Method and apparatus for accessing product information using bar code data
AssigneeIntermec IP Corp.
InventorsChristopher A. Wiklof, P. Thomas Greer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for providing a user product information via scanning of a machine readable symbology on a product. A symbology, for example a bar code, is scanned and the data therein passed into a URL which is used to present related product information to a user via the internet. The URL may directly link to the information or be a look up database for further redirection.
Claims18
A method for parsing data from a symbol to form a URL, comprising the steps of:
- decoding data received by scanning a machine-readable symbol;
- assigning a network prefix to a front portion of said data;
- appending a domain name at said data end, wherein the parsing further comprises additional steps of:
- determining synonyms for the front portion of said data before assigning the network prefix;
- and
- assigning the network prefix and appending the domain name to at least one synonym for the front portion.
A method for retrieving information related to a machine-readable symbol comprising the steps of:
- scanning the machine-readable symbol;
- parsing data received from the machine-readable symbol into a URL, said parsing comprising the steps of:
- decoding the data received by scanning the machine-readable symbol;
- assigning a network prefix at a front of a portion of said data;
- appending a domain name at an end of the portion of said data;
- connecting a user to the URL, wherein the parsing further comprises additional steps of:
- determining synonyms for the portion of said data before assigning the network prefix;
- and
- assigning the network prefix and appending the domain name to at least one synonym for the portion.
A system for retrieving data related to a machine-readable symbol comprising:
- a machine-readable symbol scanner, connectable to a computer means having an Internet connection, at least one Internet server containing data related to the machine readable symbol;
- a software means for parsing data received into the computer means from the scanner into a URL, connecting to the Internet, accessing data related to the machine-readable symbol and displaying the data to a user;
- said software means for parsing data comprising means for decoding data received by scanning the machine-readable symbol, for assigning a network prefix to a front portion of said data, and for appending a domain name and an end portion of said data, wherein the parsing further comprises additional steps of:
- determining synonyms for the front portion of said data before assigning the network prefix;
- and
- assigning the network prefix and appending the domain name to at least one synonym for the front portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.