I'm working on a program designed to be used with a set of third-party barcode scanners. These scanners had been in use for some time before I came along, so I don't think I can get the company to change them.

The scanners in question require a serial cable and Comm port in order to download their data to the system; this is done by a program included with the original setup. (Note: I am assuming this; I do not know it for a fact. I base my assumption on the grounds that the help file for the program specifically mentions three or four different types of scanner, whereas we only use the one, and because I cannot find source code anywhere on our development boxes, merely the .exe file.)

I have been asked to look into the possibility of setting it so that our program can read from a USB port, rather than the Comm ports. Given that I can't modify the third-party code, I'm trying to find a way for a USB port to emulate a Comm port. I've seen a few things since I began tracking it down online, but most of what I've looked at involves creating virtual comm port pairs; I do not feel that this is useful to me (though I could be wrong), as I do not need a pair of connected comm ports; I need a single 'fake' port backing into the USB port.

Does anyone know of a better place for me to start looking for the information I need than what I've already seen?

Why not simply use a serial port? It will likely be difficult at best to use a USB port.

I don't know; my best guess is that their (the end users) current systems don't have many serial ports on them. All I know is that I've been asked to look into this by my boss.

Anything else?

Many, if not most, new PCs do not have serial ports, but you can add a PCI serial port card. An example:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16815166003