Encoded information reading terminal operating in infrastructure mode and ad-hoc mode

• US 8,191,785 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2009
• Issued: 06/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Qu, Huyu, Wang, Ynjiun P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Haupt, Kristy A
• Application Number:
  US12/398,401
• Publication Number:
  US 20100226345A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,188 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.14, 235/462.15, 340/539.11, 340/539.19
• US Class Current: 235/462.15
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/385 of the core network

Abstract

An encoded information reading (EIR) terminal can comprise a central processing unit (CPU), a memory communicatively coupled to the CPU, an EIR device, and a wireless communication interface communicatively coupled to the CPU. The EIR device can be selected from the group consisting of a bar code reading device, an RFID reading device, and a card reading device. The EIR device can be configured to perform one of: outputting raw message data containing an encoded message, outputting decoded message data corresponding to an encoded message. The wireless communication interface can comprise a first logical communication interface operating on a first frequency channel and a second logical communication interface operating on a second frequency channel. The wireless communication interface can be configured to transmit infrastructure mode beacons. The infrastructure mode beacons can include a service set identifier. The wireless communication interface can be further configured to transmit ad-hoc mode beacons on the second frequency channel. The ad-hoc mode beacons can include an identifier of a mesh path selection protocol. The EIR terminal can be further configured to route MAC frames between the first logical communication interface and the second logical communication interface.

Claims

1. An encoded information reading (EIR) terminal comprising:

a central processing unit (CPU);

a memory communicatively coupled to said CPU;

an encoded information reading (EIR) device selected from the group consisting of a bar code reading device, an RFID reading device, and a card reading device, said EIR device configured to perform one of;

outputting raw message data containing an encoded message, outputting decoded message data corresponding to an encoded message; and

a wireless communication interface communicatively coupled to said CPU, said wireless communication interface comprising a first logical communication interface operating on a first frequency channel and a second logical communication interface operating on a second frequency channel;

wherein said wireless communication interface is configured to transmit infrastructure mode beacons on said first frequency channel, said infrastructure mode beacons including a service set identifier;

wherein said wireless communication interface is further configured to transmit ad-hoc mode beacons on said second frequency channel, said ad-hoc mode beacons including an identifier of a mesh path selection protocol; and

wherein said EIR terminal is further configured to route MAC frames between said first logical communication interface and said second logical communication interface.

2. The EIR terminal of claim 1, wherein said first frequency channel and said second frequency channel are provided by a single frequency channel.

3. The EIR terminal of claim 1, wherein said first logical communication interface and said second logical communication interface are provided by a single communication interface.

4. The EIR terminal of claim 1, wherein said EIR terminal comprises at least two logical communication interfaces.

5. The EIR terminal of claim 1, wherein said EIR terminal is configured to transmit and receive MAC frames to and from at least one IEEE 802.11-conformant wireless station using said first logical communication interface;

and wherein EIR terminal is further configured to transmit and receive MAC frames to and from at least one IEEE 802.11s-conformant mesh point using said second logical communication interface.

6. The EIR terminal of claim 1, wherein said EIR terminal is configured to transmit and receive MAC frames to and from at least one IEEE 802.11-conformant wireless access point using said first logical communication interface;

and wherein EIR terminal is further configured to transmit and receive MAC frames to and from at least one IEEE 802.11s-conformant mesh point using said second logical communication interface.

7. The EIR terminal of claim 1, wherein said EIR terminal is configured to perform IEEE 802.11-conformant wireless distribution system services including association, disassociation, distribution, integration, and re-association.

8. The EIR terminal of claim 1, wherein said first logical communication interface is associated with a first MAC address;

wherein said second logical communication interface is associated with a second MAC address; and

wherein said EIR terminal is configured to perform data link layer routing between said first logical communication interface and said second logical communication interface.

9. The EIR terminal of claim 1, wherein said first logical communication interface is associated with a first IP address;

wherein said second logical communication interface is associated with a second IP address; and

wherein said EIR terminal is configured to perform network layer routing between said first logical communication interface and said second logical communication interface.

10. An encoded information reading (EIR) terminal comprising:

a central processing unit (CPU);

a memory communicatively coupled to said CPU;

an encoded information reading (EIR) device selected from the group consisting of a bar code reading device, an RFID reading device, and a card reading device, said EIR device configured to perform one of;

outputting raw message data including an encoded message, outputting decoded message data corresponding to an encoded message; and

a wireless communication interface communicatively coupled to said CPU, said wireless communication interface configured to transmit beacons, each of said beacons including a service set identifier and an identifier of a mesh path selection protocol.

11. The EIR terminal of claim 10, wherein said wireless communication interface is configured to transmit and receive MAC frames to and from at least one IEEE 802.11-conformant wireless station using an infrastructure mode;

and wherein said wireless communication interface is further configured to transmit and receive MAC frames to and from at least one IEEE 802.11s-conformant mesh point using an ad-hoc mode.

12. The EIR terminal of claim 10, wherein said wireless communication interface is configured to perform IEEE 802.11-conformant wireless distribution system services including association, disassociation, distribution, integration, and re-association.

13. The EIR terminal of claim 10, wherein said wireless communication interface includes at least two logical communication interfaces, each of said logical communication interfaces associated with a MAC addresses;

and wherein said EIR terminal is configured to perform data link layer routing between said at least two logical communication interfaces.

14. The EIR terminal of claim 10, wherein said wireless communication interface includes at least two logical communication interfaces, each of said logical communication interfaces associated with an IP addresses;

and wherein said EIR terminal is configured to perform network layer routing between said at least two logical communication interfaces.

15. An encoded information reading (EIR) terminal comprising:

a central processing unit (CPU);

a memory communicatively coupled to said CPU;

an encoded information reading (EIR) device selected from the group consisting of a bar code reading device, an RFID reading device, and a card reading device, said EIR device configured to perform one of;

outputting raw message data including an encoded message, outputting decoded message data corresponding to an encoded message; and

a wireless communication interface communicatively coupled to said CPU, said wireless communication interface including at least two logical communication interfaces, said wireless communication interface configured to communicate using an infrastructure mode to at least one of;

a first IEEE 802.11-conformant wireless station, a wireless access point configured to provide distribution services, and a wireless portal configured to provide integration services;

wherein said wireless communication interface is further configured to communicate using an ad-hoc mode to at least one IEEE 802.11-conformant wireless station; and

wherein said wireless communication interface is further configured to route MAC frames received from said at least one IEEE 802.11-conformant wireless station to at least one of;

a second IEEE 802.11-conformant wireless station, said wireless access point, said wireless portal.

16. The EIR terminal of claim 15, wherein said at least two logical communication interfaces including include a first logical communication interface operating on a first frequency channel and a second logical communication interface operating on a second frequency channel.

17. The EIR terminal of claim 15, wherein said at least two logical communication interfaces operate on a single frequency channel.

18. The EIR terminal of claim 15, wherein said wireless communication interface is configured to perform IEEE 802.11-conformant wireless station services including authentication, de-authentication, privacy, and MAC service data unit delivery.

19. The EIR terminal of claim 15, wherein each of said at least two logical communication interfaces is associated with a MAC addresses;

and

wherein said EIR terminal is configured to perform data link layer routing between said at least two logical communication interfaces.

20. The EIR terminal of claim 15, wherein each of said at least two logical communication interfaces is associated with an IP addresses;

and

wherein said EIR terminal is configured to perform network layer routing between said at least two logical communication interfaces.