Patent ID: 7621453

Claim:
A data collection device for reading a machine readable data storage medium comprising data encoded in a readable format, the data collection device comprising: a) a non-volatile memory storing a reader ID and a public key; b) a processor operating an embedded decoder system comprising a decoder module and an interpreter module; i) the decoder module receiving digital data from a medium reading system, the digital data comprising a representation of the machine readable data storage medium, determining the data encoded in the machine readable data storage medium, and generating decoded data; and ii) the interpreter module receiving the decoded data and manipulating the decoded data in accordance with the plurality of data manipulation commands defined in a rule file to generate formatted data, the interpreter module obtaining the rule file by: receiving a protected rule file, the protected rule file comprising an encrypted representation of the rule file; receiving a license file, the license file comprising an encrypted representation of a license record, the license record comprising identification of an authorized reader, a source identifier, and a source license key; deciphering the license record using the public encryption key and a predetermined asymmetric encryption algorithm; and if the identification of an authorized reader matches the reader ID, deciphering the protected rule file using the source license key to recover the rule file.