System and method for finding product and service related information on the internet

Abstract

A system for finding information about a particular consumer product on the Internet, comprising a relational database for storing information elements representative of universal product numbers (UPNs) assigned to consumer products and registered with the relational database, and a trademark (TM), a product description (PD), and a plurality of uniform resource locators (URLs) symbolically linked to each UPN, specifying the location of information resources on the Internet related to a product. When a request is made by an Internet-enabled client for information about a product registered with the relational database, the UPN, TM and/or PD contained in the request is automatically recovered by an Internet information server and is used to automatically access the URLs symbolically linked to the UPN, TM, and/or PD and stored in the relational database, thereby allowing a consumer to select one or more of the URLs and display the information resources specified thereby.

1 . A method of finding information pertaining to a particular consumer product on the Internet, said method comprising the steps: 
 (a) storing in a relational database, information elements representative of 
 (1) a plurality of universal product numbers (UPNs) assigned to a plurality of consumer products associated with one or more manufacturers and registered with said relational database, and  
 (2A) a trademark (TM) symbolically linked to each said UPN,  
 (2B) a product description (PD) symbolically linked to each said UPN, and  
 (2C) a plurality of uniform resource locators (URLs) symbolically linked to each said UPN,  
 wherein each said URL specifies the location of an information resource located on the Internet and related to a particular consumer product, and  
 wherein a UPN/TM/PD/URL data link is created and maintained in said relational database for each consumer product registered with said relational database;  
   (b) operably connecting an Internet information server to the infrastructure of the Internet and said relational database server, so as to enable said Internet information server to service a request made by an Internet-enabled client system, for information on the Internet about one of said plurality of consumer products registered with said relational database;    (c) operably connecting a plurality of Internet-based product information servers, to the infrastructure of Internet, in which information resources related to one or more of said plurality of consumer products and are stored at said plurality of URLs;    (d) operably connecting an Internet-enabled client system to the infrastructure of the Internet so as to enable a consumer to transmit a request for consumer product information on the Internet about a consumer product registered with said relational database, wherein each said request may include either the UPN, TM and/or PD symbolically linked to the UPN assigned to a registered consumer product on which consumer product information on the Internet is being sought by a consumer using said Internet-enabled client system; and    (e) automatically receiving at said Internet information server, the request transmitted by said Internet-enabled client system, and recovering the UPN, TM and/or PD contained in said request so as to enable said Internet information server to access said plurality of URLs symbolically linked to the UPN, TM, and/or PD and stored in said relational database, and then transmit said accessed plurality of URLs to said Internet-enabled client computer for use in accessing information resources stored in said Internet-based product information servers, at said plurality of URLs;    (f) automatically analyzing said request received at said Internet information server during step (e) to determine whether the consumer product assigned to the recovered UPN or its associated TM and/or PD is registered with said relational database; and    (g) automatically serving to said Internet-enabled client system, said plurality of URLs symbolically linked to the recovered UPN or its associated TM and/or PD registered with said relational database, so that a consumer can select one or more of said URLs and display the information resources specified thereby.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said UPN assigned to each said consumer product is a unique Uniform Product Code (UPC) number assigned to said consumer product.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said Internet-enabled client system comprises an Internet browser program enabling either the UPN, TM and/or PD symbolically linked to the UPN of a registered consumer product, to be used to access consumer product information contained within said Internet-based product information servers on the Internet.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said information resources contain multi-media information content.  
     
     
         5 . A system for finding information pertaining to a particular consumer product on the Internet, comprising: 
 a relational database for storing information elements representative of 
 (1) a plurality of universal product numbers (UPNs) assigned to a plurality of consumer products associated with one or more manufacturers and registered with said relational database, and  
 (2A) a trademark (TM) symbolically linked to each said UPN,  
 (2B) a product description (PD) symbolically linked to each said UPN, and  
 (2C) a plurality of uniform resource locators (URLs) symbolically linked to each said UPN,  
 wherein each said URL specifies the location of an information resource located on the Internet related to a particular consumer product, and  
 wherein a UPN/TM/PD/URL data link is created and maintained in said relational database for each consumer product registered with said relational database;  
   an Internet information server, operably connected to the infrastructure of the Internet and said relational database server, and being capable of servicing a request made by an Internet-enabled client system, for information on the Internet about one of said plurality of consumer products registered with said relational database;    a plurality of Internet-based product information servers, each operably connected to the infrastructure of Internet and storing information resources located at one or more of said plurality of URLs stored in said relational database, and being related to one or more of said plurality of consumer products; and    a plurality of Internet-enabled client systems, each being operably connected to the infrastructure of the Internet and being capable of transmitting a request for consumer product information on the Internet about a consumer product registered with said relational database,    wherein each said request may include either the UPN, TM and/or PD symbolically linked to the UPN assigned to a registered consumer product on which consumer product information on the Internet is being sought by a consumer using one of said plurality of Internet-enabled client systems,    whereby each request transmitted by one of said plurality of Internet-enabled client systems is received by said Internet information server, and the UPN, TM and/or PD contained in said request is automatically recovered by said Internet information server and used to automatically access said plurality of URLs symbolically linked to the UPN, TM, and/or PD and stored in said relational database, and said plurality of URLs accessed from said relational database are transmitted to said Internet-enabled client computer for use in accessing information resources stored in said Internet-based product information servers, at said plurality of URLs; and    wherein said request received at said Internet information server is automatically analyzed to determine whether the consumer product assigned to the recovered UPN or its associated TM and/or PD is registered with said relational database, and automatically serves to said Internet-enabled client system, said plurality of URLs symbolically linked to the recovered UPN or its associated TM and/or PD registered with said relational database, so that a consumer can select one or more of said URLs and display the information resources specified thereby.    
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein said UPN assigned to each said consumer product is a unique Uniform Product Code (UPC) number assigned to said consumer product.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein said Internet-enabled client system comprises an Internet browser program enabling either the UPN, TM and/or PD symbolically linked to the UPN of a registered consumer product, to be used to access consumer product information contained within said Internet-based product information servers on the Internet.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein said information resources contain multi-media information content.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein each said Internet-enabled client system is a computer system selected from the group consisting of a mobile hand-held computer, a desktop computer, a network computer and an Internet terminal.