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

• US 6,643,692 B1
• Filed: 08/19/1999
• Issued: 11/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jack A. Turpin, RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: LV Partners LP (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Philyaw, Jeffry Jovan, Mathews, David Kent
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Wellington
• Assistant Examiner(s): HO, CHUONG T
• Application Number:
  US09/378,216
• Time in Patent Office: 1,538 Days
• Field of Search: 709/238, 709/218, 709/219, 709/224, 709/239, 709/245, 709/225, 709/226, 709/227, 709/229, 709/217, 725/112, 725/109, 725/105, 345/716, 707/104.1, 707/10
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2200/00 Computerized interactive toys, e.g. dolls
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

A method for allowing a user PC (1702) to be controlled in order to effect a connection between the user PC (1702) and a destination node (1706) on a network (306). This is facilitated through an audio source (1700) wherein the content of a video tape recording media has embedded therein an audio signal. When the video tape media is played, the audio signal is extracted by an audio extractor (1600) and transmitted to the user PC, and detected by a program running in the background of the user PC (1702). Once the audible tone is detected, a web browser is launched and the tone or decoded product identifier information associated with the tone is transmitted to an ARS (308) on the network (306). The ARS (308) then compares the information received from the user PC (1702) using information from a relational database (1704). The relational database (1704) contains routing information for various destination nodes (1706) on the network. When a match occurs, the matching information is then forwarded back to the user PC (1702) and this is utilized to route the user PC (1702) to the particular destination node (1706) corresponding to the audible tone for the processing of information received therefrom.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a computer with recorded information of a video cassette tape, comprising the steps of:

embedding a unique perceivable code in recorded information of the video cassette tape such that the unique perceivable code will be output during the normal playback of the video cassette tape and within the video/audio bandwidth thereof, the unique perceivable code in close association with vendor product identifier information;

extracting the unique perceivable code 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 video cassette tape; and

in response to extracting the unique perceivable code, transmitting the unique perceivable code to a remote location on the network in accordance with routing information accessible at the user location, wherein the vendor product information is returned to the user location for processing.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the routing information stored at the user location is associated with an intermediate location on the network wherein the step of transmitting to the remote location comprises the steps of:

transmitting the unique perceivable code to the intermediate location, and further comprising;

accessing a database of vendor routing information in response to receiving at the intermediate location the transmitted unique perceivable code from the user location, the database providing an association between the unique perceivable code and a remote vendor information location on the network, there being a plurality of such vendor routing information stored in the database;

comparing the received unique perceivable code with the stored vendor routing information in the database;

if there is a match between the received unique perceivable code and any of the stored vendor routing information, transmitting the matching vendor routing information back to the user location; and

in response to receiving the matching vendor routing information at the user location, interconnecting the user location with the remote vendor information location over the network and receiving the vendor product information therefrom.

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

wherein the step of transmitting the unique perceivable code over the network to the intermediate node also includes transmitting the user ID information to the intermediate location, and the step of comparing includes:

matching the received user ID information of the user location with stored profile information associated with the received user ID information,

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

wherein the stored profile information is transmitted to the remote vendor information 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. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique perceivable code is an audible tone.

6. A method for controlling a computer with recorded information of a video tape, comprising:

embedding a unique perceivable code in recorded information on the video tape, which recorded information comprises the video/audio content of the video tape that is to be presented to a suer during playback, with the embedded code embedded such that the unique perceivable code is an integral part of the recorded information and will be output during the normal playback of the recorded information and within the video/audio bandwidth thereof, the unique perceivable code in close association with vendor product identifier information;

extracting the unique perceivable code with an extractor during normal output of the recorded information to a user at a user location disposed on a network;

in response to extracting the unique perceivable code, transmitting the unique perceivable code to an intermediate location disposed on the network in accordance with routing information of the intermediate location stored at the user location;

performing a matching operation at the intermediate location with the unique perceivable code to return to the user location matching vendor routing information of a remote vendor information location disposed on the network, the remote vendor information location having the vendor product information; and

accessing the remote vendor information location from the user location in accordance with the routing information of the remote vendor information location to return the vendor product information for processing.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

accessing a database of vendor routing information in response to receiving at the intermediate location the transmitted unique perceivable code from the user location, the database providing an association between the unique perceivable code and the remote vendor information location on the network, there being a plurality of such vendor routing information stored in the database; and

in response to receiving the matching vendor routing information at the user location, interconnecting the user location with the remote vendor product information location over the network and receiving the vendor information therefrom.

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

wherein the step of transmitting the unique perceivable code over the network to the intermediate node also includes transmitting the user ID information to the intermediate location, and the step of performing a matching operation includes

matching the received user ID information of the user location with stored profile information associated with the received user ID information;

wherein the step of transmitting the matching vendor routing information back to the user location further includes appending to the vendor routing information the stored profile information and

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

9. The method of claim 6, 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.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the unique perceivable code is an audible tone.