SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR USING AN ORDINARY ARTICLE OF COMMERCE TO ACCESS A REMOTE COMPUTER

摘要

A system and method for using identification codes found on ordinary articles of commerce to access remote computers on a network. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a computer is provided having a database that relates Uniform Product Code (“UPC”) numbers to Internet network addresses (or “URLs”). To access an Internet resource relating to a particular product, a user enters the product's UPC symbol manually, by swiping a bar code reader over the UPC symbol, or via other suitable input means. The database retrieves the URL corresponding to the UPC code. This location information is then used to access the desired resource.

主权项

1. A method of operating a remote server computer comprising:
the remote server computer receiving over a network from a user computing device an index obtained by the user computing device reading a data carrier modulated with the index; the remote server computer accessing a database in the remote server computer with the index, the database comprising a plurality of records comprising predetermined relationships that link an index to a pointer that identifies a remote information computer on the network; the remote server computer extracting a pointer from the database as a function of the index; and the remote server computer returning the pointer to the user computing device over the network to enable the user computing device to use the pointer to establish communication directly via the network with the remote information computer identified thereby.