Printed medium activated interactive communication of multimedia information, including advertising

• US 20050144562A1
• Filed: 05/18/2004
• Published: 06/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mike Bernstein, Mike E. Anderer, Peter B. Ritz, Robert J. Schena
• Original Assignee: Mike Bernstein, Mike E. Anderer, Peter B. Ritz, Robert J. Schena
• Inventors: Bernstein, Mike, Anderer, Mike E., Ritz, Peter B., Schena, Robert J.
• Application Number:
  US10/848,518
• Publication Number:
  US 20050144562A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/741
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

The present invention describes a revolutionary new device bridging the gap between the virtual multimedia-based Internet world and the real world, best exemplified by print media. More particularly, the invention relates to communicating multimedia information using a scanner for machine-readable code containing a link information corresponding to a provider information depicted on the printed medium, a user interface for obtaining user input information corresponding to the provider information, a communications bridge for sending the link information and the user input information via the network, a receiver in communication with the scanner, capable of receiving the link information and user input information, and further capable of receiving and playing a multimedia information sequence, and a portal server in communication with the scanner via the network capable of selecting a multimedia information sequence corresponding to the link information and the user input information.

Claims

1. A system for communicating multimedia information via a network by initiating a communication from a printed medium containing provider information, the system comprising:

a network a scanner for receiving data from the printed medium, the data comprising link information corresponding to the provider information, the scanner comprising

a memory;

a user interface for receiving user input information, the user input information capable of being stored in the memory; and

a communications bridge in communication with the network;

a receiver in communication with the scanner, the receiver capable of receiving and communicating the link information and the user input information via the network and receiving and playing a multimedia information sequence; and

a portal server in communication with the scanner and with the receiver via the network, the portal server capable of receiving the link information and the user input information, selecting the multimedia information sequence corresponding to the link information and the user input information, and transmitting the multimedia information sequence via the network to the receiver.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the data is machine-readable code.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the machine-readable code is a selected one of a barcode, an enhanced barcode, a new enhanced code, a dynamic code, and or a high density barcode.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the machine-readable code further comprises publication information.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein the machine-readable code further comprises personal security information.

6. The system of claim 2 wherein the machine-readable code further comprises a provider security information.

7. The system of claim 2 wherein at least one machine-readable code is stored in a code file.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the code file is stored in the scanner memory.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the link information is a selected one of a universal resource locator, an Internet address information, a trademark information, a source of origin, an organization name, a product name, a service name, a benefit redemption information, a provider defined information, a user personal profile information, a user interest information, a server command information, a customer premises equipment preference information, and an alphanumeric sequence printed in form of a machine-readable code.

14. The system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of link information.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the scanner and receiver are combined into a single unit.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein the scanner is further capable of routing the link information and the user input information to the network in response to a user request via the user interface.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein the communications bridge is capable of sending the link information and the user input information to the receiver.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein the communications bridge is capable of sending the link information and the user input information to the portal server.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein the scanner is a hand-held device.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the hand-held device is wireless.

21. The system of claim 1 wherein the portal server is accessible via the network to a network user.

22. The system of claim 1 wherein the portal server is accessible exclusively by a provider of information.

23. The system of claim 1 wherein the user input information comprises a user personal profile information.

24. The system of claim 1 wherein the user input information comprises a user interest information.

25. The system of claim 1 wherein the scanner is capable of storing a plurality of data.

26. The system of claim 1 wherein the user input information is selected from the group consisting of an advertising authorization, a transaction authorization, and a user personal profile information.

27. The system of claim 1 wherein the scanner is a remote control, a mouse, a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant, or a personal computer.

28. The system of claim 1 wherein the user interface is a voice activated system, a keypad, or a keyboard.

29. The system of claim 1 wherein the communications bridge is an infrared communications system, a mobile radio communications system, or an IP-based communications system.

30. The system of claim 1 wherein the network is the Internet, an Intranet, or an Extranet.

31. The system of claim 1 wherein the scanner is an enhanced existing electronic device, a TV remote control, a mouse, a cell phone, a PC card device, a palmtop, a calculator, a key chain, a pen, an identification card, a smart card, a hand held GPS device, a desktop or laptop computer, a digital appliance, or a microprocessor-based device.

32. The system of claim 1 wherein the portal server further comprises a tracking module capable of tracking the link information corresponding to the user.

