US Patent 7357323 Obtaining product item assistance

A method of requesting assistance relating to a product item is provided. The product item includes an associated interface surface. The interface surface has disposed thereon coded data indicative of an identity of the product item. The method comprises the steps of, in a sensing device: (a) sensing the coded data; (b) generating, using the sensed coded data, indicating data indicative of the product item identity; and, (c) transferring the indicating data to a computer system. The computer system is responsive to the indicating data so as to cause provision of assistance.