Abstract: A method for controlling a computer wherein one or more remote locations disposed on a network are accessed in response to sensing a machine-resolvable code. A computer disposed on a network is operably connected to an input device for sensing a machine-resolvable code. A software application which includes a software identification code runs on the computer. In response to sensing a machine-resolvable code with the input device, the computer accesses at least one remote location corresponding to the software identification code. The one or more remote locations accessed may then return remote information to the computer for presentation.

Abstract: A method for controlling a computer wherein one or more remote locations disposed on a network are accessed in response to sensing a machine-resolvable code. A computer disposed on a network is operably connected to an input device for sensing a machine-resolvable code. A software application which includes a software identification code runs on the computer. In response to sensing a machine-resolvable code with the input device, the computer accesses at least one remote location corresponding to the software identification code. The one or more remote locations accessed may then return remote information to the computer for presentation.

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: An optical reader for accessing a remote location on a network includes an optical scanning system, a memory system, an output circuit for interfacing to a first computer disposed on the network, and a switching device for switching between a scan mode, a record mode and a playback mode. The optical reader further includes a transmitter for transmitting code information representative of a code to the first computer. In the scan mode, the code information is indicative of information representative of an encoded indicia scanned by the optical scanning system. In the playback mode the code information is indicative of information retrieved from a user-selectable memory in the memory system. The code information is configured to cause the first computer to determine routing information to the remote location, and access the remote location on the network in accordance with the determined routing information.

Abstract: A method for controlling a computer is disclosed 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.

Abstract: A method for allowing a user PC to be controlled in order to effect a connection between the user PC and a destination node on a network. This is facilitated through an audio source wherein a digital audio tape recording media having embedded therein an audio signal therein. When the recording media is played, the audio signal is extracted by an audio extractor and transmitted to the user PC, and detected by a program running in the background of the user PC. Once the audible tone is detected, a web browser is launched and the tone or decoded product identifier information associated with the tone is transmitted to an ARS on the network. The ARS then compares the information received from the user PC using information from a relational database. The relational database contains routing information for various destination nodes on the network.

Abstract: An input device for allowing input of a unique digital code to a user's computer to control access thereof to a web site. A method for connecting a user computer at a first location on a network with a second location on the network through use of a coded symbol having contained therein encoded information associated with routing information on the network to the second location thereover is disclosed. The encoded information is extract from the coded symbol and then decoded to provide decoded information. The decoded information is input to a defined port on the user computer which has an existing first functionality associated with the operation of the user computer which is not the same functionality as the step of inputting the decoded information. The input operation of the encoded symbol comprises a second functionality, with the port of the user computer operable to accommodate for both the first and second functionality during operation thereof.

Abstract: An architecture for accessing a network server using one or more characters. A user computer (302) disposed on a global communication packet-switched network (306) is operable to communicate with an ARS (308) and a destination server (312) also disclosed on the GCN (306). The user computer (302) runs a software interface which displays a window (2500) to the user via a display (1612). The window (2500) contains a data entry field (2502) into which the user enters the character string, the character string disassociated from an address of the destination server (312). The character string is then transmitted from the software interface either directly to the ARS (308) or indirectly to the ARS (308) through a communication package resident on the user computer (302). The ARS (308) then performs a matching operation using the character string to obtain matching information from an ARS database (310).

Abstract: A method for allowing a user PC (1702) to be controlled in order to effect a connection between the user PC (1702) and a destination node (1706) on a network (306). This is facilitated through an audio source (1700) wherein compact disk recording media has embedded therein an audio signal. When the compact disk recording media is played, the audio signal is extracted by an audio extractor (1600) and transmitted to the user PC, and detected by a program running in the background of the user PC (1702). Once the audible tone is detected, a web browser is launched and the tone or decoded product identifier information associated with the tone is transmitted to an ARS (308) on the network (306). The ARS (308) then compares the information received from the user PC (1702) using information from a relational database (1704). The relational database (1704) contains routing information for various destination nodes (1706) on the network.

Abstract: A method for allowing a user PC (1702) to be controlled in order to effect a connection between the user PC (1702) and a destination node (1706) on a network (306). This is facilitated through an audio source (1700) wherein the content of a video tape recording media has embedded therein an audio signal. When the video tape media is played, the audio signal is extracted by an audio extractor (1600) and transmitted to the user PC, and detected by a program running in the background of the user PC (1702). Once the audible tone is detected, a web browser is launched and the tone or decoded product identifier information associated with the tone is transmitted to an ARS (308) on the network (306). The ARS (308) then compares the information received from the user PC (1702) using information from a relational database (1704). The relational database (1704) contains routing information for various destination nodes (1706) on the network.

Abstract: A method for conducting a contest using a network is provided. Displayed, on a practical screen of a user computer operably connected to the network at a user site, is a plurality of pick spaces, a virtual television set including a first virtual screen, and a virtual computer including a second virtual screen. The apparent area of the first virtual screen constitutes a first display area of the practical screen for showing successive images selected from a first plurality of images. A preselected one of the first plurality of images is designated a lesson image. The apparent area of the second virtual screen constitutes a second display area of the practical screen showing a rolling counter. The rolling counter depicts successive ones of a plurality of available characters, each character being displayed in the rolling counter for a preselected duration.

Abstract: An interlocking architecture for a software interface and a bar code scanner. Upon power-up, a handshaking operation is performed between a scanner (1600) having a scanner processor (2600) and a computer processor (2612) of a computer (302) based upon the code stored in the NV memory (2602) of the scanner (1600) and a unique code associated with the software interface running on the computer (302). A wedge (1608) is provided as an interface mechanism for the scanner (1600) and a keyboard (1610) to a keyboard port (2500) of the computer (302). The handshaking occurs through the wedge (1608) via a keyboard interface (2610) to the processor (2600) such that a successful handshake directs the processor (2600) to engage a switch (2604) which enables power to a sensing head (2606) for read optically encoded information.