KR20020047277A - Category buttons on interactive paper - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a system for providing a user with printed information obtained from a database of a first party. The system is a user printer module for interfacing the user with the database, the system comprising: generating a first printed medium for obtaining first information and displaying the first information to the user along with second information; A user printer module responsive to the user requesting the first information from the database to do so; For applying the identifier to the first printed medium such that the designation of the second information by the user corresponds to the designation of an identifier and to generate a second printed medium that displays third information to the user. Identifier means; And accounting means for applying a monetary debit from the first party to a second party from which the third information is derived.

Description

Category buttons on interactive paper

Paper is widely used to display and record information. The printed information is easier to read than the information displayed on the computer screen. Hand-drawing and handwriting provide richer representations than input through computer keyboards and mice. Moreover, paper is not battery-operated, can be read in bright light, and is more receptive to spilling coffee, portable and discarded.

Online publications have many advantages over traditional paper-based publications. From the consumer's point of view, the information is available on demand, and the information can be navigated through hypertext links, retrieved and automatically personalized.

From the publisher's point of view, the cost of printing and physical distribution is eliminated, and the publication can be targeted to specific demographics and linked to product sites, thus attracting more advertisers to pay for the publication.

Online publications also have drawbacks. Computer screens are inferior to paper. At the same quality as magazine paper, the SVGA computer screen displays only one fifth of the same amount of information. Both CRTs and LCDs have brightness and contrast problems when the ambient light is strong, whereas the ink on paper, which is reflective rather than radiant, is bright and clear in ambient light.

The present invention relates generally to systems, apparatus, devices, and methods for interacting with computers, and more particularly to systems and methods for providing printed information to a user.

The present invention has been developed to basically allow a large number of distributed users to interact with networked information via prints and light sensors, thereby obtaining on demand interactive prints via high speed networked color printers. Although the invention is described in detail herein primarily in connection with this use, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the use in the art.

Various methods, systems and apparatus related to the present invention are disclosed in the following co-pending applications filed by the applicant or assignee of the present invention concurrently with the present application:

PCT / AU00 / 01273, PCT / AU00 / 01279, PCT / AU00 / 01288, PCT / AU00 / 01282,

PCT / AU00 / 01276, PCT / AU00 / 01280, PCT / AU00 / 01274, PCT / AU00 / 01289,

PCT / AU00 / 01275, PCT / AU00 / 01277, PCT / AU00 / 01286, PCT / AU00 / 01281,

PCT / AU00 / 01278, PCT / AU00 / 01287, PCT / AU00 / 01285, PCT / AU00 / 01284 and PCT / AU00 / 01283.

The disclosure of these co-pending applications is incorporated herein by cross-reference.

Various methods, systems and apparatus related to the present invention are disclosed in the following co-pending applications filed by the applicant or assignee of the present application on September 15, 2000: PCT / AU00 / 01108, PCT / AU00 / 01110, PCT / AU00 / 01111. The disclosure of these co-pending applications is incorporated herein by cross-reference.

Various methods, systems and apparatus related to the present invention are disclosed in the following co-pending applications filed by the applicant or assignee of the present application on June 30, 2000:

PCT / AU00 / 00762, PCT / AU00 / 00763, PCT / AU00 / 00761, PCT / AU00 / 00760, PCT / AU00 / 00759, PCT / AU00 / 00758, PCT / AU00 / 00764, PCT / AU00 / 00765, PCT / AU00 / 00766, PCT / AU00 / 00767, PCT / AU00 / 00768, PCT / AU00 / 00773, PCT / AU00 / 00774, PCT / AU00 / 00775, PCT / AU00 / 00776, PCT / AU00 / 00777, PCT / AU00 / 00770, PCT / AU00 / 00769, PCT / AU00 / 00771, PCT / AU00 / 00772, PCT / AU00 / 00754, PCT / AU00 / 00755, PCT / AU00 / 00756 and PCT / AU00 / 00757. The disclosure of these co-pending applications is incorporated herein by cross-reference.

Various methods, systems and apparatus related to the present invention are disclosed in the following co-pending applications filed by the applicant or assignee of the present application on May 24, 2000:

PCT / AU00 / 00518, PCT / AU00 / 00519, PCT / AU00 / 00520, PCT / AU00 / 00521,

PCT / AU00 / 00522, PCT / AU00 / 00523, PCT / AU00 / 00524, PCT / AU00 / 00525,

PCT / AU00 / 00526, PCT / AU00 / 00527, PCT / AU00 / 00528, PCT / AU00 / 00529,

PCT / AU00 / 00530, PCT / AU00 / 00531, PCT / AU00 / 00532, PCT / AU00 / 00533,

PCT / AU00 / 00534, PCT / AU00 / 00535, PCT / AU00 / 00536, PCT / AU00 / 00537,

PCT / AU00 / 00538, PCT / AU00 / 00539, PCT / AU00 / 00540, PCT / AU00 / 00541,

PCT / AU00 / 00542, PCT / AU00 / 00543, PCT / AU00 / 00544, PCT / AU00 / 00545,

PCT / AU00 / 00547, PCT / AU00 / 00546, PCT / AU00 / 00554, PCT / AU00 / 00556,

PCT / AU00 / 00557, PCT / AU00 / 00558, PCT / AU00 / 00559, PCT / AU00 / 00560,

PCT / AU00 / 00561, PCT / AU00 / 00562, PCT / AU00 / 00563, PCT / AU00 / 00564,

PCT / AU00 / 00565, PCT / AU00 / 00566, PCT / AU00 / 00567, PCT / AU00 / 00568,

PCT / AU00 / 00569, PCT / AU00 / 00570, PCT / AU00 / 00571, PCT / AU00 / 00572,

PCT / AU00 / 00573, PCT / AU00 / 00574, PCT / AU00 / 00575, PCT / AU00 / 00576,

PCT / AU00 / 00577, PCT / AU00 / 00578, PCT / AU00 / 00579, PCT / AU00 / 00581,

PCT / AU00 / 00580, PCT / AU00 / 00582, PCT / AU00 / 00587, PCT / AU00 / 00588,

PCT / AU00 / 00589, PCT / AU00 / 00583, PCT / AU00 / 00593, PCT / AU00 / 00590,

PCT / AU00 / 00591, PCT / AU00 / 00592, PCT / AU00 / 00594, PCT / AU00 / 00595,

PCT / AU00 / 00596, PCT / AU00 / 00597, PCT / AU00 / 00598, PCT / AU00 / 00516,

PCT / AU00 / 00517 and PCT / AU00 / 00511.

