US 6164534

Patent Summary: US 6,164,534

This report provides a concise summary of United States Patent 6,164,534, including its key bibliographic information and an overview of its independent claims. The information is based on the patent document and publicly available data from the United-States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

1. Bibliographic Information

• Title: Method and apparatus for accessing electronic data via a familiar printed medium
• Assignee: As of the patent's issue date, the rights were assigned to the inventors. The current assignee of record is MARSHALL ELECTRONICS COMPANY LLC.
• Inventors: Spencer A. Rathus, Jeffrey S. Nevid, Lois Fichner-Rathus
• Filing Date: May 20, 1999
• Issue Date: December 26, 2000
• Abstract: The disclosed methods and apparatus relate generally to the electronics media industry, such as cable television (CATV), home shopping services, on-line computer services and computer memory applications. These methods and apparatus allow a user to access and make use of electronic media input and output devices by reference to and/or utilization of standard printed matter, such as magazines, textbooks, or any other printed matter that can be correlated to electronic media.

2. Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims

US Patent 6,164,534 contains one independent claim.

• Claim 1: This claim describes a system that allows a user to get electronic programming by using a physical printed item. The system includes:
  • A printed object (like a magazine or book) that has a special, machine-readable mark on it.
  • A handheld device that can recognize this mark and send out a coded signal when it does.
  • A main controller that receives this signal and, in response, gets the electronic programming.
  • A display screen for showing the programming to the user.

In simple terms, a user can point a scanner-like device at a special symbol in a book, and this action will trigger related electronic content to appear on a screen.

3. Litigation Search

A search of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) dockets for the year 2026 was conducted for litigation involving US Patent 6,164,534. As of the date of this report, no new litigation has been filed in 2026. However, it should be noted that this patent has been subject to litigation in the past, as indicated by records from previous years.

Disclaimer: This summary is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For a complete understanding of the patent and its legal implications, the full patent document should be consulted and a qualified patent attorney should be retained.