Object identifier readers that are configured to automatically send and/or store data read from an object identifier

• US 8,001,550 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2004
• Issued: 08/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Code Corporation (Brady Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Code Corporation (Brady Corporation)
• Inventors: Hepworth, Paul, Powell, George
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhen; Li B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Seye; Abdou K
• Application Number:
  US10/806,303
• Publication Number:
  US 20050210475A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,703 Days
• Field of Search: 719/310
• US Class Current: 719/310
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/465 Distributed object oriented systems remote method invocation [RMI] G06F9/548
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/009 the reader being an RFID reader
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/14 Systems including one or more distant stations co-operating with a central processing unit data transmission in general H04L; telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station H04Q9/00

Abstract

Object identifier readers that are configured to automatically send and/or store data read from an object identifier are disclosed. An exemplary object identifier reader includes a communication port for communicating with a host computing device. The object identifier reader also includes a storage medium. The object identifier reader also includes a processor and memory in electronic communication with the processor. Instructions are stored in the memory. The instructions are executable to implement a method that involves reading an object identifier to obtain data. The data may be stored in the storage medium. Alternatively, or in addition, an attempt may be made to send the data to the host computing device. The method also involves attempting to send stored data in the storage medium to the computing device if the object identifier reader is connected to the host computing device.

Claims

1. An object identifier reader, comprising:

a processor;

a storage medium;

an image buffer;

a main task; and

a data task;

wherein the main task is executed by the processor to;

read an object identifier to obtain data, the data comprising an image of the object identifier;

store the data in the image buffer;

signal the data task that the image of the object identifier is stored in the image buffer; and

wait for the data task to signal that the image buffer is no longer needed; and

wherein the data task is executed by the processor to;

receive a signal from the main task indicating that the image of the object identifier is available;

determine if the object identifier reader is connected to the host computing device;

attempt to connect the object identifier reader to the host computing device if the object identifier reader is not connected to the host computing device;

attempt to send the image of the object identifier to the host computing device if the object identifier reader is connected to the host computing device;

store the image of the object identifier in the storage medium if the attempt to connect the object identifier reader to the host computing device is unsuccessful or if the attempt to send the image of the object identifier to the host computing device is unsuccessful; and

signal the main task that the image buffer is no longer needed.

2. The object identifier reader of claim 1, wherein:

the object identifier reader further comprises a data task buffer;

the main task is executed by the processor to;

read an additional object identifier to obtain non-image data;

place the non-image data in the data task buffer; and

signal the data task that the non-image data is in the data task buffer; and

the data task is executed by the processor to;

receive a signal from the main task indicating that the non-image data is in the data task buffer;

attempt to send the non-image data in the data task buffer to the host computing device if the object identifier reader is connected to the host computing device; and

store the non-image data in the storage medium if the attempt to connect the object identifier reader to the host computing device is unsuccessful or if the attempt to send the non-image data to the host computing device is unsuccessful.

3. The object identifier reader of claim 1, wherein the object identifier reader is configured to clear the data from the storage medium when the stored data is sent to the host computing device.

4. The object identifier reader of claim 1, wherein the storage medium comprises non-volatile storage.

5. The object identifier reader of claim 4, wherein the storage medium further comprises volatile storage.

6. The object identifier reader of claim 1, further comprising an additional storage medium for storing a copy of the data as a log.

7. The object identifier reader of claim 1, wherein the object identifier reader is configured to save metadata in the storage medium to differentiate buffered data from log data.

8. The object identifier reader of claim 1, wherein the object identifier reader is configured to disconnect from the host computing device if the object identifier reader is connected to the host computing device and the object identifier reader does not have any data to send to the host computing device.

9. The object identifier reader of claim 1, wherein the object identifier reader is configured to enter a power-saving mode if the storage medium is empty or if the object identifier reader cannot connect to the host computing device after a period of time.