The disclosure of these co-pending applications is incorporated herein by cross-reference.

1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a relationship between a sample printed netpage and its online page description.

2 is a schematic diagram illustrating interactions between a netpage pen, a netpage printer, a netpage page server, and a netpage application server.

3 is a schematic diagram of the superstructure of a printed netpage and its online page description.

4A is a plan view showing the structure of a netpage tag.

FIG. 4B is a plan view showing a relationship between the tag set shown in FIG. 4A and a field of view of a netpage sensing device in the form of a netpage pen.

5A is a plan view illustrating an alternative structure of a netpage tag.

FIG. 5B is a plan view showing a relationship between the tag set shown in FIG. 5A and a field of view of a netpage sensing device in the form of a netpage pen.

FIG. 5C is a plan view illustrating the arrangement of the nine tags shown in FIG. 5A in which targets are shared between adjacent tags. FIG.

FIG. 5D is a plan view illustrating interleaving and rotation of symbols of four codewords of the tag shown in FIG. 5A.

6 is a schematic diagram of an advertising fee payment protocol.

7 is a schematic diagram of a click-through charge payment protocol.

8 is a schematic diagram of a sales commission payment protocol.

9 is a schematic diagram of an advertising fee commission payment protocol.

10 is a schematic diagram of a click-through rate commission payment protocol.

11 is a schematic diagram of a commission payment protocol for a sales commission.

It is an object of the present invention, in at least preferred embodiments, to overcome or substantially ameliorate one or more of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to provide at least a useful alternative.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for providing a user with printed information obtained from a database of a first party,

A user printer module for interfacing the user with the database, the user printer module for obtaining first information and for generating a first printed medium displaying the first information to the user along with second information; A user printer module responsive to the user requesting the first information;

For applying the identifier to the first printed medium such that the designation of the second information by the user corresponds to the designation of an identifier and to generate a second printed medium that displays third information to the user. Identifier means; And

A system is provided that includes accounting means for applying a monetary debit from the first party to a second party from which the third information is derived.

Preferably, the debit is a predetermined periodic fee.

Also preferably, the system includes calculating means responsive to the module to determine the amount of the debit. More preferably, said calculating means is responsive to the number of times said second information is specified by said user. Even more preferably, the module is provided to the user by a third party and the computing means determines the debit that is applied by the third party to either or both of the first party and the second party.

In a preferred form, the first party is an online publisher and the first database comprises the online publication. More preferably, the first information is the content of the online publication and the second information is a text or graphics device of a general category button. Even more preferably, the second party is an advertiser and the third information is specific marketing information of the advertiser.

Preferably, the advertiser is a merchant of goods and / or services offered for online sale. More preferably, the calculating means responds to the user purchasing one or more of the goods and / or services to determine the monetary debit applied by the first party to the second party.

In a preferred form, the second information includes a plurality of general category buttons associated with each corresponding plurality of second parties.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for providing a user with printed information obtained from a database of a first party,

A user printer module for interfacing the user with the database, the user printer module for obtaining first information and for generating a first printed medium displaying the first information to the user along with second information; A user printer module responsive to the user requesting the first information;

For applying the identifier to the first printed medium such that the designation of the second information by the user corresponds to the designation of an identifier and to generate a second printed medium that displays third information to the user. Applicator; And

A system is provided that includes an accounting server for applying a monetary debit from the first party to a second party from which the third information is derived.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for providing a user with printed information obtained from a database of a first party,

Interfacing the user with the database via a user printer module, the module including a first printed medium for obtaining first information and displaying the first information to the user along with second information; Responding to the user requesting the first information from the database to generate;

Applying the identifier to the first printed medium such that the designation of the second information by the user corresponds to the designation of an identifier and to generate a second printed medium that displays third information to the user. ; And

A method is provided that includes applying a monetary debit from the first party to a second party from which the third information is derived.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred and other embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of non-limiting examples only with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Cycle: a trademark of Memmingen Jet (trademark) (Memjet ^TM) Silver Brook Research Wai Petey El tidi of Australia (Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd).

In a preferred embodiment, the invention is configured to work with a netpage network computer system, the following summary of which is provided below and the detailed description of which in particular the applications PCT / AU00 / 00569 (Doct. No. NPT002), PCT / AU00 / Provided to our initial applications, including 00565 (Dokkit No. NPS001), PCT / AU00 / 00561 (Dokkit No. NPP003), PCT / AU00 / 00519 (Dokkit No. NPA002) and PCT / AU00 / 00578 (Dokkit No. IJ52) do. It will be understood that not all implementations necessarily embody all or specific details and expansion concepts described in these applications with respect to the underlying system. However, the system is described in its most complete form to help understand the context in which preferred embodiments and aspects of the invention operate.

In summary, the preferred form of a netpage system employs a computer interface in the form of a mapped surface, ie a physical surface containing references of the surface map maintained in the computer system. The map references can be queried by a suitable sensing device. Depending on the particular implementation, the map references can be visually or non-visibly encoded, and defined as a way for a local query on the mapped surface to generate an apparent map reference both within the map and among other maps. The computer system may have information about a feature on the mapped surface, which information may be retrieved based on a map reference supplied by a sensing device using the mapped surface. Thus, the retrieved information may take the form of execution initiated by the computer system on behalf of the operator in response to the operator's interaction with the surface feature.

In its preferred form, the netpage system relies on the generation of netpages and the human interaction with the netpages. These are pages of text, graphics and images printed on plain paper or other media, but they act like interactive web pages. The information is encoded on each page using ink that is virtually invisible to the human eye. However, the ink can be detected by the optical image pen and transmitted to the netpage system, whereby the code data can be likewise.

In a preferred form, the action buttons and hyperlinks on each page may be clicked by the pen to request information from the network or to signal preferences to a network server. In one embodiment, handwritten text on the netpage is automatically recognized by the netpage system and converted into computer text while allowing the form to be filled out. In other embodiments, the signature recorded on the netpage is automatically verified while allowing the e-commerce to be securely approved.

