Scanner pairing in a bluetooth POS network
First Claim
1. In a point of sale system for acquiring bar code data relating to a transaction, wherein a first bar code scanner is arranged to scan bar codes and provide data relating to scanned bar codes to a processor, the improvement comprising a second portable bar code scanner, said second scanner including a slave radio module for acting as a slave unit using a master-slave data communication protocol and said second scanner including an identifying bar code individually identifying said second scanner, and wherein there is provided a master radio module associated with said point of sale system and wherein said master radio module is arranged to act as a master for communication with said slave radio module in response to reading of said identifying bar code on said second scanner by said first bar code scanner.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Wireless data communications using a master/slave protocol are easily established between a master radio module which is part of a POS terminal and a slave radio module which is part of a portable bar code scanning device. A bar code identifying the portable bar code scanning device is provided on the outside of the housing of the portable device. By scanning this bar code with a scanner associated with the POS terminal, such as a fixed scanner built onto a counter, the master/slave radio communications link can be automatically implemented.
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Citations
8 Claims
- 1. In a point of sale system for acquiring bar code data relating to a transaction, wherein a first bar code scanner is arranged to scan bar codes and provide data relating to scanned bar codes to a processor, the improvement comprising a second portable bar code scanner, said second scanner including a slave radio module for acting as a slave unit using a master-slave data communication protocol and said second scanner including an identifying bar code individually identifying said second scanner, and wherein there is provided a master radio module associated with said point of sale system and wherein said master radio module is arranged to act as a master for communication with said slave radio module in response to reading of said identifying bar code on said second scanner by said first bar code scanner.
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4. The improvement specified in clam 1 wherein said master radio module is arranged to discontinue acting as a master for communication with said slave radio module in response to a further reading of said identifying bar code.
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5. A method for establishing a master/slave data communication link between a master device having a first bar code scanner and a slave device comprising a portable bar code scanner, comprising the steps of:
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providing an identifying bar code on the exterior of said portable bar code scanner, said identification device including identification data individually identifying said slave device;
reading said identification device with a reader, other than said slave device, associated with said master unit to obtain said identification data;
determining a slave address of said slave device from said identification data and operating said master unit to associate with said slave device using said slave address. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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8. A method for reading bar codes on items to be purchased, comprising:
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providing a portable bar code reader having a slave radio module having a slave address for providing data communication and an identifying bar code on said reader;
reading said identifying bar code with a second bar code reader associated with a master radio module and a data processor to obtain identifying data;
determining said slave address using said identifying data;
operating said master unit to associate with said slave unit; and
using selectively said portable bar code reader and said second bar code reader to read bar codes and provide data to said processor.
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Specification