Method and device for communicating data contained in one or several barcodes

• US 20040074970A1
• Filed: 02/20/2003
• Published: 04/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Eurintec
• Original Assignee: Eurintec
• Inventors: Fauchille, Jean-Loic
• Application Number:
  US10/149,493
• Publication Number:
  US 20040074970A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/462.46
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a device for communicating information contained in one or several barcodes towards one or several remote servers. A method wherein:

said pieces of information are acquired,

said pieces of information are transformed into at least one message, so-called barcode message, ready to be sent to said server by a transmission network, also enabling the communication of messages containing other types of information,

the content of said barcode(s) is transmitted towards the servor(s) thanks to a hand-held transmission/reception module (4), capable of transmitting said barcode messages as well as the messages containing other types of information on said network. The invention also concerns a system for exchanging information contained in one or several barcodes comprising at least one such communication device.

Claims

1. A method for communicating information contained in one or several barcodes towards one or several remote servers, wherein:

said pieces of information are acquired,

said pieces of information are transformed into at least one message, so-called barcode message, ready to be sent to said server by a transmission notwork, also enabling the communication of messages containing other types of information,

the content of said barcode(s) is transmitted towards the server(s) thanks to a hand-held transmission/reception module (4), capable of transmitting said barcode messages as well as the messages containing other types of information on said network, and wherein;

the barcode message(s) is(are) sent to said hand-held module (4) while connecting said module to a reading assembly (3), comprising reading means (1), enabling, the acquisition of said information, and processing means (2), enabling the establishment of said barcode messages, whereas said reading assembly (3) is also intended to be hand-held,

said reading assembly (3) is connected to said hand-held module (4) at least during the acquisition of said information and/or the establishment of said barcode messages,

data is loaded into said reading assembly (3) from said hand-held module (4) during the establishment of said barcode messages, said data is intended to be part of the composition of said barcode messages and/or to direct their course.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least at one a memory location of said hand-held module (4), a user identification code is stored and/or a network address of one or several said servers and, during the establishment of said barcode messages, said memory locations are made known to said reading assembly (3), then said reading assembly (3) can interrogate said handheld module (4) in order to load said codes and/or addresses.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of servers are provided, each dedicated to a given function, then at said hand-held modules (4) at least as many memory locations as servers are provided, the address on the network of one given of said servers is stored in each memory location and one of said memory locations is stored in said reading assembly (3).

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the address on the network of said hand-held module (4) at the origin of said barcode messages transmitted is also transmitted to said server(s).

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein said server(s) transmit to the hand-held module (4) at the origin of the barcode message(s) a response depending on said barcode(s).

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein said reading assembly (3) is supplied from an energy source provided in said hand-held module (4).

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein said barcode message is sent after each acquisition of a given barcode.

8. A device for communicating the information contained in one or several barcodes towards one or several remote servers, said device comprising:

a hand-held reading assembly (3), comprised of reading means (1) to acquire said information, and processing means (2), capable of transforming said information into at least one message, a so-called barcode message, ready to be sent to said servers by a transmission network, also enabling communication of messages containing other types of information,

at least one hand-held transmission/reception module (4), capable of transmitting said barcode message as well as messages containing other types of information over said network,

means for connecting said reading assembly (3) and said hand-held module (4) and means to send said barcode message(s) to said hand-held module (4), whereas said hand-held module (4) is comprised of an energy supply source and said means for connecting (6) are capable of authorising, in addition to data exchanges between said hand-held module (4) and said reading assembly (3), energy powering of said reading assembly (3) from the energy supply source of the hand-held module (4).

9. A device according to claim 8, wherein said hand-held module is a hand-held telephone of a cellular communication network, said telephone being capable of transmitting voice and/or data.

10. A device according to claim 9, wherein said connection means (6) are comprised of a standardized outlet (7), provided at said hand-held telephone (4) and a connector (8), provided at said reading assembly (3) and capable of being plugged into said standardized outlet.

11. A device according to claim 9, wherein said means to send said barcode messages to said hand-held module (4) are formed, notably, of a modem situated in said hand-held telephone.

12. A device according to claim 8, wherein said processing means are capable of authorizing the loading of data from said hand-held module (4) into said reading assembly (3).

13. A device according to claim 8, wherein said hand-held module (4) comprises a screen (5), capable of authorising the visualization of possible response from the server(s) affecting the content of the barcodes.

14. A system for exchanging information contained in one or several barcodes comprising at least one communication device according to claim 8, operating with a given transmission network, at least one server (9) to which the barcode messages transmitted by said device are intended and means (10) for connecting said server(s) (9) over said network.

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein said connections means (10) of said server(s) (9) are formed of hand-held transmission/reception modules of said network.