Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-04
2002-08-06
Alam, Hosain T. (Department: 2172)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
C707S793000, C707S793000, C707S793000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06430554
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for searching an electronic network, such as the Internet, for product information, and, more particularly, to a method and means by which a user can quickly do a product search through databases on a global network with a simple input that enables interactive communication with a server adapted to widely seek and provide the information sought.
2. Description of the Related Art
Global electronic and computer networks, such as the Internet, provide access to a tremendous amount of information relating to various companies and their products. It is difficult, however, for a user to investigate a particular product on a global computer network when the product is sold under more than one name, or when the user is not sure of the proper name of the product. Similarly, the user may not know who is a manufacturer or a local supplier of the product. It therefore can be quite a time-consuming and complex procedure to do an effective product search through all of the web sites and databases available that may contain pertinent information.
In a different area of commerce, a system has been developed in the United States for product identification, primarily for use on an actual article, that is implemented with Uniform Product Codes (UPC's). This UPC system is administered by a Uniform Code Council. A manufacturer interested in utilizing the UPC system registers with the Uniform Code Council and receives a unique manufacturer code. At present, approximately 300,000 manufacturers are registered with the Uniform Code Council. Once registered, the manufacturer assigns codes to each of its own products. The UPC of a product is a combination of the manufacturer's code and a product code assigned by the manufacturer. To facilitate product identification, the UPC is encrypted as a barcode and placed on the product, where it is machine readable, such as by a scanner at a supermarket checkout counter, and used to digitally identify the product. Once the product is so identified, the digital barcode information read therefrom may be communicated to many different destinations for accounting and inventory purposes and to various databases for recording and archiving.
The UPC system has been adapted for use with computers and networks, such as the Internet, in various ways. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,913,210, to C. C. CALL, discloses a system involving the storing of a plurality of UPCs in respective computers with web addresses (URLs) and storing cross-references of the UPCs and URLs in another computer (URL) which can be accessed by further networked computers using the UPCs to find the respective URLs. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,804,803, to B. J. CRAGUN ET AL, discloses the retrieval of a document by a client computer system using a scanned UPC to create a URL location in a first server, from UPC and customer data retrieved from a second server, which URL may be used to obtain the document from the first server. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,991, to M. E. SMALL, discloses an interactive product promotion system which enables the selection of coupons to be downloaded from the Internet, and then UPCs placed thereon to be scanned to the Internet for rebates.
While the prior art is rife with search systems and techniques for interacting with computer networks, and particularly the Internet, to obtain and exchange information of all sorts, they all tend to be on a one-for-one or step-by-step basis.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an interactive system whereby an individual can quickly and easily obtain a supply of the available information about a selected search object, such as a product and/or its manufacturers, from a global computer network.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an interactive method and means that enable an individual to search a global computer network and easily obtain a supply of information regarding a selected product, based on a barcode related to the product.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an interactive system for searching a computer network whereby information regarding products and manufacturers can be quickly obtained, aggregated, and stored for use, based on a product's UPC.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide an interactive system for quickly and easily obtaining a supply of information about a selected product and/or its manufacturers or providers from a server using a barcode related to the product.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above-stated objects are met by an interactive search system that is directed to interact primarily with global computer networks, particularly the Internet, using a product identifying barcode to rapidly and effectively obtain a supply of product-related information for presentation to a user. In accordance with the present invention, a suitable terminal, typically a desktop computer and modem connection, is used to access an implementing server containing a database of product and manufacturer or provider identifying codes, preferably UPC manufacturer codes. Information relating to a particular product and its manufacturer, is obtained with the product's UPC which may be taken from a package or advertisement or pre-stored in the computer. The UPC can be entered into the computer through manual input numerically, or, alternatively, entered digitally through the use of software and a hand-held scanner adapted to read UPC barcode encryptions. The desktop computer and modem transmit the entire UPC to the implementing server, which reads the manufacturer's code from the UPC and, using the UPC database therein, identifies the manufacturer. The server is programmed to then perform a search of the global computer network or databases contained in local server storage devices to locate sites relating to or operated by the manufacturer. Additionally, the server may search the global computer network on a product basis to locate other sites containing the UPC under search. To aid the server, and reduce search time, it is preferred but not required that the user identify the general category of the product (auto, book, music or movie cassette, food, hardware, software, etc.) when the UPC is entered. Based on the manufacturer information, and/or the selection of product category, the implementing server is preferably programmed to initially search sites where a greater likelihood of uncovering a particular UPC exists in addition to searching the local server storage devices. Using “parsing” technology, the server may then “pull out” the product description, transmit it to and place it in the random access memory (RAM) or storage of the desktop computer, and proceed to perform further searching relying on the product description to uncover relevant information. The server can accordingly quickly assemble a collection of product-related and manufacturer information in the RAM or storage of the desktop computer. The collection of assembled information is then available for a user's consideration all at once at any time. Preferably, the assembled information will provide the user with the name of a source for purchasing the particular product, and, further, the server will automatically link the computer with the source's site on the global computer network, or a prearranged site on the server, to permit direct ordering. As will readily be seen, the system of the invention permits an individual to avoid the time-consuming hassle of performing multiple “key word” searches on the global computer network to uncover the desired collection of product-specific information on a step-by-step basis.
In an enhancement of the system, the UPC can be input into a wireless portable computer, e.g., a Portable Digital Assistant (PDA), or a wireless internet or server accessible phone and transmitted either directly or indirectly to the implementing server to obtain product information. With this capability, a customer can investigate a product while present in a r
Alam Hosain T.
Alam Shahid
BarPoint.com, Inc.
Casella Anthony J.
Hespos Gerald E.
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