As shown in FIG. 1, the printed netpage 1 presents an interactive form that can be filled by the user both physically and “electronically” on the printed page via communication between the pen and the netpage system. I can express it. This example shows a "Request" form with a name and address field and a submit button. The netpage consists of graphic data 2 printed using visible ink and code data 3 printed as a set of tags 4 using invisible ink. The corresponding page description (기술) 5 stored in the netpage network represents the individual components of the netpage. In particular, it represents the type and zone of space for each of the interactive components (ie, text fields or buttons in this example) to allow the netpage system to correctly interpret the input via the netpage. The submit button 6 has, for example, a zone 7 corresponding to the spatial range of the corresponding graphic 8.

As shown in Fig. 2, the netpage pen 101, the preferred form of which is described in our initial application PCT / AU00 / 00565 (Dockit No. NPS001), is a netpage printer 601, home, office or mobile internet. It works in conjunction with a printing device connected to. The pen is wireless and securely communicates with the netpage printer via a short range wireless link 9.

The preferred form of the netpage printer 601 described in our initial application PCT / AU00 / 00561 (Dokkit No. NPP003) and our co-filed PCT / AU00 / 01281 (Dokkit No. NPS024) is both periodically or on demand. Deliver high-quality printed personalized newspapers, magazines, catalogs, brochures, and other publications as interactive netpages. Unlike a personal computer, a netpage printer is a device that can be mounted on a wall adjacent to a place where the first encounter of morning news, such as in a user's kitchen, near a breakfast table, or near a point in the home where the day begins. It also comes in tabletop, desktop, portable and compact versions.

Printed netpages at the point of consumption combine timely interaction with interactive media on easy-to-use paper.

As shown in FIG. 2, the netpage pen 101 interacts with code data on the printed netpage 1 and interacts with the netpage printer via a short range wireless link 9. do. Printer 601 sends to the relevant netpage page server 10 to interpret the interaction. In the appropriate situation, the page server sends a corresponding message to the application computer software running on the netpage application server 13. The application server may alternately send a response originally printed at the printer.

The netpage system is preferably implemented in conjunction with an inkjet (Memjet ^™ ) printer based on a high speed microelectromechanical system (MEMS), as described in our initial application PCT / AU00 / 00578 (Doct. No. IJ52). In the example it is made much more convenient. In a preferred form of this technology, relatively high speed and high quality printing can be further provided to consumers. In its preferred form, the netpage publication has the physical characteristics of an existing news magazine, such as a set of letter-size glossy pages printed in full color on both sides tied together for easy navigation and comfortable handling.

The netpage printer takes advantage of the growing availability of broadband Internet access. The netpage printer can also operate at low speed connections with longer delivery times and lower image quality. Also, although the netpage system may be used less slowly from the consumer's point of view if the netpage system operates slower, the netpage system using existing consumer inkjet printers and laser printers may be used. In another embodiment, the netpage system is a host in a private intranet. In yet other embodiments, the netpage system is a host in a computer-functioning device, such as a single computer or printer.

The netpage publication server 14 on the netpage network is configured to deliver print-quality publications in a netpage printer. Periodical publications are automatically delivered to subscribing netpage printers via pointcasting and multicasting Internet protocols. Personal publications are filtered and formatted according to individual user profiles.

One netpage printer may be configured to support a predetermined number of pens, and one pen may work with a predetermined number of netpage printers. In a preferred embodiment, each netpage pen has a unique identifier. A generation may have a set of colored netpage pens, each of which is assigned to each family member. This allows each user to maintain a separate profile with respect to the netpage publication server or application server.

In addition, the netpage pen may be registered with the netpage registration server 11 and linked to one or more payment card accounts. This allows e-commerce payments to be securely processed using the netpage pen. The netpage registration server compares the signature captured by the netpage pen with a previously registered signature and allows authenticating the user's identity to the e-commerce server. In addition, other biometrics can be used to verify the identity. Some versions of the netpage pen include fingerprint scanning, which is verified in a similar manner by the netpage registration server.

Netpage printers can deliver periodicals, such as the morning paper, without user intervention, but can be configured to not send unsolicited junk mail. In its preferred form, it delivers only periodicals from subscribed or other authorized sources. In this regard, the netpage printer is different from the fax machine or e-mail account seen by any junk e-mail sender who knows the telephone number or e-mail address.

Each object model of the system is described using a Unified Modeling Language (UML) class diagram. Class diagrams consist of a set of object classes connected by relationships, of which two kinds of relationships are of interest here: associations and generalizations. Associations represent some kind of relationship between objects, that is, instances of classes. Generalization involves real classes, which can be understood in the following way: if a class is considered as a set of all objects of that class, class A is a generalization of class B, and class B is simply class A Is a subset of. Each class is shown as a rectangle labeled with the class name. It includes an attribute list of the class separated from its name by a horizontal line, and an operation list of the class separated from the attribute list by a horizontal line. However, in the class diagrams that follow, the actions are never modeled. Associations are shown as lines that combine two classes, optionally labeled at one end, with multiplicity of associations. There is only one default multiple. An asterisk (*) indicates "many" multiplexes, i.e. zero or more. Each association is optionally labeled by its name, and optionally also the role of the corresponding class is labeled at one end. Open diamonds indicate an aggregate association ("is-part-of"), and are shown at the end of the aggregate of that association line. The generalization relationship ("is") ("is-a") is shown as a straight line with an arrow (in the form of an open triangle) at the end of the generalization that combines the two classes. When a class diagram is broken up into multiple diagrams, some duplicated classes are shown with dashed outlines in the main diagram defining the class. The class is shown as an attribute only where it is defined.

Netpages are the foundation upon which netpage networks are built. They provide a paper-based user interface to published information and interactive services. Netpages consist of printed pages (or other surface areas) that are tagged as invisible, such as references to page online descriptions. Online page descriptions are maintained continuously by the netpage page server. The page description describes the visible layout and content of the page, including text, graphics and images. It also describes the input components of the page, including buttons, hyperlinks and input fields. The netpage allows the markings made by the netpage pen on its surface to be simultaneously captured and processed by the netpage system.

Multiple netpages can share the same page description. However, to allow input through other identical pages to be distinguished, each netpage is assigned a unique page identifier. This page ID has enough precision to distinguish between a very large number of netpages.

Each reference to the page description is encoded in a printed tag. The tag identifies the unique page on which it appears, thereby indirectly identifying the page description. The tag also identifies its own location on the page. The properties of the tag are described in more detail below.

The tags are printed with infrared absorbing ink on any substrate that reflects infrared light like regular paper. Near-infrared wavelengths are not visible to the human eye, but are easily detected by solid state image sensors with appropriate filters.