33. The system of claim 1 wherein the portal server further comprises a tracking module capable of tracking a percentage of a fee to be charged to the information provider.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein the fee is based on at least one of the selected multimedia information sequence, a number and frequency of the link information received by the portal server corresponding to a particular information provider, or a transaction value when the selected multimedia information sequence generates a transaction.

35. The system of claim 1 wherein the multimedia information sequence is advertising or transaction information.

36. The system of claim 1 wherein the user input information further comprises a user personal profile information.

37. The system of claim 36 wherein the portal server is further capable of tracking a percentage of a fee to be charged to the information provider based on the selected multimedia information sequence and the user personal profile information.

38. The system of claim 36 wherein the user input information is a user interest information, and the portal server is further capable of auctioning the user interest information to an information provider according to a user defined auction criteria in the user personal profile information.

39. The system of claim 38 wherein the user personal profile information is stored on the portal server.

40. The system of claim 1 wherein the user input information further comprises at least one of a user interest information.

41. The system of claim 40 wherein the portal server is further capable of tracking a percentage of a fee to be charged to the information provider based on the selected multimedia information sequence and the user interest information.

42. The system of claim 1 wherein the scanner and the customer premises equipment device embody a single device.

43. The system of claim 1 wherein the customer premises equipment is either of a television, a set top box, a computer, a cell telephone, a remote control, a personal digital assistant, an integrated PC-TV device, or a pager.

44. The system of claim 1 wherein the multimedia sequence information is one or more of textual, audio, or video information.

45. The system of claim 1 further comprising a receiver in communication with the communications bridge.

46. The system of claim 1 wherein the machine-readable code changes dynamically.

47. The system of claim 1 further comprises a tracking module located in either of the scanner, the receiver, or the portal server.

48. The system of claim 47 wherein the tracking module includes tracking the link information and the user input information.

49. The system of claim 47 wherein the tracking module includes tracking the percentage of a fee to be paid back to a user of the system and to a manager of the portal server, according to the user personal profile information.

50. The system of claim 1 wherein the portal server further comprises a provider management module for controlling the duration and frequency of multimedia sequence information independent of scan generated transactions and for billing the information provider a fee for presenting the multimedia sequence information.

51. The system of claim 1 wherein the scanner maintains a clock for synchronizing scan related information which is transmitted with the user input information.

52. The system of claim 1 wherein either of the scanner, the receiver, or the portal server maintains a provider management module capable of

controlling the multimedia sequence information;

tracking the duration and frequency of the displayed multimedia information as part of the sequence at the receiver, wherein the sequence is in part provided by an information provider via the network;

billing the information provider a fee for displaying the provided multimedia information as part of the sequence; and

tracking a percentage of the fee which will be paid back to an owner of the receiver.

53. The system of claim 1, further comprising an interactivity feature for selectively accessing the multimedia sequence information by a user at any time via an interactivity button of the scanner.

54. The system of claim 53, wherein the interactivity feature is capable of accessing an application as part of the sequence provided by an information provider to maintain a transaction between a user and the information provider.

55. The system of claim 54, wherein the portal server is capable of controlling the transaction.

56. The system of claim 55, wherein the portal server is further capable of controlling a number of transactions between the user and the information provider and a number of interactions between the user and the information provider.

57. The system of claim 56, wherein the portal server is further capable of billing the information provider a fee for maintaining either of the controlled number of transactions or the controlled number the interactions.

58. The system of claim 57, wherein the administration workstation is further capable of tracking a percentage of the fee which will be paid back to an owner of the scanner.

59. The system of claim 58, wherein the transaction is either of catalog shopping or a purchase.

60. A system of claim 1 wherein the link information includes a network address information.

61. The system of claim 60, wherein the network address information points to a file containing executable code.

62. The system of claim 1, wherein any one or more of the scanner, the receiver, or the portal server contains at least one link table.

63. The system of claim 1, wherein any one or more of the scanner, the receiver, or the portal server contains additional information or downloaded executable code and intelligence that could supplement the code 10 with an interactive response of the person using the system.

64. The system of claim 63, wherein the additional information comprises the person'"'"'s identifying information, name, address, credit card(s) information, and related information.

65. The system of claim 1, wherein the code is capable of containing personal information and reorder information printed by the provider, whereby the personal information is validated against the user personal profile information before a reorder or another transaction is allowed to proceed.

