BARCODE-READING SYSTEM

• US 20160104017A1
• Filed: 10/26/2015
• Published: 04/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Code Corporation (Brady Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Code Corporation (Brady Corporation)
• Inventors: Powell, George, Russell, Garrett, Deal, John
• Granted Patent: US 10,073,999 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/105 Arrangements for software license management or administration, e.g. for managing licenses at corporate level
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0004 Hybrid readers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/089 hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10732 Light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10821 further details of bar or optical code scanning devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries

Abstract

This patent specification describes operations of a mobile device with barcode-reading capabilities and an application and license server. A mobile device may include a barcode-reading application downloaded from an application server. The barcode-reading application may operate in a base mode or an enhanced mode. In the base mode, the barcode-reading application may establish a network connection to a licensing server to obtain a license code, and determine at least one operating permission authorized by the license code. In the enhanced mode, the barcode-reading application may implement at least one enhanced barcode-reading function which corresponds to the at least one operating permission authorized by the license code. For example, the enhanced barcode-reading function may be a function of decoding a barcode symbology that the decoder is restricted from decoding in the base mode of operation.

Claims

1. A barcode-reading system for a mobile device, comprising:

a barcode-reading enhancement accessory secured to the mobile device, the barcode-reading enhancement accessory comprising at least one optic system that is positioned either within a field of illumination of a light source of the mobile device for modifying the field of illumination projected by the light source or within a field of view of a camera of the mobile device for modifying illumination reflected from objects within the field of view of the camera; and

a barcode-reading application stored in a memory of the mobile device and executable by a processor of the mobile device,

wherein the barcode-reading application is configured to operate in a base mode or an enhanced mode,

wherein in the base mode of operation, the barcode-reading application is configured to;

control a network interface of the mobile device to establish a network connection to a licensing server and obtain a license code from the licensing server;

subject the license code to a predetermined algorithm and determine at least one operating permission authorized by the license code; and

enable an enhanced mode of operation,

wherein in the enhanced mode of operation, the barcode-reading application is configured to implement at least one enhanced barcode-reading function which corresponds to the at least one operating permission authorized by the license code.

2. The barcode-reading system of claim 1, wherein the at least one enhanced barcode-reading function comprises a function of decoding a barcode symbology that the decoder is restricted from decoding in the base mode of operation.

3. The barcode-reading system of claim 1, wherein the at least one enhanced barcode-reading function comprises a function of decoding multiple barcodes in sequence at a rate that is faster than a rate at which the barcode-reading application can decode multiple barcodes in sequence in the base mode of operation.

4. The barcode-reading system of claim 1, wherein the at least one enhanced barcode-reading function comprises a function of decoding a quantity of barcodes of a particular symbology that exceeds a restricted quantity of barcodes of the particular symbology that the barcode-reading application can decode in the base mode of operation.

5. The barcode-reading system of claim 1, wherein the at least one enhanced barcode-reading function comprises removing a demonstration restriction function under which the barcode-reading application functions in the base mode of operation,

wherein the demonstration restriction function is at least one of:

i) a function that scrambles decoded data from a barcode of at least one symbology;

ii) a function that restricts the decoded data or scrambled decoded data from a barcode of at least one symbology from being made available for further processing;

or iii) a function that restricts the decoded data or the scrambled decoded data from a barcode of at least one symbology from being displayed on a display screen of the mobile device.

6. The barcode-reading system of claim 1, wherein the at least one enhanced barcode-reading function comprises enabling at least one enhanced image processing function that improves an ability to decode an image of a barcode and is not operable when the decoder operates in the base mode of operation.

7. The barcode-reading system of claim 1, wherein the base mode of operation comprises a base decoding mode of operation and a demonstration mode of operation,

wherein the barcode-reading application, in the base decoding mode of operation, is configured to:

drive a camera assembly to capture an image of a barcode;

apply base decoder functions to the image to identify a barcode symbology;

if the barcode symbology is a base symbology, decode the barcode and make decoded data available for further processing; and

if the barcode symbology is not the base symbology, enter the demonstration mode of operation, and

wherein the barcode-reading application, in the demonstration mode of operation, is configured to;

apply at least one enhanced barcode-reading function to decode the barcode; and

perform at least one of;

outputting an indication of successful decoding of the barcode;

or

implementing a restriction function, the restriction function being at least one of;

i) a function that scrambles decoded data;

ii) a function that restricts the decoded data or scrambled decoded data from being made available for further processing by at least one application executing on the mobile device;

or iii) a function that restricts the decoded data or the scrambled decoded data from being displayed on a display screen of the mobile device.

8. The barcode-reading system of claim 7, wherein the barcode-reading application is further configured to perform an upgrade function in the demonstration mode of operation, wherein the upgrade function enables a user selection to obtain the license code, obtains the license code based on the user selection, establishes a network connection to the licensing server, and obtains the license code from the licensing server.

9. The barcode-reading system of claim 8, wherein in order to obtain the license code from the licensing server, the barcode-reading application is further configured to communicate to the licensing server one of:

i) a unique identification code of the mobile device;

or ii) a user identification code identifying a controller of the mobile device.