The tag is detected by the area image sensor of the netpage pen, and the tag data is sent to the netpage system via the nearest netpage printer. The pen is wireless and communicates with a netpage printer via a short range wireless link. The tags are small enough and are densely arranged so that the pen can reliably image at least one tag with a single click on the page. Since the interaction is not nationality, it is important that the pen recognizes the page ID and location for all interactions with the page. The tags are error-corrected coded to be partially resistant to surface damage.

The netpage page server maintains a unique page instance for each printed netpage, which maintains a separate set of user-provided values for the input field of the page description of each printed netpage.

The relationship between page descriptions and page instances and printed netpages is shown in FIG. 3. The printed netpage may be part of a printed netpage document 45. The page instance is associated with both the netpage printer that printed it and, if known, the netpage user who requested it.

In a preferred form, each tag identifies the area in which it appears and the location of that tag within the area. In addition, the tag may include flags related to the entire area or related to the tag. One or more flag bits signal the tag sensing device to provide feedback indicating a function associated with the immediate area of the tag, for example, without a sensing device having to refer to the description of that area. The netpage pen may illuminate the "operation area" LED, for example when in the hyperlink zone.

In a preferred embodiment, each tag includes an easily recognized invariant structure that aids in initial detection and helps to minimize the effects of any warpage caused by the surface or by the sensing process. The tags cover the entire page and are sufficiently small that the pen is densely arranged to reliably image at least one tag with a single click on the page. Since the interaction is not nationality, it is important that the pen recognizes the page ID and location for all interactions with the page.

In a preferred embodiment, the area referenced by the tag corresponds to the entire page, so that the area ID encoded in the tag has the same meaning as the page ID of the page where the tag is visible. In another preferred embodiment, the region referenced by the tag can be any subregion of any page or other surface. For example, it can match the zone of an interactive component, in which case the area ID can directly identify the interactive component.

Each tag typically includes a 16-bit tag ID, at least 90-bit area ID, and a number of flag bits. Assuming a maximum tag density of 64 per square inch, a 16-bit tag ID supports an area size of up to 1024 square inches. By simply using adjacent regions and maps, larger regions can be continuously mapped without increasing the tag ID precision. The distinction between area IDs and tag IDs is mostly convenient. For most purposes, the connection of the two can be considered as a globally unique tag ID. Conversely, it may also be convenient to introduce a structure to the tag ID, for example to define the x and y coordinates of the tag. The 90-bit region ID allows 2 ⁹⁰ (~ 10 ²⁷ or 1000 trillion pairs) of other regions to be uniquely identified. Tags may also contain type information, and regions may be tagged with a mixture of tag types. For example, an area may be tagged with a set of tags encoding x coordinates and another set interleaved with the first encoding y coordinates.

In one embodiment, 120 bits of tag data are redundantly encoded using (15, 5) Reed-Solomon codes. This produces 360 encoded bits consisting of six codewords of fifteen 4-bit symbols. The (15, 5) code allows up to 5 symbol errors to be corrected per codeword, i.e., tolerates symbol error rates up to 33% per codeword. Each 4-bit symbol is represented in a spatially consistent manner in a tag, wherein the symbols of the six codewords are spatially interleaved within the tag. This ensures that a burst error (an error affecting multiple spatially adjacent bits) corrupts the minimum number of entire symbols and the minimum number of any one codeword symbol, thus the possibility that all of the burst errors can be corrected. Maximize.

Reed-Solomon code having the same or different symbol and code word sizes, for example with more or less redundancy; Another block code; Or any suitable error-correction code, such as another kind of code such as a convolutional code, may be used in place of the (15, 5) Reed-Solomon code (for example, the contents of which are incorporated herein by cross-reference). , Stephen B. Wicker, Error Control Systems for Digital Communication and Storage, Prentice-Hol 1995).

One embodiment of the physical representation of a tag shown in FIG. 4A and described in our initial application PCT / AU00 / 00569 (Dockit No. NPT002) is a fixed target structure (15) (16) (17) and a variable data area (18). It includes. The fixed target structure allows a sensing device, such as a netpage pen, to detect a tag and estimate its three-dimensional orientation with respect to the sensor. The data area contains a representation of the individual bits of the encoded tag data. To maximize its size, each data bit is represented by a radial wedge in the form of a region bounded by two radiation lines and two concentric arcs. Each wedge has a minimum dimension of 8 dots at 1600 dpi and is designed such that its base (its inner arc) is at least equal to the minimum dimension. The height of the wedge in the radial direction is always equal to the minimum dimension. Each 4-bit data symbol is represented by a 2x2 wedge array. Fifteen 4-bit data symbols of each of the six codewords are assigned to four concentric symbol rings 18a .. 18d in interleaved form. The symbols are alternately assigned in circular progress around the tag. Interleaving is designed to maximize the average spatial distance between two predetermined symbols of the same codeword.

In order to support "single click" interaction with the tagged area via the sensing device, the sensing device must be able to see at least one entire tag entering the field of view regardless of the area or orientation in which it is located. Thus, the required diameter entering the field of view of the sensing device is a function of the size and space of the tags. Assuming a circular tag shape, the minimum diameter of the sensor in the sensor field of view 193 is obtained when the tags are covered on an equilateral triangular grid as shown in FIG. 4B.

The tag structure just described is designed to allow both regular tiling of flat surfaces and irregular tiling of non-flat surfaces. Regular tilings are generally not possible on non-flat surfaces. In the more common case of flat surfaces where regular tiling of tags is possible, ie surfaces such as sheets of paper, etc., more effective tag structures can be used that utilize the regular nature of the tiling.

An alternative tag structure that is more suitable for regular tiling is shown in FIG. 5A. The tag 4 is square and has four perspective targets 17. It is similar in structure to the tags described by Bennett et al. In US Pat. No. 5,051,746. The tag represents 60 4-bit Reed-Solomon symbols 47, for a total of 240 bits. The tag represents each one bit as a dot 48 and each zero bit to the absence of the corresponding bit. The perspective targets are designed to be shared between adjacent tags, as shown in FIGS. 5B and 5C. 5B shows square tiling of 16 tags and the corresponding minimum field of view 193, which should span the diagonals of the two tags. 5C shows a square tiling of nine tags, including all 1 bits for illustrative purposes.