66. The system of claim 1 wherein the code is an information-only type capable of linking to an information page.

67. The system of claim 66, wherein the code is a universal product code.

68. The system of claim 1, wherein the code is routed based on any of the scanned information in combination with the cookie information, the person'"'"'s interactive responses from the user input information, the person'"'"'s location or other demographic information and the portal server database information.

69. The system of claim 68, wherein the code is a reorder code, whereby reordering of a product may be activated by scanning the code, recognizing it as the reorder code, and maintaining a transaction via the portal server such that a percentage of a fee for the reorder is maintained by a tracking module.

70. The system of claim 69 wherein, the tracking maintains fee sharing with the person originating the transaction.

71. The system of claim 1, wherein the code types include a phone number, a business card, service information, benefit redemption information, a rebate, a coupon, a literature, or general information category of interest to a person or information provider.

72. The system of claim 1, wherein the code is uploaded to either of the scanner, the receiver, or the portal server once or alternatively is sent locally or with cookie and security information from anywhere in the network.

73. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing of the collected codes could be done at a time different from reading and scanning the printed medium.

74. The system of claim 1, wherein the code is a UPC code, whereby the user is directed to a provider via a link table without any additional codes.

75. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the scanner, the receiver, or the portal server maintains code templates for interactivity, transaction information, authorization information, references to the publisher, media originator, ad placement, date of publication, dealer, reseller or distributor.

76. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the scanner, the receiver, or the portal server maintains a tracking module working in conjunction with a statistics module collecting the scanned information on the basis of code types used in scanning the provider information and collecting demographic information relating to the user personal profile information, link information, and user input information.

77. The system of claim 76, wherein the tracking module is capable of tracking, redirecting, and targeting usage of the codes by different information providers based on the content of the printed information.

78. The system of claim 77, wherein the person or the system may choose to publish the fact of the scan, thereby allowing a competitor to bid for the right play to the person more information about the competitor'"'"'s comparable product or a transaction, based upon the user interest information.

79. The system of claim 1 in communication with at least one digital copyright database corresponding to physical published products bearing the code in tangible format, whereby the scan directs a person wanting to copy the published product to the copyright database via the portal server, and the portal server tracks fees based on the copy and is capable of suggesting topically related published products.

80. The system of claim 79, wherein the portal server monitors xerographic equipment connected to the network for the processing of the code, which then activates the access to the copyrighted materials database.

81. The system of claim 80, wherein the code is an intelligent watermark capable of carrying identifying, distribution, and fee related information on a physical published product.

82. The system of claim 1, wherein any one or more of the scanner, the receiver, the portal server, or the provider is capable of allowing either the information provider or an owner-publisher of printed medium to track scanned printed medium impressions to execution and to collect demographic information according to the user personal profile information.

83. The system of claim 82, wherein the tracking feature tracks the percentage of e-commerce transactions originating from a specific publication, provider, or specific type of publication.

84. The system of claim 1, wherein the tracking feature tracks the percentage of a fee to be paid back to the owner-publisher of the printed medium based on the number of impressions.

85. The system of claim 1, wherein the receiver is a customer premises equipment, a computer, a simple buffer, or a direct link, a television, a set top box, a PC-TV device, a VCR, a DVD player, an appliance, or any other electronic device.

86. The system of claim 1, wherein the portal server comprises one or multiple sites where the processing of the codes takes place.

87. The system of claim 1, wherein the portal server allows central management, assignment, and control of the codes and code types and provider information.

88. The system of claim 1, wherein the portal server allows advertisers to the portal server, print media owners, and information providers to have a single common database of links for print and electronic transactions.

89. The system of claim 1, wherein the portal server maintains a fee tracking module for tracking charges based on an ad or a transaction originating on the network via the portal server.

90. The system of claim 72, wherein the fee tracking module tracks fees relating to e-commerce transactions originating from the scan.

91. The system of claim 1, wherein the portal server maintains a provider management module and a statistics module for tracking and maintaining advertising and transactions generated from the providers but originating independent of a scan, based on user personal profile information.

92. The system of claim 91, wherein advertisers are able to broadcast provider information to the portal server users according to the user personal profile information or general portal configuration.

93. The system of claim 92, wherein the provider management module is capable of providing feed-back to the information providers regarding the effectiveness of the provider printed information, and allowing for flexible, real-time message tuning.

94. The system of claim 1, wherein the portal server maintains an indigraphics module for providing the user personal profile information management functions and for publishing auction-oriented information based on the user personal profile and user interest information.

