Consumer product information request (CPIR) enabling servlets and web-based consumer product information catalogs employing the same

Abstract

A consumer product information requesting (CPIR) enabling Servlet for execution on the server-side of an information network such as the Internet. The CPIR-enabling Servlet comprises a Universal Product Number (UPN) a uniquely associated with a particular consumer product on which an information search is to be carried out within a database management subsystem. One or more classes are loaded on a an Internet-enabled information server. When the consumer selects a CPIR-enabling Servlet tag embedded within the WWW and corresponding CPIR-enabling Servlet, a UPN-directed-search is automatically carried out within the database management subsystem, the a graphical user interface (GUI) is displayed within the Internet-enabled browser program used by the consumer, and the results from the UPN-directed search are displayed within the GUI in the form of a menu of categorized URLs pointing to consumer product related information resources published on the WWW, without disturbing the consumer's point of presence thereon. The CPIR-enabling Servlets can be used to build various types of consumer product information systems for operation on the WWW.

Claims

1. A consumer product information catalog system for operation on the World Wide Web (WWW), said consumer product information catalog system comprising;

a database management subsystem including a relational database containing (i) a plurality of Universal Product Numbers (UPNs) uniquely associated with a plurality of consumer products offered for sale in a stream of commerce, and (ii) a plurality of categorized Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) symbolically linked to each one of said plurality of UPNs, wherein each said categorized UPN points to a consumer product related information resource published on the World Wide Web (WWW) supported by the infrastructure of the Internet;

said database management subsystem providing means for manufacturers and/or their agents to dynamically update said relational database,

a Consumer Product Information Request (CPIR) enabling servlet tag containing information related to the location of a computer executable servlet;

a first Internet information server for publishing a library of the CPIR-enabling Servlet tags on the Internet,

said first Internet information server with means for providing to a user's browser, HTML-encoded documents publishable on the WWW with at least one of the CPIR enabling Servlet tags embedded within one of said HTML-encoded documents;

a second Internet information server operably connected to said database management subsystem and the infrastructure of the Internet, with means for

detecting when at least one of said CPIR-enabling Servlet tags embedded in one of said HTML-encoded documents has been selected, and means for activating said computer executable servlet;

wherein said means for activating activates said computer executable servlet, automatically executing a method comprising:

loading and running classes so as to perform a UPN-directed search on said database management subsystem,

conducting a UPN-directed search carried out within said database management subsystem, and

displaying within an Internet-enabled browser, program results from said UPN-directed search,

said displaying including a GUI in the form of a menu of categorized URLs pointing to consumer product related information resources published on said WWW and symbolically linked to the UPN corresponding to the selected CPIR-enabling Servlet tag, and

said results including a menu of categorized URLs pointing to consumer product related information resources.

2. The consumer product information catalog system of claim 1, which further comprises:

license-related information specifying the terms and conditions of use of the system and the conditions under which said computer executable servlet shall operate on domains of the Internet.

3. The consumer product information catalog system of claim 1, wherein said first Internet information server is a Java-enabled information server.

4. The consumer product information catalog system of claim 1, wherein said first Internet information server is an HTTP-type information server.

5. The consumer product information catalog system of claim 1, wherein said first Internet information server is implemented on a first computing system, and said second Internet information server is implemented on a second computing system.

6. The consumer product information catalog system of claim 1, wherein said classes and said method are expressed in the Java programming language.

7. The consumer product information catalog system of claim 1, wherein said GUI is implemented as a Web-based GUI.

8. The consumer product information catalog system of claim 1, wherein said GUI is implemented as a Java-based GUI.

9. The consumer product information catalog system of claim 1, wherein said HTML-encoded document contains a graphical image of the consumer product uniquely associated with the UPN corresponding to the selected CPIR-enabling Servlet tag.

10. The consumer product information catalog system of claim 1, wherein the consumer selects said CPIR-enabling Servlet tag by performing a mouse-clicking operation.

11. The consumer product information catalog system claim 1, wherein said second Internet information server is an HTTP-type information server.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention generally relates to a novel system and method for collecting consumer-product related information and transmitting and delivering the same along the consumer-product supply and demand chain using the International Information Infrastructure (e.g. the Internet), and more particularly to a novel system and method for delivering consumer product related information to consumers within retail environments using Internet-based information servers and sales agents.

2. Brief Description of the Prior Art

Dissemination of consumer-product information between manufacturers and their retail trading partners must be accurate and timely. The traditional methods of phone calls and faxes are time consuming and resource intensive. An electronic Universal Product Code (UPC) Catalog (i.e. database system), accessible 24 hours a day, is a solution. In 1988, QuickResponse Services (QRS), Inc. Of Richmond, Calif., introduced the first independent product information database, using the retail industry standard UPC numbering system. Today the QRSolutions™ Catalog contains information on over 52 million products from over 1500 manufacturers. The QRSolutions Catalog is a Windows-based application providing a critical information flow link between the retailers and the manufacturers along the supply and demand chain.

After assigning a UPC number to each item, the manufacturer organizes and sends the data via an electronic data interchange (i.e. EDI) transmission, or a tape, to QRS, Inc. to be loaded into the UPC Catalog database. Changes to the data can be made on a daily basis. Retailers with access to a manufacturer's data can view and download the data once it has been added or updated. Automatic update capabilities ensure the most recent UPC data will be in the EDI mailbox of each retailer customer quickly.

The effect of a centralized database such as QRS's UPC Catalog improves the flow of merchandise from the manufacturer to the retailer's selling floor and ultimately to the consumer. With the UPC Catalog, accurate, up-to-date product information is available when the retailer needs it, eliminating weeks from the order cycle time.

In addition to the electronic UPC-based product information subsystem (i.e. UPC Catalog) described above, a number of other information subsystems have been developed for the purpose of providing solutions to problems relating to electronic commerce (EC) merchandising and logistics within the global supply chain. Such ancillary information subsystems include, for example: Sales, Analysis and Forecasting Subsystems for producing and providing retailers with information about what products consumers are buying; Collaborative Replenishment Subsystems for determining what products retailers can buy in order to satisfy consumer demand at any given point of time; and Transportation and Logistics Information Subsystems for producing and providing retailers with information about when products purchased by them (at wholesale) will be delivered to their stores. Typically, such information subsystems are connected to various value added information networks in order to efficiently offer such information services to retailers on a global basis.

While the above-described information systems collectively cooperate to optimize the process of moving raw materials into finished products and into the hands of consumers, such information systems fail to address the information needs of the consumers of retail products who require and desire product-related information prior to, as well as after, the purchase of consumer-products. . Moreover, prior art demand chain management systems operate in an open-loop mode with a "break" in information flow cycle, disabling the manufacturers from communicating with the consumers in an efficient manner to satisfy consumer needs.

Presently, an enormous amount of time, money and effort is being expended by companies in order to advertise and sell their products and services, and to provide product related information, product warranty service and the like after product purchase has taken place. Various types of media for decades have been used to realize such fundamental business functions.

In recent times, there has been a number of significant developments in connection with the global information network called the "Internet", which has greatly influenced many companies to create multi-media Internet Web-sites in order to advertise, sell and maintain their products and services. Examples of such developments include, for example: the World Wide Web (WWW) based on the Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) and the Hypertext Transmission Protocol (HTTP) by Tim Berners-Lee, et al. (See "World-Wide Web: The Information Universe" by Tim Berners-Lee, et al; easy to use Java GUI-based Internet navigation tools, such as the Netscape® browser from Netscape Communications, Inc., the Internet Explorer™ browser from MicroSoft Corporation and the Mosaic™ browser from Spyglass Corporation; and the Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) by Mark Pecse. Such developments in recent times have made it very easy for businesses to create 2-D Hypermedia-based Home Pages and 3-D VR Worlds (i.e. 3-D Web-sites) for the purpose of projecting a desired "corporate image" and providing a backdrop for financial investment solicitation, as well as product advertising, sales and maintenance operations.

Presently, a person desiring to acquire information about any particular product has a number of available search options. In particular, he or she may attempt to directly contact the manufacturer, wholesaler or reseller by telephone, US mail, e-mail, or through the company's World Wide Web-site (WWW), if they have one. In the event one decides to acquire product information through the seller's WWW site, he or she must first determine the location of its WWW site (i.e. Internet address) which oftentimes can involve using Internet Search engines such as Yahoo®, AltaVista™, WebCrawler™, Lycos™, Excite™, or the like. This can be a very time consuming process and can sometimes lead to a dead end. Once the Internet address is obtained, one must then review the home page of the company's Web-site in order to find where information about a particular product resides on the Website, if it so exists. This search process can be both time consuming and expensive (in terms of Internet time) and may not turn up desired information on the product of interest.

