Patent ID: 7637437

Claim:
A method of requesting assistance relating to a product item, the product item including an associated interface surface, the interface surface having disposed thereon or therein coded data portions at respective positions on the interface surface, each coded data portion being indicative of the identity of the product item and the respective position of the coded data portion, wherein the method includes steps of: in a sensing device: sensing at least one coded data portion; generating indicating data indicative of the product item identity, the position of the sensed coded data portion and a registration mode of the sensing device, wherein at least the product item identity and the position are generated using the sensed coded data portion; transferring the indicating data to a computer system; and in the computer system: receiving the indicating data; generating, using the received indicating data: identity data indicative of the identity of the product item; position data indicative of the position of the sensed coded data portion; and mode data indicative of the registration mode; determining, using the identity data, position data and the mode data, an assistance request; and causing, using the assistance request, provision of the assistance.