Patent ID: 7912961

Claim:
A method for connecting a user computer at a first location on a network with a second location on the network through use of a coded symbol having contained therein encoded information associated with routing information on the network to the second location thereover, comprising the steps of: providing an input device, wherein the input device has associated therewith an input device identification (ID); extracting the encoded information from the coded symbol and decoding such extracted encoded information to provide decoded information; inputting the decoded information and the input device ID to a defined port on the user computer which has an existing first functionality associated with the operation of the user computer which is not the same functionality as the step of inputting the decoded information, such that the step of inputting comprises a second functionality, with the port of the user computer operable to accommodate for both the first and second functionality during operation thereof; detecting operation under the second functionality by the user computer when decoded information is input to the port using the first functionality with no processing of the decoded information to uniquely define it as being associated with the second functionality prior to input to the port; translating the second functionality to be compatible with the first functionality for input to the port such that the port only receives information with the first functionality using only the decoded information obtained from the input device; appending a control code not part of the decoded information to the decoded information; receiving the control code and the decoded information by a browser application; opening a URL page in the browser application in response to receiving the control code, the control code allowing text to be input directly into the URL page; and in response to the step of detecting, connecting to the second location utilizing the decoded information, the control code, and the input device ID.