In some instances, product brochures bear a preprinted Internet address designed to direct or point prospective customers to a particular Web-site where more detailed product information can be found. A recent example of this "preprinted Web Address" pointing technique is the 1996 product brochure published by the Sony Corporation for its Sony® PCV-70 Personal Computer, which refers prospective customers to the Sony Web Address "http://www.sony.com/pc". While this approach provides a direct way of finding product related information on the Internet, it is not without its shortcomings and drawbacks.

In particular, when a company improves, changes or modifies an existing Web-site which publishes product and/or service advertisements and related information, it is difficult (if not impossible) not to change the Internet locations (e.g. Web addresses) at which such product and/or service advertisements and related information appear. Whenever a company decides or is forced to change any of its advertising, marketing and/or public relations firms, there is a substantial likelihood that new Web-sites will be created and launched for particular products and services, and that the Web addresses of such new Web-sites will no longer correspond with the Web addresses on preprinted product brochures currently in circulation at the time. This can result in pointing a consumer to erroneous or vacant Web-sites, that present either old or otherwise outdated product and/or service information, possibly adversely influencing the consumer's purchasing decision.

Moreover, when a company launches a new Web-site as part of a new advertising and marketing campaign for a particular product, any preprinted advertising or marketing material relating to such products will not reflect the new Web-site addresses which the campaign is promoting. This fact about preprinted advertising media renders it difficult to unify new and old advertising media currently in circulation into an advertising and marketing campaign having a coherent theme. In short, the inherently static nature of the "preprinted Web address" pointing technique described above is wholly incapable of adjusting to the dynamic needs of advertising, marketing and public relations firms alike.

Recently, two different methods have been proposed for providing product information to consumers over the Internet.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,640,193 to Wellner discloses a system and method for accessing and displaying Web-based consumer product related information to consumers using a Internet-enabled computer system, whereby in response to reading a URL-encoded bar code symbol on or associated with a product, the information resource specified by the URL is automatically accessed and displayed on the Internet-enabled computer system. While this system and method enables access of consumer product information related information resources on the WWW by reading URL-encoded bar code symbols, it requires that custom URL-encoded bar code symbols be created and applied to each and every consumer product in the stream of commerce.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,978,773 to Hudetz, et al discloses a solution to the problem presented by the system and method of U.S. Pat. No. 5,640,193, by proposing the use of a UPC/URL database in order to translate UPC numbers read from consumer products by a bar code scanner, into the URLs of published information resources on the WWW relating to the UPC-labeled consumer product.

While U.S. Pat. No. 5,978,773 provides an effective solution to the problem presented by U.S. Pat. No. 5,640,193, it completely fails to recognize or otherwise address the myriad of problems relating to UPC/URL-link collection, management, delivery, access and display along the retail supply and demand chain, which the system and method of U.S. Pat. No. 5,978,773 presents and must be first solved in order deliver a technically feasible, globally-extensive, UPC-driven consumer product information system for the benefit of consumers worldwide.

Thus, it is clear that there is great need in the art for an improved Internet-based method of and system for delivering product related information to the consumers along the entire retail supply and demand chain, while avoiding the shortcomings and drawbacks of prior art systems and methodologies.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a novel method and apparatus for collecting product-related information and transmitting and delivering the same between the manufacturers and retailers of products to the consumers thereof in retail shopping environments as well as at home, work and on the road, while overcoming the shortcomings and drawbacks of prior art systems and methodologies.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such apparatus in the form of a novel consumer-product information collection, transmission and delivery system.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system with an Internet-based product information database subsystem which, for each commercially available consumer-product, stores a number of information elements including: the name of the manufacturer; the Universal Product Code (UPC) assigned to the product by the manufacturer; one or more URLs specifying the location of information resources (e.g. Web-pages) on the Internet relating to the UPC-labeled consumer-product; and the like.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, in which the URLs stored in the Internet-based product information database are categorically arranged and displayed according to specific types of product information (e.g., product specifications and operation manuals; product wholesalers and retailers; product advertisements and promotions; product endorsements; product updates and reviews; product warranty/servicing; related or complementary products; product incentives including rebates, discounts and/or coupons; etc.) that relate to the kind of information required, desired or otherwise sought by consumers, wholesalers, retailers and/or trading partners; product prices at which the products are being offered for sale by a particular retailer; and the like.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the information maintained within the Internet-based product information database management subsystem provides a manufacturer-defined consumer-product directory that can be used by various persons along the retail supply and demand chain.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the manufacturers of consumer-products are linked to the retailers thereof in the middle of the supply and demand chain by allowing either trading partner to access to consumer-product information from the Internet-based product information database virtually 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein consumer-product manufacturers, their advertisers, distributors and retailers are linked to the consumers of such products at the end of the supply and demand chain, by allowing such parties access to consumer-product information from the Internet-based product information database subsystem virtually 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system and method of using the same, which will accelerate the acceptance of electronic commerce on the Internet and the development of the electronic marketplace, which can be used by consumers and small and large businesses alike.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel system and method for finding and serving consumer-product related information on the Internet.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system and method, wherein virtually any type of product can be registered with the system by symbolically linking or relating (i) its preassigned Universal Product Number (e.g. UPC or EAN number) or at least the Manufacture Identification Number (MIN) portion thereof with (ii) the Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) of one or more information resources on the Internet (e.g. the home page of the manufacturer's Web-site) related to such products.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system and method wherein a Web-based document transport subsystem is provided for use by manufacturers as well as their advertisers and agents in registering the UPNs (e.g. UPC numbers) of their products and the URLs of the information resources related to such products.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system with a number of different modes of operation, namely: a Manufacturer/Product Registration Mode, wherein manufacturers can register their companies and consumer products (e.g. UPC numbers and URLs) with the system; an UPN-Directed Information Access Mode, wherein consumers can access and display information menus containing UPC numbers linked to URLs pointing Web pages containing consumer product related information by scanning the UPC label on the consumer product or by entering the UPC number thereof into a data-entry screen displayed by the system in this mode; a Manufacturer Website Search Mode, wherein the home page of a manufacturer's Web-site can be automatically accessed and displayed by scanning the UPC label on any consumer product of the manufacturer or by entering the UPC number thereof into a data-entry screen displayed by the system in this mode; a Trademark-Directed Search Mode enabling consumers to use trademarks and/or tradenames associated with consumer products to search for consumer-product related information registered within the system; and a Product-Description Directed Search Mode enabling consumers to use product descriptors associated with particular consumer products to search for consumer-product related information registered within the system.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein when the system is in its UPN-Directed Information Menu Access Mode, a predesignated information resource (e.g. advertisement, product information, etc.) pertaining to any commercial product registered with the system can be automatically accessed from the Internet and displayed from the Internet browser by simply entering the registered product's UPN into the Internet browser manually or by bar code symbol scanning.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein when the system is in its Trademark-Directed Search Mode, a predesignated information resource (e.g. advertisement, product information, etc.) pertaining to any commercial product registered with the system can be automatically accessed from the Internet and displayed from the Internet browser by simply entering the registered product's trademark(s) and/or associated company name into the Internet browser.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein when the system is in its Product-Description-Directed Search Mode, a predesignated information resource (e.g. advertisement, product information, etc.) pertaining to any commercial product registered with the system can be automatically accessed from the Internet and displayed from the Internet browser by simply entering the registered product's product description into the Internet browser.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein a predesignated information resource pertaining to any commercial product having been assigned a Universal Product Number (UPN) can be accessed from the Internet and displayed from the Internet browser by simply selecting its and then entering the UPN numeric string into an Input Box which pops up on an HTML form displayed by an Internet browser.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system in which a relational database, referred to as "an Internet Product Directory (IPD)," is realized on one or more data-synchronized IPD Servers for the purpose of registering product related information, namely: (i) information representative of commercial product descriptions, the trademarks used in connection therewith, the company names providing and/or promoting such products, the E-mail addresses of such companies, and the corresponding URLs on the Internet specifying current (i.e. up-to-date) Internet Web-site locations providing product-related information customized to such products.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a product information finding and serving system, wherein the URLs symbolically linked to each registered product in the IPD Servers thereof are categorized as relating primarily to Product Advertisements, Product Specifications, Product Updates, Product Distributors, Product Warranty/Servicing, and/or Product Incentives (e.g. rebates, discounts and/or coupons), and that such URL categories are graphically displayed to the requester by way of easy-to-read display screens during URL selection and Web-site connection.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an Internet-based System wherein: (1) manufacturers and their agents are enabled to simply link (i.e. relate), manage and update within a centralized database, the UPC (and/or UPC/EAN) numbers on their products and the Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) of HTTP-encoded document (i.e. Web pages) containing particular kinds of consumer product-related information published on the Internet by the manufacturers, their agents and/or third parties; and (2) consumers, in retail stores, at home, in the office and on the road, are enabled to simply access such consumer product-related information using such UPC (and/or UPC/EAN) numbers and/or by scanning UPC (or UPC/EAN) bar code symbols encoded with such product identification numbers.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel method of carrying out electronic-type commercial transactions involving the purchase of products which are advertised on the Internet at uniform resource locations (URLs) that are registered with the IPI system of the present invention.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel system and method of finding the UPN or USN associated with any particular registered product, respectively, by simply selecting a Java GUI button on the Internet browser display screen in order to enter a "Trademark-Directed Search Mode", whereby (i) a dialogue box is displayed on the display screen requesting any known trademarks associated with the product, and/or the name of the company that makes, sells or distributes the particular product, and (ii) the corresponding UPN (i.e. UPC number or EAN number) registered with the IPD Servers is displayed to the user for acceptance, whereupon the Internet Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) are automatically accessed from the IPD Servers and displayed on the display screen of the Internet browser for subsequent URL selection and Web-site connection.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system and method, wherein during the Trademark-Directed Search Mode, the UPN (e.g. UPC or EAN number) associated with any registered product can be found within the database of the IPD Server using any trademark(s) and/or the company name commonly associated with the product.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel system and method for serving consumer-product related information to Internet users in retail shopping environments (e.g. department stores, supermarkets, superstores, home-centers and the like) as well as at home, work or on the road.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a consumer product information access terminal located at a point-of-sale (POS) station, wherein the bar code symbol reader integrated with the POS station can be used to read the UPC numbers on consumer products being offered for sale in the store in order to access consumer product related information from hyper-linked Web-sites on the Internet, for display on an LCD screen located at the POS station and viewable from various positions by the sales clerk as well as consumer shoppers.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a system and method, wherein one or more computer-based kiosks are installed within retail shopping environments and each such kiosk has an automatic bar code symbol reader for reading the UPC numbers on consumer products being offered for sale in the store, and also an LCD touch-type display screen for displaying product-related information accessed from hyper-linked Web-sites on the Internet.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system and method, wherein one or more computer-based kiosks are installed within retail shopping environments and each such kiosk has an automatic bar code symbol reader for reading the UPC numbers on consumer products being offered for sale in the store, and also a LCD touch-type display screen for displaying product-related information accessed from hyper-linked Web-sites on the Internet.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a consumer product information kiosk, wherein the laser scanning bar code symbol reader can be easily removed from its support stand to scan large consumer products that might be difficult to present within the scanning field while the bar code symbol reader is supported above the LCD display panel.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a consumer product information kiosk, wherein the laser scanning bar code symbol reader has a cordless interface with the kiosk so that it may be moved about within a retail store in a portable manner to scan UPC labels and access consumer product related information.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a consumer product information kiosk for use with the system hereof, that is completely transportable within the store by hand, or may be mounted upon a shopping cart or other vehicle for the convenience of shoppers and the like.

