Optical reader system comprising local host processor and optical reader

• US 5,965,863 A
• Filed: 04/23/1997
• Issued: 10/12/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Welch Allyn Incorporated
• Inventors: Longacre, Andrew Jr., Hussey, Robert M., Ehrhart, Michael A., Koziol, Thomas J., Parker, James A., Pine, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thien Minh
• Application Number:
  US08/839,020
• Time in Patent Office: 902 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.01, 235/462.08, 235/462.09, 235/462.12, 235/462.13, 235/462.15, 235/462.25, 235/472.01, 235/454, 235/375
• US Class Current: 235/462.25
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisious 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 19/06037 multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10851 Circuits for pulse shaping, amplifying, eliminating noise signals, checking the function of the sensing device basic electronic circuitry H03
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence

Abstract

The invention relates to an optical reading system comprising an optical reader and a host processor which is adapted for reprogramming the reader and for other interactions with the reader. In one aspect of the invention the host processor may be configured to read a parameter table stored in a memory space of the reader, execute commands to edit the parameter table and write the edited parameter table back to the reader memory space, or to another location such as to a bulk storage device for use in reprogramming additional readers. In another aspect of the invention, the host processor may be in communication with a host memory space that stores a plurality of candidate parameter tables, and may be configured to read and edit the candidate parameter tables from the host memory space.

Claims

1. An optical reading system comprising an optical reader and a host processor, said optical reader having a reader memory space, said local host processor being in communication with a host memory space, said optical reading system comprising:

an operating program stored in said reader memory space, said operating program having a main program stored in a first predetermined memory location of said reader memory space, and having a parameter table stored in a second predetermined memory location of said reader memory space;

reading means, included in said host processor, for reading said parameter table from said reader memory space and writing said parameter table to said host memory space;

editing means for editing said parameter table when said parameter table is stored in said host memory space, and for creating therefrom an edited parameter table;

output means for outputting said edited parameter table.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said output means is configured to write said edited parameter table to said reader memory space.

3. The system of claim 1, further including a bulk storage unit in communication with said host processor, and wherein said output means is configured to write said edited parameter table to said bulk storage unit.

4. The system of claim 1, further including a display device in communication with said host processor, and wherein said output means is configured to display said edited parameter table on said display device.

5. The system of claim 1, further including a printer device in communication with said host processor, and wherein said output means is configured to print said parameter table.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said output means includes creating means for creating a series of linear menu symbols adapted to reprogram a parameter table of an optical reader having a one dimensional image sensor that reads said series of linear menu symbols.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a display device in communication with said host processor, wherein said output means includes creating means for creating a series of linear menu symbols configured to reprogram a parameter table of an optical reader having a one dimensional image sensor that reads said series of linear menu symbols, and further wherein said output means is configured to display said series of one dimensional symbols on said display device so that a one dimensional reader can be reprogrammed by reading said series of symbols displayed by said display device.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a printer device in communication with said host processor, wherein said output means includes creating means for creating a series of linear menu symbols configured to reprogram a parameter table of an optical reader having a one dimensional image sensor that reads said series of linear menu symbols, and further wherein said output means is configured to print said series of one dimensional symbols using said printing device.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said output means includes creating means for creating a two dimensional menu symbol configured to reprogram a parameter table of an optical reader having a two dimensional image sensor that reads said two dimensional menu symbol.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a display device in communication with said host processor, wherein said output means includes creating means for creating a two dimensional symbol configured to reprogram a parameter table of an optical reader having a one dimensional image sensor that reads said series of linear menu symbols, and further wherein said output means is configured to display said two dimensional symbol on said display device so that a two dimensional reader can be reprogrammed by reading said symbol displayed by said display device.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a printer device in communication with said host processor, wherein said output means includes creating means for creating a two dimensional symbol configured to reprogram a parameter table of an optical reader having a two dimensional image sensor that reads said series of linear menu symbols, and further wherein said output means is configured to print said two dimensional symbol using said printing device.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said output means includes comparing means for comparing said reader parameter table with said edited parameter table.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said host memory space stores a plurality of candidate parameter tables, and wherein said reading means is further adapted to read said candidate parameter tables from said host memory space.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said host processor memory space stores a plurality of candidate parameter tables, wherein said reading means is further adapted to read said candidate parameter tables from said host memory space, and wherein said output means includes comparing means for comparing one of either of said reader parameter tables or said edited parameter tables to one of said candidate parameter tables stored in said storage means.