Using the (15, 7) Reed-Solomon code, 112 bits of tag data are redundantly encoded to produce 240 encoded bits. The four codewords are spatially interleaved within the tag to maximize resilience to burst errors. Assuming a 16-bit tag ID as before, this allows an area ID of up to 92 bits. The data-bearing dots 48 of the tag are designed to not overlap with their neighboring dots, so that groups of tags cannot produce structures that resemble targets. This also saves ink. Therefore, the perspective targets allow detection of the tag, so no additional targets are needed.

Although the tag may include an orientation feature to allow clarity of the four possible orientations of the tag with respect to the sensor, it is also possible to embed orientation data in the tag data. For example, the four codewords can be arranged such that each tag orientation includes one codeword disposed in the orientation as shown in FIG. 5D, where each symbol is a symbol of its codeword 1-4. A number and the location AO of the symbol in the codeword are appended. Tag decoding then includes decoding one codeword in each orientation. Each codeword may include a single bit indicating whether it is the first codeword or two bits indicating which codeword it is. The latter approach has the advantage that if only the data content of one codeword is needed, at most two codewords need to be decoded to obtain the desired data. This may be the case when the area ID will not change within the stroke and is only decrypted at the start of the stroke. Only the codeword containing the tag ID in the stroke will be desired. Moreover, since the rotation of the sensing device changes slowly and predictably in the stroke, typically only one codeword needs to be decoded per frame.

It is entirely possible to obviate perspective targets and instead rely on self-registering data representations. In this case each bit value (or multi-bit value) is typically represented by a clear pictogram, ie no bit value is indicated by the absence of the pictogram. This ensures that the data grid resides well, thus allowing the grid to be reliably identified and allowing its perspective distortion to be detected and then corrected during data sampling. In order to allow tag boundaries to be detected, each tag data must include a marker pattern and they must be redundantly coded to allow reliable detection. The overhead of these marker patterns is similar to the overhead of explicit perspective targets. One such scheme uses dots that are placed at various points associated with grid vertices to represent different pictograms, so different multi-bit values. Anoto Technology Description).

The decryption of the tag is a region ID, tag ID, and tag-related pen modification. Before the tag ID and tag-related pen position can be interpreted at an absolute position within the tagged region, the tag position within the region must be known. This is given by a tag map, which is the function of mapping each tag ID of a tagged area to a corresponding location. The tag map reflects the scheme used to cover the surface area with tags, which can vary depending on the surface type. When multiple tagged regions share the same tiling scheme and the same tag numbering scheme, they may also share the same tag map. The tag map for an area must be able to be retrieved via the area ID. Therefore, given an area ID, tag ID and pen variant, the tag map can be retrieved, the tag ID can be interpreted at an absolute tag location in the area, and the tag-related pen location is absolute in the area. It may be added to the tag location to create a pen location.

The tag ID may have a structure to help translation through the tag map. It may for example be coded Cartesian coordinates or polar coordinates, depending on the type of surface on which it appears. The tag ID structure is indicated by the tag map and known to the tag map, so that tag IDs associated with different tag maps may have different structures.

Two separate surface coding schemes use the tag structure described earlier in this section. The preferred coding scheme uses a "position-indication" tag as already discussed. An alternative coding scheme uses "object-directed" (or "functional-directed") tags.

The location-indicating tag includes a tag ID that, when interpreted through a tag map associated with a tagged area, generates a unique tag location within that area. The tag-relative position of the pen is added to this tag position to create the position of the pen within the area. This is used in turn to determine the pen's position with respect to the user interface component of the page description associated with the area. In addition to identifying the user interface component itself, a location associated with the user interface component is identified. Therefore, location-directed tags support trivially the capture of an absolute pen path in the zone of an unusual user interface component.

The object-directed (or functional-directed) tag includes a tag ID that directly identifies a user interface component in the page description associated with the region (or equivalent). All tags in the zone of the user interface component identify the user interface components, make them identical and indistinguishable. Thus, object-directed tags never support the capture of pen paths. However, they support the capture of relative pen paths. If the position sampling frequency exceeds twice the encountered tag frequency, the displacement from a single sampled pen position to the next position in the stroke can be clearly determined. As an alternative, the netpage pen 101 may comprise a pair or motion-sensing accelerometers, as described in our initial application PCT / AU00 / 00565 (Dockit No. NPS001).

With either tagging scheme, the user can interact with the printed page using the appropriate sensing device to ensure that tag data is read by the sensing device and that an appropriate response is generated in the netpage system. The tags act in concert with the associated visual components of the netpage as user interactive components.

Business implementation methods

The netpage system accommodates a wide variety of business implementation methods to allow users and technology providers to participate in the netpage system to gain special benefits and benefits. In order to best understand the system, the following description of business implementation methods and equipment includes protocols for determining printers, communication protocols, payment protocols, account balances (balance) and the like. It should be read in connection with the description in the specification regarding the available hardware and software options.

Common parties to the netpage system are:

An online publisher (41) that provides an online publication accessible through the netpage network.

One or more online advertisers 42 who wish to advertise in the online publication.

A number of users (40), each having a printer module (45) to access the online publication. Preferably, the modules are provided to the users by printer module provider 72 at no cost or at a cost of subsidies by the advertisers or publishers. In some cases, however, the user purchases the module at the market price.

A storage provider for maintaining one or more databases storing information required to allow the system to operate.

These parties interact to provide a structure that facilitates the online dissemination and trading of information. Although the following embodiments illustrate certain of many possible interactions, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that other interactions are possible and that they will be within the scope of the claims.

It will also be understood by those skilled in the art that not all of the named roles above need to be performed by different entities. For example, in some cases the storage provider and publisher are the same entity, while in other cases the printer provider and the publisher are the same entity.

Reference is also made to "interactive paper". This refers to a paper containing visible or non-visible tags or other markings that interact with the netpage system to allow identification of the page and preferably identification of a location on the page. Examples of these tags are described elsewhere herein and it will be understood that many other tags or identifiers may be used in various configurations to achieve the same result.

Other terms used include "printer using interactive paper" and "on-demand printer". This refers to a printer for interacting with the netpage system to authorize the tags and / or interacting with the user to determine what tag the user has assigned. Various alternative printer configurations are available, some of which have been described in more detail elsewhere herein.

It will be appreciated that the term "printed medium" is used for convenience and may be replaced with the term "printed media". That is, the term printed media will generally encompass printed products whether or not the product includes one or more printed sheets, documents, or the like.

