Method and apparatus for accessing a remote location by...

Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Remote data accessing

Reexamination Certificate

Rate now

  [ 0.00 ] – not rated yet Voters 0   Comments 0

Details

C709S219000, C709S227000, C707S793000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06745234

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention is related to a method of computer control and, more particularly, to a system for automatically directing a web browser application on the computer to retrieve and display information in response to an analog signal.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
With the growing numbers of computer users connecting to the “Internet,” many companies are seeking the substantial commercial opportunities presented by such a large user base. For example, one technology which exists allows a television (“TV”) signal to trigger a computer response in which the consumer will be guided to a personalized web page. The source of the triggering signal may be a TV, video tape recorder, or radio. For example, if a viewer is watching a TV program in which an advertiser offers viewer voting, the advertiser may transmit a unique signal within the television signal which controls a program known as a “browser” on the viewer's computer to automatically display the advertiser's web page. The viewer then simply makes a selection which is then transmitted back to the advertiser.
In order to provide the viewer with the capability of responding to a wide variety of companies using this technology, a database of company information and Uniform Resource Locator (“URL”) codes is necessarily maintained in the viewer's computer, requiring continuous updates. URLs are short strings of data that identify resources on the Internet: documents, images, downloadable files, services, electronic mailboxes, and other resources. URLs make resources available under a variety of naming schemes and access methods such as HTTP, FTP, and Internet mail, addressable in the same simple way. URLs reduce the tedium of “login to this server, then issue this magic command . . . ” down to a single click. The Internet uses URLs to specify the location of files on other servers. A URL includes the type of resource being accessed (e.g., Web, gopher, FTP), the address of the server, and the location of the file. The URL can point to any file on any networked computer. Current technology requires the viewer to perform periodic updates to obtain the most current URL database. This aspect of the current technology is cumbersome since the update process requires downloading information to the viewer's computer. Moreover, the likelihood for error in performing the update, and the necessity of redoing the update in the event of a later computer crash, further complicates the process. Additionally, current technologies are limited in the number of companies which may be stored in the database. This is a significant limitation since world-wide access presented by the Internet and the increasing number of companies connecting to perform on-line E-commerce necessitates a large database.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention disclosed and claimed herein comprises a method for controlling a computer wherein one or more remote locations disposed on a network are accessed in response to scanning an optical code. A first computer disposed on the network connects to a scanner for scanning the optical code of a product by a user. The scanner is uniquely identified with a scanner distributor by a scanner identification number. A second computer disposed on the network is accessed in response to the user scanning the optical code with the scanner, wherein a lookup operation is performed at the second computer to match the scanner identification number with the scanner distributor to obtain remote routing information of the one or remote locations. The remote routing information is returned from the second computer to the first computer in order to access the one or more remote locations disposed on the network. The one or more remote locations are accessed to return remote information to the first computer for presentation.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3668312 (1972-06-01), Yamamoto et al.
patent: 4002886 (1977-01-01), Sundelin
patent: 4042792 (1977-08-01), Pakenham et al.
patent: 4365148 (1982-12-01), Whitney
patent: 4471218 (1984-09-01), Culp
patent: 4621259 (1986-11-01), Schepers et al.
patent: 4654482 (1987-03-01), DeAngelis
patent: 4780599 (1988-10-01), Baus
