GB2357598A

GB2357598A - Card system for the Internet

Info

Publication number: GB2357598A
Application number: GB9930230A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Yi-Chang Tsai
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-12-21
Filing date: 1999-12-21
Publication date: 2001-06-27
Anticipated expiration: 2019-12-21
Also published as: GB9930230D0; GB2357598B

Abstract

A card system for the Internet capable of collecting (visiting, business or calling) card data and providing the same to user in a convenient manner has the features of each user having a unique card number and password, updating data at any time and providing the same to the Internet, establishing a personal address book, accessing data through the Internet, and querying updated data in real time. With this card management system, a conventional technique of printing new cards and keeping many cards as well as a card folder/album are eliminated.

Description

2357598 C.AJW SYSTEM FOR TBE DnTRNET

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to Internet and more particularly to a card system for the Internet capable of collecting card data and providing the same to user in a convenient manner.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conventionally, card has been used as a convenient way to introduce oneself other persons in making a visit especially in the business field. It is known the one person may quickly have many cards after a relatively short period of time. Typically, these cards are stored in a folder or album. Some people have implemented a sort technique in the folder(s)/album(s) for facilitating to fmd the desired card.

But this is unsatisfactory for the purpose for which the present invention is concerned for the following reasons: Folder/album is not convenient to carry. It is still not efficient to find the desired card(s) even the folder/album is sorted. This case is even worse if there are a plurality of folders/albums.

Another prior art card scanner is commercially available. This scanner can scan the data printed on caxd and sort it prior to sending the same to computer to store in the harddisk. A user can input a key (e.g., name) in the computer in order to fmd the desired person as well as data associated therewith. Such scanner may manage cards for user in a relative convenient way. But there are still some disadvantages. For example, data error. This is because either a poor printing on the card or low text recognition capability of the scanner. As such, it is sometimes necessary for user to key in the erroneous data again. This is quite inconvenient. Further, the cost of scanner is relatively expensive.

Thus, it is desirable to provide a novel card storage and retrieval system which is convenient and efficient in use.

SUAfivLARY OF. THE It.,RTNTION It is therefbie an object of the present invention to provide a card system for the Internet having the features of respective user having a unique card number as username for accessing the Internet, capable of updating data in any time and providing the same to the Internet in real time, without printing new card and keeping many cards, establishing a personal address book, accessing data through the Internet by input the card number to open a card folder, and querying updated data. Thus, a conventional card folder/album is eliminated.

is It is another object of the present invention to provide a card system for the Internet having the feature of establishing a user homepage thereon. This homepage provides at least one window to hide all private data of a user or a certain item of all users. User may tick on a field in the window to effect the above feature. This provides user the functionality to open his/her information to the public in a controlled way.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a card system for the Internet having the feature of issuing a unique number as card number and a password after completing registration. With the card number and password, user may login to update private data, establish a dedicate database, and use search engine.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a card 2 system for the Internet having the feature of after clicking the "send" button, user may access his/her homepage or association's homepage thereof, input his/her data (or company's data even a subsidiary company's data), or input his/her association data.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a card system for the Internet having the feature that a first user may p rint card number on the card such that a second user may input this card number in the system to search relevant data if the second user has the first user's card and the second user is member of the card system. The second user may further employ such relevant data to update his/her own database.

It is still farther object of the.present invention to provide a card system for the Internet having the feature of allowing each registered member to have ten folders each comprising a card member area and a non card member area wherein the card member may use search engine to query and collect cards data, or collect cards by directly input card number, and non card member may collect cards by directly input card data. User may name each folder.

It is still ftather object of the present invention to provide a card system for the Internet wherein the search engine comprises a user query a and a member query The search engine is provided on the homepage of the system available to all users and members.For user query, only name and address are shown after search. For member query, a detailed information is shown after search.

It is still ftnther object of the present invention to provide a card system for the Internet wherein real time updated data is available in the registration for user to access.

3 It is still further object of the present invention to provide a card system for the Internet wherein user may click help button on screen in case of forgetting card number and/or password for help. The system will prompt an original e-mail number for user to input and reissue a card number and password to the user by e_mail if the input number is correct.

it is still further object of the present invention to provide a card system for the Internet comprising a world wide database having the feature of issuing an identification QD) of the card number based on the country code in the world wide web (WWW) such that the invention may be implemented in the world.