The following drawings are used to illustrate the interactions between the various participant roles in the business method to help understand preferred embodiments with respect to business implementation methods and equipment. Each participant is shown as a pair of overlapping rectangles. The front rectangle is labeled with the participant's name and the back rectangle is used as the source and / or target of the action. Each action is shown as an arrow connecting the subject participant to the object participant. Each operation arrow is attached to the description of the operation. The operations are spatially aligned such that time progresses from top to bottom and from left to right. "Later" operations can be done concurrently with "earlier" operations but never earlier.

Any action is understood to be "talked" by the action immediately before the subject of the action was the object of the action. In the absence of a previous operation, the operation is understood to be spontaneous.

Each reference number is used to specify certain actions and participants to aid the reader in understanding the described embodiment.

The following preferred embodiments are described separately to facilitate understanding of the present invention. However, it will be understood that more complex embodiments are obtained through the combination of these different embodiments to achieve an advantageous result for a particular situation. Accordingly, the combination of other embodiments for forming a hybrid system will fall within the scope of the invention and the following claims which define the invention.

Netpage publisher

In general, this embodiment includes a system for providing a user with a printed publication from a first party that is an online publisher. The system includes a publication source in the form of a computer-based storage server for storing publication data representing the publication. The publication data includes first information for a second party that is an advertiser in the online publication. A user printer module, in the form of an on demand interactive printer, may interface the user to the publication server and request the printed publication to the user to play the printed publication on a printed medium for viewing by the user. Answer. An identifier means in the form of hardware and software associated with a print head contained within the printer applies an identifier to the printed medium. Upon assignment of the identifier by the user, the printer generates a second printed medium displaying second information to the user. The second information is usually additional information about the goods and / or services offered for sale by the advertiser or an order form for the particular goods and / or services included in the advertisement or a hyperlink to the advertiser's site. to be. Calculation means in the form of a publication server responds to the printer to determine the amount of payment made by the advertiser to the publisher.

In other embodiments the calculating means is a storage server. In other embodiments the computing means is a separate but linked accounting server from another server.

The payment is calculated in one of a number of alternative ways agreed in advance. For example, payments may be based on:

Number of copies of the online publication requested.

The number of requests made for the third information.

The sale of goods and / or services achieved by hits to the advertisement.

The payment can be added to the fixed amount for a given time period. For example, in one embodiment, the advertiser pays a monthly fee containing their advertisements plus a payment based on the number of copies of the publication requested by users of the system. That is, the system allows the advertiser to pay for the publication circulation that the publication achieves when it contains the desired advertising material, which is a prior art system based on past circulation firures. It's different.

The system comprises a plurality of modules associated with corresponding users and the computing means may be configured to include the first information; The second information; And a number of generated printed media indicating one of the third information. That is, the first information is usually a editorial or other content of the publication, the second information is usually an advertisement, and the third information is additional information about the goods and / or services offered for sale and / or the goods. And / or an order form for the service. Preferably, said calculating means comprises: said first information; The second information; And a number of generated printed media displaying at least two of the third information. That is, the system allows the combination fee structure to be used when requested.

In preferred embodiments, an accounting means is usually provided in the form of an accounting server connected to the information server and one or more electronic bank accounts to receive the payment from the second party and to provide the payment to the first party. Used.

If said second party is a supplier of goods and / or services and said second information or said third information allows said user to purchase said goods and / or services at each predetermined purchase price, said calculating means Respond to the monetary value of purchases completed by the users to determine the payment amount. That is, the system includes a semen for each purchase; Fixed rate of purchase price for goods and / or services purchased; And as a percentage of the purchase price of the goods and / or services to be purchased, it is desirable to provide various options for calculating payments, including a combination of different rates for a particular product and / or service.

It will be appreciated that the system accepts a plurality of second parties and a plurality of respective second information and third information derived from the parties. Preferably, the amount of payment made by each of the second parties comprises: a geographical location; Quantity of purchases completed in a given time period; And the second party characteristics of the geographic location relative to the user.

As briefly illustrated above, the identifier is preferably a tag even though the identifier is actually embodied as a plurality of tags, usually spaced on each printed medium. However, in other embodiments, the identifier is a string that the user provides to the module to obtain the third information. In this case, preferably, the string comprises a sequence of numbers manually entered into the module. However, in alternative embodiments the string is scanned by sensor means manually operated by the user.

In some embodiments, the accounting server automates the payment and provides all necessary reports to the trading parties and summarizes to specify the payment. Advantageously, said accounting server generates a disable signal if a payment calculated as payable by said second party is not available or not paid within a predetermined time period, wherein the generation of said disable signal causes said module to cause said Interfere with obtaining the first information or the second information derived from a second party. In other words, an automated debtor system is applied. Preferably, all trading parties have electronic bank accounts accessible to the accounting server to carry out the necessary transactions.

The system also allows the parties and primarily the second party or the advertiser to obtain an indication of the success of the advertisement by monitoring one or more of the following:

The number of times the users specify the second information;

The number and / or value of sales achieved through the users specifying the second information; And

Cost savings gained through the use of online sales rather than sales of shop retail.

If the second information is a link to a third party, the identifier is associated with information such that the designation by the user of the second information designates the identifier, which in turn causes the third information to be assigned to the third party. Additional information about the goods and / or services provided for use and / or sale by the company and how the user proceeds to use and / or purchase the goods and / or services of the third party. It is guaranteed to include either or both of the instructions for. Advantageously, said second party further comprises: a number or percentage of users that select click-through; And monitoring one or more of the number or percentage of users who purchase or use goods and / or services of the third party to obtain an indication of the success of the link.

It will be appreciated that the monitoring allows the parties to plan for future promotions or advertising campaigns by allowing them to accurately estimate the cost / benefit achieved by the advertising.

In other embodiments, the first information comprises an advertisement derived from a third party and the calculating means determines the payment made by the third party to the first party. In some cases, the advertisement is solicited by the user while in other cases the advertisement is not solicited.

The system also allows the first party to preferentially display the advertisement to the user.

In the embodiments the printed medium is generated by the user's printer module while, alternatively or in addition, the printed medium is optionally generated at a remote printer and then provided to the user for viewing. do.

Some more specific examples are followed and described with reference to FIGS.

Advertising fee

This embodiment allows publishers who publish to demand printers to receive an advertising fee for an advertisement located within the publication. This provides a profitable role for the publisher and allows the publisher to attract readers by providing subsidized or free publications to the reader.

