Prior art

Analysis of Prior Art for U.S. Patent 6,076,733

The following is an analysis of the prior art cited in U.S. Patent 6,076,733, which describes a "Web-based system and method for enabling a viewer to access and display HTML-encoded documents located on the world wide web (WWW) by reading URL-encoded bar code symbols printed on a web-based information resource guide." This analysis assesses the relevance of each cited patent and its potential to anticipate the claims of the '733 patent under 35 U.S.C. § 102.

Key Independent Claims of U.S. Patent 6,076,733:

• Claim 1: A system combining an internet-connected terminal with a GUI-based web browser and a bar code reader. The reader is programmed to read a URL-encoded bar code, and upon reading, the system automatically accesses and displays the corresponding web page.
• Claim 11: A method for accessing web documents by providing a printed guide with URL-encoded bar codes, using a bar code reader to scan a symbol from the guide, transmitting the URL data to a web browser, and automatically accessing and displaying the corresponding web page.
• Claim 21: A document tracking and management system where physical documents have URL-encoded bar codes. Scanning the bar code provides access to information about the document stored in a web-based database.

Cited Prior Art and Potential Anticipation

The following patents were cited as prior art during the prosecution of U.S. Patent 6,076,733.

1. U.S. Patent No. 5,128,525: "Method and apparatus for automatically identifying and inputting data to a computer"

   • Publication/Filing Date: Issued July 7, 1992 / Filed May 1, 1990.
   • Brief Description: This patent discloses a system where a hand-held scanner reads bar-coded information which is then automatically entered into a computer. The focus is on streamlining data entry for various applications by using bar codes to represent data that would otherwise be manually typed.
   • Potential Anticipation: This patent describes the general concept of using a bar code scanner to input data into a computer. However, it does not specifically mention URLs or the internet. While it discloses the components of a scanner and a computer, it does not teach the specific application of using this combination to navigate the World Wide Web. Therefore, it is unlikely to fully anticipate the claims of the '733 patent, which are specific to accessing web-based documents.

2. U.S. Patent No. 5,245,165: "System for ordering items using a bar code reader"

   • Publication/Filing Date: Issued September 14, 1993 / Filed March 13, 1992.
   • Brief Description: This invention details a system for ordering items from a catalog. A user scans a bar code associated with an item in a printed catalog using a hand-held device. The device stores the item information, and this data is later transmitted, often over a phone line, to a central ordering system.
   • Potential Anticipation: This patent moves closer to the '733 patent's concept by linking a physical, printed medium (a catalog) to a remote electronic system via a scanned code. However, it is focused on a closed ordering system and does not involve the public, hypertext-based structure of the World Wide Web or URLs. The data transfer is for a specific transactional purpose, not for general information retrieval from a global network. Thus, it does not anticipate the specific use of URLs to access HTML documents on the WWW as claimed in the '733 patent.

3. U.S. Patent No. 5,591,956: "Apparatus for and method of navigating using a remote control unit"

   • Publication/Filing Date: Issued January 7, 1997 / Filed March 29, 1995.
   • Brief Description: This patent describes a remote control unit with an integrated bar code scanner. The scanner can read bar codes from a television guide or other printed material to control a television or VCR, for example, to program a recording or change to a specific channel.
   • Potential Anticipation: This reference is significant as it combines a scanner with a remote-control interface for navigating content. It establishes the principle of using a printed guide with bar codes to trigger an action on an electronic device. However, its application is limited to television and VCR control, not navigating the internet. It does not disclose the concept of a URL or accessing HTML documents on a server. Therefore, it does not fully anticipate the core claims of the '733 patent.

4. U.S. Patent No. 5,602,377: "System and method for remote-ordering using a bar code reader and a telephone"

   • Publication/Filing Date: Issued February 11, 1997 / Filed June 6, 1995.
   • Brief Description: This patent outlines a system where a user can scan bar codes from a catalog or product packaging with a bar code reader that is integrated with or connected to a telephone. The scanned information is then transmitted over the telephone network to place an order.
   • Potential Anticipation: Similar to U.S. Patent 5,245,165, this patent focuses on a remote ordering system. While it uses a communication network (the telephone system), it does not describe accessing a global information network like the internet or using URLs to retrieve documents. The functionality is specific to a closed-loop ordering process.

