Personal communication device with bar code reader for obtaining product information from multiple databases
US6974078B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 28, 1999 |
| Grant date | Dec 13, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 28, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06Q30/06
- WIPO fieldIT methods for management
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A communication system including a personal communication device that allows a user to communicate over the Internet with a network of multiple remote databases and to search the databases for desired product-related information from any location. The communication device includes an input mechanism, such as a bar code scanner or OCR reader, for entering product information such as product codes from product labels. The communication device establishes a communication link with a communications server, and the product information is transmitted to the server, which interfaces with one or more product information libraries to determine a product identifier based on the input product information. The product identifier is used by the server to search various databases over the Internet for desired product-related information in response to a search query from the user.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.