Patent ID: 8616445

Claim:
A method comprising: by an image capture module of a portable electronic device, capturing a digital image of a symbology that is affixed to a regulated product; by a processor of the device, decoding the symbology to identify an end user functional element which has a public component and a law enforcement component; by the processor, determining whether the device has received a law enforcement official verification; if the device has received the law enforcement official verification, then, by the processor in response to decoding the symbology, using the law enforcement component of the functional element to take a first action, wherein the first action comprises: sending, via a communications network, a request to an address of a law enforcement server, receiving, via the communications network from the law enforcement server, data corresponding to a law enforcement landing page, displaying, on a display of the electronic device, the law enforcement landing page, displaying a data entry field on the law enforcement landing page, receiving, via the data entry field, personally identifying information corresponding to a user of the regulated product, and sending the personally identifying information to the law enforcement server via the communication network; and if the device has not received the law enforcement official verification, then, by the processor in response to decoding the symbology, using the public component of the functional element to take a second action.