EP0744856A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for and method of utilizing product identifier codes to establish communication connections
Assignee: AT&T Inc
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Filing: 1996-05-13
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2016-05-13
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for and method of establishing a communication connection to enable a customer or user at a first location to establish a connection to a predefined second network address (e.g., an 800 telephone number) and thereafter enter a product identifier code which is converted to a third network address of an agent which is used to establish a connection between the user and the agent. <IMAGE>
Inventors
- 👤 Arno Allan Penzias
- 👤 Pierre David Wellner
- 👤 Mark Logan Tuomenoksa
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 10:16
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M3/00; H04M3/42; H04M3/50; H04M3/51; H04M3/487; H04M3/493; H04M3/4931; H04Q; H04Q3/00; H04Q3/0016; H04Q3/0029; H04Q2213/00; H04Q2213/13512; H04Q2213/13541
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
97 words
A method of establishing a connection over a communication network. comprising the steps of establishing a connection over the network from a first location to a second location using a second location network address entered at the first location, sending, from the first location, a product identifier code associated with a product over the established connection to the second location, converting, at the second location, the product identifier code to a third location network address associated with that product, and establishing a connection between the first location and a third location using the third location network address.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the establishing step includes the step of sending the third location network address to the network to enable the network to establish a connection between the first and the third locations.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the establishing step includes the step of sending the third location network address to the first location to enable the first location to establish a new connection between the first and the third locations.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the connection between the first location and second location is disconnected.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the establishing step is performed at the second location, the second location establishes a new connection to the third location so that the first and third locations communicate through the second location.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the sending step includes the steps of scanning the product identifier code using a scanner device, and converting the product identifier code to a signal which is compatible with the communication network.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the product identifier code is a universal product code (UPC).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the communication network is a telephone network and the network addresses are telephone numbers.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the communication network is the Internet and the network addresses are URI numbers.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 9 wherein the product identifier code includes alphanumeric characters and wherein a station set is used to send a portion of the characters of the product identifier code over the established connection.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the second location is part of the communication network.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the product identifier code includes alphanumeric characters and wherein a keyboard of a computer is used to send a portion of the characters of the product identifier code over the established connection.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
59 words
Communication apparatus for interfacing to a communication network, comprising means for receiving a product identifier code from a first location over a connection of the network, means for converting the received product identifier code to an agent network address, and means for utilizing the agent network address to establish a connection between the first location and the agent location.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
54 words
The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said converting means includes database means for storing a plurality of product identifier codes, each code associated with a network address, and wherein said converting means accesses said database means using a product identifier code to obtain a third location network address which is signaled over said facility.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
61 words
A method of operating a communication apparatus for interfacing to a communication network, comprising the steps of receiving a product identifier code from a first location over a connection of the network, converting the received product identifier code to an agent network address, and utilizing the agent network address to establish a connection between the first location and the agent location.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method of claim 15 including the step of storing in a table means a plurality of product identifier codes, each code associated with a network address, and wherein the converting step includes the step of accessing the table means using a product identifier code to obtain an associated network address which is signaled over said facility.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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