15. A system for reprogramming an optical reader, said system comprising:

a host processor having a communication port adapted for communication with said optical reader;

a host memory space in communication with said host processor comprising a host read-only memory device, and a host read-write memory device, and a host bulk storage means;

a plurality of candidate operating programs stored in said host memory space, said each operating program having a candidate parameter table stored in a predetermined memory location of said host memory space;

reading means, included in said host processor, for reading one of said candidate parameter tables from said host memory space and writing said parameter table to said host read-write memory space;

editing means for editing a candidate parameter table which has been stored in said memory space, and for creating therefrom and edited parameter table;

output means for outputting said edited parameter table.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said output means is configured to write said edited parameter table to said communications port adapted to communicate with said optical reader.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein said host memory space further comprises a bulk storage means and wherein said output means is configured to write said edited parameter table to said bulk storage means.

18. The system of claim 15, further including a display device in communication with said host processor, and wherein said output means is configured to display said edited parameter table on said display device.

19. The system of claim 15, further including a printer device in communication with said host processor, and wherein said output means is configured to print said parameter table.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein said output means includes creating means for creating a series of linear menu symbols configured to reprogram a parameter table of an optical reader having a one dimensional image sensor that reads said series of linear menu symbols.

21. The system of claim 15, further comprising a display device in communication with said host processor, wherein said output means includes creating means for creating a series of linear menu symbols configured to reprogram a parameter table of an optical reader having a one dimensional image sensor that reads said series of linear menu symbols, and further wherein said output means is configured to display said series of one dimensional symbols on said display device so that a one dimensional reader can be reprogrammed by reading said series of symbols displayed by said display device.

22. The system of claim 15, further comprising a printer device in communication with said host processor, wherein said output means includes creating means for creating a series of linear menu symbols configured to reprogram a parameter table of an optical reader having a one dimensional image sensor that reads said series of linear menu symbols, and further wherein said output means is configured to print said series of one dimensional symbols using said printing device.

23. The system of claim 15, wherein said output means includes creating means for creating a two dimensional menu symbol configured to reprogram a parameter table of an optical reader having a two dimensional image sensor that reads said two dimensional menu symbol.

24. The system of claim 15, further comprising a display device in communication with said host processor, wherein said output means includes creating means for creating a two dimensional symbol configured to reprogram a parameter table of an optical reader having a one dimensional image sensor that reads said series of linear menu symbols, and further wherein said output means is configured to display said two dimensional symbol on said display device so that a two dimensional reader can be reprogrammed by reading said symbol displayed by said display device.

25. The system of claim 15, further comprising a printer device in communication with said host processor, wherein said output means includes creating means for creating a two dimensional symbol configured to reprogram a parameter table of an optical reader having a two dimensional image sensor that reads said series of linear menu symbols, and further wherein said output means is configured to print said two dimensional symbol using said printing device.

26. The system of claim 15, wherein said output means includes comparing means for comparing one of said candidate parameter tables with said edited parameter table.

27. A system for simulating the results of applying editing commands to a message representing a decoded message, said system comprising:

a processor;

a memory space in communication with said processor comprising a read-only storage means and a read-write storage means, said read-only storage means having a edit command simulation subprogram stored thereon;

message receive means programmed in said processor for enabling said processor to receive a test message;

editing command receive means, programmed in said processor, for enabling said processor to receive editing commands;

command apply means programmed in said processor so that said processor applies received editing commands to a received test message to generate an edited message;

output means for outputting said edited message.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein said output means includes display means for displaying said edited message.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein said output means includes printing means for printing said edited message.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein said memory space further includes a bulk storage means in communication with said processor and wherein said output means further includes means for writing said received editing commands resulting in said edited message to said bulk storage means.

31. An optical reading system comprising an optical reader in communication with a host processor, said optical reader having a reader memory space, said local host processor being in communication with a host memory space, said optical reading system comprising:

a reader operating program stored in said reader memory space, said operating program having a main program stored in a first predetermined memory location of said reader memory space, and having a parameter table stored in a second predetermined memory location of said reader memory space;

a plurality of candidate operating programs stored in said host memory space, each of said candidate operating programs having at least one of either a main program and a parameter table;

selecting means included in said host processor for selecting one of said candidate operating programs for loading into said reader;

writing means, responsive to said selecting means, for writing said one selected candidate operating program into said reader memory space.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein said candidate operating programs are either of a first type comprising a main program and a parameter table, or of a second type comprising a parameter table only, and wherein said each candidate operating program includes indicating means indicating the type of operating program.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein said selecting means includes means for selecting whether to load an operating program comprising a main program and parameter table into said reader, or an operating program comprising a main program.

34. The system of claim 31, wherein said writing means includes preserving means for preserving said reader parameter table in said reader space when said operating program is written into said reader memory space.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein said preserving means includes means for writing said reader parameter table into a hold memory space before said one selected operating program is written into said reader memory space, and means for writing said reader parameter table from said hold memory space to said reader memory space after said selected one operating program is written into said reader memory space.