Method for controlling a computer using an embedded unique code in the content of recorded media

• US 8,655,972 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2006
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Inventors: Philyaw, Jeffry Jovan, Mathews, David Kent
• Primary Examiner(s): GEORGANDELLIS, ANDREW C
• Application Number:
  US11/382,472
• Publication Number:
  US 20060195549A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,842 Days
• Field of Search: 709/208
• US Class Current: 709/208
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4113 PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A method for controlling a computer with recorded information of a recorded media includes embedding a unique code, which unique code does not contain routing information, in recorded information of the recorded media. The unique code is in close association with vendor information, such that the unique code will be output during normal playback of the information on the recorded media. The unique code is embedded within the video/audio bandwidth of the recorded information such that, when playing back the recorded information, the unique code will be output within the video/audio bandwidth of the recorded media. The unique code is extracted with an extractor during output of the recorded information to a user at a user location disposed on a network during normal playback of the recorded media. In response to extracting the unique code, it is transmitted to a remote location on the network in accordance with routing information accessible at the user location, which routing information defines the location of the remote location on the network, wherein the vendor product information is returned to the user location for processing.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a computer with recorded information of a recorded media, comprising:

embedding an audio tone within the audio bandwidth of the recorded media such that the audio tone is portable with the recorded media and such that an audible representation of the audio tone is output during playback of the recorded media, wherein the audio tone encodes a product code;

extracting the product code from the audible representation of the audio tone during playback of the recorded media to a user at a user location;

using the product code at the user location to look up first routing information accessible at the user location;

transmitting the product code from the user location to a vendor location using the first routing information;

using the product code at the vendor location to look up product information associated with the product code; and

transmitting the product information from the vendor location to the user location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first routing information is associated with an intermediate location on the network, wherein the step of transmitting the product code from the user location to the vendor location using the first routing information further comprises the steps of:

transmitting the product code to the intermediate location using the first routing information;

accessing a database of vendor routing information in response to receiving at the intermediate location the transmitted product code from the user location;

using the product code at the intermediate location to look up second routing information in the database and transmitting the second routing information to the user location; and

in response to receiving the second routing information at the user location, interconnecting the user location with the vendor location over the network using the second routing information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the user location further includes user ID information that uniquely identifies the user at the user location, and

wherein the database at the intermediate node includes user profile information which is associated therein with the user ID information of the user, and

wherein the step of transmitting the product code over the network to the intermediate location also includes transmitting the user ID information to the intermediate location, and

wherein the step of using the product code at the intermediate location to look up the second routing information further comprises using the received user ID information of the user location to look up profile information associated with the received user ID information, and

wherein the step of transmitting the second routing information back to the user location further includes appending to the second routing information the profile information, and

wherein the profile information is transmitted to the vendor location via the user location.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the network is a global communication network that provides a universal resource locator (URL) for each location on the network and the routing information is comprised of the URL for the location.

5. A method for controlling a computer with recorded information of a recorded media, comprising:

embedding an audio tone within the audio bandwidth of the recorded media such that the audio tone is portable with the recorded media and such that an audible representation of the audio tone is output during playback of the recorded media, wherein the audio tone encodes a product code;

extracting the product code from the audible representation of the audio tone during playback of the recorded media to a user at a user location;

transmitting the product code to an intermediate location disposed on the network using first routing information accessible at the user location;

using the product code at the intermediate location to look up second routing information and transmitting the second routing information to the user location, wherein the second routing information defines the location of a vendor location on the network;

using the second routing information at the user location to transmit the product code to the vendor location;

using the product code at the vendor location to look up product information associated with the product code; and

transmitting the product information from the vendor location to the user location.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of:

accessing a database of vendor routing information in response to receiving at the intermediate location the product code from the user location, the database providing an association between the product code and the second routing information.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the user location further includes user ID information that uniquely identifies the user at the user location, and

wherein the database at the intermediate node includes user profile information which is associated therein with the user ID information of the user, and

wherein the step of transmitting the product code over the network to the intermediate node also includes transmitting the user ID information to the intermediate location, and

wherein the step of using the product code at the intermediate location to look up the second routing information further comprises using the received user ID information of the user location to look up profile information associated with the received user ID information, and

wherein the step of transmitting the second routing information back to the user location further includes appending to the second routing information the profile information, and

wherein the profile information is transmitted to the vendor location via the user location.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the network is a global communication network that provides a universal resource locator (URL) for each location on the network and the first and second routing information comprise a first URL and a second URL, respectively.