Bar code symbol reading device having intelligent data communication interface to a host system

• US 6,619,549 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2001
• Issued: 09/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Xu, Congwei, Ji, Kai, Zhu, Xuewen, Yang, Aili
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THIEN MINH
• Application Number:
  US09/960,247
• Publication Number:
  US 20030057283A1
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.25, 235/462.01, 235/462.02, 235/462-3-4, 235/462.26, 235/462-7-4, 235/472-1-4, 235/441, 235/454, 235/494, 235/375, 235/381
• US Class Current: 235/462.45
• 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 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners

Abstract

An improved bar code symbol reading device includes a data transmission subsystem, operably coupled to a bar code reading engine, that communicates symbol character data to the communication interface of a host system over a communication link therebetween. During an interface configuration mode, the data transmission subsystem automatically cycles though at least one of a plurality of different communication interfaces (implemented by the subsystem) to test if the given communication interface corresponds to the communication interface of the host system. If this test is successful, subsequent data communication between the bar code symbol reading device and the host system is enabled over the active communication interface. In this manner, the data transmission subsystem is able to automatically configure itself for communication to the host system, and is capable of interfacing to a variety of different host devices in an automatic and error free manner with minimal human involvement.

Claims

1. A bar code symbol reading device comprising:

a bar code symbol reading engine for reading bar code symbols affixed to objects proximate to said bar code symbol reading engine and producing symbol character data representative of such bar code symbols; and

a data transmission subsystem, operably coupled to said bar code reading engine, for communicating said symbol character data to a communication interface of a host system over a communication link therebetween;

wherein said data transmission subsystem implements a plurality of different communication interfaces, and

wherein, during an interface configuration mode of operation, said data transmission subsystem automatically cycles though at least one of said plurality of different communication interfaces,

whereby, for a given communication interface, said data transmission subsystem selectively activates the given communication interface while disabling the other communication interfaces and tests the communication link between the given communication interface and the host system to ascertain if the given communication interface corresponds to the communication interface of the host system.

2. The bar code symbol reading device of claim 1, wherein said interface configuration mode of operation is carried out when the device is initially powered up.

3. The bar code symbol reading device of claim 1, wherein, in said interface configuration mode of operation, upon detecting that said given communication interface corresponds to the communication interface of the host system, the interface configuration mode of operation ends, thereby enabling subsequent data communication between said bar code symbol reading device and the host system over the given communication interface.

4. The bar code symbol reading device of claim 1, wherein said host system is selected from the group comprising:

an electronic cash register system, a data collection device, and a data storage and/or processing device.

7. The bar code symbol reading device of claim 1, wherein at least one communication interface implemented by said data transmission system and the communication interface of the host system provides a wired serial data link between the device and the host system.

8. The bar code symbol reading device of claim 7, wherein said wired serial data link is selected from the group comprising:

a keyboard wedge link, an RS-232 link, USB link, an IEEE 1394 link, an RS-422 link, and a RS-485 link.

9. The bar code symbol reading device of claim 1, wherein at least one communication interface implemented by said data transmission system and the communication interface of the host system provides a wired parallel data bus.

10. The bar code symbol reading device of claim 1, wherein at least one communication interface implemented by the data transmission system of the device and the communication interface of the host system provides a wired communication link selected from the group comprising:

an OCIA link, an IBM 46XX link, a Light Pen Emulation link, and a LTPN link.

11. The bar code symbol reading device of claim 1, wherein the reading of a bar code symbol and subsequent communication of the symbol character data corresponding thereto to the host system occurs automatically without the need for human interaction to activate such operations.

12. The bar code symbol reading device of claim 1, wherein the reading of the bar code symbol occurs automatically without the need for human interaction to activate such operation, and the subsequent transfer of the symbol data corresponding thereto to the host system is manually-activated by a user interacting with a data transmission switch.

13. The bar code symbol reading device of claim 1, wherein the reading of the bar code symbol and the subsequent transfer of the symbol character data corresponding thereto to the host system is manually-activated by a user interaction with a trigger mechanism.

14. The bar code symbol reading device of claim 1, wherein said data transmission subsystem maintains a status register that stores information related to the establishment of a communication link between said data transmission subsystem and the host system over a specific interface implemented by said data transmission subsystem, and wherein, in the interface configuration mode of operation, said data transmission subsystem reads said information stored in said status register to ascertain if the given communication interface corresponds to the communication interface of the host system.

15. The bar code symbol reading device of claim 1, wherein, in the interface configuration mode of operation, said data transmission subsystem tests the signal levels of a given communication interface to ascertain if the given communication interface corresponds to the communication interface of the host system.

