Patent ID: 7886017
Filing Date: 2011-02-08
Classification: G06F,G06Q,H04H,H04L,H04N,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A method of accessing one or more remote locations on a network by receiving a product code, comprising the steps of: providing a first computer disposed on the network, and connected to an input device, the input device for accessing the product code of a product by a user, which product code is separate and distinct from the input device, the input device uniquely identified by a unique device identification number, which device identification number exists apart from the product code and which device identification number is uniquely associated with a device distributor that distributes the input device such that multiple distributed devices distributed by the device distributor can have the same device identification number; accessing a second computer disposed on the network in response to the user accessing the product code with the input device wherein the device identification number from the input device is converted in a device interface coupled to an output of the input device and combined with routing information for transmission to the second computer; performing a lookup operation at the second computer in an associative database containing routing relationships between device identification numbers and device distributor remote locations in order to match the device identification number with the device distributor remote locations to obtain remote routing information of one of the one or more remote locations where the device distributor remote location resides; returning the remote routing information from the second computer to the first computer in order to access the one of the one or more remote locations disposed on the network where the device distributor remote location resides; and accessing the one of the one or more remote locations according to the remote routing information where the device distributor remote location resides to return remote information to the first computer for presentation to the user.