SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATIC ACCESS OF A REMOTE COMPUTER OVER A NETWORK

• US 20080082353A1
• Filed: 06/20/2007
• Published: 04/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NM, LLC
• Original Assignee: NeoMedia Technologies Inc.
• Inventors: Hudetz, Peter, Hudetz, Frank
• Granted Patent: US 7,765,126 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9554 by using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/025 by means, e.g. cards, providing billing information at the time of purchase, e.g. identification of seller or purchaser, quantity of goods delivered or to be delivered
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation

Abstract

A system and method for using identification codes found on ordinary articles of commerce to access remote computers on a network. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a computer is provided having a database that relates Uniform Product Code (“UPC”) numbers to Internet network addresses (or “URLs”). To access an Internet resource relating to a particular product, a user enters the product'"'"'s UPC symbol manually, by swiping a bar code reader over the UPC symbol, or via other suitable input means. The database retrieves the URL corresponding to the UPC code. This location information is then used to access the desired resource.

Claims

1-21. -21. (canceled)

22. A method for generating the address of a node on a network, comprising the steps of:

(a) associating in computer memory at least a portion of an identification number with the node'"'"'s network address;

said identification number having recognized significance as a number identifying an article of commerce;

(b) providing an article of commerce bearing an indicia on which said identification number is encoded;

(c) reading at least a portion of said identification number from said indicia; and

(d) retrieving from said computer memory the network address associated therein with said product identification.

23. The method according to claim 22 wherein said identification number is a Uniform Product Code.

24. The method according to claim 22 wherein said network address is a Uniform Resource Locator.

25. The method according to claim 22 wherein said indicia is encoded in machine-readable format.

26. The method according to claim 22 wherein said indicia is encoded in human-readable format.

27. The method according to claim 22 wherein said step of reading is performed using a bar code reader.

28. The method according to claim 22 wherein said step of reading is performed by a human reading said indicia and entering said identification information number using a keyboard.

29-32. -32. (canceled)