Multiple-interface selection system for computer peripherals
First Claim
1. A method for configuring a bar code scanning system for a given application, the bar code scanning system being comprised of a scanner and an interconnect cable, comprising the steps of:
- (1) identifying the scanner;
(2) identifying the given application for which the bar code scanning system will be used;
(3) selecting a correct interconnect cable by identifying an interconnect cable corresponding to the scanner and the given application identified in steps (1) and (2);
(4) connecting the interconnect cable selected in step (3) to the scanner and the host;
(5) providing a bar code label with the interconnect cable, the bar code label instructions for selection of interface configuration parameters for the bar code scanning system;
(6) reading the bar code label with the scanner to obtain the instructions;
(7) configuring the bar code scanning system for the given application by selecting proper internal parameter settings on the basis of the instructions.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An interface selection and configuration system for a computer peripheral in which configuration for the peripheral and/or the host interface is at least in part accomplished by the interface connector cable. In a preferred embodiment, the computer peripheral is equipped with one or more hardware interfaces. The interface connector cable has a first end connector for attaching to the computer peripheral. The first end connector of the interface connector cable is typically a multiple pin connector constructed and arranged to be properly physically and electrically connectable only to a specific computer peripheral or class of computer peripherals, the first end connector including at least one electrical connection between two pins for completing a circuit within the computer peripheral thereby enabling the computer peripheral. Where the peripheral is a data reading device such as a laser scanner or RFID reader, alternate or additional configuration may be obtained, with data reading device, from the label on the interconnect cable. The label, which may for example be a bar code or RFID tag, contains information or instructions by which the data reading device (and/or the host) is configured.
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Citations
76 Claims
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1. A method for configuring a bar code scanning system for a given application, the bar code scanning system being comprised of a scanner and an interconnect cable, comprising the steps of:
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(1) identifying the scanner; (2) identifying the given application for which the bar code scanning system will be used; (3) selecting a correct interconnect cable by identifying an interconnect cable corresponding to the scanner and the given application identified in steps (1) and (2); (4) connecting the interconnect cable selected in step (3) to the scanner and the host; (5) providing a bar code label with the interconnect cable, the bar code label instructions for selection of interface configuration parameters for the bar code scanning system; (6) reading the bar code label with the scanner to obtain the instructions; (7) configuring the bar code scanning system for the given application by selecting proper internal parameter settings on the basis of the instructions.
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2. A method for configuring a bar code scanning system for a given application, the bar code scanning system being comprised of a scanner and an interconnect cable, comprising the steps of
(1) identifying the scanner; -
(2) identifying the given application for which the bar code scanning system will be used; (3) selecting a correct interconnect cable by identifying an interconnect cable corresponding to the scanner and the given application identified in steps (1) and (2); (4) configuring the bar code scanning system by connecting the interconnect cable selected in step (3) to the scanner and the host. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5)
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6. A method of setting interface configuration of a data reading system for a given host type, comprising the steps of
selecting an interconnect cable corresponding to the given host type; -
providing a bar code label with the interconnect cable, the bar code label containing encoded data comprising instructions corresponding to the given host type; scanning the bar code label to obtain the encoded data contained in the label; setting interface configuration of the data reading system on the basis of the instructions from the encoded data. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A bar code scanning system comprising
a scanner; - and
an interconnect cable detachably connectable to the scanner, the interconnect cable being removable by being connecting to and being disconnected from the scanner wherein hardware and/or firmware of the bar code scanning system is automatically configured to interface with a given host by selecting an interconnect cable corresponding to the given host and connecting the interconnect cable to the scanner. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A data reading system, comprising a data reader and an interconnect cable detachably connectable to the data reader, the interconnect cable being removable by being connecting to and being disconnected from the data reader wherein interface configuration of the data reading system is changeable to correspond with a given host by changing the interconnect cable and connecting the interconnect cable to the data reader.
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23. A data reading system comprising
a data reader; -
an interconnect cable detachably connectable to the data reader; a bar code label associated with the interconnect cable, the label containing encoded data comprising instructions for selection of interface configuration parameters for the data reading system; internal circuitry for setting interface configuration parameters of the data reading system, wherein the data reading system is set to a given interface configuration by reading the bar code label associated with the interconnect cable. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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26. A data reading system comprising
a scanner; -
an interconnect cable detachably connectable to the scanner; a bar code label associated with the interconnect cable, the label containing encoded data comprising instructions for selection of interface configuration parameters for the data reading system; internal circuitry for setting interface configuration parameters of the data reading system, wherein the data reading system is set to a given interface type by connecting the interconnect cable to the scanner and scanning the bar code label associated with the interconnect cable. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A connector cable system for providing interface configuration of a data reading system having a data reader and an interconnect cable, comprising
an interconnect cable having a first end connector connectable to the data reader and a second end connector connectable to a given host; a unique programming label provided with the interconnect cable having configuration data encoded thereon, the configuration data comprising information readable by the data reader to configure the data reading system to an interface corresponding to the given host.
