Data system and method for accessing a computer network using a collection of bar code symbols

• US 6,629,642 B1
• Filed: 07/21/2000
• Issued: 10/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Patel, Mehul, Swartz, Jerome
• Primary Examiner(s): Pitts, Harold I.
• Application Number:
  US09/621,694
• Time in Patent Office: 1,173 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.45, 235/462.46
• US Class Current: 235/462.46
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/181 Enclosures for portable computers G06F1/1613
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• 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: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A data system and method for retrieving information from a particular address of a computer network using a collection of bar code symbols and a hand-held, portable terminal. Each of the bar code symbols of the collection includes encoded data that is associated with a particular computer network address. The hand-held, portable terminal comprises a reading unit including a laser scanner or a CCD array, a communications unit, and a display. In operation, the reading unit scans or images a bar code symbol from the collection, the communications unit establishes a connection to the computer network and accesses the computer network address associated with a particular bar code symbol, and information stored on the computer network at a location associated with the network address is transferred to the terminal and displayed on the display.

Claims

1. A system for accessing data resources on a computer network, comprising:

a) a portable book having pages on which machine-readable symbols and human-readable indicia are printed, each symbol being encoded with a computer network address at which data resources are stored, each indicium being located adjacent a respective symbol and identifying the respective symbol to a human operator; and

b) a portable, hand-held terminal supported and operated by the operator during use, the terminal including a reader for electro-optically reading a symbol identified by a respective indicium and selected by the operator, and for decoding the symbol to obtain the address encoded therein, the terminal also including a transceiver in wireless communication with the network for accessing and retrieving the data resources stored at the address of the decoded symbol, the terminal also including a display for visually displaying to the operator the data resources retrieved from the address of the decoded symbol.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the symbols are encoded in a PDF 417 format.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the reader includes a scanner for sweeping a light beam in a scan pattern over the symbol.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the reader includes an imager having a field of view, and a scanner for sweeping the field of view to capture an image of the entire symbol.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the transceiver operates at radio frequencies.

6. The system of claim 1, and further comprising a keyboard on the terminal for manually entering information.

7. A method of accessing data resources on a computer network, comprising the steps of:

a) printing machine-readable symbols and human-readable indicia on pages in a book, each symbol being encoded with a computer network address at which data resources are stored, each indicium being located adjacent a respective symbol and identifying the respective symbol to a human operator;

b) supplying the book to the operator for selection of a symbol identified by a respective indicium;

c) supporting and operating a portable, hand-held terminal by the operator, including the step of aiming a reader on the terminal at the symbol for reading and decoding the symbol to obtain the address encoded therein;

d) accessing and retrieving the data resources stored at the address of the decoded symbol by establishing a wireless communication link between the terminal and the network; and

e) visually displaying to the operator the data resources retrieved from the address of the decoded symbol on a display provided on the terminal.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the reading step is performed by sweeping a light beam in a scan pattern over the symbol.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the reading step is performed by sweeping a field of view of an imager to capture an image of the entire symbol.