System, method, and apparatus for communicating information between a mobile communications device and a bar code scanner

• US 7,395,961 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2006
• Issued: 07/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Ecrio, Inc.
• Inventors: Challa, Nagesh, Gobburu, Venkata T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim; Ahshik
• Application Number:
  US11/369,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20060202035A1
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.13, 235/472.01, 235/462.46, 235/454, 235/383, 455/567, 455/556.1, 455/566, 455/95
• US Class Current: 235/383
• 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 7/1095 the scanner comprising adaptations for scanning a record carrier that is displayed on a display-screen or the like
• 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 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3274 using a pictured code, e.g. barcode or QR-code, being displayed on the M-device
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/343 Cards including a counter
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/02 by keys or other credit registering devices
• 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

Abstract

A system, method, and apparatus for communicating information encoded in a bar code format between a mobile communications device and a bar code scanner. Transmission information data is encoded into a bar code format. A signal is generated from the bar code format to simulate a reflection of a scanning beam being moved across a static visual image of the bar code format; and the signal is transmitted as light pulses from the mobile communications device.

Claims

1. A method of providing transmission information to a bar code scanner from a mobile digital device comprising a display screen having a variable light level, comprising:

providing transmission information as bar code formatted transmission information in the device;

generating in the device a signal from the bar code formatted transmission information to simulate a reflection of a scanning beam being moved across a static visual image of the bar code format; and

controllably varying the light level of the display screen to transmit the signal as light pulses from the display screen.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing step comprises:

acquiring the transmission information from a source external to the device; and

encoding the transmission information into the bar code formatted transmission information, in the device.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

storing the transmission information in a memory of the device; and

reading the transmission information from the memory;

wherein the transmission information encoded in the encoding step is acquired from the memory in the reading step.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the acquiring step comprises acquiring the transmission information from a personal computer.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the acquiring step comprises acquiring the transmission information from a personal computer over a wired connection.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing step comprises acquiring the bar code formatted transmission information from a source external to the device.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

storing the bar code formatted transmission information in a memory of the device;

wherein the providing step comprises reading the bar code formatted transmission information from the memory.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the acquiring step comprises acquiring the bar code formatted transmission information from a personal computer.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the acquiring step comprises acquiring the bar code formatted transmission information from a personal computer over a wired connection.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the display screen is a LCD display having a backlight; and

the controllably varying step comprises turning the backlight on and off to transmit the signal as light pulses.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the controllably varying step further comprises alternating screen contrast while turning the backlight on and off to transmit the signal as light pulses.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the controllably varying step further comprises alternating screen color while turning the backlight on and off to transmit the signal as light pulses.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising presenting representative information for the transmission information on the display screen during the controllably varying step.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising presenting representative information for the transmission information on the display screen at times other than during the controllably varying step.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising presenting representative information for the transmission information on the display screen.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying a bar code type, wherein the bar code format corresponds to the bar code type.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a scanning beam emitted by a bar code scanner; and

determining a scan rate of the scanning beam;

wherein the generating step comprises generating the signal to simulate a reflection of the scanning beam being moved across a static visual image of the bar code format at the scan rate.

18. A mobile digital device comprising:

a display screen having a variable light level;

a stored program component for providing transmission information as bar code formatted transmission information in the device;

a stored program component for generating in the device a signal from the bar code formatted transmission information to simulate a reflection of a scanning beam being moved across a static visual image of the bar code format; and

a stored program component for controllably varying the light level of the display screen to transmit the signal from the display screen as light pulses readable by a bar code scanner.

19. The mobile digital device of claim 18 wherein the providing stored program component comprises:

a stored program component for acquiring the transmission information from a source external to the device; and

a stored program component for encoding the transmission information into the bar code formatted transmission information, in the device.

20. The mobile digital device of claim 19 further comprising:

a memory;

a stored program component for storing the transmission information in the memory; and

a stored program component for reading the transmission information from the memory;

wherein the transmission information encoded by the encoding stored program component is acquired from the memory by the reading stored program component.

21. The mobile digital device of claim 19 wherein the acquiring stored program component comprises a stored program component for acquiring the transmission information from a personal computer.

22. The mobile digital device of claim 19 wherein the acquiring stored program component comprises a stored program component for acquiring the transmission information from a personal computer over a wired connection.

23. The mobile digital device of claim 18 wherein the providing stored program component comprises a stored program component for acquiring the bar code formatted transmission information from a source external to the device.

24. The mobile digital device of claim 23 further comprising:

a memory; and

a stored program component for storing the bar code formatted transmission information in the memory;

wherein the providing stored program component comprises a stored program component for reading the bar code formatted transmission information from the memory.

25. The mobile digital device of claim 23 wherein the acquiring stored program component comprises a stored program component for acquiring the bar code formatted transmission information from a personal computer.

26. The mobile digital device of claim 23 wherein the acquiring stored program component comprises a stored program component for acquiring the bar code formatted transmission information from a personal computer over a wired connection.

27. The mobile digital device of claim 18 wherein:

the display screen is a LCD display having a backlight; and

the controllably varying stored program component comprises turning the backlight on and off to transmit the signal as light pulses.

28. The mobile digital device of claim 27, wherein the controllably varying stored program component further comprises a stored program component for alternating screen contrast while turning the backlight on and off to transmit the signal as light pulses.

29. The mobile digital device of claim 27, wherein the controllably varying stored program component further comprises a stored program component for alternating screen color while turning the backlight on and off to transmit the signal as light pulses.

30. The mobile digital device of claim 27 further comprising a stored program component for presenting representative information for the transmission information on the display screen while the backlight is being turned on and off.

31. The mobile digital device of claim 27 further comprising a stored program component for presenting representative information for the transmission information on the display screen at times other than while the backlight is being turned on and off.

32. The mobile digital device of claim 18 further comprising a stored program component for presenting representative information for the transmission information on the display screen.

33. The mobile digital device of claim 18, further comprising a stored program component for identifying a bar code type, wherein the bar code format corresponds to the bar code type.

34. The mobile digital device of claim 18, further comprising:

a stored program component for receiving a scanning beam emitted by a bar code scanner; and

a stored program component for determining a scan rate of the scanning beam;

wherein the generating stored program component comprises generating the signal to simulate a reflection of the scanning beam being moved across a static visual image of the bar code format at the scan rate.

35. A system for communicating transmission information comprising:

a mobile digital device having;

a display screen having a variable light level;

a stored program component for providing transmission information as bar code formatted transmission information in the device;

a stored program component of the device for generating in the device a signal from the bar code formatted transmission information to simulate a reflection of a scanning beam being moved across a static visual image of the bar code format; and

a stored program component for controllably varying the light level of the display screen to transmit the signal from the display screen as light pulses; and

a bar code scanner for reading the light pulses from the display screen.