Another object of the present invention is to provide "virtual" or "Cyber" sales and service agents within retail shopping environments by installing the computer-based kiosks of the present invention therein.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a Web-based information delivery system and method, wherein the computer-based kiosks employed throughout the hosting retailer's store are capable of displaying the price of products offered for sale in the store upon reading the UPC bar code symbol thereon.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel method of constructing a relational database for use within the product information finding and serving subsystem of the present invention.

Another method of the present invention is to provide such a method of database construction, wherein the relational database is initially "seeded" with: (i) the Manufacturer Base UPC Numbers based on the six digit UPC Manufacturer Identification Numbers (MIN) assigned to the manufacturers by the UCC and incorporated into the first six characters of each UPC number applied to the products thereof; and (ii) the URLs of the Web-site home pages of such manufacturers.

Another method of the present invention is to provide such a method of database construction, wherein the "seeded" relational database is then subsequently extended and refined with the participation of each registered manufacturer (and/or agents thereof) by adding to the "seeded" database (iii) the 12 digit UPC numbers assigned to each product sold thereby and the menu of URLs symbolically linked to each such corresponding product.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system and method, in which Web-site-based advertising campaigns can be changed, modified and/or transformed in virtually any way imaginable by simply restructuring the symbolic links between the products and/or services in the campaign using current (i.e. up-to-date) Web-site addresses at which Web-site advertisements and information sources related thereto are located on the Internet.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel system and method of automatically soliciting companies to register their products within the databases of such IPD Servers in order that product related information of a multimedia nature (e.g. Web-sites), once registered therewith, can be easily found on the Internet by anyone using the system and method of the present invention.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel system and method for finding and serving consumer-product related information on the Internet, accessible from the Websites of each manufacturer who has registered its UPN/URLs with the system's "central" IPD Database.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system and method, wherein as part of the consumer product registration process, the manufacturer (or retailer) maintains a limited-version of the UPN/URL database which contains a list of categorized URLs for each UPC-encoded product that it sells.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system and method, wherein the consumer product related information links contained within the limited-version of the UPN/URL Database of each registered manufacturer (or retailer) can be accessed from the manufacturer's (or retailer's) company Website and served to consumers requesting such information by way of UPC (or EAN) number entry.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system and method, wherein input HTML forms for searching the limited-version of the UPN/URL Database of each registered manufacturer (or retailer) can be accessed by selecting a predesignated Check Button on the Java GUI to a Website providing access thereto.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system and method, wherein the limited-version of the UPN/URL Database of each registered manufacturer (or retailer) is used to update a "central" or "master" UPN/URL Database which is continuously maintained and made accessible to consumers (i) through Web-based kiosks installed in licensed retail environments and (ii) through Internet-enabled client subsystems located at home, work and school.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system and method, wherein at the time of registering each manufacturer (or retailer) with the system, an Internet-based registration server automatically transmits a computer program to the manufacturer's (or retailer's) computer system for use in constructing and maintaining the limited-version UPN/URL Database related to the manufacturer's (retailer's) products.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system and method, wherein the limited-version UPN/URL Database of each registered manufacturer (or retailer) can be served from the manufacturer's (or retailer's) Internet information server using a Common Gateway Interface program (CGI).

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system and method, wherein the limited-version UPN/URL database of each registered manufacturer (or retailer) is realized using a cross-platform compatible, relational database management system (RDBMS).

