Data collection system having EIR terminal interface node
First Claim
1. An encoded information reading (EIR) terminal interface node for use in a data collection system having a plurality of EIR terminals, each EIR terminal of said plurality of EIR terminals having an EIR device selected from the group consisting of a barcode reading device, an RFID reading device, and a card reading device, said EIR interface node including one or more computers, each computer comprising a central processing unit, a memory, and at least one communication interface;
- wherein said EIR terminal interface node is communicatively coupled to a plurality of EIR terminals, each EIR terminal of said plurality of EIR terminals being engageable to a docking station;
wherein said EIR terminal interface node is communicatively coupled to a reprogramming database, said reprogramming database containing a plurality of reprogramming records, each reprogramming record of said plurality of reprogramming records containing EIR terminal identifying information and at least one of;
a binary file identifier, a data file identifier, a script file identifier;
wherein said EIR terminal interface node builds and transmits a reprogramming message to one or more EIR terminals, said reprogramming message including at least one of;
a binary file, a data file, a script file;
wherein said EIR terminal interface node utilizes information determined by querying said reprogramming database when building said reprogramming message;
wherein said binary file contains a software code to be executed by an EIR terminal;
wherein said data file contains EIR terminal software configuration parameters; and
wherein said script file contains a sequence of commands to be executed by an EIR terminal.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A network accessible node that facilitates management of a fleet of portable communication devices (EIR terminal), including portable data terminals and/or barcode readers, by directing performance of software upgrade and/or configuration update actions by one or more members of the fleet of EIR terminals.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. An encoded information reading (EIR) terminal interface node for use in a data collection system having a plurality of EIR terminals, each EIR terminal of said plurality of EIR terminals having an EIR device selected from the group consisting of a barcode reading device, an RFID reading device, and a card reading device, said EIR interface node including one or more computers, each computer comprising a central processing unit, a memory, and at least one communication interface;
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wherein said EIR terminal interface node is communicatively coupled to a plurality of EIR terminals, each EIR terminal of said plurality of EIR terminals being engageable to a docking station; wherein said EIR terminal interface node is communicatively coupled to a reprogramming database, said reprogramming database containing a plurality of reprogramming records, each reprogramming record of said plurality of reprogramming records containing EIR terminal identifying information and at least one of;
a binary file identifier, a data file identifier, a script file identifier;wherein said EIR terminal interface node builds and transmits a reprogramming message to one or more EIR terminals, said reprogramming message including at least one of;
a binary file, a data file, a script file;wherein said EIR terminal interface node utilizes information determined by querying said reprogramming database when building said reprogramming message; wherein said binary file contains a software code to be executed by an EIR terminal; wherein said data file contains EIR terminal software configuration parameters; and wherein said script file contains a sequence of commands to be executed by an EIR terminal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An encoded information reading (EIR) terminal interface node for use in a data collection system having a plurality of EIR terminals, each EIR terminal of said plurality of EIR terminals having an EIR device selected from the group consisting of a barcode reading device, an RFID reading device, and a card reading device, said EIR interface node including one or more computers, each computer comprising a central processing unit, a memory, and at least one communication interface;
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wherein said EIR terminal interface node is communicatively coupled to a plurality of EIR terminals, each EIR terminal of said plurality of EIR terminals being engageable to a docking station; wherein said EIR terminal interface node is communicatively coupled to a reprogramming database, said reprogramming database containing a plurality of reprogramming records, each reprogramming record of said plurality of reprogramming records containing an EIR terminal identifying information and at least one of;
a binary file identifier, a data file identifier, a script file identifier;wherein said EIR terminal interface node builds and transmits a reprogramming message to one or more EIR terminals, said reprogramming message including at least one of;
a binary file, a data file, a script file;wherein said EIR terminal interface node utilizes information determined by querying said reprogramming database when building said reprogramming message; wherein said binary file contains software code to be executed by an EIR terminal; wherein said data file contains EIR terminal software configuration parameters; wherein said script file contains a sequence of commands to be executed by an EIR terminal; wherein said EIR terminal interface node further includes a user interface enabling a user of said EIR terminal interface node to modify said reprogramming database; and wherein said EIR terminal interface node is further configured so that said EIR terminal interface node modifies said reprogramming database responsively to receiving a reprogramming information message from a resource network. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An encoded information reading (EIR) terminal interface node for use in a data collection system having a plurality of EIR terminals, each EIR terminal of said plurality of EIR terminals having an EIR device selected from the group consisting of a barcode reading device, an RFID reading device, and a card reading device, said EIR interface node including one or more computers, each computer comprising a central processing unit a memory, and at least one communication interface;
