Granted Patent B2

US 7,197,543 · App. 10/874,145 · Granted Mar 27, 2007

Abstract

Claims (47)

1. A method of enabling a user to access a remote location on a network using an optical reader, comprising the steps of:

transmitting one of a scan code and a dedicated code from an optical reader to a first computer disposed on the network, the optical reader having an optical scanning system for scanning an encoded indicia, and a dedicated code system, including the steps of:

the optical scanning system, in response to the user scanning the encoded indicia therewith, sending to the first computer the scan code indicative of information encoded in the scanned encoded indicia; or

the dedicated code system, in response to the user completing an activation sequence, sending to the first computer the dedicated code indicative of information relating to a particular remote location on the network, the information not originating from the scanning of an encoded indica or related to the encoded indicia, the dedicated code having no routing information contained therein;

accessing, in response to the first computer receiving the one of the scan code or the dedicated code from the optical reader, a second computer disposed on the network;

performing a lookup operation at the second computer to match the one of the scan code or the dedicated code received from the optical reader with routing information for a remote location on the network;

returning the routing information from the second computer to the first computer; and

accessing the remote location on the network in accordance with the routing information returned from the second computer.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the dedicated code system further comprises:

a processor;

an electronic memory operably connected to the processor and including a memory location storing the information relating to the particular remote location on the network; and

an electrical switch operably connected to the processor;

whereby, in response to activation of the electrical switch, the processor accesses the electronic memory, retrieves the information relating to the particular remote location from the memory location, and produces the dedicated code indicative of the information relating to the particular remote location.

3. A method in accordance with claim 2 , wherein the information relating to the particular remote location in the electronic memory cannot be changed by the user.

4. A method in accordance with claim 2 , wherein the electrical switch is operably connected to a dedicated button accessible from the exterior of the optical reader.

5. A method in accordance with claim 4 , wherein the activation sequence includes pressing the dedicated button to activate the electrical switch.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the second computer is connected to a computer database including a plurality of codes and a plurality of routing information for remote locations on the network, and associating each of the plurality of routing information for remote locations on the network with at least one of the plurality of codes.

7. A method in accordance with claim 6 , wherein one of the plurality of codes in the computer database is the dedicated code.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the step of accessing a second computer further comprises:

launching a software application on the first computer;

incorporating the one of the scan code and the dedicated code received from the optical reader into a message packet using the software application; and

transmitting the message packet to the second computer.

9. A method in accordance with claim 8 , wherein the message packet includes information identifying the optical reader.

10. A method in accordance with claim 8 , wherein the message packet includes information identifying the user.

11. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the step of accessing the remote location on the network further comprises the steps of:

locating information on a third computer at the remote location; and

returning the information from the third computer to the first computer for presentation to the user.

12. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the network is a global communication network.

13. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the dedicated code has a data format substantially identical to a scan code resulting from the scanning of an encoded indicia.

14. A method of enabling a user to access a remote location on a network using an optical reader, comprising the steps of:

pressing a dedicated button accessible on an exterior surface of the optical reader, the optical reader operable for scanning an encoded indicia and sending decoded indicia information therefrom;

transmitting, in response to the pressing of the dedicated button, a dedicated code indicative of information stored in a memory location of a memory associated with the optical reader from the optical reader to a first computer disposed on the network, the information stored in the memory location not associated with or originating from the step of scanning of the encoded indica by the user and having no routing information contained therein;

accessing, in response to the first computer receiving either the dedicated code or the dedicated indicia from the optical reader, a second computer disposed on the network;

performing a lookup operation at the second computer to match the received one of either the dedicated code or the decoded indicia received from the optical reader with routing information stored at the second computer for a remote location on the network;

returning the routing information from the second computer to the first computer; and

accessing the remote location on the network in accordance with the routing information returned from the second computer.

15. The method in accordance with claim 14 , wherein the step of accessing the remote location on the network further comprises the steps of:

locating information on a third computer at the remote location; and

returning the information from the third computer to the first computer for presentation to the user.

16. A method of enabling a user to access a remote location on a network using an optical reader, comprising the steps of:

transmitting either of a scan code or a predetermined code from an optical reader to a first computer disposed on the network, the optical reader having an optical scanning system for scanning an encoded indicia to extract therefrom a scan code, and a fixed code system for enabling access to the predetermined code, including the steps of:

the optical scanning system, in response to the user scanning the encoded indicia therewith, sending to the first computer the scan code indicative of information encoded in the scanned encoded indicia; or

the fixed code system, in response to the user completing an activation sequence, sending to the first computer the predetermined code indicative of information relating to a particular remote location on the network, the information not originating from the scanning of an encoded indica or directly related to the encoded indicia, the predetermined code having no routing information contained therein;

accessing, in response to the first computer receiving the one of the scan code or the dedicated code from the optical reader, a relational database of routing information to various remote locations on the network each having a corresponding matching relationship to one of either one of a plurality of scan codes or a one of a plurality of predetermined codes;

performing a lookup operation at the relational database to match the one of the scan codes or the predetermined code received from the optical reader with corresponding routing information for a corresponding remote location on the network;

returning the routing information from the relational database to the first computer; and

accessing the remote location on the network in accordance with the routing information returned from the relational database.

Assignments (11)