Patent Description:
<CIT> discloses an optical reader, which is operable in a "host commands" mode and a "host routines" mode. In the "host commands" mode, the reader receives and executes a script routine module from a host. In the "host routines" mode, the reader receives a script routine Module identifier from the host and the reader, in turn, executes a selected one of a plurality of reader-stored script routine modules based on the identifier.

<CIT> discloses a digital-imaging based code symbol reading system including a planar laser illumination and imaging module (PLIIM) employing a <NUM>-D image detection array to capture narrow-area 2D digital images, and then automatically processes the pixels of the narrow-area 2D digital images so as to generate composite single-column ID digital images for decode processing. The invention is defined in the independent claims, to which reference should now be made. Advantageous features are set out in the sub claims. A symbol reading device (e.g., barcode scanner, barcode reader, RFID reader) is a specialized input device for certain data systems commonly used by retailers, industrial businesses, and other businesses having a need to manage large amounts of inventory. Symbol reading devices are often employed to read barcodes. A barcode is a machine-readable representation of information in a graphic format. The most familiar of these graphic symbols is a series of parallel bars and spaces of varying widths, which format gave rise to the term "barcode. " The adoption of the Universal Product Code (UPC) version of barcode technology in <NUM> quickly led to a revolution in logistics by obviating the need for manual entry of long number strings.

Most barcode scanners operate by projecting light from an LED or a laser onto the printed barcode, and then detecting the level of reflected light as the light beam sweeps across the barcode. Using this technique, the barcode scanner is able to distinguish between dark areas and light areas on the barcode. The barcode scanner can determine the width of each bar or white space and then decode the symbol to determine the represented data.

Although the basic concept behind barcode scanning technology has remained constant, the techniques employed continue to evolve. Recent trends include the widespread use of 2D barcodes (i.e., matrix codes), which provide for the representation of data in two dimensions. The QR Code is an example of a 2D barcode in wide use today, especially in the area of interactive marketing.

Typically, the barcode scanner transmits the data that it decodes from reading the barcode to a host device, which host device is configured to process the data in some useful way. In the retail context, where the barcode scanner is used in conjunction with the sale of products to the consumer, these host devices and their accompanying barcode scanners are often referred to as point-of-sale (POS) systems. The most ubiquitous example of the point-of-sale system is the checkout register at a supermarket, where an omni-directional barcode scanner reads the UPC code on grocery purchases. The barcode scanner passes the UPC code associated with each product along to the cash register, which then looks up the price associated with each product code. The communication link between the barcode scanner and the host device is often either an RS-<NUM> serial connection or a universal serial bus (USB) connection.

The useful life of barcode scanners can be extended and functionality enhanced by updating the barcode scanner's software (e.g., firmware). In situations where the host device features a full-featured operating system capable of running software (e.g., Microsoft WINDOWS®) adapted to update the barcode scanner's firmware, a system administrator can update the firmware via the host device, either directly or through a network connection to the host device. Many host systems are not capable of directly supporting an upgrade of the barcode scanner firmware. Low-end retail host devices, such as certain electronic cash registers, may not be PC-based or may not be running complete operating systems. In addition, certain factors may prohibit a business from providing a network connection to certain host devices, making it impossible to remotely upgrade the barcode scanner firmware. Because these host devices cannot provide the necessary interface to upgrade the barcode scanner firmware, when performing system maintenance, it is necessary to disconnect the barcode scanner from the host device and then reconnect the barcode scanner to a suitable upgrade system, such as a PC-based laptop computer. Once the upgrade of the firmware is complete, the upgrade system is disconnected and the communication link between the barcode scanner and the host device is re-established.

The problem with this approach to upgrading a barcode scanner's firmware is that it is time-consuming, labor intensive, and results in the point-of-sale system, for example, being offline for the duration of the upgrade process. In environments employing many host device-barcode scanner pairings, the costs and delays brought about by this labor-intensive upgrade technique can be quite burdensome on a business.

What is needed is a system for providing communication to a symbol reading device, such as a barcode reader, that allows continuous access to the symbol reading device through a server computer even in situations where the host device is incapable of providing access to the symbol reading device for purposes of upgrading the symbol reading device's firmware. A system that provided an additional means of communicating with the symbol reading device beyond the communication link with the host device would not only allow for remote upgrading of the symbol reading device's firmware, but would allow for the transfer of data from the symbol reading device to systems other than the host device for additional data processing or data collection purposes.

