PHP to read a COM port??

Hi.. I have a serial barcode scanner which I would like to use with PHP to enter Barcode data and store this with PHP in a MySQL database.. This barcode scanner is serial and I would like to know if there is a possibility to read the serial port with PHP.? I found the following postings on internet: >I recently received some barcode scanners that plug directly into a serial port, such as >tty/b01. I read that I can >disable getty, make a node and open the tty as an input file, but I >don't know how to identify the file/pointer/??? to >open the file. Can anyone help with a >simple C language program? thanks And this is the answer >I got this one from a consultant...when reading directly from a port for a barcode >scanner/decoder, simply fopen >the device name, such as ttyb16, but remember to fopen in the >"rb" mode. "b" denotes binary. Use stty to set the >speed and parameters of >the port. Is something like this possible with PHP..? My question, if I setup the above (with fopen(/dev/tty01) ??) what should I do to let PHP stop reading the Serial port and continue after a barcode is scanned.? (If I don't do anything he will probably just wait for more data) Barcodes begin with a * character and also end with one.. Is is possible to do some kind of while loop till I detect the * character for a second time? If I anyone has experience on reading a serial port under unix I would greatly appreciate help. I am used to windows and what I understand is that you can use file pointers to all kinds of devices under Linux/Unix.. Thanks in advance.. (PS: Please also send a copy to my email when replying) David