Abstract:
Management data is uploaded and downloaded in the field to data capture systems, such as electro-optical readers, RFID readers, and imagers, either before, after, or during data capture in a manner transparent to the system without disturbing the data capture.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Field of the Invention 
   The present invention generally relates to in-field management of data capture systems, such as electro-optical readers, preferably laser scanners for reading indicia, such as bar code symbols, as well as imagers for capturing an image of such indicia, as well as radio frequency identification (RFID) devices for identifying targets and, more particularly, to communications between a data capture system and a remote host for status monitoring, error reporting and correction, upgrading and like management of the data capture system. 
   DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART 
   Various electro-optical systems or readers have been developed for reading indicia such as bar code symbols appearing on a label or on a surface of an article. The bar code symbol itself is a coded pattern of graphic indicia comprised of a series of bars of various widths spaced apart from one another to bound spaces of various widths, the bars and spaces having different light reflecting characteristics. The readers function by electro-optically transforming the pattern of the graphic indicia into a time-varying electrical signal, which is digitized and decoded into data relating to the symbol being read. 
   Typically, a laser beam from a laser is directed along a light path toward a target that includes the bar code symbol on a target surface. A moving-beam scanner operates by repetitively sweeping the laser beam in a scan line or a series of scan lines across the symbol by means of motion of a scanning component, such as the laser itself or a scan mirror disposed in the path of the laser beam. Optics focus the laser beam into a beam spot on the target surface, and the motion of the scanning component sweeps the beam spot across the symbol to trace a scan line across the symbol. Motion of the scanning component is typically effected by an electrical drive motor. 
   The readers also include a sensor or photodetector which detects light along the scan line that is reflected or scattered from the symbol. The photodetector or sensor is positioned such that it has a field of view which ensures the capture of the reflected or scattered light, and converts the latter into an electrical analog signal. 
   In retroreflective light collection, a single optical component, e.g., a reciprocally oscillatory mirror, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,816,661 or U.S. Pat. No. 4,409,470, both herein incorporated by reference, sweeps the beam across the target surface and directs the collected light to the sensor. In non-retroreflective light collection, the reflected laser light is not collected by the same optical component used for scanning. Instead, the sensor is independent of the scanning beam, and has a large field of view so that the reflected laser light traces across the sensor. 
   Electronic control circuitry and software decode the electrical analog signal from the sensor into a digital representation of the data represented by the symbol that has been scanned. For example, the analog electrical signal generated by the photodetector may be converted by a digitizer into a pulse width modulated digitized signal, with the widths corresponding to the physical widths of the bars and spaces. Alternatively, the analog electrical signal may be processed directly by a software decoder. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,504,318. 
   The decoding process usually works by applying the digitized signal to a microprocessor running a software algorithm, which attempts to decode the signal. If a symbol is decoded successfully and completely, the decoding terminates, and an indicator of a successful read (such as a green light and/or audible beep) is provided to a user. Otherwise, the microprocessor receives the next scan, and performs another decoding into a binary representation of the data encoded in the symbol, and to the alphanumeric characters so represented. Once a successful read is obtained, the binary data is communicated to a host computer for further processing, for example, information retrieval from a look-up table. 
   Both one- and two-dimensional symbols can be read by employing moving-beam scanners, as well as solid-state imagers. For example, an image sensor device may be employed which has a one- or two-dimensional array of cells or photosensors which correspond to image elements or pixels in a field of view of the device. Such an image sensor device may include a one- or two-dimensional charge coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device and associated circuits for producing electronic signals corresponding to a one- or two- dimensional array of pixel information for a field of view. 
   It is therefore known to use a solid-state device for capturing a monochrome image of a symbol as, for example, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,703,349. It is also known to use a solid-state device with multiple buried channels for capturing a full color image of a target as, for example, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,613,895. It is common to provide a two-dimensional CCD with a 640 ×480 resolution commonly found in VGA monitors, although other resolution sizes are possible. 
   It is also known to use radio waves to automatically identify objects, people, or like targets. An RFID tag or transponder identifies a target. An RFID reader interrogates the tag and converts radio waves reflected back from the tag into digital data. 