A primary object of the present disclosure is to provide a system for providing a continuous communication link with a symbol reading device.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a system for providing a continuous communication link with a symbol reading device wherein a continuous communication link exists between the symbol reading device and a server computer and a continuous communication link exists between the symbol reading device and the host device.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a system for providing a continuous communication link with a symbol reading device wherein the symbol reading device has a communications module having a first interface for communicating with a host device and a second interface for communicating with a server computer.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a system for providing a continuous communication link with a symbol reading device wherein the symbol reading device's firmware may be updated without the need for disconnecting the symbol reading device from the host device even in situations where the host device is not suitable for providing access to the symbol reading device for the purpose of upgrading the firmware.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a system for providing a continuous communication link with a symbol reading device that allows for the upgrading of the symbol reading device's firmware with a reduced amount of time, labor and downtime when compared with conventional upgrade techniques.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a symbol reading device having the capability of separately communicating with a host device and a server computer.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a system whereby a server computer can collect data from a symbol reading device while the symbol reading device remains in continuous communication with a host device.

Further objects of the present disclosure will become more apparently understood hereinafter and in the claims appended hereto.

To more fully understand the objects, the following detailed description of the illustrative embodiments should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:.

Referring to the figures in the accompanying drawings, the illustrative embodiments of the system for providing a continuous communication link with a symbol reading device, and the symbol reading device according to the present disclosure will be described in great detail, wherein like elements will be indicated using like reference numerals.

It will be understood that the system for providing a continuous communication link with a symbol reading device of the illustrative embodiments may be modified in a variety of ways which will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the novel teachings disclosed herein.

Referring now to <FIG>, the system <NUM> includes a symbol reading device <NUM>. It will be understood that the symbol reading device may be any one of the various types of device intended for reading (e.g., decoding, interpreting) symbols (e.g., barcodes, RFID tags). Such symbol reading device <NUM> may be a pen-type barcode reader (e.g., wand barcode reader), laser barcode scanners, CCD barcode readers, camera-based barcode readers, omni-directional barcode scanners, RFID readers, or any similar device. It will be further understood that the term "barcode" is intended to broadly encompass insignia used to represent data, including various types of linear barcodes (i.e., 1D barcodes) and matrix barcodes (i.e., 2D barcodes). The symbol reading device <NUM> includes a controller module <NUM> that decodes the symbol, for example by converting readings of light reflected off a barcode into data (e.g., a product identification number, a shipment number, an account number, etc.).

The system <NUM> also includes a communications module <NUM> in the symbol reading device. The communications module <NUM> is in communication with the controller module <NUM> by means suitable for allowing data to be transmitted from the controller module <NUM> to the communications module <NUM>. The communications module <NUM> is integral with the symbol reading device. The communications module <NUM> is adapted to communicate with a host device <NUM>. It will be understood that the term "host device" is intended to broadly encompass the great variety of devices adapted to communicate with a symbol reading device <NUM>. Examples of such host devices include, without limitation, electronic cash registers, inventory management systems, and inventory control systems. Typically, the communications module <NUM> is connected to the host device <NUM> via an RS-<NUM> serial connection or a universal serial bus (USB) connection. The communications module <NUM> may be communicatively connected to the host device <NUM> in other ways, including by a wireless communication link (e.g., wireless radio (e.g., ZIGBEE, BLUETOOTH, WI-FI) and infrared transmissions).

The system <NUM> also includes a server computer <NUM>. The server computer <NUM> is in communication with the communications module <NUM>. The term server computer <NUM> is intended to be used broadly to encompass any computer or network of computers capable of running a software application adapted to upload information (e.g., updates to firmware) to the symbol reading device <NUM>, and/or adapted to process information received from the symbol reading device <NUM>. The communication link between the server computer <NUM> and the symbol reading device <NUM> may be established by various means, including by wired and wireless connections. This communication link between the server computer <NUM> and the symbol reading device <NUM> provides access to the scanning device <NUM> without the need to interrupt the communication link between the symbol reading device <NUM> and the host device <NUM>. It will be understood that references in the disclosure to a continuous communication link are intended to indicate the existence of a continuing physical connection (e.g., wired or wireless connection) enabling communication (e.g., enabling the exchange of information on an as-needed basis). Such references are not intended to suggest that the system requires information to be communicated among system components at all times. Indeed, one of the advantages of the system <NUM> is that it allows for communication between the server computer <NUM> and the symbol reading device <NUM> as frequently or as infrequently as may be needed.

As illustrated in <FIG>, in one embodiment, the communications module <NUM> comprises a first interface <NUM> for communicating with the host device <NUM> and a second interface <NUM> for communicating with the server computer <NUM>. The first interface <NUM> may be a separate component from the second interface <NUM> or it may be integral with the second interface <NUM>. Typically, the first interface <NUM> is an RS-<NUM> serial interface or a USB interface. Alternatively, the first interface <NUM> may be a wireless interface of the type that is well-known to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

