Abstract: A software distribution architecture having a television broadcast system as its infrastructure. Software from a software repository (1600) is mixed into a television broadcast system and transmitted into one or more selected channels at prescribed dates and times. An at-home subscriber, capable of receiving with a receiver (1608) the one or more select channels, switches to the one or more channels carrying the software distribution with a channel selector (1611). The subscriber, having programmed a controller (1616) with a programmer (1620) for the date, time, software ID, and channel of the software broadcast, then downloads the software package to a storage device (1622) for ultimate transfer to a PC (1624). A validation and accounting system (1628) then records the software download transaction and transmits this information over a PSTN (1632) to a provider accounting system (1630) such that the subscriber is billed for the software package which was downloaded.

Abstract: A method for providing an interconnection relationship between a product and a desired location on a global communications network. A machine readable product code is disposed on the product machine readable product code, the machine readable product code having encoded product information contained therein. The product code has no routing information embedded therein which would allow the product code, in and of itself, to cause routing to the desired location over any path on the network. The machine readable product code is read and decoded. The extracted product code is then converted for routing information over the network to the desired location, which routing information defines the manner by which a user or a computer at a user location wherein the machine readable product code was read can communicate with the desired location via an interconnection therewith.

Abstract: A method for completing an electronic commerce transaction over a global communication network initiated between a vendor and a potential consumer. The method includes the steps of associating a unique transaction code with the initiated transaction between the vendor and the potential consumer for use by the consumer in completing a specific electronic commerce transaction; associating user information with the unique transaction code to provide a transaction packet; communicating the transaction packet to a remote vendor location from a user location; and completing the specific electronic commerce transaction upon receipt at the remote vendor location the transaction packet containing the user information in association with the unique transaction code.

Abstract: An architecture for automatically configuring equipment interfaced to a computer. A computer which is in communication with a network, is provided having the piece of equipment interfaced to the computer and having associated therewith one or more machine-resolvable codes (MRCs). The computer connects to a remote location disposed on the network in response to a select one of the one or more MRCs being read with a reader. Configuration information associated with the select one of the one or more MRCs is then transmitted from the remote location to the computer. The piece of equipment is then configured via the computer according to the configuration information.

Abstract: A software distribution architecture having a television broadcast system as its infrastructure. Software from a software repository (1600) is mixed into a television broadcast system and transmitted into one or more selected channels at prescribed dates and times. An at-home subscriber, capable of receiving with a receiver (1608) the one or more select channels, switches to the one or more channels carrying the software distribution with a channel selector (1611). The subscriber, having programmed a controller (1616) with a programmer (1620) for the date, time, software ID, and channel of the software broadcast, then downloads the software package to a storage device (1622) for ultimate transfer to a PC (1624). A validation and accounting system (1628) then records the software download transaction and transmits this information over a PSTN (1632) to a provider accounting system (1630) such that the subscriber is billed for the software package which was downloaded.

Abstract: The present invention disclosed and claimed herein comprises a system and method for launching a web browser on a network comprising a computer having an all new input interface and a communication interface coupled to a computer network; said audio input coupled to the audio output of a source for receiving an audio signal having encoded therein a unique code that is associated with a predetermined destination on the network; and a program operable on said computer responsive to receipt and decoding of the audio signal received from the source for interacting with connections of the computer to a web site available on the computer network wherein the location of the predetermined destination is not stored in a computer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for utilizing a coded audio/video signal to conduct commerce over the Internet. Broadcast information is broadcast from a remote location on a secondary network containing video over the secondary network to a location thereon proximate the location of the user PC. Unique information is encoded in the broadcast information representative of a location on the primary network of the remote node. The broadcast information is received and displayed on a video display at the location on the secondary network proximate the user PC. The user PC is connected to the remote node utilizing the unique information, and in accordance thereto, in response to receiving the unique information encoded within the broadcast information broadcast over the secondary network.

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.

Abstract: An input device for allowing interface to a web site in association with a unique input code. A method for interconnecting a first location on a global communication network with a second location thereon is disclosed. An input device is provided at the first location on the global communication network having associated therewith a unique input device ID. A product code disposed on a product is scanned with the input device, which product code is representative of the product in commercial transactions, the operation of scanning operable to extract the information contained in the product code to provide a unique value as an output. The unique value is then associated with the unique input device ID. In response to the operation of scanning and associating, the first location is connected to the second location.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for controlling the software interface of a user's computing device to display information on a display in proximity to the physical location of the user's computing device. The interface is operable to display to a user on the display at least one access window that is operable to access information about a product, which access window requires the user to input a unique string of characters associated with the product, which user's computing device is connected to a network at a user location on the network. In response to the input of the unique string of characters, the user's computing device is controlled from a remote intermediate location on the network to connect over the network to a content provider location on the network, which content provider has an associative relationship with the string of characters at the remote intermediate location on the network.

Abstract: A method for a user to access information on a network. Information from a machine recognizable code (MRC) (1606) is extracted at a user location, which MRC (1606) has associated therewith routing information to a remote location (312) on the network. The extracted information from the MRC (1606) is wirelessly transmitted to a network interface device (302) in response to the information being extracted. The remote location (312) associated with the extracted information from the MRC (1606) is then connected thereto from the user location and the information downloaded therefrom. The downloaded information is displayed on a display (1612) at the user location, such that when displayed, substantially immediate feedback is provided to the user in response to the MRC (1606) being scanned.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for accessing information over a network (306) from a remote location (312) on the network (306) for delivery to a user PC (302). A cellular telephone (2500) is provided having a functional mode for web access over the network (306). A button (2502) on the phone is associated with the functional mode. The button on the phone (2500) is activated by a user to induce the functional mode when in proximity to the user PC (302). In response to activation of the functional mode, the user PC (302) is controlled to access information from the remote location (312) on the network (306) for delivery to the user PC (302) and display thereof to the user on a display (1612) associated with the user PC (302).

Abstract: A method of conducting an e-commerce transaction on a global communication network (306) by using personal account information of a credit card retrieved from a credit card company server on the network (306). At a user location disposed on the network, a machine-resolvable code (MRC) (3402) of the credit card (3400) of a user is read with a reading device (3410). Coded information is extracted from the MRC (3402). Routing information associated with the coded information is obtained, which routing information corresponds to the personal account information of the user stored on a credit card company server (3300) disposed on the network (306). The user location connects to the credit card company server (3300) across the network (306) in accordance with the routing information. The personal account information is returned from the credit card company server (3300) to the user location. The personal account information is then presented to the user at the user location.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for allowing a remote site to interact with an intermediate database to facilitate access to the remote site a method for delivering information from a source on a global communication network to destination location thereon. A unique code is associated with an advertising action associated with the source location. The unique code is stored in a database and routing information over the global communication network to a defined location on the global communication network for the source associated with the unique code in the database. The unique code is delivered to the user and then accessed of the database by the user results in retrieval of the routing information associated with the delivered unique code by the user. The destination location is connected to the defined source location associated with the delivered unique code in the database and in accordance with the associated routing information retrieved from the database.