Patent US6408331B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6408331B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Computer linking methods using encoded graphics
Assignee: Digimarc Corp
•
Filing: 1999-09-29
•
Granted: 2002-06-18
•
Expires: 2019-09-29
Abstract
Abstract A data object comprises both a graphic and embedded link information, such as the URL address of a network node, thereby permitting the graphic object to serve as a link usable by an internet browser or the like.
Inventors
- 👤 Geoffrey B. Rhoads
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 12:31
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L67/00; H04L67/01; H04L67/02; B; B42; B42D; B42D25/00; B42D25/30; B42D25/328; G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/90; G06F16/95; G06F16/955; G06K; G06K19/00; G06K19/06; G06K19/06009; G06K19/06037; G06K19/06046; G06K19/08; G06K19/10; G06K19/14; G06K19/18; G06K7/00; G06K7/10; G06K7/14; G06K7/1404; G06K7/1408; G06K7/1417; G06K7/1439; G06K7/1447; G06Q; G06Q20/00; G06Q20/30; G06Q20/34; G06Q20/341; G06Q20/38; G06Q20/40; G06Q20/401; G06Q20/4014; G06Q20/40145; G06T; G06T1/00; G06T1/0021; G06T1/005; G06T1/0064; G07; G07C; G07C9/00; G07C9/20; G07C9/22; G07C9/25; G07C9/253; G07D; G07D7/00; G07D7/003; G07D7/0034; G07D7/004; G07F; G07F17/00; G07F17/16; G07F17/26; G07F7/00; G07F7/08; G07F7/086; G07F7/10; G07F7/1008; G11; G11B; G11B20/00; G11B20/00086; G11B20/00884; G11B20/00891; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/00838; H04N1/0084; H04N1/00843; H04N1/00846; H04N1/32; H04N1/32101; H04N1/32144; H04N1/32149; H04N1/32154; H04N1/3216; H04N1/32203; H04N1/32208; H04N1/32251; H04N1/32288; H04N1/32352; G06K2019/06215; G06K2019/06253; G06T2201/00; G06T2201/005; G06T2201/0065; G06T2201/0081; H04N1/32106; H04N1/32122; H04N2201/00; H04N2201/32; H04N2201/3201; H04N2201/3225; H04N2201/3226; H04N2201/3233; H04N2201/3249; H04N2201/3269; H04N2201/327; H04N2201/3271; H04N2201/3274
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
65 words
A method comprising: providing an encoded physical medium including a graphic, the graphic having machine readable linking information encoded therein, the encoded linking information indicating a computer implemented process; sensing the graphic, yielding graphic data; decoding the machine readable information from the graphic data; and invoking the computer implemented process; wherein said machine readable information is decoded from graphic data having substantially non-uniform pixel values.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
65 words
A method comprising: providing an encoded physical medium including a graphic, the graphic having machine readable linking information encoded therein, the encoded linking information indicating a computer implemented process; sensing the graphic, yielding graphic data; decoding the machine readable information from the graphic data; and invoking the computer implemented process; wherein said machine readable information is decoded from graphic data having substantially non-uniform pixel values.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the machine readable linking information includes a uniform resource locator, and the computer implemented process indicated by the machine readable linking information is a web page.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 2 in which the invoking comprises establishing a communications link with the web page, and displaying the web page on a display screen.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 in which the machine readable information includes at least part of an internet address, and the computer implemented process is invoked by addressing said address.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1 in which the sensing comprises optically sensing.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 5 in which the sensing comprises sensing with a linear array of sensors.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 5 in which the sensing comprises sensing with a two-dimensional array of sensors.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 in which the computer implemented process comprises rendering instructions including HTML instructions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 in which the graphic is printed on said medium.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 in which the graphic is steganographically encoded with the machine readable linking information.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
67 words
A method comprising: providing an encoded physical medium, including a graphic wherein machine readable linking information has been encoded, the encoded linking information indicating a computer implemented process; in response to the user selecting the graphic, decoding the machine readable information encoded within the graphic; and invoking the computer implemented process; wherein said machine readable linking information is decoded from a graphic having substantially non-uniform pixel values.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
67 words
A method comprising: providing an encoded physical medium, including a graphic wherein machine readable linking information has been encoded, the encoded linking information indicating a computer implemented process; in response to the user selecting the graphic, decoding the machine readable information encoded within the graphic; and invoking the computer implemented process; wherein said machine readable linking information is decoded from a graphic having substantially non-uniform pixel values.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
144 words
An encoded physical medium suitable for use in interfacing a computer user and a computer system such that the user can invoke and interface with a web site by way of the encoded physical medium and the computer system, the encoded physical medium comprising a graphic wherein machine readable linking information has been encoded, the encoded linking information indicating a particular web site, the computer system operable to establish a communication link with the web site when the graphic is selected by the computer user, the graphic displaying human readable information in the form of at least one graphical icon, the at least one graphical icon providing an indication of at least one characteristic of the particular web page to which the encoded linking information directs the computer system, wherein said machine readable information is encoded in a graphic having substantially non-uniform pixel values..
