Scanner pairing in a bluetooth POS network
First Claim
1. In a point of sale system for acquiring bar code data relating to a transaction, wherein a first bar code scanner is arranged to scan bar codes and provide data relating to scanned bar codes to a processor, the improvement comprising a second portable bar code scanner, said second scanner including a radio module for acting as a slave unit using a master-slave data communication protocol and said second scanner including an identifying bar code, and wherein there is provided a master radio module associated with said point of sale system and wherein said master radio module is arranged to act as a master for communication with said slave radio module in response to reading of said identifying bar code.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Wireless data communications using a master/slave protocol are easily established between a master radio module which is part of a POS terminal and a slave radio module which is part of a portable bar code scanning device. A bar code identifying the portable bar code scanning device is provided on the outside of the housing of the portable device. By scanning this bar code with a scanner associated with the POS terminal, such as a fixed scanner built onto a counter, the master/slave radio communications link can be automatically implemented.
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Citations
8 Claims
- 1. In a point of sale system for acquiring bar code data relating to a transaction, wherein a first bar code scanner is arranged to scan bar codes and provide data relating to scanned bar codes to a processor, the improvement comprising a second portable bar code scanner, said second scanner including a radio module for acting as a slave unit using a master-slave data communication protocol and said second scanner including an identifying bar code, and wherein there is provided a master radio module associated with said point of sale system and wherein said master radio module is arranged to act as a master for communication with said slave radio module in response to reading of said identifying bar code.
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4. The improvement specified in clam 1 wherein said master radio module is arranged to discontinue acting as a master for communication with said slave radio module in response to a further reading of said identifying bar code.
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5. A method for establishing a master/slave data communication link, comprising:
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providing a machine readable identification device on a slave unit;
reading said identification device with a reader associated with said master unit to obtain identification data;
determining a slave address of said slave unit from said identification data; and
operating said master unit to associate with said slave unit.
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6. A method for reading bar codes on items to be purchased, comprising:
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providing a portable bar code reader having a slave radio module having a slave address for providing data communication and an identifying bar code on said reader;
reading said identifying bar code with a second bar code reader associated with a master radio module and a data processor to obtain identifying data;
determining said slave address using said identifying data;
operating said master unit to associate with said slave unit; and
using selectively said portable bar code reader and said second bar code reader to read bar codes and provide data to said processor.
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7. A portable bar code scanner comprising a housing enclosing a slave radio data transceiver having a network address and an optical bar code reader and a bar code on the exterior of said housing, said bar code being associated with said network address.
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8. A terminal having a processor, a bar code reader, a master radio module for providing data communications and a program for operating said processor, said program being arranged to operate said bar code reader and provide data to said processor, operate said processor to recognize said data as data identifying a slave unit and operate said master radio module to conduct data communications with said slave unit.
Specification