SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING A CONTINUOUS COMMUNICATION LINK WITH A SYMBOL READING DEVICE

• US 20140351317A1
• Filed: 05/24/2013
• Published: 11/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Smith, Taylor, Schmidt, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 9,930,142 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols

Abstract

The disclosure embraces a system and method for providing a continuous communication link between a server computer and a symbol reading device, and a novel symbol reading device adapted for use in such a system. The system greatly simplifies the remote management, diagnostic evaluation, and monitoring of symbol reading devices, especially those devices connected to host devices that are not PC-based or running a complete operating system.

Claims

1. A system for providing a continuous communication link with a symbol reading device, comprising:

a symbol reading device having a controller module;

a communications module in communication with said controller module of said symbol reading device;

a host device in communication with said communications module; and

a server computer in communication with said communications module.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said communications module is integral with said symbol reading device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said communications module comprises a first interface for communicating with said host device and a second interface for communicating with said server computer.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said second interface comprises a wireless personal area network interface.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein said second interface comprises a wireless local area network interface.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein said second interface comprises a wireless wide area network interface.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein communications between said controller module and said first interface are transmitted in parallel to communications between said controller module and said second interface.

8. The system of claim 3, wherein said first interface and said second interface are in shared communication with said controller module.

9. A system for providing a continuous communication link with a symbol reading device, comprising:

a symbol reading device for reading barcode symbols, said symbol reading device having a controller module;

a communications module in communication with said controller module of said symbol reading device;

a host device in communication with said communications module; and

a server computer in communication with said communications module;

wherein said communications module is integral with said symbol reading device; and

wherein said communications module comprises a first interface for communicating with said host device and a second interface for communicating with said server computer.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said second interface comprises a wireless personal area network interface.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein said second interface comprises a wireless local area network interface.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein said second interface comprises a wireless wide area network interface.

13. A symbol reading device, comprising:

a controller module for converting a symbol into data;

a communications module for transmitting the data generated by said controller module;

wherein said communications module comprises a first interface for communicating with a host device and a second interface for communicating with a server computer.

14. The symbol reading device of claim 13, wherein said second interface comprises a wireless personal area network interface.

15. The symbol reading device of claim 13, wherein said second interface comprises a wireless local area network interface.

16. The symbol reading device of claim 13, wherein said second interface comprises a wireless wide area network interface.

17. The symbol reading device of claim 13, wherein said first interface comprises an RS-232 serial interface.

18. The symbol reading device of claim 13, wherein said first interface comprises a universal serial bus interface.

19. The symbol reading device of claim 13, wherein said first interface comprises an RS-232 serial interface and said second interface comprises a wireless personal area network interface.

20. The symbol reading device of claim 13, wherein said first interface comprises an RS-232 serial interface and said second interface comprises a wireless local area network interface.