Patent ID: 6694333
Filing Date: 2004-02-17
Classification: G06F,Y10S

Abstract:
A URL referencing system, comprising:(a) a first group of one or more computers connected to a network; (b) a database accessible to said computers of said first group, said database containing records having the fields of a reference code wherein said reference code consists of a series of letters and numbers, a series identifier wherein said series identifier is a one to four digit number representing a year, a URL, and optionally a name, the records being indexable by at least a reference code and a series identifier; and (c) first computer readable instructions installed to said computers of said first group, said first instructions implementing the functions of: (i) receiving first HTTP requests through the network, the first requests containing index information from users, the index information including at least a reference code and optionally a series identifier, (ii) asserting a default series identifier if a series identifier is not provided in said first HTTP requests, (iii) retrieving a URL and a status from said database using the index information, the status indicating the presence or absence of a record associated with said index in said database, (iv) forming first HTTP replies containing the retrieved URL if said status indicates a record exists for the index information in said database, the first HTTP replies containing an error response if the status indicates a record does not exist for the index information in said database, and (v) sending the first HTTP replies through the network to the users that initiated the first HTTP requests.