Method and apparatus for distributing supplemental information related to printed articles

An apparatus comprising:

• an electronic database containing supplemental information corresponding to limited portions of information in printed articles, at least one of said printed articles being embedded with a code physically positioned to identify a limited portion of information in said printed article and for which said electronic database contains supplemental information;
• indicating means configured to permit a reader to use said code to indicate further interest in said supplemental information;
• and
• selection means configured to permit said reader to select a method of delivery whereby said supplemental information in said database can be delivered to said reader.

A method for providing supplemental information to readers, comprising the steps of:

• providing standard-length printed articles intended to inform a reader;
• embedding in the midst of at least one of said articles a code;
• said code physically positioned to identify a limited portion of information in said article;
• and
• providing written instructions associated with said article which permit said reader to access a remote electronic database containing supplemental information relating to said limited portion of information in said article, utilize said code to indicate further interest directly in said supplemental information, and select a method of delivering said supplemental information in said database to said reader.

A method for providing supplemental information to readers, comprising the steps of:

• receiving from a reader a code, said code indicating a limited portion of information in an otherwise standard-length printed article, said article intended to inform the reader;
• utilizing said code to identify a portion of an electronic database containing supplemental information about said article;
• providing to said reader a selection of methods of delivery of said supplemental information to said reader;
• and
• initiating delivery of said supplemental information from said electronic database to said reader in accordance with said reader's selection of a method of delivery.

An apparatus comprising:

• a receiver configured to receive from a reader a code, said code indicating a limited portion of information in an otherwise standard-length printed article, said article intended to inform the reader;
• an identifier configured to permit said reader to utilize said code to identify a portion of an electronic database containing supplemental information about said article;
• delivery selection means configured to provide said reader a selection of methods of delivery of said supplemental information to said reader;
• and
• initiating means configured to initiate delivery of said supplemental information from said electronic database to said reader in accordance with said reader's selection of a method of delivery.

A method for providing supplemental information to readers, comprising the steps of:

• receiving from a reader a code, said code indicating a limited portion of information in an otherwise standard-length printed article, said article intended to inform the reader;
• contacting a remote electronic database;
• utilizing said code to identify a portion of said remote electronic database containing supplemental information to said article;
• providing to said reader a selection of methods of delivery of said supplemental information to said reader;
• and
• initiating delivery of said supplemental information from said remote database to said reader in accordance with said reader's selection of method of delivery.

An apparatus comprising:

• a receiver configured to receive from a reader a code, said code indicating a limited portion of information in an otherwise standard-length printed article, said article intended to inform the reader;
• contacting means configured to contact a remote electronic database;
• an identifier configured to utilize said code to identify a portion of said remote electronic database containing supplemental information to said article;
• selection means configured to provide to said reader a selection of methods of delivery of said supplemental information to said reader;
• and
• delivery means configured to initiate delivery of said supplemental information from said remote database to said reader in accordance with said reader's selection of method of delivery.

A method of distributing supplemental information corresponding to a printed article intended to inform a reader, comprising the steps of:

• receiving from the reader a request identifying a code in the printed article, the code physically positioned in the printed article to indicate the existence of supplemental information related to a limited portion of information in the printed article;
• receiving from the reader a selected method of delivery;
• retrieving from storage the supplemental information corresponding to the code;
• sending the retrieved information to the reader in accordance with the selected method of delivery.

A method for providing supplemental information to readers, comprising the steps of:

• providing to said reader means to identify a location code associated with a limited portion of information physically positioned in the midst of at least one article;
• providing an electronic database containing supplemental information about said limited portion of information in said article;
• providing means by which said reader can use said location code to indicate further interest in said supplemental information;
• and
• permitting said reader to select a method of delivery whereby said supplemental information in said database can be delivered to said reader.