System and method of using machine-readable or human-readable linkage codes for accessing networked data resources

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein the linkage code is a bar code symbol, and wherein the step of inputting comprises the step of scanning the bar code symbol with a bar code scanning device connected to the client computer.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 wherein the linkage code is a human-readable alphanumeric text string, and wherein the step of inputting comprises the step of typing in the alphanumeric text string with a keyboard connected to the client computer.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 wherein the URL template is retrieved from a local cache stored on the client computer.

Claim 6

The method of claim 4 wherein the local cache comprises a plurality of template records, each record comprising a server identification code, an associated URL template, and an expiration date.

Claim 7

The method of claim 5 wherein the client computer uses the SID from the linkage code to retrieve the associated URL template and expiration date, and wherein the template record is not used if the current date is later than the expiration date.

Claim 8

The method of claim 6 wherein the URL template is retrieved from a routing server when the current date is later than the expiration date.

Claim 9

The method of claim 7 wherein the routing server access a template database and returns to the client computer a URL template and a current expiration date associated with the server identification code.

Claim 10

The method of claim 8 wherein the client computer updates the local cache with the URL template and the current expiration date received from the routing server.

Claim 11

The method of claim 1 wherein the URL template is retrieved from a routing server by sending the server identification code from the client computer to the routing server.

Claim 12

The method of claim 10 wherein the routing server uses the server identification code to look up the associated URL template in a template database.

Claim 13

The method of claim 1 wherein the URL template is further completed by filling in user data.

Claim 14

The method of claim 12 wherein the user data comprises a user identification number.

Claim 15

The method of claim 12 wherein the user data comprises the gender of the user.

Claim 16

The method of claim 12 wherein the user data comprises the age of the user.

Claim 17

The method of claim 12 wherein the user data comprises the preferred language of the user.

Claim 18

The method of claim 12 wherein the user data comprises the predefined interests of the user.

Claim 19

The method of claim 12 wherein the user data comprises the geographic location of the user.

Claim 20

The method of claim 12 wherein the user data is retrieved from memory in the client computer.

Claim 21

The method of claim 12 wherein the user data is retrieved from a user database located on a registration server.

Claim 22

The method of claim 20 wherein the user database is populated by a user during a registration process.

Claim 23

The method of claim 12 wherein the information server uses, in addition to the item identification code, the user data in order to determine the location of the primary content file.

Claim 24

The method of claim 1 wherein the information server provides the client computer with the primary content file by redirecting the client computer to a content server computer by sending a primary URL to the client computer indicating the location of the primary content file.

Claim 25

The method of claim 1 wherein the information server provides the client computer with the primary content file by providing the primary content file from local storage.

Claim 26

The method of claim 13 wherein the information server logs the primary content URL request in a hit log.

Claim 27

The method of claim 25 wherein the information server communicates with the registration server to determine further information linked to a user identification code from the hit log.

Claim 28

The method of claim 26 wherein the user identification code is obfuscated prior to being sent to the information server.

Claim 29

The method of claim 27 wherein the obfuscated user identification code is sent to the registration server.

Claim 30

The method of claim 28 wherein the registration server de-obfuscates the user identification code.

Claim 31

A computer system configured to provide a primary content file from a content server computer to a client computer over a computer network, comprising: a) a client computer interconnected to the computer network; and b) an information server computer interconnected to the computer network; wherein the client computer comprises: means for inputting a linkage code comprising a server identification code and an item identification code; means for extracting the server identification code from the linkage code; means for retrieving a URL template associated with the server identification code, the URL template comprising the name of an information server and at least one parameter field to be completed by the client computer, which includes an item identification code; means for completing the URL template by filling in at least the item identification code obtained from the linkage code previously input into the client computer; means for sending the completed URL template to the information server named therein as a primary content URL request; and the information server comprises: means for determining the location of the primary content file based on the item identification code; and means for providing the client computer with the primary content file.