In some embodiments the publisher automatically delivers the publication to a printer of a user who periodically subscribes to the publication. For example, for publishers who are online newspapers, updated publications are provided to the user's printer at a predetermined time each morning morning. This time will default to the issuer not to be peak processing time. However, the user can specify the time and can be adjusted to the user's normal wake up time.

In other embodiments, the publication is delivered to a user's printer at the user's request.

Preferably, the publication is printed as interactive paper.

As shown in Fig. 6, this embodiment operates as follows:

The advertiser, indicated generally at 42, submits an advertisement 501 to the publisher 41.

The issuer 41 eventually prints the advertisement on the user's demand printer 44, as indicated by arrow 502. The printing typically occurs as part of one of the publisher's publications, and as a result, one or more printed pages 1 containing the publication are produced, including the advertisement.

The publisher 41 bills the advertiser 42 for the agreed advertising charges, as indicated by arrow 503.

The advertiser pays the publisher a fee as indicated by arrow 504.

For practical purposes, advertising fees are negotiated, invoiced and paid in bulk. In some embodiments the fee is part of a broad advertising agreement.

Click-through rates

This embodiment allows publishers who publish on interactive papers to receive click-through charges for advertisements placed within their publications. This provides a beneficial role for the publisher who publishes on the interactive paper and allows the publisher to attract readers by providing subsidized or free publications to the reader.

As shown in Fig. 7, this embodiment operates as follows:

Advertiser 42 submits hyperlink 505 to publisher 41.

The publisher 41 eventually prints the hyperlink as part of one of the publisher's publications, as indicated by arrow 506. The result is one or more printed pages 1 being generated that contain the publication, including the hyperlink.

For example, to request a linked document from the advertiser, when the user 40 selects a hyperlink as indicated by arrow 507, the advertiser 42 notifies as indicated by arrow 508. Receive.

The advertiser 42 pays the publisher 41 an agreed click-through fee 509.

For practical purposes, click-through charges are negotiated, invoiced and paid in bulk. In some embodiments the fee is part of a broad advertising agreement.

Sales commission

This embodiment allows publishers who publish on interactive papers to receive commissions for sales initiated through advertisements placed within their publications. This provides a beneficial role for the publisher who publishes on the interactive paper and allows the publisher to attract readers by providing subsidized or free publications to the reader.

As shown in Fig. 8, this embodiment operates as follows:

As indicated by arrow 510, merchant 43 submits a hyperlink to issuer 41.

The publisher 41 eventually prints the hyperlink as part of one of the publisher's publications, as indicated by arrow 511. The result is one or more printed pages 1 being generated that contain the publication, including the hyperlink.

The merchant is notified when the user 40 clicks on the hyperlink to request a linked document from the merchant 43.

The merchant 43 is notified when the user 40 eventually makes an online purchase via the linked document (or via a document obtained through the linked document).

The merchant 43 pays the issuer 41 the agreed commission for the sale.

Preferably, the sales commission is a straight line. However, other embodiments use commissions based on sales values. For practical purposes, sales commissions are negotiated, invoiced and paid in bulk, and are often part of a broad advertising agreement.

Category buttons

Publishers may choose to include a set of "category" buttons in their publication, each category button being specific to a particular category of product or service, but none of them are explicitly specific to a particular merchant or service provider. not.

These category buttons are typically placed prominently on the publication, eg the front page. Because of their comprehensive nature and prominent deployment, they typically attract customers who are not yet left to a particular merchant or service provider.

Category buttons may include, for example, books, clothing, electronics, entertainment, finance, grocery, health, housing and gardens, looking good, music, restaurants, special applications, sports, travel, and emergencies. have.

Advertisers whose products or services are associated with a category of a particular button may buy the right from the publisher to link to that button. Several levels of linking are possible. The advertiser can buy the full link to direct the button to the advertiser's page. Alternatively, the advertiser may subscribe to a directory of advertisers linked to the button such that the advertiser's page is linked to a (usually small) directory linked to the button. The publisher can choose how to place each button category and each button instance. The publisher is in a random manner, for example, only in proportion to satisfy advertisers who wish to purchase a subset of the space without being forced to appear in the directory by demographics, location, or directory. You can divide the base button space.

Certain category buttons, such as “Emergency,” may link to non-advertising information specific to the user's location and are provided as a service by the publisher.

Netpage printer provider

In general, this embodiment includes a system for providing a user with printed information obtained from a remote source in the form of an online publication. The system includes a user module in the form of an interactive printer to interface the user with the online publication. The module responds to the user requesting the first information from the publication, which may be the publication itself, to generate a first printed medium displaying first information to the user along with second information. do. The second information is advertisement information derived from the advertiser. An identifier means in the form of the printer module is adapted to assign the identifier to the first printed medium such that the designation of the identifier by the user causes the module to generate a second printed medium that displays third information to the user. To apply. Computing means in the form of an online publisher server responds to the module to determine the payment to be made by the advertiser to the printer provider. Indeed, the advertiser will pay the online publisher, and the publisher will give the printer provider a payment if the printer provider is different from the publisher.

By default, the payment amount is a predetermined function of the number of reproductions of the generated printed publication. In other words, if the second party is the advertiser in the publication, the payment is a predetermined function of the number of copies achieved by the publication. This allows the advertiser to pay for the number of copies actually achieved and allow the publisher to be compensated for increasing the number of copies.

The payment may, in some embodiments, include other components in addition to or as a substitute for the above. For example, if the second information relates to the second party, the payment is a function of the number of second printed media generated. Thus, if the second party is an advertiser, the payment is increased during a successful hit for their particular advertisement.

In other embodiments the payment is a function of both the number of generated printed publications representing the first information and the number of generated second printed media representing the second information.

When the second party is a supplier of goods and / or services, the first information or the second information is usually arranged to allow the user to purchase the goods and / or services at a predetermined purchase price. In turn, the payment is calculated as a predetermined function of the purchase price of the goods and / or services actually purchased by the user.

For some items the user will want to obtain additional information about the goods and / or services before proceeding further. Thus, in some embodiments, the module responds to the designation of an identifier by the user to access technical or other information about an advertisement and a particular product and / or service of the second party. In these embodiments, the calculating means responds to the designation of the identifier to determine the payment. However, if required, the calculating means responds only to the designation of the identifier to determine the payment amount such that the advertiser pays the issuer only for a successful link to advertising information.

Some more specific examples follow and are described with reference to FIGS. 4-6.