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
144 words
An encoded physical medium suitable for use in interfacing a computer user and a computer system such that the user can invoke and interface with a web site by way of the encoded physical medium and the computer system, the encoded physical medium comprising a graphic wherein machine readable linking information has been encoded, the encoded linking information indicating a particular web site, the computer system operable to establish a communication link with the web site when the graphic is selected by the computer user, the graphic displaying human readable information in the form of at least one graphical icon, the at least one graphical icon providing an indication of at least one characteristic of the particular web page to which the encoded linking information directs the computer system, wherein said machine readable information is encoded in a graphic having substantially non-uniform pixel values..
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 11 wherein the graphic includes plural colors.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 11 wherein the machine readable linking information includes a uniform resource locator, and the computer implemented process indicated by the machine readable linking information is a web page.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the invocation of the computer implemented process includes: establishing a communication link between the computer system and the web page; and displaying the web page upon a display screen of the computer system.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
11 words
The medium of claim 15 wherein the graphic includes plural colors.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3845391A
Cited
US3894756A
Cited
US3891829A
Cited
US3984624A
Cited
US4131367A
Cited
US4238849A
Cited
US4345011A
Cited
US4414635A
Cited
US4379947A
Cited
US4325083A
Cited
US4313197A
Cited
US4528588A
Cited
US4395600A
Cited
US4367488A
Cited
US4380027A
Cited
US4547074A
Cited
US4425642A
Cited
US4547804A
Cited
US4675746A
Cited
US4672605A
Cited
US4888798A
Cited
US4597495A
Cited
US4750173A
Cited
US5053956A
Cited
US4679068A
Cited
US4977594A
Cited
US4855827A
Cited
US4751571A
Cited
US4807031A
Cited
US4855725A
Cited
US4917500A
Cited
US4965449A
Cited
US4998010A
Cited
US5113518A
Cited
US4947028A
Cited
US4947028B1
Cited
US5146457A
Cited
US4969041A
Cited
US5023907A
Cited
US4908836A
Cited
US5047614A
Cited
US4990092A
Cited
US4990092B1
Cited
US5484292A
Cited
US5138712A
Cited
US5059126A
Cited
US5303388A
Cited
US5452414A
Cited
US5103459B1
Cited
US5103459A
Cited
US5905248A
Cited
US5886337A
Cited
EP0493091A1
Cited
US5202828A
Cited
US5341293A
Cited
US5229841A
Cited
US5288976A
Cited
US5339095A
Cited
US5459489A
Cited
US5650608A
Cited
US5319735A
Cited
US5243423A
Cited
US5495581A
Cited
US5262860A
Cited
US5524933A
Cited
US5721788A
Cited
US5586216A
Cited
US5739814A
Cited
US5659164A
Cited
US5337358A
Cited
US5298731A
Cited
US5809317A
Cited
US5428731A
Cited
US5413486A
Cited
US5857038A
Cited
US5545883A
Cited
US5496071A
Cited
US5437552A
Cited
US5652626A
Cited
US5657462A
Cited
US5463209A
Cited
US5548645A
Cited
US5495411A
Cited
US5461711A
Cited
US5553143A
Cited
US5466158A
Cited
US5385371A
Cited
US5872589A
Cited
US5537336A
Cited
US5636276A
Cited
US5932863A
Cited
US5493677A
Cited
US5862321A
Cited
US5604516A
Cited
US5624265A
Cited
US5597307A
Cited
US5640193A
Cited
US5869819A
Cited
US5652714A
Cited
US5801687A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-06-17 | 2005-12-17 | 2006-06-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-06-17 | 2009-12-17 | 2010-06-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-06-17 | 2013-12-17 | 2014-06-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |