Patrick J Greer

US Patent:

20020165931, Nov 7, 2002

Filed:

Feb 14, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/788628

Inventors:

Patrick Greer - Kirkland WA, US
Christopher Wiklof - Everett WA, US

International Classification:

G06F015/16

US Classification:

709/217000, 709/245000

Abstract:

A method and apparatus for convenient and easy access to product-and shipment-related information and/or transactions is disclosed. An end device, for instance a bar code reader, is used to read a portable data carrier, for instance a bar code symbol. having a structured data format. The end device parses one or more particular data entities from the data read. The end device accesses a URL having at least a portion in common with one or more of the parsed data entities and displays associated web page content or processes an associated transaction. The end device may sequentially substitute a series of most probable non-common URI, portions to locate associated content if the first tried URL does not result in a valid response. Alternatively, a server may provide such search functionality.