Commission on Ad Fee

In this embodiment, the provider of the interactive printer receives the benefit of the percentage of the advertising fee earned directly through the printer. This provides a beneficial role for the providers of interactive printers and allows the provider to attract users by partially or wholly subsidizing the capital and operating costs of each user printer.

As shown in Figure 9, the system operates as follows:

The printer provider 72 provides the printer 45 to the user. In this embodiment the provider 72 holds ownership of the printer, while in other embodiments the ownership exists with each user.

Advertiser 42 submits an advertisement to publisher 41 as indicated by arrow 520.

The publisher 41 is typically part of one of the publisher's publications, eventually printing the advertisement to the printer 45. The result is one or more printed pages 1 being generated that contain the publication, including the advertisement.

The publisher 41 bills the advertiser 42 for the agreed advertising charges, as indicated by arrow 523.

The advertiser 42 pays the publisher 41 the advertising fee, as indicated by arrow 524.

The publisher 41 pays the printer provider 72 an agreed commission for the advertising fee, as indicated by arrow 525.

Commission on click-through rates

In another embodiment, the provider of an interactive printer receives a benefit of a percentage of single click-through charges directly through the printer. This provides a beneficial role for the providers of interactive printers and allows the provider to attract users by partially or wholly subsidizing the capital and operating costs of each user printer.

As shown in FIG. 10, the system operates as follows:

The printer provider 72 provides the printer 45 to the user 40.

The advertiser 42 submits a hyperlink to the publisher 41.

The publisher is typically part of one of the publisher's publications, eventually printing the hyperlink. The result is one or more printed pages 1 being generated that contain the publication, including the hyperlink.

The advertiser is notified when the user 40 clicks on the hyperlink, for example, to request a linked document from the advertiser 42, as the hyperlink is displayed on the interactive paper. .

The advertiser 42 pays the publisher 41 an agreed click-through fee.

The issuer 41 pays the printer provider 72 an agreed commission for the click-through fee.

Commission on Sales Commission

This embodiment allows the provider of an interactive printer to receive the benefit of the percentage of sales commissions earned directly through the printer. This provides a beneficial role for the providers of interactive printers and allows the provider to attract users by partially or wholly subsidizing the capital and operating costs of each user printer.

As shown in Fig. 11, this embodiment operates as follows:

The printer provider 72 provides the printer 45 to the user 40.

The advertiser in the form of merchant 43 submits a hyperlink to publisher 41.

Publisher 41 is typically part of one of the publisher's publications, eventually printing the hyperlink. The result is one or more printed pages 1 being generated that contain the publication, including the hyperlink.

The merchant is notified when the user 40 clicks on the hyperlink to request a linked document from the merchant 43. The "click" occurs through the use of the interaction paper.

The merchant 43 is notified when the user 40 eventually makes an online purchase through the linked document (or via a document obtained via the linked document).

The merchant 43 pays the issuer 41 an agreed commission for the sale.

The issuer 41 pays the printer provider 72 an agreed commission for the sales commission.

conclusion

The present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments and some specific alternative embodiments. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many other embodiments that differ from the specifically described embodiments may fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed in the detailed description, including documents suitably specified by cross-reference. It is intended that the scope of the invention only be limited by the appended claims.

Claims (23)

A system for providing a user with printed information obtained from a database of a first party, the system comprising: A user printer module for interfacing the user with the database, the user printer module for obtaining first information and for generating a first printed medium displaying the first information to the user along with second information; A user printer module responsive to the user requesting the first information; For applying the identifier to the first printed medium such that the designation of the second information by the user corresponds to the designation of an identifier and to generate a second printed medium that displays third information to the user. Identifier means; And Accounting means for applying a monetary debit from the first party to a second party from which the third information is derived. The system of claim 1, wherein the debit is a predetermined periodic fee. 2. The system of claim 1 including calculation means responsive to said module for determining the amount of said debit. 4. The system of claim 3, wherein said calculating means responds to a number of times said second information is designated by said user. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the module is provided to the user by a third party and the computing means determines a debit applied by the third party to one or both of the first party and the second party. System characterized in that. 6. The system of claim 5, wherein the first party is an online publisher and the first database comprises the online publication. 7. The system of claim 6, wherein the first information is the content of the online publication and the second information is a text or graphics device of a general category button. 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the second party is an advertiser and the third information is specific marketing information of the advertiser. 10. The system of claim 8, wherein the advertiser is a merchant of goods and / or services offered for online sale. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the computing means is responsive to the user purchasing one or more of the goods and / or services to determine the monetary debit applied by the first party to the second party. System. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the second information includes a plurality of general category buttons associated with each corresponding plurality of second parties. A system for providing a user with printed information obtained from a database of a first party, the system comprising: A user printer module for interfacing the user with the database, the user printer module for obtaining first information and for generating a first printed medium displaying the first information to the user along with second information; A user printer module responsive to the user requesting the first information; For applying the identifier to the first printed medium such that the designation of the second information by the user corresponds to the designation of an identifier and to generate a second printed medium that displays third information to the user. Applicator; And An accounting server for applying a monetary debit from the first party to a second party from which the third information is derived. A method for providing a user with printed information obtained from a database of a first party, the method comprising: Interfacing the user with the database via a user printer module, the module including a first printed medium for obtaining first information and displaying the first information to the user along with second information; Responding to the user requesting the first information from the database to generate; Applying the identifier to the first printed medium such that the designation of the second information by the user corresponds to the designation of an identifier and to generate a second printed medium that displays third information to the user. ; And Applying a monetary debit from the first party to a second party from which the third information is derived. The method of claim 13, wherein the debit is applied periodically. The method of claim 13 including responding to the module to determine the amount of the debit. 16. The method of claim 15, comprising responding to the number of times the second information is designated by the user to determine the amount of the debit. The method of claim 15 including providing a module to the user by the third party and determining a debit applied by the third party to one or both of the first party and the second party. Characterized in that. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first party is an online publisher and the first database comprises the online publication. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the first information is the content of the online publication and the second information is a text or graphics device of a general category button. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the second party is an advertiser and the third information is specific marketing information of the advertiser. 21. The method of claim 20, wherein the advertiser is a merchant of goods and / or services offered for online sale. 22. The method of claim 21, comprising determining the monetary debit applied by the first party to the second party in response to the user purchasing one or more of the goods and / or services. How to. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the second information includes a plurality of general category buttons associated with each corresponding plurality of second parties.