Patent ID: 7533177

Claim:
A method of accessing a remote location on a network using an optical reader, comprising the steps of: transmitting representation of a code from an optical reader to a first computer disposed on the network wherein the optical reader is a self-contained unit; the optical reader including an optical scanning system, a programmable memory system and an output circuit for interfacing to the first computer, and being user-switchable between a scan mode, a record mode and a playback mode; the code representation being indicative, when the optical reader is in the scan mode, of information representative of an encoded indicia just scanned by the optical scanning system; the code information being indicative, when the optical reader is in the playback mode, of information retrieved from a user-selectable memory in the programmable memory system, which information was previously stored in the user-selectable memory relating to a prior scan of an encoded indicia when the optical reader was in the record mode which playback of information occurs in time after the recording of the played back information and in response to a user initiating the playback mode; determining from the received code representation routing information to the remote location; and accessing the remote location on the network in accordance with the routing information determined from the step of determining.