   As satisfactory as such moving-beam scanners, imagers and RFID devices are in capturing data, such data capture systems are not easily updated in the field. Typically, a portable data capture system is connected, and movable relative, to a transaction terminal operative for processing the transaction data captured by the system. It is up to a human user to disconnect the system and initiate the process of connecting the system to a dedicated configuration computer operative for upgrading the system. Alternatively, the user can upgrade each system by scanning parameter bar code symbols which self-configure each system. Such upgrading, however, can lead to costly disruptions due to the system being out of service. In some applications, there is a multitude of systems that are operatively connected to a single transaction terminal. Disconnecting and upgrading each system, in turn, is a laborious procedure. Frequently, many systems are simply not upgraded due to the great effort involved. 
   In addition, many data capture systems do not have status or error reporting capabilities. When operating problems arise in such systems, much time and effort are required to report the problem, diagnose the problem, and service the problem. It is up to the human user to detect the problem and initiate the process of reporting the failure. This also leads to costly disruptions due to the system being out of service. Servicing generally requires the system to be disassembled for repair. Sometimes, the user has insufficient expertise to recognize the onset of a system problem and delays reporting until a complete system failure has occurred. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Objects of the Invention 
   Accordingly, it is a general object of this invention to add in-field management and monitoring functionality to data capture systems, especially portable systems. 
   It is an additional object of the present invention to manage a data capture system in a manner transparent to the user and to data capture by the system. 
   It is another object of the invention to enable a data capture system to communicate its operating parameters to a remote host which, in turn, communicates corrective action to the system. 
   It is a further object of the present invention to upgrade a data capture system by communication with a network, even if the system itself is incapable of hosting a network connection. 
   Features of the Invention 
   In keeping with the above objects and others which will become apparent hereinafter, one feature of the present invention resides, briefly stated, in an arrangement for, and a method of, in-field managing a data capture system for capturing transaction data, such as an electro-optical reader for reading indicia, such as bar code symbols, or an imager for imaging a target, or an RFID reader for interrogating a target with radio waves, by operatively connecting a transaction terminal for processing the transaction data, for example, a point of sale workstation, to the data capture system via a wireless or wired link, and by uploading and/or downloading management data over a network to the data capture system without affecting transaction data capture. The data capture system is upgraded by the network, preferably directly from the terminal and not, as in the prior art, by reading special self-configuring parameter symbols, or by being disconnected from the terminal (i.e., taken off-line), then connected to a different dedicated configuration computer remote from the terminal for the upgrade, and then reconnected to the terminal. 
   The upgrade can be performed, in accordance with this invention, either during transaction data capture, or while data is not being captured by the data capture system. In a software-based embodiment, a middleware program is executed by the terminal to parse the management data and the transaction data, and to transmit the management data to and from the system. In a hardware-based embodiment, a switching device is physically connected between the system and the terminal, and includes a data switch for parsing the management data and the transaction data, and for transmitting the management data to and from the system. A management server aggregates and manages the management data for all the systems on the network. 
   In both embodiments, the data capture system is remotely upgraded. There is no downtime associated with taking the system off-line for servicing. Monitoring parameters of various operational functions are downloaded for status and error reporting and/or for corrective action. For systems which do not have the built-in capability of hosting a network connection themselves, the hardware-based embodiment is preferred. 
   The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an electro-optical reader in accordance with the prior art; 
       FIG. 2  is a circuit schematic depicting an in-field management arrangement in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention for managing data capture systems, one of which advantageously being the reader of  FIG. 1 ; and 
       FIG. 3  is a circuit schematic depicting an in-field management arrangement in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   As used herein, the term “symbol” broadly encompasses not only symbol patterns composed of alternating bars and spaces of various widths as commonly referred to as bar code symbols, but also other one- or two-dimensional graphic patterns, as well as alphanumeric characters. In general, the term “symbol” may apply to any type of pattern or indicia which may be recognized or identified either by scanning a light beam and detecting reflected or scattered light as a representation of variations in light reflectivity at various points of the pattern or indicia.  FIG. 1  shows an indicia  15  as one example of a “symbol” to be read. 
     FIG. 1  depicts a handheld laser scanner device  10  for reading symbols. The laser scanner device  10  includes a housing having a barrel portion  11  and a handle  12 . The barrel portion  11  of the housing includes an exit port or window  13  through which an outgoing laser light beam  14  passes to impinge on, and scan across, the bar code symbol  15  located at some distance from the housing. 
