Patent ID: 7089291

Claim:
A battery pack for a wireless communication device comprising: a housing adapted to be removably attachable to a web enabled wireless communication device that can wirelessly connect to a global communication network (GCN) to provide a communication link therewith, the housing including an external shell defining an optical port therethrough and having an operational power interface and a data interface disposed on an exterior surface thereof; at least one battery disposed within the housing and electrically connected to the operational power interface; an optical reader disposed within the housing for scanning an optical indicia through the optical port and producing signals indicative of information encoded in the optical indicia, said optical reader powered by the battery through the operational power interface; and a processing device disposed within said housing for interfacing with said optical reader for receiving said signals indicative of information encoded in the optical indica, said processing device operably connected to the data interface and powered by the battery; whereby a web enabled wireless communication device attached to the battery pack can obtain operational power from the operational power interface and can access signals indicative of the information encoded in the optical indicia from the data interface; whereby said optical reader is operable in response to scanning of the optical indicia to cause said processing device to interact with the web enabled wireless communication device to cause a data connection to be made to a location on the GCN through the web enabled wireless communication device, which location is associated only with the optical indicia, wherein the operation of scanning and effecting a data connection utilizing the connection capability of the web enabled wireless communication device to the GCN through the data interface is able to be performed with the functionality of said processing device within said housing and only requiring the web enabled wireless communication device for the data connection to the GCN, and is contained within said housing.