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel method of and system for accessing consumer product related information at points within HTML-encoded documents, at which Universal Product Number (UPN) encoded Java Applets are embedded so as to produce, when executed, a consumer product information display enabling ("CPID-enabling") Java-based graphical user interfaces (GUIs) for the convenience of consumers shopping at electronic-commerce (EC) enabled stores, considering the placement of bids at on-line auction sites, or browsing product advertisements appearing on the World Wide Web.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an Internet-based consumer product information collection, managing and delivery system and method, wherein for each consumer product registered within the UPN/URL database of the system, there is created and stored, an interactive consumer product information request (CPIR) enabling Applet (e.g. based on Java™ component principles or MicroSoft's Active-X technology) which, when executed upon the initiation of the consumer through a mouse-clicking operation, automatically causes a preassigned CPID-enabling Java GUI to be displayed at the consumer's point of presence in Cyberspace, revealing the results of a consumer product information display conducted upon the product identified by the UPN encoded within the executed Applet.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such an Internet-based consumer product information collection, managing and delivery system and method, wherein (1) the UPN assigned to a particular consumer product by the manufacturer and (2) the URL of the Java script running on the IPD server of the system are encoded within the CPIR-enabling Applet so that, upon execution of the Applet, a consumer product information display (CPID) Java GUI is automatically produced for the consumer's convenience.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an Internet-based consumer product information collection, managing and delivery system and method, wherein the CPID-enabling Java GUI automatically displays a manufacturer-defined menu (i.e. list) of categorized URLs pointing to information resources on the Internet (e.g. WWW) relating to the consumer product identified by the UPN encoded within the CPIR-enabling Applet.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such an Internet-based consumer product information collection, managing and delivery system and method, wherein CPIR-enabling Applets are created by the system administrator, loaded within the UPN/URL database management subsystem thereof, distributed to retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers, advertisers and others for embedding within HTML-encoded documents associated with EC-enabled stores, catalogs, Internet-based product advertisements, on-line auction sites, and other locations on the WWW where accurate consumer product related information is desired or required without leaving the point of presence on the WWW at which the consumer resides.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such an Internet-based consumer product information collection, managing and delivery system and method, wherein CPIR-enabling Applets are created, distributed, embedded within a HTML-encoded document related to a particular consumer product, and subsequently executed by a consumer so as to access and display a manufacturer-defined menu (i.e. list) of categorized URLs pointing to product-related Web-documents.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such an Internet-based consumer product information collection, managing and delivery system and method, wherein the consumer initiating the execution of a particular CPIR-enabling Applet may be anyone desiring or requiring consumer product related information while interacting with the communication medium provided by the Internet and its supported technologies (e.g. WWW, EC, etc.). As such, the consumer may be a student shopping at an EC-enabled (business-to-consumer) retail store for textbooks, a retail purchasing agent shopping at an on-line (business-to-business) wholesale product catalog for product inventory, a dealer looking to purchase a new or used product listed at an on-line auction site, or anyone encountering an Internet-based advertisement while surfing the WWW.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such an Internet-based consumer product information collection, managing and delivery system and method, wherein a thumb-nail picture, arbitrary graphical object, predesignated CPIR-indicating icon, or hypertext-type link associated with a particular consumer product can be embedded within the CPIR-enabling Applet associated therewith, so as to enable the consumer to produce a CPID-enabling Java GUI upon encountering the same in an HTML-encoded document on the WWW.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such an Internet-based consumer product information collection, managing and delivery system and method, wherein licensed users can download CPIR-enabling Applets from the CPIR-Enabling Applet Library to any client computer for eventual insertion within the HTML code of a particular Web-document to be published on the Internet in accordance with the licensing arrangement between the contracting parties. Such end-use applications might be in EC-enabled retail product catalogs, EC-enabled wholesale/trade catalogs, Internet-based product advertisements, and the like.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such an Internet-based consumer product information collection, managing and delivery system and method, wherein the CPID-enabling Java GUIs enabled by executed CPIR-enabling Applets can function as CPI-serving "cyber-kiosks" that can be installed at any location in Cyberspace for the convenience of consumers residing therewithin without disturbing their point of presence.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel method of and system for delivering consumer product advertisements and consumer product related information to consumers over the WWW involving the use of a single mouse-clicking operation by the consumer.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel method of and system for embedding CPIR-enabling Applets within HTML-encoded consumer product advertisements published over the WWW involving the use of a single mouse-clicking operation by the consumer.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel method of and system for delivering consumer product related information to consumers at on-line auction sites on the WWW involving the use of a single mouse-clicking operation by the consumer.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel method of and system for embedding CPIR-enabling Applets within HTML-encoded on-line auction pages published over the WWW.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new method of and system for purchasing a consumer product over the Internet (e.g. WWW) comprising the steps of: embedding a UPN-encoded CPIR-enabling Applet within the HTML-code of a consumer product advertisement, wherein the CPIR-enabling Applet when executed displays a categorized URL menu containing one or more URLs pointing to one or more EC-enabled stores or on-line catalogs on the WWW at which the consumer product identified by the encoded UPN can be purchased and delivered to a particular address in physical space.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel cyber-kiosk, launchable from predefined points of presence within an EC-enabled store, on-line product catalog or other type of WWW site, for enabling consumers (including retail purchasing agents) to quickly access and display at the predefined point of presence, an interactive menu of categorized URLs pointing to consumer product related information resources published on the WWW and symbolically linked to the UPNs of consumer products within a centralized UPN/URL database management subsystem, by manufacturers and/or their agents.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel EC-enabled product catalog having a library of CPIR-enabling Applets embeddable within graphical images of consumer products in HTML-encoded documents and enabling, when executed, a UPN-directed search within the UPN/URL database management subsystem and the display of an interactive menu of categorized URLs pointing to consumer product related information resources published on the WWW and symbolically linked to the UPNs of consumer products within a centralized UPN/URL database management subsystem, by manufacturers and/or their agents.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel Internet-based electronic commerce (EC) enabled shopping system comprising an Internet information server connected to the infrastructure of the Internet and supporting the hypertext transmission protocol (http), a Web-enabled client subsystem connected to the infrastructure of the Internet, an EC-enabled WWW site comprising a plurality of interlinked HTML-encoded documents arranged and rendered to provide an electronic store environment when served to a consumer operating the Web-enabled client subsystem, wherein the electronic store environment presents a plurality of products for purchase and sale by an EC-enabled payment method supported over the Internet.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such an Internet-based electronic commerce (EC) enabled shopping system, wherein a Java Applet tag, associated with each product, is embedded within at least one of the HTML-encoded documents displayed on the Web-enabled client subsystem, and each Java Applet tag is associated with a Java Applet encoded with the universal product number (UPN) assigned to one of the products, and, when the consumer selects one of the Java Applet tags, the associated Java Applet is automatically executed enabling a search to be conducted against a product information database hosted on an Internet database server connected to the Internet, from which the results of the UPN-specified search are automatically displayed in a GUI served to the Web-enabled client subsystem.

Another object of the present invention is to provide client-side and server CPIR-enabling Java Applets for enabling the consumer product information searches at virtually any consumer point of presence on the WWW by performing a single mouse-clicking operation.

These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent hereinafter and in the Claims to Invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of how to practice the Objects of the Present Invention, the following Detailed Description of the Illustrative Embodiments can be read in conjunction with the accompanying Drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the various information subsystems provided by the consumer-product information collection, transmission and delivery system of invention along the consumer-product demand chain, namely an Internet-based Product-Information (IPI) Finding and Serving Subsystem, a UPC-based Product-Information Subsystem ("UPC Catalog"), an Electronic Trading Information Subsystem, a Sales Analysis and Forecasting Information Subsystem, Collaborative Replenishment Information Subsystem, and a Transportation and Logistics Information Subsystem;

FIGS. 2-1 and 2-2 show a schematic diagram of the consumer-product information collection, transmission and delivery system of the illustrative embodiment hereof shown embedded with the infrastructure of the global computer communications network known as the "Internet", and comprising a plurality of data-synchronized Internet Product Directory (IPD) Servers connected to the infrastructure of the Internet, a UPN/URL Database Subsystem (i.e. UPN/URL Database) connected to one or more of the IPD Servers and one or more globally-extensive electronic data interchange (EDI) networks, a Web-based Document Server connected to at least one of the IPD Servers and the Internet infrastructure, a Web-based Document Administration Computer connected to the Web-based Document Server by way of a TCP/IP connection, a plurality of manufacturer-related electronic-commerce (EC) information servers for hosting EC-enabled stores or EC-enabled on-line catalogues of manufacturers, a plurality of retailer-related electronic-commerce (EC) information servers for hosting EC-enabled stores or EC-enabled on-line catalogues of retailers, a plurality of Internet Product-Information (IPI) Servers connected to the infrastructure of the Internet for serving consumer-product related information to consumers in retail stores and at home, a plurality of Client Subsystems connected to the infrastructure of the Internet and allowing manufacturers to transmit consumer-product related information to the Web-based Document Server for collection and retransmission to the IPD Servers, and a plurality of Client Subsystems connected to the infrastructure of the Internet and allowing consumers in retail stores and at home to request and receive consumer-product related information from the IPD Servers;

FIG. 2A is a schematic diagram illustrating the flow of information along the consumer-product supply and demand chain, including (i) the communication link extending between the information subsystems of manufacturers of UPC-encoded products and the centralized (or master) UPN/URL Database Management Subsystem 9 of the consumer-product information collection, transmission and delivery system of the present invention, (ii) the communication link extending between the UPN/URL Database Management Subsystem and the IPD Servers of the present invention, (iii) the communication link extending between the IPD Servers and in-store Client Subsystems of retailers, (iv) the communication link extending between the IPI Servers and the in-store Client Subsystems of retailers, (v) the communication link extending between the IPD Servers and the Client Subsystems of consumers, (vi) the communication link extending between the IPI Servers and the Client Subsystems of consumers, and (vii) the communication link extending between the UPN/URL Database Management Subsystem and the EC-enabled UPN-based Consumer Product Catalogue Server(s) of the present invention for providing consumer product catalogue services to retailer purchasing agents and others and enabling the on-line purchase of consumer products between trading partners (e.g. manufactures and retailers) using EDI (or XML/EDI) based business-to-business electronic commerce transactions;

FIG. 2B1 is a block schematic diagram of the IPD Server of the first illustrative embodiment, showing its subsystem components namely a relational database management subsystem (RDBMS) server and a Java Web Server with Java servlet support, being accessed by a Java-enabled client machine seeking to access consumer product related information from the RDBMS server using server-side Java Applets whose HMTL tags are embedded within HTML-encoded documents served to the client machine from any one of a number of potential http information servers on the Internet;

FIG. 2B2 is a block schematic diagram of the IPD Server of the second illustrative embodiment, showing its subsystem components namely a relational database management subsystem (RDBMS) server and a Java Web Server with CGI script support, being accessed by a Java-enabled client machine seeking to access consumer product related information from the RDBMS server using client-side Java Applets whose HTML tags are embedded within HTML-encoded documents served to the client machine from any one of a number of potential http information servers on the Internet;

FIG. 2B3 is a block schematic diagram of the IPD Server of the third illustrative embodiment, showing its subsystem components, namely: a relational database management subsystem (RDBMS) server and a Java Web Server being accessed by a Java-enabled client machine seeking to access consumer product related information from the RDBMS server using (i) a socket connection between the client machine and the Java Web server and (ii) client-side Java Applets whose HMTL tags are embedded within HTML-encoded documents served to the client machine from any one of a number of potential http information servers on the Internet;

