Patent ID: 7341191

Claim:
An Internet-based system for enabling information-related transactions over the Internet, comprising: an Internet information server connected to the Internet, for storing a document having a location on the Internet specified by a predetermined URL, said document embodying a transaction-enabling Applet which, when executed, enables a user to conduct an information-related transaction over the Internet; and a transaction-enabling Internet terminal for requesting said document and executing said transaction-enabling Applet embedded therein, said transaction-enabling Internet terminal including an Internet browser program for executing Applets, including said transaction-enabling Applet, embedded within said document, a display screen for visually displaying said documents, a data entry means for entering data into said Internet browser program, and a code symbol reader, operably connected to said Internet browser program, for scanning a URL-encoded symbol encoded with said predetermined URL, decoding said scanned URL-encoded symbol, producing symbol character data representative of said predetermined URL, and providing said predetermined URL to said Internet browser program for accessing said document whose location is specified by said predetermined URL, wherein, when said URL-encoded symbol is scanned by said code symbol reader, said scanned URL-encoded symbol is automatically decoded, symbol character data representative thereof is automatically produced and provided to said Internet browser program, whereupon said Internet browser program automatically accesses said document from said Internet information server in order to execute said transaction-enabling Applet embedded therein and thereby enable the user to conduct said information-related transaction over the Internet at said transaction-enabling Internet terminal.