It is still further object of the present invention to provide a card system for the Internet comprising a guest book button for visitor such that visitor may leave a message when accessing this. This guest book button serves as a communication channel between cardcarrier and visitor.

It is yet further ob ect of the present invention to provide a card j system for the Internet having the feature of providing personal commercials, personal virtual website packages, a rights and liabilities declaration, and services on each page appeared on the system.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF TBE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a homepage of a card system for the Internet according to the invention; 4 FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the second page (registered as a member) of the card system for the Internet according to the invention; FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the third page (data entry) of the card system for the Internet according to the invention; FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the fourth page (member entry) of the card system for the Internet according to the invention; and FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the fifth page (member) of the card system for the Internet according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED E1vfflODEVIENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1-5, there is shown a card system for the Internet constructed in accordance with the present invention capable of collecting card data and providing the same to user in a convenient manner. Once visit the system, it will show "abouC button 1, is "registration" button 2, "data entry" button 3, "member" button 4, "help" button 5, "user search engine" button 6, "search" button 7, "guest boole' button 8, and "rights and liabilities declaration of registrant" button 9 (FIG. 1). Each button is associated with a page. User may click each button to visit the page in order to input personal data and establish a dedicate database. The function of each button is detailed below.

For "abouC button 1 regarding personal data, a plurality of functions are shown on the associated page such as online login, card number issuing, establishing a dedicate database, search engine, query of card number and password, and personal marketing.

For "registration" button 2, user may follow the instructions to become a mernber of the system.

n For "data entry" button 3, a "rights" field 10 and a "liabilities" field 11 are shown on the "rights and liabilities declaration" page (FIG. 2). User may read information about the "rights" and "liabilities" by clicking the corresponding buttons respectively. If user does not agree with the "rijot" and "liabilities", he/she may click a "disagree" field 13 to exit the page or even the system. If yes, he/she may click an "agree" field 12 to enter "data entry" page:(FIG. 3). User may input data accordingly wherein visitor with a %XW' to the right is required to fill in, while visitor without a is optional. Further, a complete or partial data hidden option is available thereon. That is, if user ticks on the box to the left of "all data hidden" field, all input data are not available to the public. Alternatively, user may tick on the box to the left of each desired field to enable the hidden function associated with that field.

User may review the previous data entry If there is any error found, he/she may click the "clear" button 14 to clear all data entry and input again. If no error, user may click the "send" button 15 which in turn activates system to send a card number to user's e--mail address. This user as a first user may print the card number on the card such that a second user may input the card number in the system to search relevant data if the second user has the first user's card and the second user is member of the card system. The second user may further employ such relevant data to update his/her own database.

Alternatively, after clicking the "sen&' button, 15, user may access his/her homepage or association's homepage thereof. AS such, user may input company's data or even a subsidiary company's data in the card, or input his/her association's data in the association card.

6 For "membe? button 4, a member only page is shown (FIG. 4). A prompt to input users card number and password is shown. If the input is correct, user may enter the card system for the Internet. User may click "help" button 5 on screen in case of forgetting his/her card number and/or password for help. The system will prompt an original e- mail number for user to input and reissue a card number and password to the user by e-mail if the input number is correct.

Referring to FIG. 5 specifically, user may input multiple conditions in the "member search engine" button 16 to further activate "search" button 17. A plurality of classified items are shown on the same page accordingly for member to choose in order to add it to the "personal address book" field.

User may click "read car&' button 19 to cause system to prompt a card member area and a non card member area for reading. If user clicks "card data entry" button 20, system will correspondingly prompt card member area and non card member area which user may directly input card data. This is a convenient design for non card member users to access the novel function of the invention.

User may click "rename" button 21 to cause system to prompt a new window name for user to input. Each registered member is allowed to establish ten folders based on his/her own sorting design. Each folder can have as many card records as possible.

