Patent ID: 7523161

Claim:
A method for connecting a user interface at a user location to a desired location on a network, comprising the steps of: providing a display at the user location for presenting thereon to a user an access data entry field in conjunction with non-access data entry fields; in response to viewing the access data entry field, the user selectively inputting in a manual operation one or more characters into the displayed access data entry field, which one or more characters represent to the user a product code for a product, which product is associated with the desired location and which one or more characters are input one at a time; in response to the step of inputting and at the completion thereof, transferring the one or more characters of the product code to an intermediate site on the network in accordance with intermediate site routing information that is associated with the access window that defines the location on the network of the intermediate site; at the intermediate site, searching a routing database disposed at the intermediate site, which routing database contains a plurality of associations between product codes and routing information of defined locations on the network, the step of searching operable to determine if there is a match of the received product code with routing information of a defined location on the network, which matching routing information corresponds to the routing information necessary to route the user at the user location on the network to the desired location on the network; if a match is found, returning the matched routing information of the defined location on the network in association with instructional code to the user interface; and connecting the user interface to the desired location on the network using the matched routing information of the desired location on the network such that the instructional code controls the step of connecting.