METHOD OF AND SYSTEM FOR PRODUCING TRANSACTION-ENABLING GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACES AT INTERNET-ENABLED TERMINALS IN RESPONSE TO READING BAR CODE SYMBOLS POINTING TO HTML-ENCODED DOCUMENTS EMBEDDED WITH JAVA-APPLETS AND STORED ON HTTP INFORMATION SERVERS

• US 6,412,699 B1
• Filed: 01/13/1999
• Issued: 07/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Wilz, David M. Sr., Russell, Garrett, Knowles, Carl Harry
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THIEN MINH
• Application Number:
  US09/229,820
• Time in Patent Office: 1,266 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/462.01, 235/472.01, 235/472.02, 235/494
• US Class Current: 235/472.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9554 by using bar codes

Abstract

A code symbol driven system and method are disclosed for producing graphical user interfaces which enable prespecified information-related transactions over the Internet. In the illustrative embodiment, the code symbol reader is integrated with a Java-enabled Internet terminal. The code symbol reader is used to read a code symbol (e.g., magstripe or bar code) encoded with information related to or specifying a predetermined Uniform Resource Locator (URL). The predetermined URL specifies the location of a HTML-encoded document that is stored in an HTTP server and contains one or more transaction-enabling Java-Applets. When the code symbol is read using the code symbol reader, and data representative of the URL is provided to a Java-enabled browser program, the corresponding HTTP document is automatically accessed and displayed at the terminal. The transaction-enabling Java-Applet embedded therein is executed in order to produce a graphical user interface on the display screen of the terminal, thereby enabling the user to carry out data entry and display operations related to the prespecified information-related transaction. The transaction-enabling Internet terminal of the present invention can be in the form of an Internet kiosk installed in a public location, in the manner as conventional ATMs. By virtue of the present invention, the code symbol driven system can be easily deployed for use by the mass population so that they can easily conduct various types of information-related transactions, including electronic-commerce, over the Internet.

Claims

1. A system for producing graphical user interfaces for enabling information-related transactions over the Internet, said bar code symbol driven system comprising:

a transaction-enabling Internet terminal for requesting a HTML-encoded document embodying a transaction-enabling Applet which, when executed, results in the production of a graphical user interface designed to enable a user to conduct a prespecified information-related transaction over the Internet, said HTML-encoded document being stored in a HTTP information server connected to the Internet, and at a location specified by a predetermined Uniform Resource Locator (URL), said transaction-enabling Internet terminal including

an Internet browser program for executing Applets, including said transaction-enabling Applet, embedded within said HTML-encoded document,

a display screen for visually displaying said HTML-encoded document and said graphical user interface for use in carrying out data read and entry operations during said prespecified information-related transaction,

a data entry means for entering data into said Internet browser program using said graphical user interface displayed from said display screen, and

a code symbol reader, operably connected to said Internet browser program, for scanning a code symbol encoded with information related to said predetermined URL, decoding said scanned code symbol, producing data representative of said predetermined URL, and providing said produced data to said Internet browser program for accessing said HTML-encoded document whose location is specified by said predetermined URL,

wherein, when said code symbol is scanned by said code symbol reader, said scanned code symbol is automatically decoded, and data representative of said predetermined URL is automatically produced and provided to said Internet browser program, and

whereupon said Internet browser program automatically accesses said HTML-encoded document from said HTTP information server in order to execute said transaction-enabling Applet embedded in said HTML-encoded document and display said graphical user interface, thereby enabling the user to conduct said prespecified information-related transaction over the Internet at said transaction-enabling Internet terminal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said code symbol is a magstripe structure encoded with said information related to said predetermined URL, and said code symbol reader is a magstripe reader for reading said encoded magstripe structure.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said encoded magstripe structure is applied to a transaction card associated with said prespecified information-related transaction.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said code symbol is a URL-encoded bar code symbol, and said code symbol reader is a bar code symbol reader for reading said URL-encoded bar code symbol.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said bar code symbol reader is selected from the group consisting of a laser scanning bar code symbol reader, a CCD-type bar code symbol, and a wand-type bar code symbol reader.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said transaction-enabling Internet terminal comprises a hand-supportable data terminal and said code symbol reader is a bar code symbol reader integrated with said hand-supportable terminal.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said transaction-enabling Internet terminal comprises a kiosk-type device having a code symbol reader selected from the group consisting of a bar code symbol reader for reading bar code symbols, and a magstripe reader for reading magstripe structures.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said transaction-enabling Internet terminal comprises a computer-based kiosk.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein, when said code symbol is scanned by said code symbol reader, said scanned code symbol is automatically decoded, and data representative of said predetermined URL is automatically produced and provided to said Internet browser program,

whereupon said Internet browser program automatically accesses said HTML-encoded document from said HTTP information server and initiates execution of said transaction-enabling Applet embedded therein, thereby enabling the user to conduct said prespecified information-related transaction over the Internet at said transaction-enabling Internet terminal.

