Patent ID: 8336045

Claim:
A method for executing software applications on a PC-based scale comprising: (a) executing a scale application on a PC-based scale for controlling exclusive access to weighing functionality and peripherals of a PC-based scale; (b) defining in said scale application functionality for exchanging messages through a software port, said messages exchanged with at least one other software application executing on said PC-based scale; (c) installing a secondary software application for exchanging messages with said scale application through said software port according to said functionality in said scale application for exchanging messages; (d) launching said secondary software application with an identifier for said software port to cause said secondary software application to connect to said scale application through said identified software port; and (e) activating said secondary software application with activation properties from said scale application, said secondary software application activated by said scale application by sending an activation message to said secondary software application through said identified software port; and (f) deactivating said secondary software application with a deactivation message exchanged between said scale application and said secondary application through said identified software port.