BARCODE-READING SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A barcode-reading system for a mobile device, the mobile device comprising a camera for capturing an image of a barcode in a field of view of the camera, a white light source for projecting a field of illumination into the field of view of the camera, a memory, and a processor for executing an operating system and applications stored in the memory, the barcode-reading system comprising:
- a barcode-reading enhancement accessory securable to the mobile device, the barcode-reading enhancement accessory comprising at least one optic system, the at least one optic system being within at least one of the field of view of the camera and the field of illumination of the white light source and modifying the at least one of the field of view of the camera or the field of illumination of the white light source; and
a barcode-reading application stored in the memory of the mobile device and executable by the 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 the image of the barcode, the image of the barcode being affected by the at least one optic system of the barcode-reading enhancement accessory; and
a decoder function for receiving the image of the barcode and generating decoded data representing data encoded in the barcode,wherein the decoder function is operative on a condition that the barcode- reading enhancement accessory is coupled to the mobile device.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
This patent specification describes operations of a mobile device with barcode-reading capabilities and a barcode-reading enhancement accessory securable to the mobile device. A mobile device may include a barcode-reading application downloaded from an application server. At least one function of the barcode-reading application may not be operative if the mobile device is not coupled to the barcode-reading enhancement accessory. The barcode-reading application may operate in a base mode or an enhanced mode. In the base mode, the barcode-reading application may obtain a license code from a license server or from the barcode-reading enhancement accessory. In the enhanced mode, the barcode-reading application may implement at least one enhanced barcode-reading function which corresponds to the 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.
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Citations
59 Claims
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1. A barcode-reading system for a mobile device, the mobile device comprising a camera for capturing an image of a barcode in a field of view of the camera, a white light source for projecting a field of illumination into the field of view of the camera, a memory, and a processor for executing an operating system and applications stored in the memory, the barcode-reading system comprising:
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a barcode-reading enhancement accessory securable to the mobile device, the barcode-reading enhancement accessory comprising at least one optic system, the at least one optic system being within at least one of the field of view of the camera and the field of illumination of the white light source and modifying the at least one of the field of view of the camera or the field of illumination of the white light source; and a barcode-reading application stored in the memory of the mobile device and executable by the 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 the image of the barcode, the image of the barcode being affected by the at least one optic system of the barcode-reading enhancement accessory; and a decoder function for receiving the image of the barcode and generating decoded data representing data encoded in the barcode, wherein the decoder function is operative on a condition that the barcode- reading enhancement accessory is coupled to the mobile device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A barcode-reading system for a mobile device, the mobile device comprising a camera for capturing an image of a barcode in a field of view of the camera, a white light source for projecting a field of illumination into the field of view of the camera, a memory, and a processor for executing an operating system and applications stored in the memory, the barcode-reading system comprising:
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a barcode-reading enhancement accessory securable to the mobile device, wherein the barcode-reading enhancement accessory comprises at least one optic system, and the at least one optic system is within at least one of the field of view of the camera and the field of illumination of the white light source and is configured to modify the at least one of the field of view of the camera and the field of illumination of the white light source; and a barcode-reading application stored in the memory of the mobile device and executable by the 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 the image of the barcode, the image of the barcode being affected by the at least one optic system of the barcode-reading enhancement accessory; and a decoder function for receiving the image of the barcode and generating decoded data representing data encoded in the barcode, wherein the decoder function is operative in an enhanced mode on a condition that the barcode-reading enhancement accessory is coupled to the mobile device and in a restricted mode on a condition that the barcode-reading enhancement accessory is not coupled to the mobile device, wherein a restriction function is implemented in the restricted mode of operation, and the restriction function is 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,wherein the restriction function is not implemented in the enhanced mode of operation. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A barcode-reading enhancement accessory for a mobile device, the mobile device comprising a camera for capturing an image of a barcode in a field of view of the camera, a white light source for projecting a field of illumination into the field of view of the camera, a memory, and a processor for executing an operating system and applications stored in the memory including a barcode-reading application that is operable after obtaining a license key code, the barcode-reading enhancement accessory comprising:
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at least one optic system, the at least one optic system being within at least one of the field of view of the camera and the field of illumination of the white light source and modifying the at least one of the field of view of the camera and the field of illumination of the white light source; a memory for storing the license key code; and a communication system configured to communicate with a barcode-reading application operating on the mobile device when the barcode-reading enhancement accessory is secured to the mobile device, and receive a license key request message from the mobile device and return the license key code to the mobile device in response to the license key request message. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A barcode-reading application for a mobile device embodied on a computer-readable medium, wherein the mobile device comprises a camera assembly, a network interface, a memory, and a processor for executing the barcode-reading application including a decoder, the barcode-reading application comprising:
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instructions executable by the processor for controlling the camera assembly to capture an image of a barcode, decoding the image of the barcode to generate decoded data, and processing the decoded data; wherein the barcode-reading application operates in a base mode or an enhanced mode; wherein in the base mode of operation, the instructions are configured to; obtain a license code from one of a remote license server or a barcode-reading enhancement accessory to which the mobile device is coupled; 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 on a condition that the license code is obtained, wherein in the enhanced mode of operation, the instructions are configured to implement at least one enhanced barcode-reading function which corresponds to the at least one operating permission authorized by the license code. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A barcode-reading system for a mobile device, comprising:
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a barcode-reading enhancement accessory securable 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; obtain a license code from one of a remote license server or the barcode-reading enhancement accessory secured to the mobile device; 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 on a condition that the license code is obtained, 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. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A barcode-reading system for a mobile device, comprising:
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a barcode-reading enhancement accessory securable 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 of the barcode-reading enhancement accessory if the barcode-reading enhancement accessory is secured to the mobile device; a base decoder function for decoding the barcode in a base mode of operation if the mobile device is not coupled to the barcode-reading enhancement accessory; and an enhanced decoder function for decoding the barcode in an enhanced mode of operation if the mobile device is coupled to the barcode-reading enhancement accessory. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A barcode-reading application for a mobile device embodied on a computer-readable medium, wherein the mobile device comprises a camera assembly, a network interface, a memory, and a processor for executing the barcode-reading application including a decoder, the barcode-reading application comprising:
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instructions executable by the processor for controlling the camera assembly to capture an image of a barcode, decoding the image of the barcode to generate decoded data, and processing the decoded data, wherein at least one function of the barcode-reading application is not operable on a condition that the mobile device is not connected to a barcode-reading enhancement accessory. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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55. A barcode-reading enhancement accessory securable to a mobile device, the mobile device comprising a camera for capturing an image of a barcode in a field of view of the camera, a white light source for projecting a field of illumination into the field of view of the camera, a memory, and a processor for executing an operating system and applications stored in the memory, the barcode-reading enhancement accessory comprising:
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at least one optic system, the at least one optic system being within at least one of the field of view of the camera and the field of illumination of the white light source and modifying the at least one of the field of view of the camera and the field of illumination of the white light source; and a connector for coupling the barcode-reading enhancement accessory to the mobile device, wherein at least one function of a barcode-reading application operating on the mobile device is not operable on a condition that the barcode-reading enhancement accessory is not coupled to the mobile device. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59)
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Specification