10. A system for producing graphical user interfaces for enabling information-related transactions over the Internet, bar code symbol driven system comprising:

a transaction-enabling Internet terminal for requesting a HTML-encoded document embodying a transaction-enabling Java-Applet which, when executed, results in the production of a graphical user interface designed to enable a user to conduct a prespecified information-related transaction over the Internet, said HTML-encoded document being stored in a HTTP information server connected to the Internet and at a location specified by a predetermined Uniform Resource Locator (URL), said transaction-enabling Internet terminal including

a Java-enabled browser program for executing Java-Applets, including said transaction-enabling Java-Applet, embedded within said HTML-encoded document,

a display screen for visually displaying said HTML-encoded document and said graphical user interface for use in carrying out data read and entry operations during said prespecified information-related transaction,

a data entry means for entering data into said Java-enabled browser program using said graphical user interface displayed from said display screen, and

a code symbol reader, operably connected to said Java-enabled browser program, for scanning a code symbol encoded with information related to said predetermined URL, decoding said scanned code symbol, producing data representative of said predetermined URL, and providing said produced data to said Internet browser program for accessing said HTML-encoded document whose location is specified by said predetermined URL,

wherein, when said code symbol is scanned by said code symbol reader, said scanned code symbol is automatically decoded, and data representative of said predetermined URL is automatically produced and provided to said Java-enabled browser program,

whereupon said Java-enabled browser program automatically accesses said HTML-encoded document from said HTTP information server in order to execute said transaction-enabling Java-Applet embedded therein and display said graphical user interface, thereby enabling the user to conduct said prespecified information-related transaction over the Internet at said transaction-enabling Internet terminal.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said code symbol is an encoded magstripe structure encoded with said information related to said predetermined URL, and said symbol reader is a magstripe reader for reading said encoded magstripe structure.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said encoded magstripe is applied to a transaction card associated with said prespecified information-related transaction.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein said code symbol is a URL-encoded bar code symbol, and said code symbol reader is a bar code symbol reader for reading said URL-encoded bar code symbol.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said bar code symbol reader is selected from the group consisting of a laser scanning bar code symbol reader, a CCD-type bar code symbol, and a wand-type bar code symbol reader.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein said transaction-enabling Internet terminal comprises a hand-supportable data terminal and said code symbol reader is a bar code symbol reader integrated with said hand-supportable data terminal.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein said transaction-enabling Internet terminal comprises a kiosk-type device having a code symbol reader selected from the group consisting of a bar code symbol reader for reading bar code symbols, and a magstripe reader for reading magstripe structures.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein said transaction-enabling Internet terminal comprises a computer-based kiosk.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein, when said code symbol is scanned by said code symbol reader, said scanned code symbol is automatically decoded, data representative of said predetermined URL is automatically produced and provided to said Internet browser program,

whereupon said Java-enabled browser program automatically accesses said HTML-encoded document from said HTTP information server and initiates execution of said transaction-enabling Java-Applet embedded therein, thereby enabling the user to conduct said prespecified information-related transaction over the Internet at said transaction-enabling Internet terminal.

19. A method of producing graphical user interfaces for enabling information-related transactions over the Internet, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) storing a HTML-encoded document in a HTTP information server connected to the Internet, and at a location specified by a predetermined Uniform Resource Locator (URL) said HTML-encoded document embodying a transaction-enabling Applet which, when executed, results in the production of a graphical user interface designed to enable a user to conduct a prespecified information-related transaction over the Internet;

(b) requesting said HTML-encoded document at a transaction-enabling Internet terminal, said transaction-enabling Internet terminal including

an Internet browser program for executing Applets, including said transaction-enabling Applet, embedded within said HTML-encoded document,

a display screen for visually displaying said HTML-encoded document and said graphical user interface for use in carrying out data read and entry operations during said prespecified information-related transaction,

a data entry means for entering data into said Internet browser program using said graphical user interface displayed from said display screen, and

a code symbol reader, operably connected to said Internet browser program, for scanning a code symbol encoded with information related to said predetermined URL, decoding said scanned code symbol, producing data representative of said predetermined URL, and providing said produced data to said Internet browser program for accessing said HTML-encoded document whose location is specified by said predetermined URL;

(c) using said code symbol reader to scan and decode said code symbol and automatically produce data representative of said predetermined URL; and

(d) automatically providing said produced data to said Internet browser program, so as to enable said Internet browser program to automatically

(1) access said HTML-encoded document from said HTTP information server,

(2) execute said transaction-enabling Applet embedded in said HTML-encoded document, and

(3) visually display said HTML-encoded document and said graphical user interface on said display screen, thereby enabling the user to carry out data read and entry operations related to said prespecified information-related transaction.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said code symbol is a magstripe structures encoded with said information related to said predetermined URL, and said symbol reader is a magstripe reader for reading said encoded magstripe structure.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said encoded magstripe structure is applied to a transaction card associated with said prespecified information-related transaction.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein said code symbol is a URL-encoded bar code symbol, and said code symbol reader is a bar code symbol reader for reading said URL-encoded bar code symbol.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said bar code symbol reader is selected from the group consisting of a laser scanning bar code symbol reader, a CCD-type bar code symbol, and a wand-type bar code symbol reader.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein said transaction-enabling Internet terminal comprises a hand-supportable data terminal and said code symbol reader is a bar code symbol reader integrated with said hand-supportable terminal.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein said transaction-enabling Internet terminal comprises a kiosk-type device having a code symbol reader selected from the group consisting of a bar code symbol reader for reading URL-encoded bar code symbols, and a magstripe reader for reading URL-encoded magstripe structure.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein said transaction-enabling Internet terminal comprises a computer-based kiosk.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein, when said code symbol is scanned by said code symbol reader, said scanned code symbol is automatically decoded, data representative of said predetermined URL is automatically produced and provided to said Internet browser program, and

whereupon said Internet browser program automatically accesses said HTML-encoded document from said HTTP information server and initiates execution of said transaction-enabling Applet embedded therein, thereby enabling the user to conduct said prespecified information-related transaction over the Internet at said transaction-enabling Internet terminal.