   The laser beam  14  moves across the symbol  15  to create a scan pattern. Typically, the scanning pattern is one-dimensional or linear, as shown by line  16 . This linear scanning movement of the laser beam  14  is generated by an oscillating scan mirror  17  driven by an oscillating motor  18 . If desired, means may be provided to scan the beam  14  through a two-dimensional scanning pattern, to permit reading of two-dimensional optically encoded symbols. A manually-actuated trigger  19  or similar means permit an operator to initiate the scanning operation when the operator holds and aims the device  10  at the symbol  15 . 
   The scanner device  10  includes a laser source  20  mounted within the housing. The laser source  20  generates the laser beam  14 . A photodetector  21  is positioned within the housing to collect at least a portion of the light reflected and scattered from the bar code symbol  15 . The photodetector  21 , as shown, faces toward the window  13  and has a static, wide field of view characteristic of the non-retro-reflective readers described above. Alternatively, in a retro-reflective reader, a convex portion of the scan mirror  17  may focus collected light on the photodetector  21 , in which case the photodetector faces toward the scan mirror. As the beam  14  sweeps the symbol  15 , the photodetector  21  detects the light reflected and scattered from the symbol  15  and creates an analog electrical signal proportional to the intensity of the collected light. 
   A digitizer typically converts the analog signal into a pulse width modulated digital signal, with the pulse widths and/or spacings corresponding to the physical widths of the bars and spaces of the scanned symbol  15 . A decoder, typically comprising a programmed microprocessor with associated random access memory (RAM) and read only memory (ROM), decodes the pulse width modulated digital signal according to the specific symbology to derive a binary representation of the data encoded in the symbol, and the alphanumeric characters represented by the symbol. 
   The laser source  20  directs the laser beam through an optical assembly comprising a focusing lens  22  and an aperture stop  23 , to modify and direct the laser beam onto the scan mirror  17 . The mirror  17 , mounted on a vertical shaft and oscillated by the motor drive  18  about a vertical axis, reflects the beam and directs it through the exit port  13  to the symbol  15 . 
   To operate the scanner device  10 , the operator depresses trigger  19  which activates the laser source  20  and the motor  18 . The laser source  20  generates the laser beam which passes through the element  22  and aperture  23  combination. The element  22  and aperture  23  modify the beam to create an intense beam spot of a given size which extends continuously and does not vary substantially over a range  24  of working distances. The element and aperture combination directs the beam onto the rotary mirror  17 , which directs the modified laser beam outwardly from the scanner housing  11  and toward the bar code symbol  15  in a sweeping pattern, i.e., along scan line  16 . The bar code symbol  15 , placed at any point within the working distance  24  and substantially normal to the laser beam  14 , reflects and scatters a portion of the laser light. The photodetector  21 , shown mounted in the scanner housing  11  in a non-retro-reflective position, detects the reflected and scattered light and converts the received light into an analog electrical signal. The photodetector could also be mounted in a retro-reflective position facing the scan mirror  17 . The system circuitry then converts the analog signal to a pulse width modulated digital signal which a microprocessor-based decoder decodes according to the characteristics of the bar code symbology rules. 
   As described so far, the handheld scanner device  10  is a data capture system for capturing transaction data indicative of the symbol  15 .  FIG. 2  depicts one embodiment of an architecture for in-field managing of at least one data capture system, and preferably a multitude of such data capture systems, such as handheld laser scanner devices  30 , essentially identical to device  10 , imaging reader  32  for capturing an image of the symbol or a target prior to processing the image into the transaction data, and an RFID reader  34  for interrogating an RFID tag or transponder to obtain the transaction data. The illustrated number and type of data capture system in  FIG. 2  is merely exemplary, since more or less than the illustrated systems can, and often is, employed in a real-world application. Other data capture systems contemplated by this invention include card readers, such as magnetic stripe readers and smart card readers, and devices having a screen for capturing a signature, a fingerprint, or a human touch. 
