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

• US 6,823,388 B1
• Filed: 06/30/2000
• Issued: 11/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jack A. Turpin, RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: LV Partners LP (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Philyaw, Jeffry Jovan, Davis, Douglas L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Etienne, Ario
• Assistant Examiner(s): Halim, Sahera
• Application Number:
  US09/608,859
• Time in Patent Office: 1,607 Days
• Field of Search: 709/227, 709/225, 709/223, 709/219, 709/203, 235/454
• 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

A method of accessing a remote location on a network using an optical reader. The optical reader includes an optical scanning system, a programmable memory system and an output circuit and is user-switchable between a scan mode, a record mode and a playback mode. The optical reader transmits a code to a first computer disposed on the network. When the optical reader is in the scan mode, the code is indicative of information extracted from an encoded indicia just scanned by the optical scanning system. When the optical reader is in the playback mode, the code is indicative of information retrieved from a user-selectable memory in the programmable memory system. The information in the user-selectable memory was previously stored in the user-selectable memory after being extracted from an encoded indicia scanned by the optical scanning system when the reader was in the record mode. In response to the first computer receiving the code from the optical reader, a second computer disposed on the network is accessed. A lookup operation is performed at the second computer to match the code received from the optical reader with a routing information for a remote location on the network. The routing information is returned from the second computer to the first computer. The remote location on the network is then accessed in accordance with the routing information returned from the second computer.

Claims

1. A method of accessing a remote location on a network using an optical reader, comprising the steps of:

transmitting a code from an optical reader to a first computer disposed on the network wherein the optical reader is a self-contained unit;

the optical reader including an optical scanning system, a programmable memory system and an output circuit for output to the first computer, and being user-switchable between a scan mode, a record mode and a playback mode;

the code being indicative, when the optical reader is in the scan mode, of information extracted from an encoded indicia just scanned by the optical scanning system; and

the code being indicative, when the optical reader is in the playback mode, of information retrieved from a user-selectable memory in the programmable memory system, which information was previously stored in the user-selectable memory after being extracted from an encoded indicia scanned by the optical scanning system when the optical reader was in the record mode which playback of information occurs in time after the recording of the played back information and in response to a user initiating the playback mode;

accessing, in response to the first computer receiving the code from the optical reader, a second computer disposed on the network;

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

returning the routing information from the second computer to the first computer; and

accessing the remote location on the network in accordance with the routing information returned from the second computer.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, further including the steps:

switching, prior to the step of transmitting a code from the optical reader, the optical reader into the record mode;

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

storing information extracted from the scanned encoded indicia in the user-selectable memory of the programmable memory system.

3. A method in accordance with claim 2, further including the step of switching, subsequent to the step of storing information extracted from the scanned encoded indicia and prior to the step of transmitting a code from the optical reader, the optical reader into the playback mode.

4. A method in accordance with claim 3, wherein the step of switching the optical reader into the record mode includes pushing a first button accessible from the exterior of the optical reader, the first button being mechanically connected to a first electrical switch operably connected to the optical scanning system and the programmable memory system.

5. A method in accordance with claim 4, wherein the step of switching the optical reader into the playback mode includes pushing a second button accessible from the exterior of the optical reader, the second button being mechanically connected to a second electrical switch which is operably connected to the programmable memory system.

6. A method in accordance with claim 4, wherein the step of switching the optical reader into the playback mode includes pushing one of 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 said plurality of second electrical switches being operably connected to the programmable memory system.

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

8. A method in accordance with claim 7, further including the steps of:

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

designating 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 information from the scanned encoded indicia.

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

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

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

12. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the second computer is connected to a computer database including a plurality of codes and a plurality of routing information for remote locations on the network, and associating each of the plurality of routing information for remote locations on the network with at least one of the plurality of codes.

13. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the step of accessing a second computer further comprises:

launching a software application on the first computer;

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

transmitting the message packet to the second computer.

14. A method in accordance with claim 13, wherein the message packet includes information identifying the optical reader.

15. A method in accordance with claim 13, wherein the message packet includes information identifying the user.

16. A method in accordance with claim 13, wherein the message packet includes information identifying the type of encoded indicia scanned by the optical reader.

17. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the step of accessing the remote location on the network further comprises the steps of:

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

returning the information from the third computer to the first computer for presentation to the user.

18. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the network is a global communication network.

19. A method of accessing a remote location on a network using an optical reader, comprising the steps of:

switching the optical reader into a record mode;

scanning an encoded indicia using an optical scanning system;

storing information extracted from the scanned encoded indicia in a programmable memory system;

switching, subsequent to the step of storing information, the optical reader into a playback mode;

retrieving information extracted from the scanned encoded indicia from the programmable memory system;

transmitting, in response to switching the optical reader into the playback mode, a code indicative of the information retrieved from the programmable memory system to a first computer disposed on the network wherein the optical reader is a separate unit apart from the first computer and wherein the stored information was stored previous to a current scanning operation and requires a user to specifically select pre-stored information as opposed to currently scanned information at the user'"'"'s substation of the playback mode;

accessing, in response to the first computer receiving the dedicated code from the optical reader, a second computer disposed on the network;

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

returning the routing information from the second computer to the first computer; and

accessing the remote location on the network in accordance with the routing information returned from the second computer.

20. A method in accordance with claim 19, wherein the step of accessing the remote location on the network further comprises the steps of:

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

returning the information from the third computer to the first computer for presentation to the user.

21. An optical reader, comprising:

an optical scanning system having a radiant energy source for generating a radiant energy for illuminating a target region, a photodetector for generating output electrical signals indicative of the radiant energy incident thereon, an optical system for directing the radiant energy from the radiant energy source to the target region, collecting the radiant energy from an encoded indicia when the encoded indicia occupies the target region, and directing the collected radiant energy from the target region to the photodetector, and a decoder receiving the output electrical signals of the photodetector and producing in response thereto decoder output signals indicative of information encoded in the scanned indicia;

a programmable memory system including a processor operably connected to an electronic memory device having a user-selectable memory;

the processor, when the optical reader is in a record mode, receiving decoder output signals indicative of information encoded in the scanned indicia and storing the information in the user-selectable memory for later retrieval;

the processor, when the optical reader is in a playback mode, accessing the user-selectable memory, retrieving therefrom stored information, that was previously completely stored in the record mode and producing processor output signals indicative of information encoded in the scanned indicia wherein access in the playback mode requires user initiation; and

an output circuit operably connected to the optical scanning system for receiving decoder output signals when the optical reader is in the scan mode, operably connected to the programmable memory system for receiving processor output signals when the optical reader is in the playback mode, and transmitting from the optical reader to a separate computer system a code indicative of information encoded in the scanned indicia.

22. An optical reader in accordance with claim 21, further comprising:

a first electrical switch operably connected to the optical scanning system and the programmable memory system for switching the optical reader from a scan mode into a record mode; and

a second electrical switch operably connected to the programmable memory system for switching, when the optical reader is in the scan mode, the optical reader into a playback mode.

23. An optical reader in accordance with claim 22, wherein the second electrical switch is further operably connected to the programmable memory system for designating, when in the optical reader is in the record mode, the user-selectable memory to which the information extracted from the encoded indicia is stored.

24. An optical reader in accordance with claim 21, wherein the code transmitted from the optical reader includes information identifying the optical reader.

25. An optical reader in accordance with claim 21, wherein the code transmitted from the optical reader includes information identifying the user.

26. An optical reader in accordance with claim 21, wherein the code transmitted from the optical reader includes information identifying the type of encoded indicia scanned by the optical reader.