System and method for finding product and service related information on the ...

United States Patent

[19]

Perkowski

US005918214A [ii] Patent Number: [45] Date of Patent:

5,918,214 Jun. 29,1999

[54] SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FINDING PRODUCT AND SERVICE RELATED INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET

[75] Inventor: Thomas J. Perkowski, Darien, Conn. [73] Assignee: IPF, Inc., Darien, Conn.

[21] Appl. No.: 08/736,798

A novel system and method for finding product and service related information on the Internet. The system includes Internet Servers which store information pertaining to Universal Product or Service Number (e.g. UPC number) preassigned to each product and service registered in the system, with Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) that point to the location of one or more information resources on the Internet, e.g. World Wide Websites, related to such products or services. Each client computer system includes an Internet browser or Internet application tool which is provided with a "Internet Product/Service Information (IPSI) Finder" button and a "Universal Product/Service Number (UPSN) Search" button. The system enters its "IPSI Finder Mode" when the "IPSI Finder" button is depressed and enters the "UPSN Search Mode" when the "UPSN Search" button is depressed. When the system is in its IPSI Finder Mode, a predesignated information resource (e.g. advertisement, product information, etc.) pertaining to any commercial product or service registered with the system is automatically accessed from the Internet and displayed from the Internet browser by simply entering the registered product's UPN or the registered service's USN into the Internet browser. When the system is in its "UPSN Search Mode", a predesignated information resource pertaining to any commercial product or service registered with the system is automatically accessed from the Internet and displayed from the Internet browser by simply entering the registered product's trademark(s) or (servicemark) and/or associated company name into the Internet browser.

13 Claims, 11 Drawing Sheets