Systems and methods for interfacing multiple types of object identifiers and object identifier readers to multiple types of applications

• US 20040019893A1
• Filed: 07/21/2003
• Published: 01/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Code Corporation (Brady Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Code Corporation (Brady Corporation)
• Inventors: Powell, George, Hepworth, Paul J., Zhou, Weiyang
• Granted Patent: US 7,392,933 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/310
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5055 considering software capabilities, i.e. software resources associated or available to the machine
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context

Abstract

A method for interfacing an object identifier reader to at least one application is disclosed. The method may include receiving object identifier data from the object identifier reader. The object identifier data may include information and formatting characters. The method may then involve identifying the information in the object identifier data. At least one application may then be identified to receive the information. Finally, the information may be sent to the at least one application.

Claims

1. A method for interfacing an object identifier reader to at least one application, comprising:

receiving object identifier data from the object identifier reader, the object identifier data comprising information and formatting characters;

identifying the information in the object identifier data;

identifying the at least one application to receive the information; and

sending the information to the at least one application.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the information comprises:

matching the object identifier data with a pattern, the pattern being associated with one or more instructions for deleting the formatting characters from the object identifier data; and

carrying out the instructions.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the pattern and the one or more instructions are predefined.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the pattern and the one or more instructions are read from a database.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the pattern and the one or more instructions are read from a file.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the pattern and the one or more instructions are downloaded over a network.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the method is implemented by a first instance of a software module, and wherein the pattern and the one or more instructions are shared between the first instance of the software module and a second instance of the software module.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the object identifier data is generated from an object identifier, and further comprising receiving supplemental information about the object identifier.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein identifying the information comprises carrying out instructions associated with the supplemental information.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the at least one application comprises determining a characteristic of the information, and wherein the at least one application is associated with the characteristic.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising formatting the information so that the at least one application can process the information.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein formatting the information comprises:

determining a characteristic of the information;

determining an object identifier format associated with the application;

identifying formatting instructions associated with the characteristic and the object identifier format; and

formatting the information according to the formatting instructions.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the information to the at least one application comprises sending the information to a communication interface associated with the at least one application.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the object identifier data further comprises unidentifiable data.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising discarding the unidentifiable data.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising alerting a user that the unidentifiable data has been discarded.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the object identifier data is received at a communication interface, and further comprising sending the unidentifiable data back to the communication interface unmodified.

18. A method for interfacing an object identifier reader to an application, comprising:

receiving object identifier data from the object identifier reader, the object identifier data comprising information formatted according to a first object identifier format;

identifying the information in the object identifier data;

identifying the application to receive the information, the application being incompatible with the first object identifier format;

formatting the information according to a second object identifier format, the application being compatible with the second object identifier format; and

sending the formatted information to the application.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the object identifier data comprises first formatting characters associated with the first object identifier format, wherein identifying the information comprises deleting the first formatting characters from the object identifier data, and wherein formatting the information according to the second object identifier format comprises adding second formatting characters to the information, the second formatting characters being associated with the second object identifier format.

20. A method for interfacing an object identifier reader to an application, comprising:

receiving object identifier data from the object identifier reader through a first communication interface, the object identifier data comprising information and formatting characters;

identifying the information in the object identifier data;

identifying an application to receive the information, the application being configured to receive the information through a second communication interface; and

sending the information to the application through the second communication interface.

21. A method for interfacing an object identifier reader to a plurality of applications, comprising:

receiving object identifier data from the object identifier reader, the object identifier data comprising information and formatting characters;

identifying the information in the object identifier data; and

sending the information to the plurality of applications.

22. A system for interfacing an object identifier reader to at least one application, comprising:

the object identifier reader; and

a computing device comprising;

a communication interface in electronic communication with the object identifier reader;

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor;

the at least one application stored in the memory;

a software module stored in the memory, the software module being configured to implement a method comprising;

receiving object identifier data from the object identifier reader, the object identifier data comprising information and formatting characters;

identifying the information in the object identifier data;

identifying the at least one application to receive the information; and

sending the information to the at least one application.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein identifying the information comprises:

matching the object identifier data with a pattern, the pattern being associated with one or more instructions for deleting the formatting characters from the object identifier data; and

carrying out the instructions.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the pattern and the one or more instructions are predefined.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the pattern and the one or more instructions are read from a database.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the pattern and the one or more instructions are read from a file.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the pattern and the one or more instructions are downloaded over a network.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein a first instance of the software module implements the method, and wherein the pattern and the one or more instructions are shared between the first instance of the software module and a second instance of the software module.

29. The system of claim 22, wherein the object identifier data is generated from an object identifier, and further comprising receiving supplemental information about the object identifier.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein identifying the information comprises carrying out instructions associated with the supplemental information.

31. The system of claim 22, wherein identifying the at least one application comprises determining a characteristic of the information, and wherein the at least one application is associated with the characteristic.

32. The system of claim 22, wherein the method further comprises formatting the information so that the at least one application can process the information.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein formatting the information comprises:

determining a characteristic of the information;

determining an object identifier format associated with the application;

identifying formatting instructions associated with the characteristic and the object identifier format; and

formatting the information according to the formatting instructions.

34. The system of claim 22, wherein sending the information to the at least one application comprises sending the information to the communication interface.

35. The system of claim 22, wherein the object identifier data further comprises unidentifiable data.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the method further comprises discarding the unidentifiable data.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the method further comprises alerting a user that the unidentifiable data has been discarded.

38. The system of claim 35, wherein the object identifier data is received at the communication interface, and further comprising sending the unidentifiable data back to the communication interface unmodified.

