System and method for advertising goods and services using a short identifying code

Abstract

A system and method of providing advertising information from a database of advertising listings using a short, easy to remember alphanumeric identifying code associated each listing. The codes are promoted through various known advertising methods. A consumer, upon observing the ad and the code, can obtain additional information regarding the subject matter of the ad by accessing the system and entering the code. The system receives the request and the code from the consumer and transmits the listing of interest to the consumer. In order to keep the codes short while still providing a large number of listings, each code may be associated with multiple listings. The system may filter the listings associated with a requested code using various data, and may also transmit to the consumer a list of such listings from which the consumer may select the listing of interest.

1 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A computer-implemented method of creating a database of a plurality of listings each associated with an identifying code, each listing having information obtained from an advertiser and associated with a subject matter, the method comprising the following steps:
 a computing system receiving a plurality of requests for creating a listing from one or more advertisers, each request having respective information regarding the subject matter of the respective listing;   the computing system creating a listing in the database for each request using the respective information for each respective listing and assigning an listing alphanumeric code having no more than 6 characters to each listing, wherein the listing alphanumeric code for at least one of the listings is associated with more than one of the listings in the database.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the alphanumeric codes are assigned to each listing sequentially as each listing is created by the computing system, and then the alphanumeric codes are repeated once all alphanumeric codes have been assigned at least once. 
     
     
         21 . A computer-implemented method of providing information to a consumer from a plurality of listings in a database, using an identifying code, each listing having information obtained from an advertiser and associated with a good or service, the method comprising the following steps:
 a computing system receiving a plurality of requests for creating a listing from one or more advertisers, each request having respective information regarding the subject matter of the respective listing;   the computing system creating a listing in the database for each request using the respective information for each respective listing and assigning a listing alphanumeric code having no more than 6 characters to each listing, wherein the listing alphanumeric code for at least one of the listings is associated with more than one of the listings in the database.   the computing system receiving a request from the consumer via an electronic communication network for a listing of interest, the request including a requested code comprising an alphanumeric code associated with the listing of interest;   accessing the database comprising the listings;   the computing system determining at least one matching listing in the database having an associated listing alphanumeric code which matches the requested code; and   the computing system transmitting the at least one matching listing to the consumer, via said electronic communication network.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising the steps of:
 the computing system transmitting a list of more than one matching listing to the consumer, each listing of said matching listings being associated with the requested code, wherein each listing of the matching listings is for a different good or service; and   the computing system receiving a selection from the consumer of one or more listings from the list of matching listings; and   the computing system transmitting to the consumer the one or more listings selected by the consumer via the electronic communication system.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 the computing system receiving geographical data from the consumer indicating the geographical location of the consumer; and   the computing system determining the listing of interest from the more than one listings associated with the requested code based on the geographical data.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19 , the method further comprising:
 the computing system receiving geographical data from the consumer indicating the geographical location of the consumer; and   the computing system determining from the more than one listing associated with said requested code the more relevant listings based on the geographical data;   the computing system transmitting a list of the more relevant listings to the consumer; and   the computing system receiving from the consumer a selection from the list of the more relevant listings.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 the computing system receiving data from the consumer which can be used to determine which of the more than one listing associated with the requested code are more relevant to the consumer; and   the computing system determining the listing of interest from the more than one listing associated with said requested code based on the data.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 the computing system receiving data from the consumer which can be used to determine which of the more than one listing associated with said requested code are more relevant to the consumer; and   the computing system determining from the more than one listing associated with said requested code the more relevant listings based on said data;   the computing system transmitting a list of the more relevant listings to the consumer; and   the computing system receiving from the consumer a selection from the list of the more relevant listings.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the data comprises an IP address. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the data comprises an IP address. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the data comprises one or more of the following:
 an IP address, a telephone number, an area code, a postal code, or a category of goods or services. 
 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the data comprises one or more of the following:
 an IP address, a telephone number, an area code, a postal code or a category of goods or service. 
 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 receiving information from the consumer and transmitting the information to the advertiser for the listing of interest; and   receiving information from the advertiser for the listing of interest and transmitting the information to the consumer.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 receiving information from an advertiser for a listing;   creating a listing using the information and entering the listing into the database, and associating the listing with its alphanumeric code; and   providing the advertiser with the alphanumeric code for the listing.   
     
     
         33 . A system for creating a database of a plurality of listings each associated with an identifying code, each listing having information obtained from an advertiser and associated with a subject matter, the method comprising the following steps, the system comprising:
 a computing system configured to perform a process comprising:
 receiving a plurality of requests for creating a listing from one or more advertisers, each request having respective information regarding the subject matter of the respective listing; 
 creating a listing in the database for each request using the respective information for each respective listing and assigning an listing alphanumeric code having no more than 6 characters to each listing, wherein the listing alphanumeric code for at least one of the listings is associated with more than one of the listings in the database. 
   
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the alphanumeric codes are assigned to each listing sequentially as each listing is created by the computing system, and then the alphanumeric codes are repeated once all alphanumeric codes have been assigned at least once.