SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SCANNING & STORING UNIVERSAL RESOURCE LOCATOR CODES

• US 20020000468A1
• Filed: 04/19/1999
• Published: 01/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: BANSAL, PRADEEP K.
• Application Number:
  US09/293,910
• Publication Number:
  US 20020000468A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/462.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9554 by using bar codes

Abstract

A universal resource locator (URL) code scanning and storing device and method for scanning a code to generate a URL, storing the URL, and later uploading URLs from a list of selected previously stored URLs to an Internet access device. The URL scanning and storing device may also store additional textual and audio comments corresponding to stored URLs. Once the URL is uploaded to the Internet access device, the Internet access device may then use the URL to access information, such as a web-site relating to the URL, via the Internet.

Claims

1. A method for storing and transmitting one or more URLs, comprising:

scanning a code to generate a URL;

storing the URL in a list of URLs;

receiving a selection of at least one selected URL from the list of URLs; and

transmitting the at least one selected URL to a terminal.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein storing the URL further includes storing additional information and wherein the additional information includes at least one of textual information and audio information.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

grouping one or more URLs in the list of URLs into groups of URLs; and

assigning a group identifier to each of the groups of URLs.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein scanning a code to generate a URL further comprises:

scanning a barcode to obtain barcode values; and

generating a URL based on the barcode values and information stored in a look-up table.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein scanning a code to generate a URL further comprises:

scanning a textual code; and

generating a URL based on the textual code using optical character recognition.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising organizing the list of URLs based on a priority assigned to each URL in the list of URLs.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein receiving a selection of at least one selected URL includes receiving a selection of a group identifier and selecting each of the URLs in the selected group corresponding to the group identifier.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a selection of at least one selected URL includes receiving a selection of a date range and selecting each of the URLs in the list of URLs having a date within the range.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a selection further comprises setting an upload flag associated with the at least one URL based on the selection.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein transmitting includes uploading the at least one selected URL based on whether the upload flag for the at least one selected URL is set for upload.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising organizing the list of URLs based on a priority assigned to each URL in the list of URLs.

11. A method for storing a URL, comprising:

scanning a code to generate the URL;

storing the URL in a list of URLs;

retrieving, at a later time, a selection of at least one selected URL from the list of URLs; and

using the at least one selected URL to access a data network.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein storing the URL further includes storing additional information and wherein the additional information includes at least one of textual information and audio information.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

grouping one or more URLs in the list of URLs into groups of URLs; and

assigning a group identifier to each of the groups of URLs.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein scanning a code to generate a URL further comprises:

scanning a barcode to obtain barcode values; and

generating a URL based on the barcode values and information stored in a look-up table.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein scanning a code to generate a URL further comprises:

scanning a textual code; and

generating a URL based on the textual code using optical character recognition.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein retrieving a selection of at least one selected URL includes receiving a selection of a group identifier and selecting each of the URLs in the selected group corresponding to the group identifier.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein retrieving a selection of at least one selected URL includes receiving a selection of a date range and selecting each of the URLs in the list of URLs having a date within the range.

19. An apparatus for storing and transmitting one or more URLs, the apparatus comprising:

a scanner for scanning a code to generate a URL;

a memory for storing the URL in a list of URLs;

a controller connected with the scanner and memory for receiving a selection of at least one selected URL from the list of URLs; and

a transmitter coupled with the controller for transmitting the at least one selected URL to a terminal.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the transmitter transmits the URL to a terminal via one of cable, infrared, and radio frequency communication links.

21. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the controller stores the URL in memory with additional information and wherein the additional information includes at least one of textual information and audio information.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the controller groups one or more URLs in the list of URLs into groups of URLs stored in memory and assigns a group identifier to each of the groups of URLs.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the scanner scans a barcode to obtain barcode values, and the controller generates a URL based on the barcode values and information stored in memory as a look-up table.

24. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the scanner scans a textual code, and the controller generates a URL based on the textual code using optical character recognition.

25. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the controller organizes the list of URLs within memory based on a priority assigned to each URL in the list of URLs.

26. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the controller receives a selection of at least one selected URL by receiving a selection of a group identifier and selecting each of the URLs in the selected group corresponding to the group identifier.

27. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the controller receives a selection of at least one selected URL by receiving a selection of a date range and selecting each of the URLs in the list of URLs having a date within the range.

28. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the controller receives a selection and sets an upload flag associated with the at least one URL based on the selection.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the controller uploads the at least one selected URL via transmitter based on whether the upload flag for the at least one selected URL is set for upload.

30. A method for storing and transmitting one or more URLs, comprising:

entering a code to generate a URL;

storing the URL in a list of URLs;

receiving a selection of at least one selected URL from the list of URLs; and

transmitting the at least one selected URL to a terminal.

31. The method according to claim 30, wherein entering a code to generate the URL further includes:

verbally entering an audio code; and

generating a URL based on the audio code using speech recognition.