Methods and apparatus for disseminating product information via the internet using universal product codes

Claim 3

The method set forth in claim 1 wherein said portion is the company code portion of a said particular universal product code and wherein said particular Internet address specifies the location of an Internet resource operated on behalf of the manufacturer specified by said company code portion.

Claim 4

The method set forth in claim 1 wherein said information describing the product designated by said particular universal product code is expressed in eXtensible Markup Language.

Claim 5

The method set forth in claim 2 wherein said information describing the product designated by said particular universal product code is expressed in eXtensible Markup Language.

Claim 6

Apparatus for delivering product information via the Internet which comprises, in combination: a first computer connected to the Internet for producing a web page containing at least one hypertext link to product information, said hypertext link containing a reference which includes at least a portion of a particular universal product code which designates a particular product, a second computer connected to the Internet for maintaining a cross-referencing database storing information and operating as a cross-referencing resource which associates universal product codes and corresponding Internet addresses identifying remote resources from which data may be retrieved which describes the products identified by said universal product codes, said second computer including means for responding to a request message containing a least a portion of a given universal product code by transmitting a response message specifying the corresponding Internet address from which information describing the product designed by said universal product code may be retrieved and to which said request message should be redirected, and a third computer connected to the Internet for executing a web browser program, said web browser program comprising means for retrieving said web page from said first computer, means for identifying said hypertext link in said web page and transmitting a first request message to said cross-referencing resource, said request message containing at least a portion of said particular universal product code to obtain from said second computer a response message specifying a particular universal product code to which said first request message should be redirected, and means automatically responsive to the receipt of said response message for transmitting a second request message to said to said particular Internet address to retrieve product information describing the product designated by said particular universal product code, and means for receiving and displaying said product information returned to said third computer in response to said second request message.

Claim 7

Apparatus for delivering product information via the Internet which comprises, in combination: a first computer connected to the Internet for producing a web page containing at least one hypertext link to product information, said hypertext link containing a reference which includes at least a portion of a particular universal product code which designates a particular product, a second computer connected to the Internet for maintaining a cross-referencing database storing information and operating as a cross-referencing resource which associates universal product codes and corresponding Internet addresses identifying remote resources from which data may be retrieved which describes the products identified by said universal product codes, said second computer including means for responding to a request message containing a least a portion of a given universal product code by transmitting a response message specifying the corresponding Internet address from which information describing the product designed by said universal product code may be retrieved and to which said request message should be redirected, and a third computer connected to the Internet for executing a web browser program, said web browser program comprising means for retrieving said web page from said first computer, means for identifying said hypertext link in said web page and transmitting a first request message to said cross-referencing resource, said request message containing at least a portion of said particular universal product code to obtain from said second computer a response message specifying a particular universal product code to which said first request message should be redirected, and means automatically responsive to the receipt of said response message for transmitting a second request message to said to said particular Internet address to retrieve product information describing the product designated by said particular universal product code, and means for receiving and displaying said product information returned to said third computer in response to said second request message.

Claim 8

The apparatus set forth in claim 5 wherein said response message takes the form of a hypertext transport protocol response message which includes a location header field containing a destination URL specifying said particular Internet address whereby said request message is redirected to said particular destination URL.

Claim 9

The apparatus set forth in claim 5 wherein said database stores a company code portion of a said universal product code and wherein said corresponding Internet address specifies the location of an Internet resource operated on behalf of the entity specified by said company code portion.

Claim 10

The apparatus set forth in claim 5 wherein said cross-referencing resource is the Internet Domain Name Service.

Claim 11

The apparatus set forth in claim 8 wherein said product information is expressed in extensible markup language.

Claim 12

The apparatus set forth in claim 9 wherein said web browser displays said product information in accordance with stylesheet information specified on said web page.

Claim 13

The apparatus set forth in claim 10 wherein said product information satisfies the validity requirements contained in a predetermined standard XML Document Type Definition for product information.

Claim 14

The apparatus set forth in claim 10 wherein said product information conforms to a schema expressed in accordance with the Resource Description Framework (RDF) and Syntax Specification.

Claim 15

The apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said reference in said web page is contained in a hypertext link anchored by a visual element which is retrieved from said second computer by said web browser program when said web page is displayed, said visual element having content which is dependent upon the nature of the information stored in said database relating to said particular universal product code.

Claim 16

The apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein said visual element is an image file transmitted to said web browser from said second computer in response to an image request message containing at least a portion of said particular universal product code.