FIG. 2B4 is a block schematic diagram of the IPD Server of the fourth illustrative embodiment, showing its subsystem components, namely: a relational database management subsystem (RDBMS) server and a Java Web Server being accessed by a Java-enabled client machine seeking to access consumer product related information from the RDBMS server using (i) a Remote Method of Invocation (RMI) and (ii) client-side Java Applets whose HMTL tags are embedded within HTML-encoded documents served to the client machine from any one of a number of potential http information servers on the Internet;

FIG. 2C is a schematic representation of a portion of the system shown in FIGS. 2-1 and 2-2, wherein a plurality of manufacturer-operated client subsystems are shown connected to a local or wide area IP-based network, preferably maintained behind a secure corporate firewall, and the secured manufacturer information network is connected to the infrastructure of the Internet by way of an Internet router and server, for the purpose of enabling different departments within a business organization (e.g. marketing, sales, engineering, support and service, advertising, finance, etc.) manage different types of UPN/URL links based on the type of information contained within the URL-specified information resource on the WWW;

FIG. 3A1 is a graphical representation of a first illustrative embodiment of the client computer system of the present invention, designed for use in desktop environments at home, work and play;

FIG. 3A2 is a graphical representation of a second illustrative embodiment of the client computer system of the present invention realized in the form of a bar code driven multi-media kiosk, designed for use as a "virtual or Cyber sales agent" in retail shopping environments, such as department stores, supermarkets, superstores, retail outlets and the like;

FIG. 3A3 is a graphical representation of a third illustrative embodiment of the client computer system of the present invention realized in the form of a bar code driven multi-media kiosk, designed for use as a "Cyber sales agent" in retail shopping environments such as department stores, supermarkets, superstores, retail outlets and the like, and shown as having an integrated "cord-connected" type laser scanning bar code symbol reader disposed overhead its LCD touch-screen panel, a telephone handset for carrying out telephone calls, and a credit card transaction terminal for conducting consumer purchase transactions and other forms of electronic commerce while using the consumer product information finding system of the present invention;

FIG. 3A3′ is a graphical representation of the bar code driven multi-media kiosk shown in FIG. 3A3, wherein the laser scanning projection-type bar code symbol reader is removed from its support stand, by pulling its connector cable out of its cable take-up unit, and used to read a bar code symbol on product located a relatively short distance away from the kiosk;

FIG. 3A4 is a graphical representation of a fourth illustrative embodiment of the client computer system of the present invention realized in the form of a bar code driven multi-media kiosk, designed for use as a "Cyber sales agent" in retail shopping environments such as department stores, supermarkets, superstores, retail outlets and the like, and shown as having an integrated "cordless" type laser scanning bar code symbol reader disposed overhead its LCD touch-screen panel, a telephone handset for carrying out telephone calls, and a credit card transaction terminal for conducting consumer purchase transactions and other forms of electronic commerce while using the consumer product information finding system of the present invention;

FIG. 3A4′ is a graphical representation of the bar code driven multi-media kiosk shown in FIG. 3A4, wherein the laser scanning projection-type bar code symbol reader is removed from its support stand and used to read a bar code symbol on a product located a relatively short distance away from the kiosk;

FIG. 3A5 is a graphical representation of a fifth illustrative embodiment of the client computer system of the present invention realized in the form of a consumer product information access terminal, designed for use as a "sales agent's tool" at a point-of-sale (POS) station in retail shopping environments, wherein the information access terminal has a bar code symbol reader integrated with the POS station for reading the UPC numbers on consumer products being offered for sale in the store, and also a LCD screen capable of being mounted in various viewing positions for displaying consumer product-related information accessed from a centralized database interconnected to the Internet;

FIG. 3A6 is a graphical representation of a sixth illustrative embodiment of the client computer system of the present invention realized in the form of a bar code driven multi-media kiosk, which is completely transportable within the store by the hand of a shopper for shopping convenience in retail environments such as department stores, supermarkets, superstores, retail outlets and the like;

FIG. 3A7 is a graphical representation of a seventh illustrative embodiment of the client computer system of the present invention realized in the form of a bar code driven multi-media kiosk, mounted upon a shopping cart or other vehicle for shopping convenience in retail environments such as department stores, supermarkets, superstores, retail outlets and the like;

FIG. 3A8 is a schematic representation of another embodiment of the transportable bar code driven product information access terminal of the present invention, realized using a Newton MessagePad 130 equipped with Nethopper http client software and a Motorola RF modem PCMCIA card, for wireless access to the Internet;

FIG. 3B is a schematic representation of an exemplary display screen produced by a (graphical user interface) Java GUI-based web browser program running on a client subsystem and providing an on-screen IPD Web-site Find Button (e.g. UPC REQUEST™ Central Website Find Button) for instantly connecting to the IPD Web-site (e.g. UPC REQUEST™ Central Website) and carrying out the consumer product information finding and serving method of the present invention;

FIG. 3C is a schematic representation of an exemplary display screen produced by a Java GUI-based Internet browser or communication program running on a client subsystem and displaying a Netscape-style browser "display framework", served from the IPD Web-site (e.g. UPC REQUEST™ Central Website), and supporting or providing a sponsor frame for sponsor advertisement, a control frame with Check-Box type buttons for activating any mode of the IPI finding and serving subsystem, and an information frame for displaying HTML documents (instructions, forms, and the like) in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 4A1 is a schematic representation of the relational-type IPI Registrant Database maintained by each IPD Server configured into the system of the illustrative embodiment of the present invention, showing the information fields for storing (i) the information elements representative of the UPN (e.g. UPC data structure, EAN data structure, and/or National Drug Code (NDC) data structure), URLs, trademark(s) (TM_i), Company Name (CNi) and company address, Product Description (PD_i), E-Mail Address (EMA_i) thereof symbolically-linked (i.e. related) for a number of exemplary IPI Registrants listed (i.e. registered) with the IPI Registrant Database maintained by each IPD Server, image files for registered consumer products, and consumer product information request (CPIR) enabling Applets for access by retailers, wholesalers, advertisers, Web publishers, and the like, and insertion within the HTML code of Web documents on various types of Internet information servers hosting WWW sites, as well as EC-enabled WWW-sites, EC-enabled stores and/or on-line e-commerce product catalogues, so that when executed, these CPIR-enabling Applets automatically access a categorized URL menu containing URLs (identified in FIG. 4A2) specifying the location of manufacturer-linked information resources on the Internet pertaining to a particular UPN-labeled product;

FIG. 4A2 is a schematic representation of the information subfield structure of the URL Information Field of the IPI Database of FIG. 4A1, showing the Product Advertisement Information Field, the Product Specification (Description/Operation) Information Field, the Product Update Information Field, the Product Distributor/Reseller/Dealer Information Field, the Product Warranty/Servicing Information Field, the Product Incentive Information Field thereof, the Product Review Information Field, the Related Products Information Field, and Miscellaneous Information Fields detailed hereinafter;

FIG. 4B is a schematic representation of the relational-type Non-IPI Registrant Database maintained by each IPD Server that is configured into the IPI Finding and Serving Subsystem of the illustrative embodiment of the present invention, showing the information fields for storing (i) the information elements representative of the Company Name (CNi) and Company Address, Trademark(s) (TM_i) registered by the associated Company, E-Mail Address (EMA_i) thereof symbolically-linked for a number of exemplary Non-IPI registrants listed within the Non-IPI Registrant Database maintained by each IPD Server, and CPIR enabling Applets for access by retailers, wholesalers, advertisers, Web publishers, and the like, and insertion within the HTML code of Web documents on various types of Internet information servers hosting WWW sites, as well as EC-enabled WWW-sites, EC-enabled stores and/or on-line e-commerce product catalogues, for the purpose described above;

FIG. 4C is a schematic representation of the structure of a relational database management subsystem (RDBMS) used to carry out a best-mode embodiment of the IPI Registrant Database represented in FIGS. 4A1 and 4A2 hereof;

FIG. 4C1 is a schematic representation illustrating the information fields of the table entitled "Manufacturer" used in the RDBMS shown in FIGS. 4A1 and 4A2 hereof;

FIG. 4C2 is a schematic representation illustrating the information fields of the table entitled "Consumer Product" used in the RDBMS shown in FIGS. 4A1 and 4A2 hereof;

FIG. 4C3 is a schematic representation illustrating the information fields of the table entitled "Information Resources on the WWW" used in the RDBMS shown in FIGS. 4A1 and 4A2 hereof;

FIG. 4D is a schematic representation illustrating the information fields of the table entitled "Retailer" used in the RDBMS shown in FIGS. 4A1 and 4A2 hereof;

FIGS. 4E1 and 4E2, taken together, provide a high-level flow chart describing the steps involved in the first illustrative method of creating, loading, distributing, embedding, displaying, and executing "server-side" consumer product information request (CPIR) enabling Applets when using the system architecture and servlet-based search and display mechanism schematically depicted in FIG. 2B1, enabling consumers to automatically search the RDBMS for consumer product information related to a particular UPN-specified product while visiting EC-enabled stores and other WWW sites without disturbing the point of presence of the consumer;

