Web-enabled system and method for designing and manufacturing bar code scanners

• US 6,910,631 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2002
• Issued: 06/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Knowles, Carl Harry, Dickson, Leroy, Amundsen, Thomas, Carullo, Thomas, Groot, John
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THIEN MINH
• Application Number:
  US10/308,206
• Publication Number:
  US 20030213846A1
• Time in Patent Office: 939 Days
• Field of Search: 23546201-46247, 235/472.01, 235/472.02, 235/472.03, 235/454, 235/455, 235/470, 235/375, 235/383, 235/381
• US Class Current: 235/462.01
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 15/00 Nanotechnology for interacting, sensing or actuating, e.g. quantum dots as markers in protein assays or molecular motors
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/10 Scanning systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/106 having diffraction gratings as scanning elements, e.g. holographic scanners holographic optical elements G02B5/32, holography G03H
• 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 2207/1012 Special detection of object
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1013 Multi-focal
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1016 Motor control or optical moving unit control
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1017 Programmable
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1018 Source control
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10 by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10564 Light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10584 Source control
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10594 Beam path
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10603 Basic scanning using moving elements
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10663 using hologram
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10673 Parallel lines
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10693 for omnidirectional scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10702 Particularities of propagating elements, e.g. lenses, mirrors G06K7/10831 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10792 Special measures in relation to the object to be scanned
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10801 Multidistance reading
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10811 : Focalisation
• 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 7/10861 : sensing of data fields affixed to objects or articles, e.g. coded labels postal sorting B07C3/14, conveying articles B65G47/48
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10871 : randomly oriented data-fields, code-marks therefore, e.g. concentric circles-code
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 : constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10891 : the scanner to be worn on a finger or on a wrist
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/109 : adaptations to make the hand-held scanner useable as a fixed scanner
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 : using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 : Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/04 : Manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 : Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0045 : with a code reader for reading of an identifying code of the article to be registered, e.g. barcode reader or radio-frequency identity [RFID] reader
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0054 : with control of supplementary check-parameters, e.g. weight or number of articles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/30 : Computing systems specially adapted for manufacturing

Abstract

An Internet enabled method and system (1) for designing, and manufacturing laser scanners of modular design and construction (231) using globally based information networks (3), such as the Internet, supporting the World Wide Web (www).

Claims

1. An Internet-enabled method for designing and purchasing an optical code reading system, comprising the steps:

(a) hosting on a programmed Internet information server, a Website capable of supporting an interactive procedure;

(b) using a client computer system having a Web browser program, to enable a prospective customer to transmit end-user system specifications for a particular optical code reading system, to said Website during said interactive procedure;

(c) assigning a unique customer request number to said prospective customer;

(d) designing an optical code reading system based on said transmitted end-user system specifications; and

(e) computing a price quotation based on a finalized design for said optical code reading system.

2. The Internet-enabled method of claim 1, which further comprises:

(f) transmitting said price quotation to said prospective customer of said optical code reading system.

3. The Internet-enabled method of claim 2, which further comprises:

(g) using an electronic commerce server for supporting secured electronic commerce transactions and enabling said prospective customer to electronically transmit a purchase order on said finalized design for said optical code reading system.

4. The Internet-enabled method of claim 3, which further comprises:

(h) enabling said perspective customer to track the progress of said ordered optical code reading system during its various stages of manufacture using said Website.

5. The Internet-enabled method of claim 1, wherein said end-user system specifications are satisfied by said finalized design comprising models of modularized subcomponents and subassemblies.

6. The Internet-enabled method of claim 1, wherein said optical code reading system is a bar code reading system.

7. An Internet-based method of designing an optical code reading system comprising the steps:

(a) using a client computer system to access a manufacturer'"'"'s Website and providing to said manufacturer'"'"'s Website a specification of an end-user'"'"'s requirements; and

(b) using said specification to generate a model of a designed optical code reading system which satisfies said end-user'"'"'s requirements, said model generation involving the use of a bar code scanner design workstation and database management system containing a library of design specifications for predesigned modules and subcomponents of one or more previously designed optical code reading systems.

8. The Internet-based method of claim 7, which further comprises:

(c) using said generated model to compute a price quotation for a given quantity of said designed optical code reading system, and transmitting said price quotation along with its terms and conditions to a prospective customer.

9. The Internet-based method of claim 7, which further comprises:

providing said prospective customer with an access code enabling the prospective customer to view a complete 3-D computer-graphic simulation of the designed optical code reading system, generated from said manufacturer'"'"'s Website and viewable by the prospective customer using a Web browser program.

10. The Internet-enabled method of claim 8, which further comprises:

purchasing said designed optical code reading system using an electronic commerce transaction process supported by an electronic commerce server.

11. The Internet-based method of claim 10, which further comprises:

providing said prospective customer with a CD ROM disc whereon is recorded a computer-graphic simulation of said model of said designed optical code reading system.

12. The Internet-enabled method claim 7, wherein said optical code reading system is a bar code reading system.

13. An Internet-enabled system for designing an optical code reading system comprising:

an Internet information server for hosting a Website; and

a client computer system for accessing said Website and providing thereto a specification of an end-user'"'"'s requirements for an optical code reading system;

wherein said Internet information server uses said specification to generate a model of an optical code reading system design which satisfies said end-user'"'"'s requirements.

14. The Internet-enabled system of claim 13, which further comprises:

a computer system for computing a price quote for a given quantity of product based on said bar code scanning system design, and using said Internet information server to transmit said price quote along with its terms and conditions to a prospective customer.

15. An Internet-enabled system of claim 14, wherein said Internet information server provides said prospective customer with an access code enabling the prospective customer to view a complete 3-D computer-graphic simulation of the optical code reading system design, generated from said Website and viewable by the prospective customer using a Web browser program.

16. The Internet-enabled system of claim 14, which further comprises:

means for providing said prospective customer with a CD ROM disc whereon is recorded a computer-graphic simulation of said optical code reading system design.

17. The Internet-based system of claim 14, which further comprises:

means for purchasing said product-based on said optical code reading system design using an electronic commerce transaction supported by an electronic commerce server.

18. The Internet-enabled method of claim 13, wherein said optical code reading system is a bar code reading system.