Method of automatically establishing a data communication link between an optical code reading device and a host system having a data communication interface

• US 20070057063A1
• Filed: 05/04/2006
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Xu, Congwei, Ji, Kai, Zhu, Xuewen, Yang, Aili
• Granted Patent: US 7,383,997 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/462.150
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisions for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners

Abstract

An improved bar code symbol reading methodology/device/system includes a bar code symbol reading engine that reads bar code symbols affixed to objects proximate thereto and produces symbol character data representative of such bar code symbols. A data transmission subsystem, operably coupled to the bar code reading engine, communicates such symbol character data to the communication interface of a host system over a communication link therebetween. The data transmission subsystem implements a plurality of different communication interfaces. During an interface configuration mode of operation, the data transmission subsystem automatically cycles though at least one of the plurality of different communication interfaces whereby, for a given communication interface, the data transmission subsystem selectively activates the given communication interface (while disabling the other communication interfaces) and tests the communication link between the given communication interface and the host system to ascertain if the given communication interface corresponds to the communication interface of the host system. Upon detecting that the given communication interface corresponds to the communication interface of the host system, the interface configuration mode of operation ends, thereby enabling subsequent data communication between the bar code symbol reading device and the host system over the active communication interface. In this manner, the data transmission subsystem is able to automatically configure itself such that its interface is suitable for communication to the communication interface of the host system. Moreover, the device is thus capable of interfacing to a variety of different host devices in an automatic and error free manner with minimal human involvement, thus providing significant advantages over the prior art bar code symbol reading devices. Preferably, the interface configuration mode of operation is carried out when the device is initially powered up. The communication interfaces implemented by the data transmission system of the device and the communication interface of the host system may support a plurality of different data communications links, including wireless data links (such an infra-red link, a Bluetooth RF link, and an IEEE 802.11b RF link), wired serial data links (such as a keyboard wedge link, an RS-232 link, USB link, an IEEE 1394 link, an RS-422 link, and a RS-485 link) or other standard data links (such as an OCIA link, an IBM 46XX link, a Light Pen Emulation link, and a LTPN link).

Claims

1-75. -75. (canceled)

76. A method of automatically establishing a data communication link between (i) an optical code reading device provided with a data transmission subsystem for implementing a plurality of different data communication interfaces, and (ii) a host system having a data communication interface, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) operably coupling said data transmission subsystem between said optical code reading device and said host system; and

(b) during an interface configuration mode of operation, controlling said data transmission subsystem so as to automatically cycle though at least one of said plurality of different data communication interfaces so to implement a data communication interface supported by said data transmission system that corresponds to the data communication interface of said host system,

wherein, for each selected data communication interface through which said data transmission subsystem cycles, said data transmission subsystem automatically performs the following operations;

(i) activates the selected data communication interface while disabling the other data communication interfaces,

(ii) automatically tests the selected data communication interface so as to ascertain that the selected data communication interface corresponds to the data communication interface of said host system; and

(iii) upon, ascertaining that the tested data communication interface corresponds to the data communication interface of said host system, then automatically implementing said tested data communication interface and establishing a data communication link between said optical code reading device and said host system.

77. The method of claim 76, wherein said interface configuration mode of operation is carried out when said optical code reading device is initially powered up.

78. The method of claim 76, wherein, during said interface configuration mode of operation, upon detecting that said tested data communication interface corresponds to the data communication interface of said host system, automatically terminating the interface configuration mode of operation, and enabling subsequent data communication between said optical code reading device and said host system over said established data communication link.

79. The method of claim 76, wherein said host system is selected from the group consisting of:

an electronic cash register system, a data collection device, and a data storage and/or processing device.

80. The method of claim 76, wherein said data communication link between said optical code reading device and said host system comprises a wireless data link between said optical code reading device and said host system.

81. The method of claim 80, wherein said wireless data link is selected from the group consisting of:

an infra-red link, a Bluetooth RF link, and an IEEE 802.11b RF link.

82. The method of claim 76, wherein said data communication link between said optical code reading device and said host system comprises a wired serial data link between said optical code reading device and said host system.

83. The method of claim 82, wherein said wired serial data link is selected from the group consisting of:

a keyboard wedge link, an RS-232 link, USB link, an IEEE 1804 link, an RS-832 link, and a RS-895 link.

84. The method of claim 76, wherein said data communication link between said optical code reading device and said host system comprises a wired parallel data bus between said optical code reading device and said host system.

85. The method of claim 76, wherein said data communication link between said optical code reading device and said host system comprises a wired communication link selected from the group consisting of:

an OCIA link, an IBM 87XX link, a Light Pen Emulation link, and a LTPN link.

86. The method of claim 76, wherein the reading of a bar code symbol and generation of symbol character data by said optical code reading device, and subsequent communication of the symbol character data to said host system, occurs automatically without the need for human interaction to activate such operations.

87. The method of claim 76, wherein the reading of a bar code symbol and generation of symbol character data by said optical code reading device occurs automatically without the need for human interaction to activate such operation, and the subsequent transfer of the symbol character data to said host system, is manually-activated by a user interaction with a data transmission switch operably connected to said optical code reading device.

88. The method of claim 76, wherein the reading of a bar code symbol, generation of symbol character data by said optical code reading device, and the subsequent transfer of the symbol character data to said host system, is manually-activated by a user interaction with a trigger mechanism operably connected to said optical code reading device.

89. The method of claim 76, further comprising the steps of maintaining a status register that stores information related to the establishment of said data communication link over a specific interface implemented by said data transmission subsystem;

wherein, during the interface configuration mode of operation, said data transmission subsystem reads said information stored in said status register to ascertain if the selected data communication interface corresponds to the data communication interface of said host system.

90. The method of claim 76, further comprising the step of:

during the interface configuration mode of operation, controlling said data transmission subsystem to test the signal levels of the selected communication interface so as to ascertain if the selected data communication interface corresponds to the data communication interface of said host system.

91. The method of claim 76, wherein said optical code reading device is selected from the group consisting of:

a laser-based bar code reading system, an imaging-based bar code symbol reading device that illuminates its bar code scanning field using LED-based illumination, and an imaging-based bar code symbol reading device that illuminates its field of view using laser illumination.

92. The method of claim 76, wherein said optical code reading device is installed within a hand-holdable scanner.

93. The method of claim 76, wherein said optical code reading device is installed within a presentation scanner.

94. The method of claim 76, wherein said optical code reading device is installed within an in-counter scanner.

95. The method of claim 76, wherein said optical code reading device is installed within a wearable scanner.

96. The method of claim 76, wherein an operator selects an interface cable that uniquely supports one of said plurality of different data communication interfaces, and operably couples said interface cable between said optical code reading device and said host system.