Method and apparatus for accessing a remote location with an optical reader having a programmable memory system

• US 8,296,440 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2009
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Inventors: Philyaw, Jeffry Jovan, Davis, Douglas L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dalencourt, Yves
• Application Number:
  US12/464,765
• Publication Number:
  US 20090240816A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,260 Days
• Field of Search: 709/227, 709/225, 709/223, 709/219
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/38 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9554 by using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10762 Relative movement
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10831 Arrangement of optical elements, e.g. lenses, mirrors, prisms optical elements per se G02B
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/30 Managing network names, e.g. use of aliases or nicknames name-to-address mapping H04L61/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/301 Name conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/45 Network directories; Name-to-address mapping
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4552 Lookup mechanisms between a plurality of directories; Synchronisation of directories, e.g. metadirectories
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

An optical reader for accessing a remote location on a network includes an optical scanning system, a memory system, an output circuit for interfacing to a first computer disposed on the network, and a switching device for switching between a scan mode, a record mode and a playback mode. The optical reader further includes a transmitter for transmitting code information representative of a code to the first computer. In the scan mode, the code information is indicative of information representative of an encoded indicia scanned by the optical scanning system. In the playback mode the code information is indicative of information retrieved from a user-selectable memory in the memory system. The code information is configured to cause the first computer to determine routing information to the remote location, and access the remote location on the network in accordance with the determined routing information.

Claims

1. An apparatus for accessing a remote location on a network comprising:

an optical reader including;

an optical scanning system;

a memory system;

an output circuit for interfacing to a first computer disposed on the network;

a user controlled switching device for switching between a scan mode, a record mode and a playback mode;

a transmitter for transmitting code information representative of a code to the first computer;

the code information being indicative, when the optical reader is in the scan mode, of information representative of an encoded indicia just scanned by the optical scanning system such that the encoded indicia just scanned is immediately transmitted to the first computer such that there is no other scanned encoded indicia transmitted therebetween;

the code information being indicative, when the optical reader is placed in the playback mode by a user, of information retrieved from a user-selectable memory in the memory system, in which the information was previously stored in the user-selectable memory relating to a prior scan of the encoded indicia when the optical reader was placed in the record mode by the switching device, in which playback of information under control of a user occurs in time after recording of the played back information and in response to a user initiating the playback mode with the switching device, and wherein other scanned indicia are transmitted in response to scanning in the scan mode, recording in the record mode and playback in the playback mode; and

wherein the code information is configured to, upon being received by the first computer, cause the first computer to determine routing information to the remote location from the received code information, and access the remote location on the network in accordance with the determined routing information; and

wherein the optical reader is a self-contained unit.

2. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the optical reader is further configured to:

switch with the switching device, prior to transmitting code information, into the record mode;

scan with the optical scanning system, while in the record mode, an encoded indicia; and

store, with the memory system, code information determined from the scanned encoded indicia in the user-selectable memory.

3. The apparatus in accordance with claim 2, wherein the switching device is further configured to switch, subsequent to storing code information determined from the scanned encoded indicia and prior to transmitting code information, into the playback mode.

4. The apparatus in accordance with claim 3, wherein the optical reader further includes:

a first button accessible from an exterior of the optical reader and mechanically connected to a first electrical switch operably connected to the optical scanning system and the memory system; and

wherein the switching device is further configured to switch the optical reader into the record mode upon a pushing of the first button.

5. The apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein the optical reader further includes:

a second button accessible from the exterior of the optical reader and mechanically connected to a second electrical switch which is operably connected to the memory system; and

wherein the switching device is further configured to switch the optical reader into the playback mode upon a pushing of the second button.

6. The apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein the optical reader further includes:

a plurality of second buttons accessible from the exterior of the optical reader, each of the plurality of second buttons being mechanically connected to a corresponding one of a plurality of second electrical switches, and each of the plurality of second electrical switches being operably connected to the memory system; and

wherein the switching device is further configured to switch the optical reader into the playback mode upon a pushing of one of the plurality of second buttons.

7. The apparatus in accordance with claim 6, wherein the memory system includes a plurality of user-selectable memories, and each of the plurality of second electrical switches is connected to the memory system such that its activation will cause information to be retrieved from a corresponding one of the plurality of user-selectable memories.

8. The apparatus in accordance with claim 7, wherein the code reader further includes a processor configured to:

receive a signal indicative of a pressing, subsequent to the pressing of the first button and prior to the scanning of the encoded indicia, of one of the plurality of second buttons; and

designate the one of the plurality of memory location corresponding to the one of the plurality of second buttons that was pressed as the memory location for storing the code information representative of the scanned encoded indicia.

9. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the code information transmitted from the optical reader to the first computer further includes information indicative of the type of encoded indicia that was scanned.

10. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the code information transmitted from the optical reader to the first computer further includes information identifying the optical reader.

11. The apparatus in accordance with claim 10, wherein information identifying the optical reader is a unique serial number for the optical reader.

12. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first computer is configured to access, in response to the first computer receiving the code information from the optical reader, a second computer disposed on the network to determine the routing information to the remote location;

and

wherein the second computer is configured to;

perform a lookup operation at the second computer to match the code information received from the optical reader with a routing information for a remote location on the network; and

return the routing information from the second computer to the first computer.

13. The apparatus in accordance with claim 12, wherein the second computer is connected to a computer database including a plurality of code information and a plurality of routing information for remote locations on the network, and each of the plurality of routing information for remote locations on the network is associated with at least one of the plurality of code information.

14. The apparatus in accordance with claim 12, wherein to access the second computer the first computer is configured to:

launch a software application on the first computer;

incorporate the code received from the optical reader into a message packet using the software application; and

transmit the message packet to the second computer.

15. The apparatus in accordance with claim 14, wherein the message packet includes information identifying the optical reader.

16. The apparatus in accordance with claim 14, wherein the message packet includes information identifying the user.

17. The apparatus in accordance with claim 14, wherein the message packet includes information identifying the type of encoded indicia scanned by the optical reader.

18. The apparatus in accordance with claim 12, wherein to access the remote location on the network the first computer is further configured to:

locate information on a third computer at the remote location; and

receive the information from the third computer for presentation to the user.

19. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the network is a global communication network.