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34. A method for configuring a scanning system for a host, comprising the steps of
(1) identifying the scanning system; -
(2) identifying a given host for which the scanning system will be used; (3) configuring the scanning system for the given host by the steps of; (a) selecting a correct interconnect cable by identifying an interconnect cable corresponding to the scanning system and the given host identified in steps (1) and (2), (b) connecting the interconnect cable selected in step (3)(a) to the scanning system and the host, wherein connection of the interconnect cable sets internal configuration parameters of the scanning system. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A method for setting interface configuration of a scanning system, comprising the steps of
(1) identifying the scanning system; -
(2) identifying a desired interface configuration for which the scanning system will be used; (3) identifying an interconnect cable corresponding to the scanning system and the interface configuration identified in steps (1) and (2); (4) setting switches of the interconnect cable corresponding to the desired interface configuration; and (5) connecting the interconnect cable to the scanning system. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A bar code scanning system comprising:
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an interconnect cable detachably connectable to the scanning system, the interconnect cable being removable by being connected to and being disconnected from the scanning system, the interconnect cable including a first end connector for connection to the scanning system, the first end connector having a plurality of pin connections wherein at least two of the pin connections are interconnected; wherein hardware and/or firmware of the scanning system is automatically configured to interface with a given host by selecting an interconnect cable corresponding to the given host and connecting the interconnect cable to the scanning system. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. An interface configuration system for a scanning system, comprising
an interconnect cable detachably connectable to the scanning system, the interconnect cable being removable by being connected to and being disconnected from the scanning system, the interconnect cable including a first end connector, the first end connector having a plurality of pin connections wherein interface configuration of the scanning system is effected by interconnecting at least two of the pin connections via connection of the first end connector.
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55. An interface configuration system for a scanning system, comprising
an interconnect cable detachably connectable to the scanning system, the interconnect cable being removable by being connected to and being disconnected from the scanning system, the interconnect cable including a first end connector, the first end connector having a plurality of pin connections wherein interface configuration is accomplished within the scanning system by interconnecting at least two of the pin connections, wherein hardware and/or firmware of the scanning system is automatically configured to interface with a given host by selecting an interconnect cable corresponding to the given host and connecting the interconnect cable to the scanning system.
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56. An electronic device having a changeable interface configuration, comprising
hardware and/or firmware which is configurable to at least two different interface configurations; a connector which is connectable to an interconnect cable, the connector having a plurality of electrical contacts wherein interface configuration is selected by interconnecting at least two of the electrical contacts. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59)
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60. A data reading system having internal hardware and/or firmware which is configurable to at least two different interface configurations and in which an interconnect cable is detachably connectable to the data reading system, the interconnect cable being removable by being connecting to and being disconnected from the data reading system wherein interface configuration of the data reading system is set to correspond to a selected one of the least two different interface configurations by connecting a selected interconnect cable and connecting the interconnect cable to the data reader.
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61. A data reading system in which an interconnect cable is detachably connectable to the data reading system, the interconnect cable being removable by being connecting to and being disconnected from the data reading system wherein interface configuration of the data reading system is set to correspond with a given host by selecting a selected interconnect cable and connecting the interconnect cable to the data reader, the data reading system, further comprising
internal hardware and/or firmware which is configurable to at least two different interface configurations; a connector which is connectable to an interconnect cable, the connector having a plurality of pins wherein interface configuration is selected by interconnecting at least two of the pins via attachment of the interconnect cable.
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62. A data reading system comprising
a data reader; -
a connector having a plurality of pin connections; an interconnect cable for attachment to the connector, the interconnect cable including switches and a printed circuit board; internal circuitry for setting interface configuration parameters of the data reading system, wherein the internal circuitry recognizes closing of an electrical connection between at least two of said pin connections and in response sets configuration of the data reading system to a given interface configuration. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69)
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70. A data reading system comprising
a data reader; -
a connector on the data reader; an interconnect cable for attachment to the connector, the interconnect cable including a printed circuit board having multiple settings corresponding to different interface configurations; internalcircuitry for setting interface configuration parameters of the data reading system, wherein configuration of the data reading system is set to a given interface configuration at least in part by switching settings within the printed circuit board.
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71. A method of configuring a data reading system for a given interface configuration, the data reading system including a data reader, comprising the steps of
identifying the data reader; -
selecting an interconnect cable corresponding to the data reader; providing the interconnect cable with a printed circuit board, the printed circuit board having multiple settings corresponding to different interface configuration settings; selecting interface configuration by changing settings of the printed circuit board and connecting the interconnect cable to the data reader. - View Dependent Claims (72, 73, 74)
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75. A method of configuring a data reading system for a given interface configuration comprising the steps of
providing a plurality of interconnect cables, each being plug compatible with the data reader; -
selecting a given interconnect cable from the plurality of interconnect cables corresponding to the given interface configuration; connecting the given interconnect cable to the data reader; providing the data reading system with control circuitry which recognizes the given interconnect cable and in response configures the data reading system to the given interface configuration.
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76. A method of configuring a data reading system for a given interface configuration comprising the steps of
providing a plurality of interconnect cables, each being plug compatible with the data reader; -
selecting a given interconnect cable from the plurality of interconnect cables corresponding to the given interface configuration; connecting the given interconnect cable to the data reader; providing the given interconnect cable with a printed circuit board, the printed circuit board having multiple settings corresponding to different interface configuration settings; changing settings of the printed circuit board to correspond to the given interface configuration.
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Specification