Input device having positional and scanning capabilities
First Claim
1. A method of obtaining product-related information regarding a product, comprising the steps of:
- disposing a first computer of a user on a network that is operable to run both an application program and a product information access program;
connecting an input device to the first computer to provide a user interface to the first computer and the operation of the input device coupled to the application and product information programs, wherein the input device can sense both positional data of an external surface that is related to an optical indicator on a user display associated with the first computer to indicate the relative position of the input device to the external surface in association with the operation of the first application program, and detect optical indicia of the product from displayed indicia on an external optical indicia surface containing a product ID and which product ID is associated with one of a plurality of vendor servers on the network;
detecting with the input device the optical indicia of the product on the external optical indicia surface, the step of detecting the optical indicia associated with the product information access program;
determining from the detected optical indicia routing information to the associated vendor server; and
accessing the vendor servers in accordance with the determined routing information to return the product-related information to the first computer for simultaneous presentation to the user on the display.
13 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A multi-purpose input device (2500) for providing conventional positional tracking, and one or more read capabilities for automatically connecting a user PC (302) to remote node. In one embodiment, a user reads optically encoded indicia (1606) of a product by passing the input device (2500) thereover. A software interface (2505) processes the read information, assembles a message packet, and appends routing information thereto to connect the user PC (302) to an ARS (308) disposed on a common network (306). The ARS (308) performs a matching operation with the received product information to obtain an associated network address of a vendor server (314) having the desired product information. The ARS (308) returns the vendor server address to the user PC (302) whereby the vendor advertiser server (312) is automatically accessed by the user PC (302). The respective product information is then returned from the vendor server (312) to the user PC (302) for presentation to the user.
53 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method of obtaining product-related information regarding a product, comprising the steps of:
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disposing a first computer of a user on a network that is operable to run both an application program and a product information access program;
connecting an input device to the first computer to provide a user interface to the first computer and the operation of the input device coupled to the application and product information programs, wherein the input device can sense both positional data of an external surface that is related to an optical indicator on a user display associated with the first computer to indicate the relative position of the input device to the external surface in association with the operation of the first application program, and detect optical indicia of the product from displayed indicia on an external optical indicia surface containing a product ID and which product ID is associated with one of a plurality of vendor servers on the network;
detecting with the input device the optical indicia of the product on the external optical indicia surface, the step of detecting the optical indicia associated with the product information access program;
determining from the detected optical indicia routing information to the associated vendor server; and
accessing the vendor servers in accordance with the determined routing information to return the product-related information to the first computer for simultaneous presentation to the user on the display. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 20)
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10. A method for connecting two locations on a network utilizing a pointing device at the first location interconnected to a user'"'"'s computer at the first location, comprising the steps of:
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providing both positional and code reading capabilities in the pointing device;
operating the pointing device with the code reading capability thereof to receive a code, encoded with information representative of a location on the network of a second location, while operating a first program on the user computer which utilizes the positional capabilities of the pointing device of an external surface that is related to an optical indicator on a user display to indicate the relative position of the input device to the internal surface during running of the first program;
running a second program at the user'"'"'s location;
the operation of the pointing device coupled to the operation of the first and second programs;
detecting with the second program the reading of the code by the pointing device;
connecting with the second program the first location to each of a plurality of the second locations over the network through respective routing locations indicated by the information encoded in the read code in response to the step of reading the code; and
receiving information from each of the second locations transmitted therefrom to the first location for simultaneous display thereof on the display. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21)
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Specification