16. The bar code symbol reading device of claim 1, wherein said bar code symbol reading engine is selected from the group comprising:

a laser-based bar code reading system, a CCD-based bar code symbol reading devices that illuminate the bar code scanning field with an LED light source, and a CCD-based bar code symbol reading devices that illuminate the bar code scanning field with a planar laser illumination beam.

17. The bar code symbol reading device of claim 1, for use as a hand-holdable scanner.

18. The bar code symbol reading device of claim 1, for use as a presentation scanner.

19. The bar code symbol reading device of claim 1, for use as an in-counter scanner.

20. The bar code symbol reading device of claim 1, for use as a wearable scanner.

5. The bar code symbol reading device of claim , wherein at least one communication interface implemented by said data transmission system and the communication interface of the host system provides a wireless data link between the device and the host system.

6. The bar code symbol reading device of claim 5, wherein said wireless data link is selected from the group comprising:

an infra-red link, a Bluetooth RF link, and an IEEE 802.11b RF link.

21. A method of automatically configuring data communication between a bar code symbol reading engine capable of reading bar code symbols and producing symbol character data representative thereof, and a host system operably associated with said bar code symbol reading engine, said method comprising:

providing a data transmission subsystem, operably coupled to the bar code reading engine, for implementing a plurality of different communication interfaces; and

during an interface configuration mode of operation, controlling said data transmission subsystem to automatically cycle though at least one of said plurality of different communication interfaces,

whereby, for a given communication interface, said data transmission subsystem selectively activates the given communication interface while disabling the other communication interfaces, and tests the communication link between the given communication interface and the host system so as to ascertain if the given communication interface corresponds to the communication interface of the host system.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said interface configuration mode of operation is carried out when the device is initially powered up.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein, in said interface configuration mode of operation, upon detecting that said given communication interface corresponds to the communication interface of the host system, ending the interface configuration mode of operation, thereby enabling subsequent data communication between said bar code symbol reading engine and the host system over the given communication interface.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein said host system is selected from the group comprising:

an electronic cash register system, a data collection device, and a data storage and/or processing device.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein at least one communication interface implemented by said data transmission system of the device and the communication interface of the host system provides a wireless data link between the device and the host system.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said wireless data link is selected from the group comprising:

an infra-red link, a Bluetooth RF link, and an IEEE 802.11b RF link.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein at least one communication interface implemented by said data transmission system of the device and the communication interface of the host system provides a wired serial data link between the device and the host system.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said wired serial data link is selected from the group comprising:

a keyboard wedge link, an RS-232 link, USB link, an IEEE 1394 link, an RS-422 link, and a RS-485 link.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein at least one communication interface implemented by said data transmission system of the device and the communication interface of the host system provides a wired parallel data bus.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein at least one communication interface implemented by said data transmission system of the device and the communication interface of the host system provides a wired communication link selected from the group comprising:

an OCIA link, an IBM 46XX link, a Light Pen Emulation link, and a LTPN link.

31. The method of claim 21, wherein the reading of a bar code symbol and subsequent communication of the symbol character data corresponding thereto to the host system occurs automatically without the need for human interaction to activate such operations.

32. The method of claim 21, wherein the reading of the bar code symbol occurs automatically without the need for human interaction to activate such operation, and the subsequent transfer of the symbol data corresponding thereto to the host system is manually-activated by a user interacting with a data transmission switch.

33. The method of claim 21, wherein the reading of the bar code symbol and the subsequent transfer of the symbol character data corresponding thereto to the host system is manually-activated by a user interaction with a trigger mechanism.

35. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of:

;

in the interface configuration mode of operation, controlling said data transmission subsystem to test the signal levels of the given communication interface and the host system to ascertain if the given communication interface corresponds to the communication interface of the host system.

36. The method of claim 21, wherein said bar code symbol reading engine is selected from the group comprising:

a laser-based bar code reading system, a CCD-based bar code symbol reading devices that illuminate the bar code scanning field with an LED light source, and a CCD-based bar code symbol reading devices that illuminate the bar code scanning field with a planar laser illumination beam.

37. The method of claim 21, wherein said bar code symbol reading engine is a hand-holdable scanner.

38. The method of claim 21, wherein said bar code symbol reading engine is a presentation scanner.

39. The method of claim 21, wherein said bar code symbol reading engine is an in-counter scanner.

40. The method of claim 21, wherein said bar code symbol reading engine is a wearable scanner.

41. The method of claim 21, wherein an operator selects an interface cable that uniquely supports one of the plurality of different interfaces implemented by said data transmission system and operably couples the interface cable between said bar code symbol reading device and the host system.

34. The method of clam 21, further comprising the step of maintaining a status register that stores information related to the establishment of a communication link between said data transmission subsystem and the host system over a specific interface implemented by said data transmission subsystem, and wherein, in the interface configuration mode of operation, said data transmission subsystem reads said information stored in said status register so as to ascertain if the given communication interface corresponds to the communication interface of the host system.

