Abstract: Techniques are described for facilitating the reliable communication of information to bar code scanners from mobile digital devices, thereby enabling mobile digital devices to easily access the current commercial infrastructure. These techniques may be used to access many other goods and services in addition to conventional commercial services. The core enabling technology is the use of various elements commonly found on mobile digital devices to provide light that simulate a reflection of a scanning beam being moved across a static bar code image, and to confirm completion of the scan. The control system may interpret the light provided by the mobile digital device as merely a conventional identification type bar code, although the control system may be enhanced to identify and receive other types of information, including identity and credit information.

Abstract: Various communications clients such as, for example, Push to Talk over Cellular (“PoC”) client applications and PoC devices provided with client applications, provide extended services such as filler information for dead time intervals, and communication of PoC session content with non-PoC subscribers and with PoC subscribers who are offline. Through the use of one or more client applications to provide these extended services, the user experience is enriched and operators may monetize these extended services without need to modify the operating system or the network.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for communicating information encoded in a bar code format between a mobile communications device and a bar code scanner. Transmission information data is encoded into a bar code format. A signal is generated from the bar code format to simulate a reflection of a scanning beam being moved across a static visual image of the bar code format; and the signal is transmitted as light pulses from the mobile communications device.