patent: 4785296 (1988-11-01), Tabata et al.
patent: 4816904 (1989-03-01), McKenna et al.
patent: 4817136 (1989-03-01), Rhoads
patent: 4833308 (1989-05-01), Humble
patent: 4841132 (1989-06-01), Kajitani et al.
patent: 4845634 (1989-07-01), Vitek et al.
patent: 4894789 (1990-01-01), Yee
patent: 4899370 (1990-02-01), Kameo et al.
patent: 4901073 (1990-02-01), Kibrick
patent: 4905094 (1990-02-01), Pocock et al.
patent: 4907264 (1990-03-01), Seiler et al.
patent: 4916293 (1990-04-01), Cartlidge et al.
patent: 4937853 (1990-06-01), Brule et al.
patent: 4947028 (1990-08-01), Gorog
patent: 4959530 (1990-09-01), O'Connor
patent: 4975948 (1990-12-01), Andresen et al.
patent: 4984155 (1991-01-01), Geier et al.
patent: 5038023 (1991-08-01), Saliga
patent: 5054096 (1991-10-01), Beizer
patent: 5088045 (1992-02-01), Shimanaka et al.
patent: 5111391 (1992-05-01), Fields et al.
patent: 5115326 (1992-05-01), Burgess et al.
patent: 5128752 (1992-07-01), Von Kohorn
patent: 5144654 (1992-09-01), Kelley et al.
patent: 5161037 (1992-11-01), Saito
patent: 5161214 (1992-11-01), Addink et al.
patent: 5182705 (1993-01-01), Barr et al.
patent: 5189630 (1993-02-01), Barstow et al.
patent: 5191525 (1993-03-01), LeBrun et al.
patent: 5198644 (1993-03-01), Pfeiffer et al.
patent: 5235654 (1993-08-01), Anderson et al.
patent: 5241402 (1993-08-01), Aboujaoude et al.
patent: 5243531 (1993-09-01), DiPippo et al.
patent: 5247347 (1993-09-01), Litteral et al.
patent: 5262860 (1993-11-01), Fitzpatrick et al.
patent: 5285278 (1994-02-01), Holman
patent: 5287181 (1994-02-01), Holman
patent: 5288976 (1994-02-01), Citron et al.
patent: 5296688 (1994-03-01), Hamilton et al.
patent: 5304786 (1994-04-01), Pavlidis et al.
patent: 5305195 (1994-04-01), Murphy
patent: 5319454 (1994-06-01), Schutte
patent: 5324922 (1994-06-01), Roberts
patent: 5331547 (1994-07-01), Laszlo
patent: 5340966 (1994-08-01), Morimoto
patent: 5349678 (1994-09-01), Morris et al.
patent: 5357276 (1994-10-01), Banker et al.
patent: 5362948 (1994-11-01), Morimoto
patent: 5382779 (1995-01-01), Gupta
patent: 5386298 (1995-01-01), Bronnenberg et al.
patent: 5398336 (1995-03-01), Tantry et al.
patent: 5405232 (1995-04-01), Lloyd et al.
patent: 5418713 (1995-05-01), Allen
patent: 5420403 (1995-05-01), Allum et al.
patent: 5420943 (1995-05-01), Mak
patent: 5424524 (1995-06-01), Ruppert et al.
patent: 5438355 (1995-08-01), Palmer
patent: 5446490 (1995-08-01), Blahut et al.
patent: 5446919 (1995-08-01), Wilkins
patent: 5491508 (1996-02-01), Friedell et al.
patent: 5493107 (1996-02-01), Gupta et al.
patent: 5519878 (1996-05-01), Dolin, Jr.
patent: 5530852 (1996-06-01), Meske, Jr. et al.
patent: 5570295 (1996-10-01), Isenberg et al.
patent: 5572643 (1996-11-01), Judson
patent: 5592551 (1997-01-01), Lett et al.
patent: 5594226 (1997-01-01), Steger
patent: 5602377 (1997-02-01), Beller et al.
patent: 5604542 (1997-02-01), Dedrick
patent: 5640193 (1997-06-01), Wellner
patent: 5649186 (1997-07-01), Ferguson
patent: 5664110 (1997-09-01), Green et al.
patent: 5671282 (1997-09-01), Wolff et al.
patent: 5675721 (1997-10-01), Freedman et al.
patent: 5682540 (1997-10-01), Klotz, Jr. et al.
patent: 5694163 (1997-12-01), Harrison
patent: 5708780 (1998-01-01), Levergood et al.
patent: 5710887 (1998-01-01), Chelliah et al.
patent: 5715314 (1998-02-01), Payne et al.
patent: 5724424 (1998-03-01), Gifford
patent: 5745681 (1998-04-01), Levine et al.
patent: 5754906 (1998-05-01), Yoshida
patent: 5757917 (1998-05-01), Rose et al.
patent: 5761606 (1998-06-01), Wolzien
patent: 5764906 (1998-06-01), Edelstein et al.
patent: 5765176 (1998-06-01), Bloomberg
patent: 5768528 (1998-06-01), Stumm
patent: 5774664 (1998-06-01), Hidary et al.
patent: 5774870 (1998-06-01), Storey
patent: 5778367 (1998-07-01), Wesinger, Jr. et al.
patent: 5790793 (1998-08-01), Higley
patent: 5791991 (1998-08-01), Small
patent: 5794210 (1998-08-01), Goldhaber et al.
patent

LandOfFree

Say what you really think

Search LandOfFree.com for the USA inventors and patents. Rate them and share your experience with other people.

Rating

Method and apparatus for accessing a remote location by... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Method and apparatus for accessing a remote location by..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method and apparatus for accessing a remote location by... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

     

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3362023

  Search
All data on this website is collected from public sources. Our data reflects the most accurate information available at the time of publication.