FIG. 4F1 is a schematic representation illustrating the method of FIGS. 4E1 and 4E2 being carried out using certain subcomponents of the system depicted in FIGS. 2-1, 2-2, and 2B1, in particular;

FIG. 4F2 is a schematic representation illustrating in greater detail the Applet-embedding step of the method of FIGS. 4E1 and 4E2, carried out using certain subcomponents of the system depicted in FIGS. 2-1 and 2-2;

FIGS. 4G1 and 4G2, taken together, provide a high-level flow chart describing the steps involved in the second illustrative method of creating, loading, distributing, embedding, displaying, and executing "client-side" consumer product information request (CPIR) enabling Applets when using the system architecture and Applet/CGI-based search and display mechanism schematically depicted in FIG. 2B2, enabling consumers to automatically search the RDBMS for consumer product information related to a particular UPN-specified product while visiting EC-enabled stores and other WWW sites without disturbing the point of presence of the consumer;

FIG. 4H1 is a schematic representation illustrating the method of FIGS. 4G1 and 4G2 being carried out using certain subcomponents of the system depicted in FIGS. 2-1, 2-2, and 2B2, in particular;

FIG. 4H2 is a schematic representation illustrating in greater detail the Applet-embedding step of the method of FIGS. 4G1 and 4G2, carried out using certain subcomponents of the system depicted in FIGS. 2-1 and 2-2;

FIGS. 4I1 and 4I2, taken together, provide a high-level flow chart describing the steps involved in the second illustrative method of creating, loading, distributing, embedding, displaying, and executing "client-side" consumer product information request (CPIR) enabling Applets when using the system architecture and Applet/socket-based search and display mechanism schematically depicted in FIG. 2B3, enabling consumers to automatically search the RDBMS for consumer product information related to a particular UPN-specified product while visiting EC-enabled stores and other WWW sites without disturbing the point of presence of the consumer;

FIG. 4J1 is a schematic representation illustrating the method of FIGS. 4I1 and 4I2 being carried out using certain subcomponents of the system depicted in FIGS. 2-1, 2-2, and 2B3, in particular;

FIG. 4J2 is a schematic representation illustrating in greater detail the Applet-embedding step of the method of FIGS. 4I1 and 4I2, carried out using certain subcomponents of the system depicted in FIGS. 2-1 and 2-2;

FIGS. 4K1 and 4K2, taken together, provide a high-level flow chart describing the steps involved in the fourth illustrative method of creating, loading, distributing, embedding, displaying, and executing "client-side" consumer product information request (CPIR) enabling Applets when using the system architecture and Applet/RMI-based search and display mechanism schematically depicted in FIG. 2B4, enabling consumers to automatically search the RDBMS for consumer product information related to a particular UPN-specified product while visiting EC-enabled stores and other WWW sites without disturbing the point of presence of the consumer;

FIG. 4L1 is a schematic representation illustrating the method of FIGS. 4K1 and 4K2 being carried out using certain subcomponents of the system depicted in FIGS. 2-1, 2-2, and 2B4, in particular;

FIG. 4L2 is a schematic representation illustrating in greater detail the Applet-embedding step of the method of FIGS. 4K1 and 4K2, carried out using certain subcomponents of the system depicted in FIGS. 2-1 and 2-2;

FIG. 4M1 is a graphical illustration of an Internet browser display screen that might be displayed on a client computer subsystem hereof while browsing the Library of CPIR-Enabling Java Applet (HMTL tags) maintained within the UPN/URL RDBMS shown in FIGS. 2-1 through 2A, wherein the user (e.g. retail purchasing agent, product catalog manager, advertising agent, or whomever) is provided with the option of viewing and downloading, for each UPN-specified product in the system, an executable file containing the HTML tag for either a client-side or server-side type CPIR-enabling Java Applet associated therewith;

FIG. 4M2 is a graphical illustration of an Internet browser display screen that might be displayed on a client computer subsystem hereof while browsing a product-specific page of an on-line business-to-business consumer product catalog, wherein the user (e.g. retail purchasing agent, product catalog manager, advertising agent, or whomever) is provided with the option of viewing and downloading, for each UPN-specified product offered for sale in the on-line catalog, an executable file containing the HTML tag for either a client-side or server-side type CPIR-enabling Java Applet associated with the UPN-specified consumer product;

FIGS. 4N1 and 4N2 set forth graphical illustrations of Internet browser display screens that might be displayed on a client computer subsystem hereof while browsing a WWW information search engine or directory, such as Yahoo, Lycos, or Excite, looking for information on the WWW related to a particular consumer product, and launching a CPI search enabling GUI in accordance with the principles of the present invention by clicking on the (underlying) HMTL tag of either client-side or server-side Applet embedded within the HTML code of the displayed WWW page associated with the search engine/directory;

FIGS. 4O1 and 4O2 set forth graphical illustrations of Internet browser display screens that might be displayed on a client computer subsystem hereof while shopping/browsing an EC-enabled storefront, looking for information on any consumer product which is carried within the retailer's EC-enabled store; and launching a CPI search enabling GUI in accordance with the principles of the present invention by clicking on the HMTL tag of a client-side or server-side Applet embedded within the HTML code of the displayed E-store Web page;

FIGS. 4P1 and 4P2 set forth graphical illustrations of Internet browser display screens that might be displayed on a client computer subsystem hereof while shopping/browsing at a particular catalog page in an EC-enabled store, considering whether or not to make an on-line purchase of a particular consumer product displayed on the catalog page; and then initiating a UPN-directed CPI search according to the principles of the present invention by clicking on the HMTL tag of a UPN-encoded client-side or server-side Applet embedded within the HTML code of the displayed catalog page;

FIGS. 4Q1 and 4Q2 set forth graphical illustrations of Internet browser display screens that might be displayed on a client computer subsystem hereof while visiting an on-line EC-enabled auction site (e.g. at http://www.ebay.com) when considering whether or not to place a bid on a particular consumer product displayed within the auction listings thereof, and then launching a CPI search enabling GUI in accordance with the principles of the present invention by clicking on the HMTL tag of a URL-encoded client-side or server-side Applet embedded within the HTML code of the displayed on-line auction Web page;

FIGS. 4R1 and 4R2 set forth graphical illustrations of Internet browser display screens that might be displayed on a client computer subsystem hereof while shopping/browsing at a particular auction page in the EC-enabled auction site of FIGS. 4Q1 and 4Q2, considering whether or not to place at bid on a particular product up being auctioned; and then initiating a UPN-directed CPI search according to the principles of the present invention by clicking on the HMTL tag of a UPN-encoded client-side or server-side Applet embedded within the HTML code of the displayed auction page;

FIGS. 4S1 and 4S2 set forth graphical illustrations of Internet browser display screens that might be displayed on a client computer subsystem hereof while browsing a WWW page of any business, organization or ongoing concern, seeing an Internet product or service advertisement of particular interest on the WWW page, and then initiating a UPN-directed CPI search according to the principles of the present invention by clicking on the HMTL tag of a UPN-encoded client-side or server-side Applet embedded within the HTML code of the displayed WWW page;

FIG. 5A is a schematic diagram illustrating the high level structure of communication protocol that can be used among the client subsystem C_a, the IPD Server S_b, and the Web-based Document Server S_WD(30) of the IPI Finding And Serving Subsystem hereof when, from any particular client subsystem, the subsystem is engaged is in Manufacturer/Product Registration Mode of operation, requesting as input a URL which automatically connects the client subsystem to the Web Document Server associated with the Manufacturer/Product Registration Subsystem of the present invention;

FIG. 5B is a schematic diagram illustrating the high level structure of a communication protocol that can be used among the client subsystem C_a, the IPD Server S_b, and the IPI Server S_c of the IPI Finding and Serving Subsystem hereof when the subsystem is in its Manufacturer Website Search Mode of operation, requesting as input a UPN (e.g. UPC or EAN) associated with a manufacturer's product, and providing as output the URL of the home page of the manufacturer's Web-site and automatically displaying the same;

FIG. 5C is a schematic diagram illustrating the high level structure of a communication protocol that can be used among the client subsystem C_a, the IPD Server S_b, and the IPI Server S_c of the IPI Finding And Serving Subsystem hereof when the subsystem is in its UPN-Directed Information Access Mode of operation, requesting as input a UPN associated with the consumer product, and providing as output the set of URL(s) registered with the consumer product identified by the UPN within the database of the system and pointing to HTML-encoded documents containing particular types of product-related information;

FIG. 5D is a schematic diagram illustrating the high level structure of a communication protocol that can be used among the client subsystem C_a, the IPD Server S_b, and the IPI Server S_c of the IPI Finding And Serving Subsystem hereof when the subsystem is in its Trademark-Directed Search Mode of operation, requesting as input a trademark and/or company name, and providing as output the product descriptor(s) and a UPN (or set thereof) related to the trademark within the database of the system and pointing to HTML-encoded documents containing particular types of product-related information;

