Apparatus and method for data-tag based object-to-object applications

• US 9,560,146 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2014
• Issued: 01/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lidong Qu
• Original Assignee: Lidong Qu
• Inventors: Qu, Lidong
• Primary Examiner(s): SHANG, ANNAN Q
• Application Number:
  US14/461,408
• Publication Number:
  US 20150082329A1
• Time in Patent Office: 898 Days
• Field of Search: 725/4, 725/5, 725 91- 93, 725114-116, 725 25- 28, 725 37- 61, 725525- 28, 709217-232
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/237 Communication with additional data server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25816 involving client authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6334 for authorisation, e.g. by transmitting a key wireless communications network key management H04W12/04; wireless communications network access security H04W12/08

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and system for data tagging in the field of computer technologies. In this method, a user terminal acquires tag data, obtains information about services and functions associated with the tag data, then interacts with target servers to exchange service and function information, and fulfills appropriate services and functions to complete the business application. The disclosed data tagging method and system allow user terminal to interact with directly target servers that are associated with relevant services and functions, which allows functions to be realized in distributed target servers, which simplifies the implementations of tag data, reducing the cost to setting servers. The disclosed data tagging methods allow more extensive applications of data tagging, improved user experiences, simplified processes, and lower costs.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing services using data tags, comprising:

acquiring a first data tag from an object-to-object (OTO) access-point router by a first user terminal, wherein the first data tag is attached to an outer surface on the OTO access-point router or displayed on a display device, wherein the first data tag is encoded with an OTO service activation ID, wherein the first data tag is used to activate the OTO access-point router;

obtaining from the first data tag a product serial number that uniquely identifies the OTO access-point router;

obtaining the OTO service activation ID from the first data tag;

sending the product serial number and the OTO service activation ID from the first user terminal to one or more data-tag servers;

activating, by the one or more data-tag servers, the OTO access-point router to fulfill OTO application services, in part based on the OTO service activation ID encoded in the first data tag;

acquiring a second data tag by a second user terminal in communication with the OTO access-point router and the one or more data-tag servers, wherein the second data tag provides service and function information for an application service;

obtaining service and function information related to an application service from the second data tag, wherein the service and function information defines tasks required to fulfill the application service as well as target servers to conduct the respective tasks;

enabling the second user terminal to directly communicate with a group of distributed target servers about the application service; and

enabling the group of distributed target servers to conduct the tasks defined in the service and function information to fulfill the application service.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the OTO access-point router is local to the first user terminal and the second user terminal, wherein the service and function information related to an application service is locally extracted from the second data tag by the OTO access-point router.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein information about the second data tag is sent from the second user terminal to the one or more data-tag servers via the OTO access-point router, wherein the service and function information related to the application service is obtained from the second data tag by the one or more data-tag servers.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the second user terminal receives the service and function information and information about the group of target servers from the one or more data-tag servers.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein information about the second data tag is sent from the second user terminal to the OTO access-point router, wherein the service and function information related to the application service is obtained from the second data tag by the OTO access-point router.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the second user terminal receives the service and function information and information about the group of target servers from the OTO access-point router.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the step of obtaining comprises decoding the data tag to obtain the service and function information related to application services to produce decoded data-tag information, wherein the service and function information related to the application service is obtained from the decoded data-tag information.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first data tag is displayed on a physical data tag attached to an outer surface of the OTO access-point router, or in an electronic display panel in the OTO access-point router.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first data tag and the second data tag comprise a one-dimensional code, a two-dimensional code, a two-dimensional barcode, a data matrix code, a QR code, or a three-dimensional code.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more data-tag servers are configured to generate at least one of the first data tag or the second data tag, wherein the first data tag encodes the product serial number that uniquely identifies the OTO access-point router, wherein the second data tag encodes the service and function information that specifies the application service.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the information about the group of target servers comprises application programming interface (API), parameters, and protocol associated with the group of target servers.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the group of distributed target servers includes at least one of a location server, a purchase-method selection server, or an order server, the method further comprising:

determining a location of the second user terminal;

allowing the second user terminal to select a purchase method by the purchase-method selection server;

providing different pricing information from the purchase-method selection server to the second user terminal based on the selected purchase method; and

processing, by the order server, an order submitted from the second user terminal, wherein the order is fulfilled based in part on the location of the second user terminal.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the group of target servers comprises an authentication server, a permission server, or a payment server, the method further comprising:

displaying the first data tag on a television device controlled by a TV set-top box;

scanning the first data tag on the television device by the first user terminal to obtain the OTO service activation ID from the first data tag;

authenticating an identification associated the TV set-top box by the authentication server using the OTO service activation ID obtained from the first data tag; and

based on the step of authentication, permitting a TV service to be provided to the TV set-top box by the permission server.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving payment from the second user terminal by the payment server, wherein the TV service is permitted to be provided to the TV set-top box by the permission server after the payment is received.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first user terminal and the second user terminal include a mobile phone or a tablet computer.

16. An object-to-object (OTO) access-point router for providing services using data tags, comprising:

an OTO application controller configured to store a product serial number that uniquely identifies the OTO access-point router, wherein the OTO application controller is configured to store a service and function information related to an application service, wherein the service and function information defines tasks required to fulfill the application service as well as target servers to conduct the respective tasks;

a first data tag that is attached to an outer surface on the OTO access-point router, wherein the first data tag is used to activate the OTO access-point router or electronically displayed on a display device, wherein the first data tag encodes with the product serial number and an OTO service activation ID stored in the OTO application controller, which allows a first user terminal to acquire the first data tag and obtain the product serial number and the OTO service activation ID from the first data tag, wherein one or more data-tag servers receive the product serial number and an OTO service activation ID and activate the OTO access-point router based on the OTO service activation ID;

a wired communication port configured to communicate with the one or more data-tag servers and the target servers, wherein the OTO application controller is configured to receive from the one or more data-tag servers updated information about the service and function information related to the application service;

an antenna configured to receive from a second user terminal a first wireless signal carrying data-tag information decoded from a second data tag, wherein the second data tag provides service and function information for an application service;

a first circuit configured to convert the first wireless signal to a first data signal;

a processor configured to obtain the service and function information related to the application service from the data-tag information in the first data signal to produce a second data signal comprising the service and function information, wherein the service and function information defines tasks required to fulfill the application service as well as target servers to conduct the respective tasks; and

a second circuit configured to convert the second data signal into a second wireless signal, wherein the antenna is configured to transmit the second wireless signal to the second user terminal.

17. The object-to-object access-point router of claim 16, wherein the OTO application controller is configured to store an OTO service activation ID, wherein the OTO access-point router is activated in part based on the OTO service activation ID.

18. The object-to-object access-point router of claim 16, wherein the first data tag and the second data tag comprise a one-dimensional code, a two-dimensional code, a two-dimensional barcode, a data matrix code, a QR code, or a three-dimensional code.

19. The object-to-object access-point router of claim 16, wherein the first data tag includes an RFID (radio frequency identification) tag, NFC (near field communication) tag, or displayed data code in an electronic display panel.

20. The object-to-object access-point router of claim 16, further comprising:

a device description repository configured to store one or more user terminals that are authorized to receiving the application service without additional authorization.