95. The system of claim 94, wherein the indigraphics module operates in conjunction with a tracking module collecting the user personal profile information corresponding to bidding users who scanned or expressed interest via the user interest information, whereby the tracking module tracks bids placed by bidding users according to published auction information and tracks a percentage of a fee to be paid back to the publisher of the auction information and a media publisher who printed, published, or originated the bid.

96. The system of claim 1, wherein the portal server maintains a code management module allowing the information providers to electronically set and maintain codes, and the corresponding link information.

97. The system of claim 96, wherein the code management module allows the media providers to create and print their own codes and share the code information with the portal server.

98. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the scanner, the receiver, and the portal server maintains the ability to dynamically change the link or a link table at the portal and to effect a download of a new version of a code or a new set of templates or a new link.

99. The system of claim 1, wherein the machine-readable code is either a universal product code or an ISBN code.

100. The system of claim 99, wherein the portal server is capable of selecting the multimedia sequence information based on the link information containing any one or more of a producer name, a distributor name, or a product name, and based on a provider preference link accessible to the provider.

106. A system of claim 66, wherein the user is either of a proximity-based device capable of activating a smart button or a contact-based device.

10. The system of claim 10 wherein the alphanumeric sequence is assigned by a provider of the provider information.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the provider information is extracted from the alphanumeric sequence and translated into a network address at the portal server.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the provider information is extracted from the alphanumeric sequence, the system further comprising a link table capable of translating the alphanumeric sequence into a network address.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the alphanumeric sequence is on of a UPC and ISBN number.

101. A method for communicating multimedia information via a network connecting a scanner, a portal server, and a customer premises equipment, wherein the communication is activated via a printed medium, the method comprising the steps of:

scanning a machine-readable code containing a link information corresponding to a provider information from the printed medium using a scanner;

storing the machine-readable code in a memory;

extracting the link information from the machine readable code in the memory;

obtaining and storing a user input information corresponding to the provider information in the memory;

sending the link information and the user input information to the portal server via the network;

receiving the link information and the user input information at the portal server;

selecting a multimedia information sequence corresponding to the link information and the user input information;

sending the multimedia information sequence to the receiver via the network;

receiving and storing the multimedia information sequence at the receiver; and

playing the multimedia information sequence via the receiver.

102. A method of claim 101 wherein the step e) is performed upon a user request via a user interface.

103. A system for communicating multimedia information via a network, wherein the communication is activated via a printed medium, the system comprising:

a scanner for machine-readable code containing a link information corresponding to a provider information depicted on the printed medium, the scanner being connected to the network, the scanner containing

a memory;

a user interface for obtaining user input information capable of being stored in the memory, the user input information corresponding to the provider information;

a communications bridge for sending the link information and the user input information via the network;

a portal server in communication with the scanner via the network, the portal server capable of receiving the link information and the user input information;

selecting a multimedia information sequence corresponding to the link information and the user input information; and

sending the multimedia information sequence via the network; and

a customer premises equipment in communication with the portal server, the customer premises equipment capable of receiving the multimedia information sequence and playing the multimedia information sequence.

104. A system for communicating multimedia information via a network, wherein the communication is activated via a printed medium, the system comprising:

a user device capable of connecting to the network, the user device containing a scanner and a storage device for machine-readable code containing a link information corresponding to a provider information depicted on the printed medium;

a user interface for obtaining user input information capable of being stored in the storage device, the user input information corresponding to the provider information;

a communications bridge for sending the link information and the user input information via the network;

a display device for receiving multimedia information sequence and playing the multimedia information sequence; and

a portal server in communication with the user device via the network, the portal server capable of receiving the link information and the user input information, selecting a multimedia information sequence corresponding to the link information and the user input information, and sending the multimedia information sequence via the network.

105. A system for communicating multimedia information via a network, wherein the communication is activated via a tangible medium, the system comprising:

a user device capable of connecting to the network, the user device containing

a transducer and a storage device for machine-readable code containing a link information corresponding to a provider information depicted on the printed medium;

a user interface for obtaining user input information capable of being stored in the storage device, the user input information corresponding to the provider information;

a communications bridge for sending the link information and the user input information via the network;

a display device for receiving multimedia information sequence and playing the multimedia information sequence; and

a portal server in communication with the user device via the network, the portal server capable of receiving the link information and the user input information, selecting a multimedia information sequence corresponding to the link information and the user input information, and sending the multimedia information sequence via the network.