For "user search engine" button 6, it is available to card members and non card members. A non card member may input conditions or other relevant data for querying information associated with the desired cardcarrier. System will. show corresponding name and address of that cardcarrier if these conditions or data determined to be correct.

7 However, a detailed information of that cardcarrier is only available to card member who uses "member search engine" 16 to search. This is a fair policy For "guest book" button 8, visitor may leave a message when accessing this. This "guest book" button 8 serves as a communication channel between cardcarrier and visitor. All visitors' message are shown on the page for any user who clicks the "guest booC button 8.

Additionally, personal commercials, personal virtual website packages, a rights and liabilities declaration, and services are shown on each page on the system.

ADVANTAGES OF TBE INVENTION This invention is an efficient and convenient system. This invention has the features of respective user having a unique card number as username for accessing the Internet, capable of updating data in any time and providing the same to the Internet, without printing new card and keeping many cards, establishing a personal address book, accessing data through the Internet, and querying updated data in a real time manner. Thus, a conventional technique of printing new cards and keeping many cards as well as card folder/album are eliminated.

While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the claims.

8 CLAMS 1. A card system for the Internet capable of collecting card data and providing the same to a user, the system including a homepage having an about button, a registration button, a data entry button, a member button, a help button, a user search engine button, a search button, a guest book button, and a rights and liabilities declaration of registrant button, a method for operating the system during live connection to the Internet, the method comprising the steps of.

a) clicking the about button regarding personal data to enable a plurality of functions to show on an associated page; b) clicking the registration button and the rights and liabilities 15 declaration button to enter a page with a rights field, a liabilities field, an agree field, and a disagree field such that the user may read information about the rights field and the liabilities field by clicking thereon respectively, if the user does not agree with the right and the liabilities the user may click the disagree field to exit the page or the system, if yes, the user may click the agree field to enter the data entry button to further enter a page for the user to input data accordingly; c) clicking the send button to cause the system to send a card number to an e_mail. of the user, the user's homepage, and an association homepage associated with the user; d) clicking the member button to enter a member only page having a user's card number and a users password fields requesting the user to input accordingly; and

9 e) entering the system if the input in step d) is correct, thereby enabling to maintain card data, establish a personal address book, and search data associated with all members.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein in the homepage of the system click the registration button to allow the user to become a member of the system by following instructions provided thereon.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein in the homepage of the system click the data entry button to enter a page to input data in a plurality of fields wherein each field a predetermined mark thereon is required to fill in and each field without the predetermined mark thereon is optional.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein in the page of the data entry button further comprising a complete data hidden field and a plurality of partial data hidden fields such that the user may choose accordingly.

5. The method of claim 1, whereinin the page of the data entry button further comprising a clear button to clear all previously input data if there is an error therein.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein in the system that a first user may print the card number on a card such that a second user may input the card number in the system to search relevant data if the second user has the first user's card and the second user is a member of the system, thereby enabling to add it to the personal address book.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein in the system that the user may input data of the user's company and the user's subsidiary company into the user's card.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein in the system that the user may t data of the user's predetermined association into the predetermined association.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein in the system that the user may click the help button for help in case of forgetting the card number and password thereof, thereby enabling the system to prompt an original email number for the user to input and reissue the card number and password to the user by e-mail.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein in the page of the member button further comprising a member search engine field such that the member may input a plurality of conditions in the member search engine field to search all data of the members of the system for choosing and adding one o r more desired data to the personal address book.

11. The method of. claim 1, wherein in the page of the member button the member may establish or read the personal address book which is updated by the system based on data transaction.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein in the page of the member button the member may establish ten folders based on the members sorting order wherein each of the folders has one or more card records.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein in the homepage of the system all users and member may click the user search engine button for querying name and address of the member.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein in the homepage of the system a visitor may click the guest book button to enter a visitor message page to leave a message, thereby enabling the visitor message page to serve as a communication channel between the system and the visitor and 10 showing the all visitors' message by clicking on the visitor message page.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein in each of the pages of the system further comprising personal commercials, personal virtual website is packages, a rights and liabilities declaration, and services.

12 16. A card system for the Internet substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings.

17. A method of operating a card system for the Intemet substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings.

13