Claim 32

A computer system configured to provide a primary content file from a content server computer to a client computer over a computer network, comprising: a) a client computer interconnected to the computer network; and b) an information server computer interconnected to the computer network; wherein the client computer comprises: means for inputting a linkage code comprising a server identification code and an item identification code; means for extracting the server identification code from the linkage code; means for retrieving a URL template associated with the server identification code, the URL template comprising the name of an information server and at least one parameter field to be completed by the client computer, which includes an item identification code; means for completing the URL template by filling in at least the item identification code obtained from the linkage code previously input into the client computer; means for sending the completed URL template to the information server named therein as a primary content URL request; and the information server comprises: means for determining the location of the primary content file based on the item identification code; and means for providing the client computer with the primary content file.

Claim 33

The computer system of claim 30 wherein the means for inputting a linkage code comprises a bar code scanning device for scanning a linkage code in the form of a bar code symbol.

Claim 34

The computer system of claim 30 wherein the means for inputting a linkage code comprises a keyboard for entering scanning a linkage code in the form of a human-readable alphanumeric text string.

Claim 35

The computer system of claim 30 wherein the client computer further comprises a local cache for storing URL templates, and wherein the means for obtaining a URL template accesses the local cache to obtain the URL template.

Claim 36

The computer system of claim 31 wherein the local cache comprises a plurality of template records, each record comprising a server identification code, an associated URL template, and an expiration date.

Claim 37

The computer system of claim 32 wherein the client computer is adapted to the SID from the linkage code to retrieve the associated URL template and expiration date, and wherein the template record is not used if the current date is later than the expiration date.

Claim 38

The computer system of claim 33 further comprising a routing server interconnected to the computer network, and wherein the client computer comprises means for retrieving the URL template from the routing server when the current date is later than the expiration date.

Claim 39

The computer system of claim 34 wherein the routing server comprises a template database, and wherein the routing server is configured to return to the client computer a URL template and a current expiration date associated with the server identification code.

Claim 40

The computer system of claim 35 wherein the client computer further comprises means for updating the local cache with the URL template and the current expiration date received from the routing server.

Claim 41

The computer system of claim 30 further comprising a routing server interconnected to the computer network, wherein the URL template is retrieved from a routing server by sending the server identification code from the client computer to the routing server.

Claim 42

The computer system of claim 39 wherein the routing server comprises a template database, and wherein the routing server is configured to use the server identification code to look up the associated URL template in the template database.

Claim 43

The computer system of claim 30 wherein the client computer is configured to further complete the URL template by filling in user data.

Claim 44

The computer system of claim 41 wherein the user data comprises a user identification number.

Claim 45

The computer system of claim 41 wherein the user data comprises the gender of the user.

Claim 46

The computer system of claim 41 wherein the user data comprises the age of the user.

Claim 47

The computer system of claim 41 wherein the user data comprises the preferred language of the user.

Claim 48

The computer system of claim 41 wherein the user data comprises the predefined interests of the user.

Claim 49

The computer system of claim 41 wherein the user data comprises the geographic location of the user.

Claim 50

The computer system of claim 41 wherein client computer further comprises means for storing user data.

Claim 51

The computer system of claim 41 further comprising a registration server computer comprising a user database, and wherein the user data is retrieved from the user database.

Claim 52

The computer system of claim 49 wherein the user database is populated by a user during a registration process.

Claim 53

The computer system of claim 41 wherein the information server uses, in addition to the item identification code, the user data in order to determine the location of the primary content file.

Claim 54

The computer system of claim 30 wherein the means for providing the client computer with the primary content file comprises means for redirecting the client computer to the content server by the information server sending a primary URL to the client computer indicating the location of the primary content file.

Claim 55

The computer system of claim 30 wherein the means for providing the client computer with the primary content file comprises means for providing the primary content file to the client computer from local storage.

Claim 56

The computer system of claim 42 wherein the information server further comprises a hit log for logging primary content URL requests.

Claim 57

The computer system of claim 54 wherein the information server further comprises means for communicating with the registration server to determine further information linked to a user identification code from the hit log.

Claim 58

The computer system of claim 55 wherein the user identification code is obfuscated prior to being sent to the information server.

Claim 59

The computer system of claim 56 wherein the obfuscated user identification code is sent to the registration server.

Claim 60

The computer system of claim 57 wherein the registration server de-obfuscates the user identification code.