How UPC Link Connections Work

For those interested in learning more about the underlying technology, the following example illustrates how product codes can be used to identify the location from which product and company information can be automatically retrieved.

First, it should be noted that universal product codes (barcode numbers) are used the world over to identify consumer products. Most large online merchants store inventory data including barcode values in relational database management systems (RDBMS). Universal product codes provide the best way to identify products in a way that will facilitate transactions with suppliers.

A barcode number can be divided into two parts, the manufacturer's company code prefix which is assigned by the EAN / UCC System, and the remainder of the code which is assigned by the manufacturer to designate a particular one of its products. All established consumer product manufacturers have been assigned exclusive use of a six digit EAN/UCC company code prefix which is used in the barcodes that designate their products. In the example barcode below, the six digit company code prefix is " 012345". The additional digits "67890" identify a particular product made by that manufacturer, and the final digit "5" is a check digit.

A special domain name is registered to identify each manufacturer's Internet server. This domain name is formed from the company code prefix used in the manufacturer's barcodes as illustrated above.

The Internet Domain Name System can then be used to access resources located at the server specified by this special domain name. Following a standard resource naming convention, specific product and company information can then be retrieved using URLs formed from the combination of the new domain name and an additional character string which specifies the particular kind of information to be exchanged or function to be performed, as shown by the following examples. It should be understood that these examples are tutorial only. The actual interface specifications to be used will be made available by UPC Link and its partners after they are initially defined, and these specifications will be extended from time to time as the need arises.

URL: http://upclink012345.net

Specifies a conventional web page which may be the same page that can also be accessed by the manufacturer's normal URL (e.g. "www.mycompany.com").

URL: http://upclink012345.net/012345678905/thumbnail.jpg

Specifies a thumbnail sized picture of the product designated by the product code 012345678905

URL: http://upclink012345.net/012345678905/websell.xml

Specifies an XML file constructed in accordance with predetermined Document Type Definition (DTD) and containing information which can be translated into a desired format using an XSL style sheet. Depending on the reseller's needs, the XSL transformation can occur at the manufacturer's server, at the reseller's server, or on the client's browser.

URL: mailto:cgcall@upclink012345.net

Since the DNS supports other protocols (email, FTP, Telenet, etc.), addresses may be defined for machine to machine use of these protocols as well, offering a wide range of potential uses, particularly in B2B applications. In addition, of course, any non-reserved resource name may be used for any purpose, so that the special domain name may be used in the way any other generic domain name may be used.