US6415291B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System and methods for remotely accessing a selected group of items of interest from a database
Assignee: Civix DDI LLC
•
Filing: 2001-03-23
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Granted: 2002-07-02
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Expires: 2021-03-23
Abstract
Abstract A user can access a common database from a remote communications port, at any qualified location, to generate a map or other positional information which locates selected items of interest, e.g., businesses, stores, architectural sites, and the like. The database contains information representing the items of interest, including, for each of the items of interest, positional coordinates, a geographic vicinity, and a selected category. The positional coordinates discretely locate the vicinity, while the vicinity specifies the exact locations of the items of interest in the selected category. For example, a user in New York can select the display of sporting shops in the area surrounding Chicago O'Hara International Airport selectively. A user can also access a port and display locations of items of interest within the same vicinity as the user and relative to the user's position. The database can be modified from qualified remote locations to change, or add to, the information therein. An advertisement can be tagged to the display or print out as an association with the selected items of interest.
Inventors
- 👤 W. Lincoln Bouve
- 👤 William T. Semple
- 👤 Steven W. Oxman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 17:11
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04W; H04W4/00; H04W4/02; G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/20; G06F16/24; G06F16/245; G06F16/2457; G06F16/24575; G06F16/29; G06F16/90; G06F16/95; G06F16/953; G06F16/9537; G06Q; G06Q20/00; G06Q20/30; G06Q20/32; G06Q20/322; G06Q20/3224; G06Q30/00; G06Q30/02; G06Q30/0241; G06Q30/0251; G06Q30/0261; G07; G07F; G07F19/00; G07F19/20; G07F19/201; H04L; H04L67/00; H04L67/01; H04L67/12; H04L67/50; H04L67/52; H04L67/75; H04L9/00; H04L9/40; H04W4/029; H04L69/00; H04L69/30; H04L69/32; H04L69/322; H04L69/329; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/912; Y10S707/918; Y10S707/919; Y10S707/922; Y10S707/99931; Y10S707/99933; Y10S707/99934; Y10S707/99941; Y10S707/99944; Y10S707/99945; Y10S707/99948
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
106 words
A system for determining the position of one or more items of interest in a selected category, comprising: a database for storing information about the items of interest, the information including, for each of the items of interest, at least one associated category and spatial detail defining a geographic position; and a plurality of ports for accessing the database through the Internet, each port having a user interface for accepting inputs by a user of the system and for indicating to the user the geographic position of one or more of the items of interest, the user inputs defining the category associated with items of interest.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
106 words
A system for determining the position of one or more items of interest in a selected category, comprising: a database for storing information about the items of interest, the information including, for each of the items of interest, at least one associated category and spatial detail defining a geographic position; and a plurality of ports for accessing the database through the Internet, each port having a user interface for accepting inputs by a user of the system and for indicating to the user the geographic position of one or more of the items of interest, the user inputs defining the category associated with items of interest.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
A system of claim 1 , wherein the items of interest comprise one or more business categories.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
A system of claim 1 , wherein the port comprises a computer display.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
A system of claim 1 , wherein the port comprises a printer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
A system of claim 1 , wherein the database further comprises additional detail about at least one item of interest, such that the user can access the additional detail through the user interface.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
A system of claim 5 , wherein the additional detail comprises information about the one item of interest.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
A system of claim 6 , wherein the additional detail comprises an advertisement about the one item of interest.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
A system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the ports comprises a graphic display.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the ports comprises a voice-recognition user interface to accept inputs from the user.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
A system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the ports comprises a speaker for indicating to the user the position of at least one item of interest.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the ports repeatedly updates its geographic position as input to the system.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
A system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the ports automatically updates and displays its position for the user.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
A system of claim 12 , wherein at least one of the ports comprises a GPS receiver for defining a geographic position of the user.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
101 words
A method for determining the position of one or more items of interest in a selected category, comprising: storing information about the items of interest in a database, the information including, for each of the items of interest, at least one associated category and spatial detail defining a geographic position; and supplying information about at least one of the items of interest to one of a plurality of ports, connected to the database at least in part through the Internet, in response to inputs at the one port, wherein a user at the port may locate the one item of interest.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
101 words
A method for determining the position of one or more items of interest in a selected category, comprising: storing information about the items of interest in a database, the information including, for each of the items of interest, at least one associated category and spatial detail defining a geographic position; and supplying information about at least one of the items of interest to one of a plurality of ports, connected to the database at least in part through the Internet, in response to inputs at the one port, wherein a user at the port may locate the one item of interest.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method of claim 14 , wherein the step of supplying comprises relaying information through a cellular communications link to a phone.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method of claim 14 , further comprising the step of hierarchically displaying geographical information at the one port in response to user inputs at the port.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method of claim 14 , wherein the step of supplying comprises relaying information through a cellular communications link to a laptop computer.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method of claim 14 , wherein the step of supplying comprises supplying the information items within a radius about the one port.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method of claim 18 , further comprising selecting the radius at the remote port.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method of claim 14 , further comprising inputting a distinct address at the remote port.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method of claim 14 , wherein the step of supplying information comprises supplying advertising information about a business.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method of claim 21 , further comprising storing the advertising information in a database and updating the advertising information remotely from the database.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method of claim 21 , wherein the step of supplying information comprises supplying one or more of video clips and digitized images related to the one item of interest.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-07-01 | 2005-12-31 | 2006-07-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-07-01 | 2009-12-31 | 2010-07-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-07-01 | 2013-12-31 | 2014-07-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |