Client-server software for controlling data collection device from host computer

• US 6,507,864 B1
• Filed: 03/08/2000
• Issued: 01/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Woloschin, Steven, Klein, John, Herrod, Allan
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim, Krisna
• Application Number:
  US09/520,929
• Time in Patent Office: 1,042 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 710/73, 710/5
• US Class Current: 709/201
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/181 Enclosures for portable computers G06F1/1613
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9554 by using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor

Abstract

A method of integrating host application software with data collection devices (e.g., bar code scanners) located on remote, wireless terminals. A data collection object executes on the host computer, using a predetermined interface between the host application software and the data collection object. That interface, and the communications between the host application software and the data collection object, are configured so that to the host application software the data collection device appears to be local hardware on the host computer. The data collection object creates and executes threads of execution for controlling operation of the data collection device, with the threads communicating with the remote terminals via a host computer transport layer, the wireless link, and a remote computer transport layer at the remote terminals. A data collection device driver on the remote terminal receives communications from the data collection object, and returns information to the data collection object, over the remote computer transport layer, wireless link, and host computer transport layer.

Claims

1. A method of integrating host application software with data collection devices located on remote, wireless terminals, the method comprising

executing the host application software and a data collection object on the host computer, using a predetermined interface between the host application software and the data collection object;

configuring the interface and handling communication between the host application software and the data collection object so that to the host application software the data collection device appears to be local hardware on the host computer;

the data collection object creating and executing threads of execution for controlling operation of the data collection device, with the threads communicating with the remote terminals via a host computer transport layer, the wireless link, and a remote computer transport layer at the remote terminals; and

executing data collection device driver software on the remote terminal for receiving communications from the data collection object, and returning information to the data collection object, the information being returned to the data collection object over the remote computer transport layer, wireless link, and host computer transport layer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data collection object is implemented as a Component Object Model.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein communications between the remote terminal and the host computer are over an Internet or Intranet network.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the data collection device is a bar code scanner, and the data collection object is a bar code scanning object.

5. Software resident on a computer readable medium for integrating host application software with data collection devices located on remote, wireless terminals, the software comprising instructions for

executing the host application software and a data collection object on the host computer, using a predetermined interface between the host application software and the data collection object;

configuring the interface and handling communication between the host application software and the data collection object so that to the host application software the data collection device appears to be local hardware on the host computer,

the data collection object creating and executing threads of execution for controlling operation of the data collection device, with the threads communicating with the remote terminals via a host computer transport layer, the wireless link, and a remote computer transport layer at the remote terminals; and

executing data collection device driver software on the remote terminal for receiving communications from the data collection object, and returning information to the data collection object, the information being returned to the data collection object over the remote computer transport layer, wireless link, and host computer transport layer.

6. The software of claim 5, wherein the data collection object is implemented as a Component Object Model.

7. The software of claim 6, wherein communications between the remote terminal and the host computer are over an Internet or Intranet network.

8. The software of claim 5, wherein the data collection device is a bar code scanner, and the data collection object is a bar code scanning object.