FIG. 5E is a schematic diagram illustrating the high level structure of a communication protocol that can be used among the client subsystem C_a, the IPD Server S_b, and the IPI Server S_c of the IPI Finding And Serving Subsystem hereof when the subsystem is in its Product-Description Directed Search Mode of operation, requesting as input a product descriptor related to the consumer product on which information is sought and providing as output the trademark, company name and URL(s) related to the product descriptor within the database of the system and pointing to HTML-encoded documents containing particular types of product-related information;

FIG. 6A provides a high level flow chart illustrating the steps involved in carrying out the communication protocol shown in FIG. 5A when the IPI Finding and Serving Subsystem is in its Manufacturer/Product Registration Mode of operation;

FIG. 6B provides a high level flow chart illustrating the steps involved in carrying out the communication protocol shown in FIG. 5B when the IPI Finding and Serving Subsystem is in its Manufacturer Website Search Mode of operation;

FIG. 6C provides a high level flow chart illustrating the steps involved in carrying out the communication protocol shown in FIG. 5D when the IPI Finding and Serving Subsystem is in its UPN-Directed Information Access Mode of operation;

FIGS. 6D1 through 6D3, taken together, provide a high level flow chart illustrating the steps involved in carrying out the communication protocol shown in FIG. 5C when the IPI Finding and Serving Subsystem is in its Trademark-Directed Search Mode of operation;

FIGS. 6E1 through 6E3, taken together, provide a high level flow chart illustrating the steps involved in carrying out the communication protocol shown in FIG. 5E when the IPI Finding and Serving Subsystem is in its Product-Description Directed Search Mode of operation;

FIG. 7 is a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of the IPI Finding and Delivery Subsystem of the present invention showing the various constituent subsystems thereof; and

FIG. 8 is a schematic representation of a portfolio of Web-sites supported and managed by the UPN/URL database management subsystem with the assistance of the manufacturer/product registration subsystem and Web-enabled client subsystems operated by manufacturers and/or their agents in accordance with the information management principles of the present invention.

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Referring to the accompanying Drawings, like structures and elements shown throughout the figures thereof shall be indicated with like reference numerals.

Overview of the System of the Present Invention

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the consumer-product information collection, transmission and delivery system of the present invention is generally indicated by reference numeral 1 and comprises an integration of information subsystems, namely: an IPI finding and serving subsystem 2 for allowing consumers to find product related information on the Internet (e.g. WWW) at particular Uniform Resource Locators (URLs), using UPC numbers and/or trademarks and tradenames symbolically-linked or related thereto; a UPC Product-Information Subsystem ("UPC Catalog") 3 for providing retailers with accurate up-to-date product information on numerous consumer-products offered for wholesale to retailers by manufacturers registering their products therewith; a Electronic Trading Information Subsystem 4 for providing trading partners (e.g. a manufacturer and a retailer) to sell and purchase consumer goods by sending and receiving documents (e.g. purchase orders, invoices, advance slip notices, etc.) to consummate purchase and sale transactions using either Value Added Network (VAN) based EDI transmission or Internet (e.g. HTTP, SMTP, etc.) based electronic document communications; a Sales Analysis and Forecasting Information Subsystem 5 for providing retailers with information about what products consumers are currently buying at retail stores or expect to be buying in the near future; Collaborative Replenishment Information Subsystem 6 for determining what products retailers can be buying in order to satisfy consumer demand at any given point in time; a Transportation and Logistics Information Subsystem 7 for providing retailers with information about when ordered products (purchased by retailers at wholesale) will be delivered to the retailer's stores; and Input/Output Port Connecting Subsystems 8 for interconnecting the input and output ports of the above-identified subsystems through the infrastructure of the Internet and various value-added EDI networks of global extent. Notably, unlike prior art supply chain management systems, the consumer-product information collection, transmission and delivery system of the present invention embraces the manufacturers, retailers, and consumers of UPC-encoded products, and not simply the manufacturers and retailers thereof. As will become apparent hereinafter, this important feature of the present invention allows manufacturers and retailers to deliver valuable product related information to the consumers of their products, thereby increasing consumer purchases, consumer satisfaction and consumer loyalty. Prior art supply chain management systems have no way or means of providing such information services to the consumers of UPC-encoded products along the consumer-product supply and demand chain.

As shown in FIGS. 2-1 and 2-2, the consumer-product information collection, transmission and delivery system of FIG. 1 is realized as an arrangement of system components, namely: a central UPN/URL Database Management Subsystem 9 for storing and serving various types of consumer-product information to retailers, manufacturers and consumers alike (e.g., the name of the product's manufacturer; the Universal Product Code (UPC) or European Article Number (EAN) assigned to the product by the manufacturer; one or more URLs specifying the location of information resources on the Internet at which particular kinds of information relating to the consumer-product can be found; merchandise classification; style number; tradename; information specifying the size, color and other relevant characteristics of the consumer-product, where applicable; ordering criteria; availability and booking dates, etc.); a globally-based (packet-switched) digital telecommunications network (such as the Internet) 10 having an infrastructure including Internet Service Providers (ISPs), Network Service Providers (NSPs), routers, telecommunication lines, channels, etc., for supporting packet-switched type digital data telecommunications using the TCP/IP networking protocol well known in the art; one or more Internet Product Finding Directory (IPD) Servers, each indicated by reference numeral 11 and being connected to the Internet at strategically different locations via the Internet infrastructure 10 and data-synchronized with each other in order that each such Server maintains mirrored a relational-type database structure as represented in FIGS. 4A and 4B; a plurality of Internet Product-Information (IPI) Servers, each indicated by reference numeral 12 and being connected to the Internet via the Internet infrastructure; a plurality of retailer-related electronic-commerce (EC) information servers 12A, each operably connected to the infrastructure of the Internet, and enabling the hosting or one or more EC-enabled stores or EC-enabled on-line catalogues (i.e. EC-enabled WWW sites) owned, operated, managed and/or leased by one or more retailers along the retail supply and demand chain; a plurality of manufacturer-related electronic-commerce (EC) information servers 12B, each operably connected to the infrastructure of the Internet, and enabling the hosting or one or more EC-enabled stores or EC-enabled on-line catalogues (i.e. EC-enabled WWW sites) owned, operated, managed and/or leased by one or more manufacturers along the retail supply and demand chain; a plurality of User (or Client) Computers, each indicated by reference numeral 13, being connected to the Internet via the Internet infrastructure and available to consumers (C₁, C₂, C₃, . . . , C_i); one or more data communication (i.e. EDI) networks 14, comprising data collection nodes 15 and communication links 16, operably connected to the centralized UPN/URL Database Management Subsystem 9, each Client Computer 13 available to a Manufacturer (M₁, M₂, M₃, . . . , M_j) and Retailer (R₁, R₂, R₃, . . . , R_k) within the retail supply and demand chain; a Web-based Document Server 30 connected to at least one of the IPD Servers 11 and the Internet infrastructure, for transferring documents and messages to remote Client Computer Systems during the registration of manufacturers and consumer products with the system hereof and periodically updating product-related information with the IPD Servers 11 in an automatic manner; and a Web-based Document Administration Computer 31 connected to the Web-based Document Server 30 by way of a TCP/IP connection 32, for administrating the registration of manufacturers and products with the system, initiating the transfer of consumer product related information (e.g. menu of URLs) between the remote Client Computer Systems and Web-Based Document Server 30, transferring such information to the IPD Servers 11, and maintaining local records of such information transfers and the like. As will become apparent hereinafter, Web-based Document Server 30 and Web-based Document Administration Computer 31 provide a subsystem for (i) managing the process of registering qualified manufacturers and their consumer products and related Web pages (e.g. UPC numbers and URLs), and (ii) updating the product-related information with the IPD Servers 11 in an automatic manner to ensure accurate links between UPNs and URLs within the UPN/URL Database Management Subsystem. The subsystem comprising the Web-based Document Server 30 and Web-based Document Administration Computer 31 shall be referred to as the Manufacturer/Product Registration Subsystem of the consumer product information finding and delivery subsystem 2 and indicated by reference numeral 33 throughout the figure drawings hereof.

Preferably, the centralized UPN/URL Database Management Subsystem 9 and at least one of the IPD Servers 11 are located at a secured information storage/processing center 17, along with a multiprocessor (or mainframe) computer system, information servers, routers, data communication lines, disk storage devices (e.g. RAIDs), tape drives and tape-library system, uninterrupted power supplies (UPS), and other peripheral technology to provide on-line, batch and back-up operations. However, the IPI Servers, the Client Computers and the other IPD Servers (if provided for database mirroring purposes), typically will be located throughout the world, as the distribution of manufacturers, retailers and consumers who are encouraged to use the system is scattered across the Planet.