5. U.S. Patent No. 5,804,803: "Method and apparatus for using a universal interface to a computer"

   • Publication/Filing Date: Issued September 8, 1998 / Filed January 19, 1996.
   • Brief Description: This patent describes a system that uses a bar code scanner as a universal input device for a computer. The scanned bar code can represent various commands or data, which are then interpreted by the computer to perform specific actions, such as launching an application or entering text.
   • Potential Anticipation: This patent provides a broader context for using a bar code scanner to control a computer. It suggests that a bar code can represent more than just product information. However, it does not specifically teach the encoding of a URL into a bar code to automatically navigate a web browser to a specific web page. The novelty of the '733 patent lies in this specific application of linking the physical world to the online world via URL-encoded bar codes.

6. U.S. Patent No. 5,831,254: "Portable data carrier and reader system"

   • Publication/Filing Date: Issued November 3, 1998 / Filed April 18, 1997.
   • Brief Description: This patent describes a portable data carrier, such as a smart card, that can store information and be read by a reader connected to a computer. The system is designed for a variety of data transfer applications.
   • Potential Anticipation: This reference is less relevant as it pertains to portable data carriers like smart cards rather than printed bar codes in a guide. It does not address the core concept of scanning a printed code to access a web address.

7. U.S. Patent No. 5,907,147: "Information processing apparatus and method for reading a bar code and accessing an associated information service"

   • Publication/Filing Date: Issued May 25, 1999 / Filed June 7, 1995.
   • Brief Description: This patent describes a system where a bar code reader is used to scan a code that identifies a product or service. The system then uses this identification to access an associated information service, potentially over a network.
   • Potential Anticipation: This patent is conceptually closer to the '733 patent. However, it generally refers to an "information service" and does not explicitly detail the use of URLs and the World Wide Web. The '733 patent's specificity regarding HTML documents, URLs, and GUI-based web browsers provides a more detailed and distinct inventive concept.

8. U.S. Patent No. 5,971,277: "System for tracking objects using bar code labels and a wireless communication network"

   • Publication/Filing Date: Issued October 26, 1999 / Filed May 13, 1997.
   • Brief Description: This patent describes a system for tracking objects where each object is labeled with a bar code. A hand-held scanner with wireless communication capabilities is used to read the bar code, and the tracking information is transmitted to a central computer.
   • Potential Anticipation: This patent is relevant to claim 21 of the '733 patent, which deals with document tracking. It teaches the use of bar codes and a communication network for tracking purposes. However, the '733 patent specifies a web-based system where the bar code encodes a URL that points to an HTML-encoded database. The '277 patent does not specify this web-based architecture.

9. U.S. Patent No. 5,978,773: "System and method for accessing a network resource by scanning a bar code"

   • Publication/Filing Date: Issued November 2, 1999 / Filed February 21, 1997.
   • Brief Description: This patent is highly relevant. It describes a system where a user can scan a bar code to automatically access a resource on a computer network, such as the internet. The bar code can contain a URL or other network address.
   • Potential Anticipation: This patent appears to describe a very similar concept to the '733 patent. A detailed analysis of the filing dates and specific claims would be necessary to determine if it truly anticipates the '733 patent. The '733 patent was filed on April 25, 1997, while the '773 patent was filed on February 21, 1997. Given the close filing dates, there may have been parallel development. However, the '773 patent does describe the core idea of scanning a bar code to access a network resource, which could potentially anticipate the independent claims of the '733 patent.

Conclusion:

While several prior art patents describe systems that use bar code scanners for data input and remote access, most do not specifically disclose the use of URL-encoded bar codes to automatically navigate a web browser to a specific HTML document on the World Wide Web. The most relevant piece of prior art appears to be U.S. Patent No. 5,978,773, which describes a similar system for accessing network resources via scanned bar codes and was filed shortly before the '733 patent. A thorough examination of the claims and specification of the '773 patent would be required to make a definitive determination of anticipation. The other cited patents, while related in their use of bar code technology, are generally directed at different applications, such as remote ordering or device control, and lack the specific focus on web navigation that is central to the '733 patent.