   Each of these systems has a hard-wired connection  26  (see  FIG. 3 ), or preferably a wireless connection  36  (see  FIG. 2 ) to one or more access points or nodes of a network  38 . One of the nodes is depicted as a transaction terminal  40 , preferably constituted, as shown in  FIG. 3 , as a cash register in a supermarket environment. However, it will be understood that the terminal is not to be restricted to a cash register and that any host computer, such as a laptop computer or a desktop computer, will do. Also, the terminal need not be stationary and can be mobile. The term “terminal” is to be interpreted in its broadest sense as any device having intelligence. The terminal  40  may have a cradle  42  for supporting the system. Each system  30 ,  32 ,  34  preferably has a wireless transceiver for communication over a wireless interface, such as wide area network (WAN), local area network (LAN), or personal area network (PAN), such as Bluetooth™. As illustrated, a plurality of transaction terminals  40  are often configured in the network  38 . Each system is preferably handheld, portable and movable relative to the terminal to which it is operatively connected by a wired or a wireless connection. 
   Each transaction terminal  40  is operative for executing a POS application  48  loaded on the terminal  40  and operative for processing the transaction data captured by a respective system. This typically involves retrieving information, for example, prices, from a look-up table (LUT) on the network  38 , or retrieving inventory information, with the aid of a LUT server  46 . Each transaction terminal is also operative for executing a middleware program  50 , as explained below. 
   In accordance with one feature of this invention, update data is uploaded from the terminal to one, some, or all the data capture systems. From time to time, the firmware on each system is updated for enhanced system operation. Typically, a management server  44 , for example, a computer, is operatively connected over the network  38  to all the terminals  40  and their associated data capture systems. The management server  44  initiates the upload over the network  38  to the transaction terminal  40  which, in turn, communicates the update data to the system. If the terminal permits, the upload can be initiated from the terminal itself. 
   Also, monitoring data generated by the system itself and indicative of various operating conditions being monitored, such as the identification, health and statistics of the system, is downloaded from one or more of the systems to one or more of the terminals over the network  38  to the management server  44 . Any one of the system itself, the terminal  40  or the management server  44  may initiate the download. Corrective action by the management server is uploaded to the system being monitored. 
   The uploading and downloading of management data in the architecture of  FIG. 2  is based on software, namely the middleware software  50  running on each terminal  40  between the standard transaction data processing application  48  and the physical interface to the system. The middleware, once installed, is completely transparent to the data capture operation, as well as to any user of the system. The system captures transaction data and sends the transaction data, together with any management data, to the middleware  50 . The middleware  50  is operative to parse the incoming data and to send the transaction data to the transaction data processing application  48  responsible for decoding the captured data and retrieving information, and to send the management data to a buffer to be formatted and then forwarded to the management server  44 . The server  44  aggregates and manages the management data for all the systems within an enterprise. 
     FIG. 3  depicts an architecture in which the uploading and downloading of the management data is based on hardware, namely a switching device  60  located between the system  30  and the terminal  40 . The hard-wired connection  26 , preferably a Universal Series Bus (USB) connection, is made between the system  30  and an input to the device  60 . Another hard-wired connection  52 , preferably a USB connection, is made between an output of the device  60  and the terminal  40 . 
   The device  60  includes a data switch  62  for parsing incoming data as transaction data or management data. The transaction data is sent via a POS interface  64  to the terminal  40  for transaction processing. 
   The management data is sent via an ethernet interface  66  directly to the network  38  via an ethernet connection  68 , or through an optical ethernet hub  70  to the terminal  40 . Once on the network  38 , the management data is formatted and sent to the server  44  which, as before, aggregates and manages the management data for all the systems within an enterprise. 
   Whether hardware- or software-based, the arrangement of this invention separates the management data and the transaction data so that each is separately routed and processed. Although it is preferred that the middleware  50  be resident on the terminal  40 , it could also be loaded on the system, or be distributed on both the terminal and the system. All communication is bi-directional. Hence, the monitoring of various operational parameters of the system, for example, the number of successful or unsuccessful data captures, or the status of various components of the system, is downloaded from the system and, in response, corrective action is uploaded to the system. Management data, such as system upgrades for enhanced operation, is uploaded from the management server or the terminal, and verification of the successful complete upload is downloaded to the management server. The processing of the management data occurs in the background and does not interfere with the processing of the transaction data. 
   It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, also may find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above. 
   While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in in-field monitoring and management of data capture systems, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. 
   Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.