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wherein said EIR terminal interface node is communicatively coupled to a plurality of EIR terminals, each EIR terminal of said plurality of EIR terminals being engageable to a docking station; wherein said EIR terminal interface node is communicatively coupled to a reprogramming database, said reprogramming database containing a plurality of reprogramming records, each reprogramming record of said plurality of reprogramming records containing an EIR terminal identifying information and at least one of;
a binary file identifier, a data file identifier, a script file identifier;wherein said EIR terminal interface node is communicatively coupled to a terminal status database, said terminal status database containing a plurality of terminal status records; wherein said EIR terminal interface node builds and transmits a reprogramming message to one or more EIR terminals, said reprogramming message including at least one of;
a binary file, a data file, a script file;wherein said EIR terminal interface node utilizes information determined by querying said reprogramming database and said terminal status database when building said reprogramming message; wherein said binary file contains software code to be executed by an EIR terminal; wherein said data file contains EIR terminal software configuration parameters; and wherein said script file contains a sequence of commands to be executed by an EIR terminal. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. An encoded information reading (EIR) terminal interface node for use in a data collection system having a plurality of EIR terminals, each EIR terminal of said plurality of EIR terminals having an EIR device selected from the group consisting of a barcode reading device, an RFID reading device, and a card reading device, said EIR interface node including one or more computers, each computer comprising a central processing unit, a memory, and at least one communication interface;
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wherein said EIR terminal interface node is communicatively coupled to a plurality of EIR terminals, each EIR terminal of said plurality of EIR terminals being engageable to a docking station; wherein said EIR terminal interface node builds and transmits a reprogramming message to one or more EIR terminals, said reprogramming message including at least one reprogramming file; wherein said EIR terminal interface node is further configured to receive a reprogramming information message from a resource network, said reprogramming information message containing identifiers of one or more reprogramming files; wherein said EIR terminal interface node is further configured to request the transmission by a resource network of one or more reprogramming files identified in said reprogramming information message responsively to a determination that said one or more reprogramming files have not been previously received and stored by said EIR terminal interface node. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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26. An encoded information reading (EIR) terminal interface node for use in a data collection system having a plurality of EIR terminals, each EIR terminal of said plurality of EIR terminals having an EIR device selected from the group consisting of a barcode reading device, an RFID reading device, and a card reading device, said EIR interface node including one or more computers, each computer comprising a central processing unit, a memory, and at least one communication interface;
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wherein said EIR terminal interface node is communicatively coupled to a plurality of EIR terminals, each EIR terminal of said plurality of EIR terminals being engageable to a docking station; wherein said EIR terminal interface node is communicatively coupled to a reprogramming database, said reprogramming database containing a plurality of reprogramming records, each reprogramming record of said plurality of reprogramming records containing an EIR terminal identifying information and at least one reprogramming file identifier; wherein said EIR terminal interface node builds and transmits a reprogramming message to one or more EIR terminals, said reprogramming message including at least one reprogramming file; wherein said EIR terminal interface node further includes a user interface enabling a user of said EIR terminal interface node to modify said reprogramming database; wherein said EIR terminal interface node is configured so that said EIR interface node can transmit one or more reprogramming files to a certain one of said plurality of EIR terminals responsively to a received reprogramming request from said certain one of said EIR terminals; wherein said EIR terminal interface is configured to monitor a docked or undocked status of each of said plurality of EIR terminals; and wherein said EIR terminal status is configured to that said EIR interface node is restricted from transmitting said reprogramming files to a certain one of said EIR terminals unless said EIR terminal is determined to be docked in one of said docking stations.
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27. A method for reprogramming a portable encoded information reading (EIR) terminal operating within a fleet of encoded information reading terminals, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing at a local facility at a location external to said portable EIR terminal a reprogramming database including information respecting one or more reprogramming files, said one or more files intended for transmittal to one or more EIR terminals, the providing step including the step of providing said reprogramming database so that said reprogramming database can be updated responsively to receiving a reprogramming information message from a location remote from said local facility; further providing at said local facility at a location external to said portable EIR terminal a terminal status database for storing information respecting a condition status of terminals of said fleet of terminals, the further providing step including the step of providing the terminal status database so that said terminal status database can be modified responsively to status messages being received from said terminals of said fleet of encoded information reading terminals; receiving a reprogramming request from said encoded information reading terminal; querying said programming database and said terminal status database responsively to said receiving of said reprogramming request; utilizing information determined by said querying of said programming database and said terminal status database to build a reprogramming message for transmitting to said encoded information reading terminal; and transmitting to said encoded information reading terminal said reprogramming message.
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Specification