10. A barcode-reading system for a mobile device, comprising:

a barcode-reading enhancement accessory secured to the mobile device, the barcode-reading enhancement accessory comprising at least one optic system that is positioned either within a field of illumination of a white light source of the mobile device for modifying the field of illumination projected by the white light source or within a field of view of a camera of the mobile device for modifying illumination reflected from objects within the field of view of the camera; and

a barcode-reading application stored in a memory of the mobile device and executable by a processor of the mobile device, the barcode-reading application including;

an image capture function for controlling the white light source and the camera to capture an image of a barcode, the image of the barcode being affected by the at least one optic system;

a base decoder function for decoding a barcode in a base mode of operation if an enhanced decoder mode has not been authorized; and

an enhanced decoder function for decoding a barcode in an enhanced mode of operation if the enhanced decoder mode has been authorized.

11. The barcode-reading system of claim 10, wherein the enhanced decoder function comprises a function of decoding a barcode that the barcode-reading application is restricted from decoding in the base mode of operation.

12. The barcode-reading system of claim 10, wherein the enhanced decoder function comprises a function of decoding multiple barcodes in sequence at a rate that is faster than a restricted rate at which the barcode-reading application can decode a sequence of multiple barcodes when in the base mode of operation.

13. The barcode-reading system of claim 10, wherein the enhanced decoder function comprises a function of decoding a quantity of barcodes of a particular symbology that exceeds a restricted quantity of barcodes of the particular symbology which the barcode-reading application can decode when in the base mode of operation.

14. The barcode-reading system of claim 10, wherein the enhanced decoder function comprises removing a demonstration restriction function under which the barcode-reading application functions when in the base mode of operation, thereby making decoded data from a barcode of a particular symbology available for further processing by an application executing on the mobile device,

wherein the demonstration restriction function is at least one of:

i) a function which scrambles decoded data from a barcode of at least one particular symbology;

ii) a function which restricts the decoded data or scrambled decoded data from a barcode of at least one particular symbology from being made available for further processing by at least one application executing on the mobile device;

or iii) a function which restricts the decoded data or the scrambled decoded data from a barcode of at least one particular symbology from being displayed on a display screen of the mobile device.

15. The barcode-reading system of claim 10, wherein the enhanced decoder function comprises enabling at least one enhanced image processing function which improves an ability to decode an image of a barcode and is not operable when the barcode-reading application operates in the base mode of operation.

16. The barcode-reading system of claim 10, wherein the enhanced decoder mode is enabled by obtaining a license code from a licensing server.

17. The barcode-reading system of claim 16, wherein the barcode-reading application is configured to subject the license code to a predetermined algorithm to determine at least one operating permission authorized by the license code, wherein the enhanced decoder function corresponds to the at least one operating permission authorized by the license code.

18. The barcode-reading system of claim 16, wherein the barcode-reading application is configured to obtain the license code from the licensing server by communicating to the licensing server one of:

i) a unique identification code of the mobile device;

or ii) a user identification code identifying a controller of the mobile device.

19. The barcode-reading system of claim 16, wherein the enhanced decoder function comprises a function of decoding a barcode symbology that the barcode-reading application is restricted from decoding in the base mode of operation.

20. The barcode-reading system of claim 16, wherein the enhanced decoder function comprises a function of decoding multiple barcodes in sequence at a rate that is faster than a restricted rate at which the barcode-reading application can decode a sequence of multiple barcodes when in the base mode of operation.

21. The barcode-reading system of claim 16, wherein the enhanced decoder function comprises a function of decoding a quantity of barcodes of a particular symbology that exceeds a restricted quantity of barcodes of the particular symbology which the barcode-reading application can decode when in the base mode of operation.

22. The barcode-reading system of claim 16, wherein the enhanced decoder function comprises removing a demonstration restriction function under which the barcode-reading application functions when in the base mode of operation, thereby making decoded data from a barcode of a particular symbology available for further processing by an application executing on the mobile device,

wherein the demonstration restriction function is at least one of:

i) a function which scrambles decoded data from a barcode of at least one particular symbology;

ii) a function which restricts the decoded data or scrambled decoded data from a barcode of at least one particular symbology from being made available for further processing by at least one application executing on the mobile device;

or iii) a function which restricts the decoded data or the scrambled decoded data from a barcode of at least one particular symbology from being displayed on a display screen of the mobile device.

23. The barcode-reading system of claim 16, wherein the enhanced decoder function comprises enabling at least one enhanced image processing function which improves an ability to decode an image of a barcode and is not operable when in the base mode of operation.

24. A barcode-reading system, comprising:

a mobile computing device capable of capturing an image of a barcode and decoding the barcode; and

an accessory attached to the mobile computing device for enhancing a barcode-reading capability of the mobile computing device,

wherein the mobile computing device includes a processor for running a barcode-reading application,

wherein the barcode-reading application operates in a first state before a valid license key for the barcode-reading application is obtained and in a second state after the valid license key is obtained, and

wherein at least one function of the barcode-reading application is disabled in the first state.

25. The barcode-reading system of claim 24, wherein the at least one function disabled in the first state includes an image capture function for capturing the image of the barcode for image processing and decoding, a decoding function for decoding the image of the barcode to generate decoded data, a data processing function for processing the decoded data, and/or a data transmission function for transmitting the decoded data to another local or remote application.

26. The barcode-reading system of claim 24, wherein functions of the barcode-reading application are subject to restrictions specified by the license key in the second state.

27. The barcode-reading system of claim 26, wherein the restrictions include at least one of symbology restrictions, time restrictions, or quantity restrictions.

28. The barcode-reading system of claim 27, wherein the license key includes data fields that specify symbologies that the barcode-reading application can decode and a license term that specifies a date and a time at which the license key expires.

29. The barcode-reading system of claim 27, wherein the license key includes data fields that specify symbologies that the barcode-reading application can decode and a licensed quantity of decodes for each symbology.