In the illustrative embodiment, the Web-based Document Server 30 is a Windows NT Server running WebDox™ Server software from Premenos Corporation of Concord, Calif. The Windows NT Server can be realized using a suitable computer system having a Pentium® or higher CPU, 64 MB of RAM or higher, running (i) Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 or higher Operating System software from Microsoft Corporation, (ii) Microsoft Internet Information Server 2.0 or higher from Microsoft Corporation, and (iii) Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 or higher software from Microsoft Corporation. Also, the WebDox™ Server is provided with a dedicated Internet connection (i.e. ISDN or better) to the Internet infrastructure 10.

The EDI administration computer 31 is either a Windows 95 or Windows NT Computer system running WebDox Admin™ software from Premenos Corporation of Concord, Calif. The Windows 95 or Windows NT computer system 31 can be realized using a suitable computer system having an Intel 486 or higher CPU, 12 MB of RAM or higher, running Microsoft Windows 95 or Windows NT 4.0 or higher, and having a TCP/IP connection 31 to the WebDoX™ Server 30.

In order to use the WebDox™ system, each remote Client Computer System 13 includes either a Windows 95 or Windows NT Computer system running WebDox Remote™ software from Premenos Corporation of Concord, Calif. The Windows 95 or Windows NT computer system 13 can be realized using a suitable computer system having an Intel 486 or higher CPU, 16 MB of RAM or higher, and a VGA monitor or better, and running (i) Microsoft Windows 95 or Windows NT 3.51 or higher Operating System (OS) software, and (ii) Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 or higher from Microsoft Corporation. Also, the WebDox Remote™ Server is provided with a dial-up Internet connection (i.e. 14,400 bps or better) to the Internet infrastructure. The function of the Web-based Document Server 30, Web-based Administration System 31 and remote client subsystems 13 running the Premenos® WebDox Remote™ software is to provide a Web-based Document Transport System for automatically transferring information (e.g. UPN/URLs) from manufacturers to the IPD Servers of the system in order to periodically update the same. While the illustrative embodiment of this Web-based Document Transport System has been described in terms of its implementation using the WebDox™ system from Premenos, it is understood that other commercially available electronic document transport systems (e.g. COMMERCE:FORMS™ Electronic Business Forms Package from Sterling Commerce, Inc., http://www.stercomm.com) can be used to carry out this subsystem. The operation of this Web-Based Document Transport System will be described in detail hereinafter with respect to the collection and delivery of consumer product-related information to the IPDs hereof.

The major subsystem components comprising the consumer-product information collection, transmission and delivery system of the present invention will be described in greater detail below.

In the illustrative embodiment of the present invention, the UPC Product-Information Subsystem 2 is realized using the UPN/URL Database Management Subsystem 9 and data communication networks 14 shown in FIGS. 2-1 and 2-2. Preferably, the product procurement services delivered by the UPN/URL Database Management Subsystem 9 are provided by modifying the prior art QRSolutions UPC Catalog currently implemented by QuickResponse Services, Inc., so that this subsystem includes the database structures (i.e. information fields and data elements) of the IPD Database Server 11 which are neither found in nor suggested by the prior art QRSolutions UPC Catalog. The structure and operation of the UPN/URL Database Management Subsystem and IPD Server of the present invention will be described in greater detail hereinafter. The information services supported by the UPC Product-Information Subsystem 3 include those provided by the prior art QRSolutions UPC Catalog, and also a number of additional information services that can be used to carry out Product Registration within the IPI Finding and Serving Subsystem of the present invention. These additional information services will be described in greater detail hereinafter with reference to FIG. 2A.

The Electronic Trading Information Subsystem 4 is realized using the UPN/URL Database Management Subsystem 9, Client Computer Systems 13 and data communication networks 14 of the technology platform shown in FIGS. 2-1 and 2-2. Preferably, the inventory procurement services delivered by the Electronic Trading Subsystem 4 are provided by the prior art QRSolutions Econnect and Electronic Data Interchange Services currently being implemented by QuickResponse Services, Inc.

Sale Analysis and Forecasting Information Subsystem 5 is realized using information storage/processing center 1, Client Computer Systems 13, and the data communication networks 14 of the enabling technology platform shown in FIGS. 2-1 and 2-2. Preferably, the product inventory management services delivered by the Sale Analysis and Forecasting Information Subsystem 5 are provided by the prior art QRSolutions Sale Analysis and Forecasting Information Services currently being implemented by QuickResponse Services, Inc.

The Collaborative Replenishment Information Subsystem 4 is realized using information storage/processing center 17, Client Computer Systems 13 and the data communication networks 114 of the enabling technology platform shown in FIGS. 2-1 and 2-2. Preferably, the product inventory management services delivered by the Collaborative Replenishment Information Subsystem 6 are provided by the prior art QRSolutions Replenishment Services currently being implemented by QuickResponse Services, Inc.

The Transportation and Logistics Information Subsystem 7 is realized using information storage/processing center 17, Client Computer Systems 13, and the data communication networks 14 of the enabling technology platform shown in FIGS. 2-1 and 2-2. Preferably, the product distribution management services delivered by the Transportation and Logistics Information Subsystem 7 are provided by the prior art QRSolutions EDI and Logistics Management Services currently being implemented by QuickResponse Services, Inc.

In the illustrative embodiment of the system of the present invention, each Client Computer Subsystem 13 has a conventional Java GUI-based web browser program (e.g. Netscape, Internet Explorer, Mosaic, etc.) with a plug-in type module, such as CyberFinder™ navigational software by Aladdin Systems, Inc., of Watsonville, Calif., that provides an on-screen graphical icon for a "IPI Web-site Find" function. An exemplary display screen 18 produced by such a Java GUI-based web browser program is set forth in FIG. 3B. Alternatively, the URL of the home page of the IPI Web-site can be recorded as a browser "bookmark" for easy recall and access through a conventional Java GUI-based Internet browser. Once at the home page of the IPI Web-site, an Internet user can find product-related information on the Internet in essentially the same way as when using the web browser program of FIG. 3B. As shown, the on-screen radio button 19 functions as an "IPI Web-site Find" Button (or Consumer Product Information Button) for instantly connecting the client subsystem to a particular IPI Web-site (i.e. hosted on each mirrored IPD Server) and especially adapted for carrying out the IPI finding and serving method of the present invention. As will be described in greater detail hereinafter, examples of "IPI Web-sites" can include, but are not limited to: (1) one or more mirrored UPC Request Central Web-sites from which consumer product information from all manufacturers is available for access to consumers from predetermined Internet domains; and (2) an UPC Request Retail Web-site, for each retailer, wherein consumer product information associated with only manufacturers of products offered by the retailer is available for access to consumers from predetermined Internet domains within physical retail "brick and mortar" stores and "electronic commerce enabled stores.

In general, each IPI Web-site can be sponsored by a retail store subscribing to the consumer product information service hereof, or by one or manufacturers and/or service providers. The URL for the home page of any particular IPI Web-site can be selected with marketing considerations in mind, for example, "http://www.ipf.com" or "http://www.upcrequest.com" similar in form with the URLs of other information search-engines and directories currently available on the Internet. Upon selecting the IPI Web-site Find Button 19 (e.g. by a clicking of the mouse thereon shown in FIGS. 3B and 3C), the user is automatically connected to the home-page of the IPI Web-site (hosted on each mirrored IPD Server) which, as shown in FIGS. 3B and 3C, supports a Netscape-style "framework", within which web pages accessed through the IPI web-site are displayed. An excellent tutorial on "framing" entitled "The Netscape Frames Tutorial™ (2nd edition)" by Charlton D. Rose set forth at the URL: "http://www.newbie.net/frames/", last visited by Applicant on Mar. 26, 1997.

In general, the HTML-encoded documents served from the IPD Servers 11 hereof to the client subsystems 13 hereof will preferably have a three-field Netscape-style display framework which provides a unique and effective way of satisfactorily addressing the needs of consumers, hosting retailers, manufacturers and the IPI provider(s)/publishers alike. In practice, the Netscape-style browser "framework" can simultaneously accommodate the needs of the consumers using the particular Client Subsystems of the present invention, as well as the needs of the retailers who typically will host client subsystems hereof either (1) physically within their stores, and/or (2) electronically on their WWW sites using Web browser framing techniques as well.

As shown in FIG. 3C, the first (top-most) display field, the sponsor frame 20A, can be used to display to the consumer, a Web page (e.g. HTML-encoded document) containing a message that the IPI Finding and Serving Subsystem is being delivered to the consumer by the IPI Provider under, for example, the sponsorship of either: (1) the hosting retailer; (2) one or more advertisers posting advertising "banners" in the display frame 20A; or (3) the consumer himself/herself by paying a subscription fee or the like. Understandably, the method of sponsorship employed will vary from embodiment to embodiment of the present invention. An exemplary message for this display screen might read, for example, as follows: