COMPUTER-READABLE MEDIUM PRODUCT LABEL APPARATUS AND METHOD

• US 20120072273A1
• Filed: 10/05/2011
• Published: 03/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Etagz
• Original Assignee: Etagz
• Inventors: Montague, David R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,249,919 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.4
• 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. In certain embodiments, entertainment, games, skill tests, and the like, recorded in the medium as a product tag or label may execute to engage a purchaser and provide purchaser profiling information.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a product provided by a source;

a label affixed to the product by the source;

the label comprising an image containing first information visible by and identifying to a purchaser of the product at least one of the product and the source of the product; and

the label further comprising a computer readable medium, distinct from the product and storing instructions executable by a computer of the purchaser of the product.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises at least one of a protector covering the computer readable medium before use and the label monolithically integrated with the computer readable medium, the computer readable medium being readable by at least one of an electromagnetic reader, optical reader, and electronic reader.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the computer-readable 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.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

the first information printed on the label to communicate 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; and

the computer-readable medium further containing second information comprising at least one of information about the product, information about the source, information about other products, information about use of the product, information about 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 medium readable by at least one of an electromagnetic reader, optical reader, and electronic reader.

5. 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 label, further comprising a computer readable medium operably independent and substantively distinct from the product; and

the label, wherein the computer readable medium further comprises instructions executable by a computing device of the retail purchaser.

6. The article of claim 5,

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

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

7. The article of claim 5, further comprising packaging covering at least a portion of the product, the securement being connected directly to the packaging.

8. The article of claim 7, wherein the packaging completely encloses the product.

9. The article of claim 7, wherein the packaging comprises plastic selected from soft plastic and hard plastic.

10. The article of claim 8, wherein the packaging further comprises a detent fixing the label to the packaging.

11. The article of claim 8, wherein the label is completely inside the packaging.

12. 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 one of the product and the source of the product;

the label further comprising a computer readable medium, operably independent and substantively distinct from the product; and

the label, wherein the computer readable medium stores instructions executable by a computer of the purchaser of the product.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the apparatus further comprises at least one of:

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

the label monolithically integrated with the computer readable medium.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the computer readable medium is readable by at least one of an electromagnetic, optical, and electronic reader.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the computer-readable 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.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, 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 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 medium, readable by at least one of an electromagnetic, optical, and electronic reader.

17. A method comprising:

providing a product from a supplier to a vendor selling to an end user;

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 one of the product, vendor, and supplier;

providing the label, wherein the label further comprises a computer-readable medium operably independent and substantively distinct from the product, storing instructions executable by a computing device of the end user;

providing a communication 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 end user the executable instructions from the label on a computer of the end user.

18. The method of claim 17, 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.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein:

the product further comprises at least one of a protector covering the computer readable medium before use, and the label monolithically integrated with the computer readable medium;

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

the computer-readable 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.