Barcode-reading system
First Claim
1. A barcode-reading system for a mobile device, comprising:
- a barcode-reading enhancement accessory securable to the mobile device, the barcode-reading enhancement accessory comprising at least one optic system that is positioned either within a field of illumination of a light source of the mobile device for modifying the field of illumination projected by the light source or within a field of view of a camera of the mobile device for modifying illumination reflected from objects within the field of view of the camera; and
a barcode-reading application stored in a memory of the mobile device and executable by a processor of the mobile device,wherein the barcode-reading application is configured to operate in a base mode or an enhanced mode,wherein in the base mode of operation, the barcode-reading application is configured to;
control a network interface of the mobile device to establish a network connection to a licensing server and obtain a license code from the licensing server;
subject the license code to a predetermined algorithm and determine at least one operating permission authorized by the license code; and
enable an enhanced mode of operation,wherein in the enhanced mode of operation, the barcode-reading application is configured to implement at least one enhanced barcode-reading function which corresponds to the at least one operating permission authorized by the license code.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
This patent specification describes operations of a mobile device with barcode-reading capabilities and an application and license server. A mobile device may include a barcode-reading application downloaded from an application server. The barcode-reading application may operate in a base mode or an enhanced mode. In the base mode, the barcode-reading application may establish a network connection to a licensing server to obtain a license code, and determine at least one operating permission authorized by the license code. In the enhanced mode, the barcode-reading application may implement at least one enhanced barcode-reading function which corresponds to the at least one operating permission authorized by the license code. For example, the enhanced barcode-reading function may be a function of decoding a barcode symbology that the decoder is restricted from decoding in the base mode of operation.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A barcode-reading system for a mobile device, comprising:
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a barcode-reading enhancement accessory securable to the mobile device, the barcode-reading enhancement accessory comprising at least one optic system that is positioned either within a field of illumination of a light source of the mobile device for modifying the field of illumination projected by the light source or within a field of view of a camera of the mobile device for modifying illumination reflected from objects within the field of view of the camera; and a barcode-reading application stored in a memory of the mobile device and executable by a processor of the mobile device, wherein the barcode-reading application is configured to operate in a base mode or an enhanced mode, wherein in the base mode of operation, the barcode-reading application is configured to; control a network interface of the mobile device to establish a network connection to a licensing server and obtain a license code from the licensing server; subject the license code to a predetermined algorithm and determine at least one operating permission authorized by the license code; and enable an enhanced mode of operation, wherein in the enhanced mode of operation, the barcode-reading application is configured to implement at least one enhanced barcode-reading function which corresponds to the at least one operating permission authorized by the license code. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A barcode-reading system for a mobile device, comprising:
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a barcode-reading enhancement accessory securable to the mobile device, the barcode-reading enhancement accessory comprising at least one optic system that is positioned either within a field of illumination of a white light source of the mobile device for modifying the field of illumination projected by the white light source or within a field of view of a camera of the mobile device for modifying illumination reflected from objects within the field of view of the camera; and a barcode-reading application stored in a memory of the mobile device and executable by a processor of the mobile device, the barcode-reading application including; an image capture function for controlling the white light source and the camera to capture an image of a barcode, the image of the barcode being affected by the at least one optic system; a base decoder function for decoding a barcode in a base mode of operation if an enhanced decoder mode has not been authorized; and an enhanced decoder function for decoding a barcode in an enhanced mode of operation if the enhanced decoder mode has been authorized. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A barcode-reading system, comprising:
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a mobile computing device capable of capturing an image of a barcode and decoding the barcode; and an accessory attached to the mobile computing device for enhancing a barcode-reading capability of the mobile computing device, wherein the mobile computing device includes a processor for running a barcode-reading application, wherein the barcode-reading application operates in a first state before a valid license key for the barcode-reading application is obtained and in a second state after the valid license key is obtained, and wherein at least one function of the barcode-reading application is disabled in the first state. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification