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 an application program in the foreground and a product information access program in the background;
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 when the first application program is running in the foreground, and detect optical indicia of the product from displayed indicia on an external optical indicia surface containing a product ID;
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;
the product information access program operable to access a second computer disposed on the network in response to the detection of the optical indicia of the product with the input device;
performing a lookup operation at the second computer to match the product ID with routing information of each of a plurality of vendor servers disposed on the network, the vendor servers having unique product-related information of the product;
returning the routing information of the vendor servers from the second computer to the first computer in order to access the vendor servers; and
accessing the vendor servers in accordance with the routing information to return the product-related information to the first computer for simultaneous presentation to the user on the display.
12 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.
228 Citations
19 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 an application program in the foreground and a product information access program in the background;
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 when the first application program is running in the foreground, and detect optical indicia of the product from displayed indicia on an external optical indicia surface containing a product ID;
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;
the product information access program operable to access a second computer disposed on the network in response to the detection of the optical indicia of the product with the input device;
performing a lookup operation at the second computer to match the product ID with routing information of each of a plurality of vendor servers disposed on the network, the vendor servers having unique product-related information of the product;
returning the routing information of the vendor servers from the second computer to the first computer in order to access the vendor servers; and
accessing the vendor servers in accordance with the 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)
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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 optical scanning capabilities in the pointing device;
scanning the pointing device with the optical scanning capability thereof over an encoded optical 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 in the user'"'"'s computer;
the operation of the pointing device coupled to the operation of the first and second programs;
detecting with the second program the scanning of the encoded optical 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 encoded optical codes in response to the step of detecting the encoded optical 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)
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Specification