, to store, for each object-related action that has been performed using the traceable object, a record that includes object usage information and the tracer information identifying the business entity, wherein the object usage information includes the unique action code for the object-related action that has been performed by the client device using the traceable object, and to send the object usage information and an identification of the business entity from the tracer information to a server; and the server adapted to receive and store the object usage information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method performed by a client device, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a traceable object that includes tracer information identifying a business entity associated with the origin of the traceable object; performing one or more of a plurality of different object-related actions using the traceable object, wherein a unique action code is associated with each of the plurality of different object-related actions, wherein each unique action code is associated with a particular type of the different object-related actions; storing, for each object-related action that has been performed using the traceable object, a record that includes object usage information and the tracer information identifying the business entity, wherein the object usage information includes the unique action code for the object-related action that has been performed by the client device using the traceable object; and sending the object usage information and an identification of the business entity from the tracer information to a server. - View Dependent Claims (9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 27, 29)
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10. A method performed by a client device, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a traceable object that includes tracer information identifying a business entity associated with the origin of the traceable object; performing one or more object-related actions using the traceable object, wherein the one or more object-related actions include at least one action selected from a group of actions consisting of a play action, a receive action, a call action, a view action, a map action, a send action, a save action, a search action, a physical navigation action, an arrival action, and a purchase action; storing object usage information and the tracer information, wherein the object usage information describes the one or more object-related actions that have been performed by the client device using the traceable object; and sending the object usage information and an identification of the business entity from the tracer information to a server.
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17. A method performed by a server, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a client-generated information request from a client device, wherein the information request includes parameters for obtaining information; obtaining one or more traceable objects in response to receiving the client-generated information request, wherein a traceable object of the one or more traceable objects includes tracer information in one or more tracer fields, and the tracer information identifies a business entity associated with the origin of the traceable object; sending the one or more traceable objects to the client device; and receiving object usage information and client-reported tracer information that includes an identification of the business entity, wherein the object usage information includes a unique action code for each of a plurality of object-related actions that have been performed by the client device using the traceable object, wherein each unique action code is associated with a particular type of the different object-related actions. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A client device comprising:
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a processing subsystem adapted to determine whether one or more of a plurality of different object-related actions have been performed by the client device using a traceable object that includes tracer information, wherein a unique action code is associated with each of the plurality of different object-related actions, wherein each unique action code is associated with a particular type of the different object-related actions, and when an object-related action has been performed, to initiate storage of a record that includes the tracer information and object usage information into a data storage subsystem, wherein the object usage information includes the unique action code for the object-related action that has been performed by the client device using the traceable object, and the tracer information identifies a business entity associated with the origin of the traceable object; the data storage subsystem adapted to store the object usage information and the tracer information; and a network interface adapted to receive the traceable object, and to transmit one or more messages that include the object usage information and an identification of the business entity in the tracer information over a network. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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28. A method performed by a client device, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a traceable object that includes tracer information identifying a business entity associated with the origin of the traceable object; performing one or more object-related actions using the traceable object, wherein each of the one or more object-related actions is an action selected from a group consisting of receiving the traceable object, saving the traceable object, sending the traceable object to another client device, outputting content in the traceable object on an output device of the client device, initiating a telephone call to a telephone number represented in the traceable object, displaying a map that indicates a physical location represented in the traceable object, initiating an instance of a navigation application to provide navigation instructions to the physical location represented in the traceable object, determining that the client device has arrived at the physical location represented in the traceable object, purchasing a product or service represented in the traceable object, and initiating a search algorithm using information in the traceable object; storing object usage information and the tracer information, wherein the object usage information describes the one or more object-related actions that have been performed by the client device using the traceable object; and sending the object usage information and an identification of the business entity from the tracer information to a server.
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Specification