The communication link between the symbol reading device <NUM> and the server computer <NUM> may be wired or wireless. Accordingly, the second interface <NUM> may comprise a wired technology interface (e.g., cabled Ethernet) or a wireless technology interface. A wireless connection may be advantageous in circumstances where running cable from the scanning device would be difficult or overly costly due to the nature of the building infrastructure or the distances involved, or when the use of cabling would inhibit the use of the symbol reading device <NUM> (e.g., when using a handheld device). For example, the second interface <NUM> may comprise a wireless personal area network interface (e.g., a BLUETOOTH interface or a ZIGBEE interface) allowing the symbol reading device <NUM> to communicate with the server computer <NUM> via a radio connection using a BLUETOOTH or ZIGBEE standard. A BLUETOOTH connection may also be advantageous because that standard allows for peer-to-peer connections between multiple devices in the personal area network. In this way, multiple symbol reading devices <NUM> could be wirelessly linked in a personal area network that is in communication with the system <NUM> through a master device. Alternatively, the second interface <NUM> may comprise a wireless local area network interface (WLAN) (e.g., WI-FI or <NUM>. 11x interface) or a wireless wide area network interface (WWAN) (e.g., GSM, CDMA, GPAS). It will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that symbol reading devices <NUM> connected to a server computer <NUM> using any of these techniques will be accessible by the server computer <NUM> and any computer (e.g., client computer) networked to the server computer <NUM>. If the server computer <NUM> is connected to the Internet, then the symbol reading device may be assigned an Internet Protocol (IP) address, making it a uniquely identifiable node on the network. Therefore, the symbol reading device <NUM> can be remotely accessed by any other authorized computer on the network via the server computer <NUM>. It will be appreciated that those systems <NUM> that incorporate many (e.g., hundreds) individual symbol reading devices <NUM> will particularly benefit from the remote access via a server computer <NUM>, which remote access allows for much faster updating of these symbol reading devices <NUM> via the network than the traditional technique requiring the symbol reading device <NUM> to be disconnected from the host device <NUM> before any updating of the firmware can commence.

As depicted in <FIG>, in one embodiment the communication link between the first interface <NUM> and the host device <NUM> is to the communication link between the second interface <NUM> and the server computer <NUM>. In this configuration the system <NUM> allows the symbol reading device <NUM> to transmit one set of data to the host device <NUM> and another set of data to the server computer <NUM>. The communication link to the host device <NUM> carries decoded barcode data transmissions, whereas the communication link to the server computer <NUM> might carry other types of data, including number of trigger pulls, time to decode, barcode quality or images of scanned barcodes.

<FIG> depicts an alternative configuration of the system <NUM> according to the present disclosure. In this configuration, the first interface <NUM> and the second interface <NUM> are connected in a serial fashion to the controller module (i.e., the second interface <NUM> and the second interface <NUM> are in shared communication with the shared communication with the controller module <NUM>). In this configuration, the second interface <NUM> receives data from the controller module <NUM> and either transmits the data to the server computer <NUM> or passes the data through to the first interface <NUM> to be transmitted to the host device <NUM>, or does both. This configuration might be advantageous in a system <NUM> where there is a cabled connection (e.g., RS-<NUM> connection) between the symbol reading device <NUM> and the host device <NUM>, and the second interface <NUM> is a wireless radio interface positioned within the cabling (e.g., a wireless radio pod incorporated into the cabling) connecting the symbol reading device <NUM> and the host device <NUM>.

Turning now to <FIG>, the disclosure alternatively embraces a symbol reading device <NUM> adapted for use with the system <NUM> according to the present disclosure. The symbol reading device <NUM> includes a controller module <NUM> for converting a symbol into data. The symbol reading device <NUM> also includes a communications module <NUM> for transmitting data. The communications module <NUM> is in communication with the controller module <NUM>. The communication module <NUM> comprises a first interface <NUM> for communicating with a host device and a second interface <NUM> for communicating with a server computer <NUM>. The second interface <NUM> may be wired (e.g., Ethernet network interface) or wireless (e.g., wireless personal area network interface, wireless local area network interface, or wireless wide area network interface).

Claim 1:
A system (<NUM>) including a continuous communication link with a symbol reading device (<NUM>) for reading barcode symbols, the system comprising:
the symbol reading device (<NUM>), having a controller module (<NUM>) and a communications module (<NUM>) integral with said symbol reading device (<NUM>) and in communication with said controller module (<NUM>) of said symbol reading device (<NUM>);
a host device (<NUM>) in communication with said communications module via a first connection to a first interface (<NUM>) of said communications module to provide a first continuous communication link between the symbol reading device and the host device (<NUM>); and
a server computer (<NUM>);
characterised in that:
said server computer is in communication with said communications module (<NUM>) via a second connection to a second interface (<NUM>) of said communications module to provide a second continuous communication link between the symbol reading device and the server computer (<NUM>) that is separate from the first continuous communication link,
the first continuous communication link being configured to carry decoded barcode data transmissions and the second continuous communication link being configured to enable updating of symbol reading software of the symbol reading device without interruption of the first continuous communication link.