39. A system for interfacing an object identifier reader to an application, comprising:

the object identifier reader; and

a computing device comprising;

a communication interface in electronic communication with the object identifier reader;

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor;

the application stored in the memory;

a software module stored in the memory, the software module being configured to implement a method comprising;

receiving object identifier data from the object identifier reader, the object identifier data comprising information formatted according to a first object identifier format;

identifying the information in the object identifier data;

identifying the application to receive the information, the application being incompatible with the first object identifier format;

formatting the information according to a second object identifier format, the application being compatible with the second object identifier format; and

sending the formatted information to the application.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the object identifier data comprises first formatting characters associated with the first object identifier format, wherein identifying the information comprises deleting the first formatting characters from the object identifier data, and wherein formatting the information according to the second object identifier format comprises adding second formatting characters to the information, the second formatting characters being associated with the second object identifier format.

41. A system for interfacing an object identifier reader to an application, comprising:

the object identifier reader; and

a computing device comprising;

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor;

the application stored in the memory;

a first communication interface in electronic communication with the object identifier reader;

a second communication interface in electronic communication with the application;

a software module stored in the memory, the software module being configured to implement a method comprising;

receiving object identifier data from the object identifier reader through the first communication interface, the object identifier data comprising information and formatting characters;

identifying the information in the object identifier data;

identifying the application to receive the information, the application being configured to receive the information through the second communication interface; and

sending the information to the application through the second communication interface.

42. A system for interfacing an object identifier reader to a plurality of applications, comprising:

the object identifier reader; and

a computing device comprising;

a communication interface in electronic communication with the object identifier reader;

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor;

the plurality of applications stored in the memory;

a software module stored in the memory, the software module being configured to implement a method comprising;

receiving object identifier data from the object identifier reader, the object identifier data comprising information and formatting characters;

identifying the information in the object identifier data; and

sending the information to the plurality of applications.

43. A computer-readable medium for storing program data, wherein the program data comprises executable instructions for implementing a method comprising:

receiving object identifier data from an object identifier reader, the object identifier data comprising information and formatting characters;

identifying the information in the object identifier data;

identifying at least one application to receive the information; and

sending the information to the at least one application.

44. The computer-readable medium of claim 43, wherein identifying the information comprises:

matching the object identifier data with a pattern, the pattern being associated with one or more instructions for deleting the formatting characters from the object identifier data; and

carrying out the instructions.

45. The computer-readable medium of claim 44, wherein the pattern and the one or more instructions are predefined.

46. The computer-readable medium of claim 44, wherein the pattern and the one or more instructions are read from a database.

47. The computer-readable medium of claim 44, wherein the pattern and the one or more instructions are read from a file.

48. The computer-readable medium of claim 44, wherein the pattern and the one or more instructions are downloaded over a network.

49. The computer-readable medium of claim 44, wherein the method is implemented by a first instance of the executable instructions, and wherein the pattern and the one or more instructions are shared between the first instance of the executable instructions and a second instance of the executable instructions.

50. The computer-readable medium of claim 43, wherein the object identifier data is generated from an object identifier, and wherein the method further comprises receiving supplemental information about the object identifier.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein identifying the information comprises carrying out instructions associated with the supplemental information.

52. The computer-readable medium of claim 43, wherein identifying the at least one application comprises determining a characteristic of the information, and wherein the at least one application is associated with the characteristic.

53. The computer-readable medium of claim 43, wherein the method further comprises formatting the information so that the at least one application can process the information.

54. The computer-readable medium of claim 53, wherein formatting the information comprises:

determining a characteristic of the information;

determining an object identifier format associated with the application;

identifying formatting instructions associated with the characteristic and the object identifier format; and

formatting the information according to the formatting instructions.

55. The computer-readable medium of claim 43, wherein sending the information to the at least one application comprises sending the information to a communication interface associated with the at least one application.

56. The computer-readable medium of claim 43, wherein the object identifier data further comprises unidentifiable data.

57. The computer-readable medium of claim 56, wherein the method further comprises discarding the unidentifiable data.

58. The computer-readable medium of claim 57, wherein the method further comprises alerting a user that the unidentifiable data has been discarded.

59. The computer-readable medium of claim 56, wherein the object identifier data is received at a communication interface, and further comprising sending the unidentifiable data back to the communication interface unmodified.

60. A computer-readable medium for storing program data, wherein the program data comprises executable instructions for implementing a method comprising:

receiving object identifier data from an object identifier reader, the object identifier data comprising information formatted according to a first object identifier format;

identifying the information in the object identifier data;

identifying an application to receive the information, the application being incompatible with the first object identifier format;

formatting the information according to a second object identifier format, the application being compatible with the second object identifier format; and

sending the formatted information to the application.

61. The computer-readable medium of claim 60, wherein the object identifier data comprises first formatting characters associated with the first object identifier format, wherein identifying the information comprises deleting the first formatting characters from the object identifier data, and wherein formatting the information according to the second object identifier format comprises adding second formatting characters to the information, the second formatting characters being associated with the second object identifier format.

62. A computer-readable medium for storing program data, wherein the program data comprises executable instructions for implementing a method comprising:

receiving object identifier data from an object identifier reader through a first communication interface, the object identifier data comprising information and formatting characters;

identifying the information in the object identifier data;

identifying an application to receive the information, the application being configured to receive the information through a second communication interface; and

sending the information to the application through the second communication interface.

63. A computer-readable medium for storing program data, wherein the program data comprises executable instructions for implementing a method comprising:

receiving object identifier data from an object identifier reader, the object identifier data comprising information and formatting characters;

identifying the information in the object identifier data; and

sending the information to the plurality of applications.