42. A bar code symbol reading system comprising:

a host system;

a bar code symbol reading device including a bar code symbol reading engine for reading bar code symbols affixed to objects proximate to said bar code reading engine and producing symbol character data representative of such bar code symbols;

a data transmission subsystem, operably coupled between said bar code reading engine and the host system, for communicating said symbol character data to a communication interface of a host system over a communication link therebetween,

wherein said data transmission subsystem implements a plurality of different communication interfaces, and

wherein, during an interface configuration mode of operation, the data transmission subsystem automatically cycles though at least one of said plurality of different communication interfaces,

whereby, for a given communication interface, said data transmission subsystem selectively activates the given communication interface while disabling the other communication interfaces, and tests the communication link between the given communication interface and the host system so as to ascertain if the given communication interface corresponds to the communication interface of the host system.

43. The bar code symbol reading system of claim 42, wherein said interface configuration mode of operation is carried out when the device is initially powered up.

44. The bar code symbol reading system of claim 42, wherein, in said interface configuration mode of operation, upon detecting that said given communication interface corresponds to the communication interface of the host system, the interface configuration mode of operation ends, thereby enabling subsequent data communication between the bar code symbol reading device and the host system over the given communication interface.

45. The bar code symbol reading system of claim 42, for use as a point of sale system, a data collection device, or a data storage and/or processing device.

46. The bar code symbol reading system of claim 42, wherein at least one communication interface implemented by said data transmission system of the device and the communication interface of the host system provides a wireless data link between the device and the host system.

47. The bar code symbol reading system of claim 46, wherein said wireless data link is selected from the group comprising:

an infra-red link, a Bluetooth RF link, and an IEEE 802.11b RF link.

48. The bar code symbol reading system of claim 42, wherein at least one communication interface implemented by said data transmission system of the device and the communication interface of the host system provides a wired serial data link between the device and the host system.

49. The bar code symbol reading system of claim 48, wherein said wired serial data link is selected from the group comprising:

a keyboard wedge link, an RS-232 link, USB link, an IEEE 1394 link, an RS-422 link, and a RS-485 link.

50. The bar code symbol reading system of claim 42, wherein at least one communication interface implemented by said data transmission system of the device and the communication interface of the host system provides a wired parallel data bus.

51. The bar code symbol reading system of claim 42, wherein at least one communication interface implemented by said data transmission system of the device and the communication interface of the host system provides a wired communication link selected from the group comprising:

an OCIA link, an IBM 46XX link, a Light Pen Emulation link, and a LTPN link.

52. The bar code symbol reading system of claim 42, wherein the reading of a bar code symbol and subsequent communication of the symbol character data corresponding thereto to the host system occurs automatically without the need for human interaction to activate such operations.

53. The bar code symbol reading system of claim 42, wherein the reading of the bar code symbol occurs automatically without the need for human interaction to activate such operation, and the subsequent transfer of the symbol data corresponding thereto to the host system is manually-activated by a user interacting with a data transmission switch.

54. The bar code symbol reading device of claim 42, wherein the reading of the bar code symbol and the subsequent transfer of the symbol data corresponding thereto to the host system is manually-activated by a user interacting with a trigger mechanism.

55. The bar code symbol reading system of claim 42, wherein said data transmission subsystem maintains a status register that stores information related to the establishment of a communication link between said data transmission subsystem and the host system over a specific interface implemented by said data transmission subsystem, and wherein, in the interface configuration mode of operation, said data transmission subsystem reads said information stored in said status register to ascertain if the given communication interface corresponds to the communication interface of the host system.

56. The bar code symbol reading system of claim 42, wherein, in the interface configuration mode of operation, said data transmission subsystem tests the signal levels of the given communication interface and the host system so as to ascertain if the given communication interface corresponds to the communication interface of the host system.

57. The bar code symbol reading system of claim 42, wherein said bar code symbol reading engine is selected from the group comprising:

a laser-based bar code reading system, a CCD-based bar code symbol reading devices that illuminate the bar code scanning field with an LED light source, and a CCD-based bar code symbol reading devices that illuminate the bar code scanning field with a planar laser illumination beam.

58. The bar code symbol reading system of claim 42, wherein said bar code symbol reading device comprises a hand-holdable scanner.

59. The bar code symbol reading system of claim 42, wherein said bar code symbol reading device comprises a presentation scanner.

60. The bar code symbol reading system of claim 42, wherein said bar code symbol reading device comprises an in-counter scanner.

61. The bar code symbol reading system of claim 42, wherein said bar code symbol reading device comprises a wearable scanner.