Data collection system having EIR terminal interface node

• US 8,556,174 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2012
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Kosecki, James, Caballero, Aldo Mario
• Primary Examiner(s): Haupt, Kristy A
• Application Number:
  US13/663,060
• Publication Number:
  US 20130185707A1
• Time in Patent Office: 351 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.14, 235/462.15, 340/539.11, 340/539.19
• US Class Current: 235/449
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/182 Distributed file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/01 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

A network accessible node that facilitates management of a fleet of portable communication devices (EIR terminal), including portable data terminals and/or barcode readers, by directing performance of software upgrade and/or configuration update actions by one or more members of the fleet of EIR terminals.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a first terminal interface node;

a first encoded information reading (EIR) terminal comprising a second terminal interface node;

a second EIR terminal;

a docking station;

wherein said first EIR terminal is configured to establish a communication with said first terminal interface node upon engaging to said docking station;

wherein said first EIR terminal is configured to upload data to said first terminal interface node;

wherein said first EIR terminal is configured to transmit a first terminal status message to said first terminal interface node;

wherein said first terminal interface node is configured to transmit, responsive to receiving said first terminal status message, a first terminal reprogramming message to said first EIR terminal, said first terminal reprogramming message including at least one of;

a binary file, a data file, a script file;

wherein said first EIR terminal is configured to execute, responsive to receiving said binary file, said binary file;

wherein said first EIR terminal is configured to update, responsive to receiving said data file, a software configuration parameter;

wherein said first EIR terminal is configured to execute, responsive to receiving said script file, said script file;

wherein said first terminal interface node is configured to complete a higher priority operation before executing a lower priority operation;

wherein a priority of said upload of said data to said first terminal interface node is higher than a priority of said transmit of said first reprogramming message by said first terminal interface node;

wherein said second EIR terminal is configured to establish a communication with said second terminal interface node upon engaging to said docking station;

wherein said second EIR terminal is configured to upload data to said second terminal interface node;

wherein said second EIR terminal is configured to transmit a second terminal status message to said second terminal interface node;

wherein said second terminal interface node is configured to transmit, responsive to receiving said second terminal status message, a second terminal reprogramming message to said second EIR terminal, said second terminal reprogramming message including at least one of;

a binary file, a data file, a script file;

wherein said second EIR terminal is configured to execute, responsive to receiving said binary file, said binary file;

wherein said second EIR terminal is configured to update, responsive to receiving said data file, a software configuration parameter; and

wherein said second EIR terminal is configured to execute, responsive to receiving said script file, said script file.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said second terminal status message reflects one of:

a status of hardware component of said EIR terminal;

a status of software component of said EIR terminal.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said second terminal reprogramming message includes one of:

a time of executing said script file and a condition to be satisfied to trigger the executing of said script file.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said second terminal interface node is configured to query, before transmitting said second terminal reprogramming message, a reprogramming database, said reprogramming database containing a plurality of reprogramming records, each reprogramming record of said plurality of reprogramming records containing an EIR terminal identifying information and at least one of:

binary file identifier, a data file identifier, a script file identifier.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said second terminal interface node is configured to query, before transmitting said second terminal reprogramming message, a terminal status database, said terminal status database containing a plurality of terminal status records.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said second terminal interface node is configured to modify, responsively to receiving a reprogramming information message from a resource network, a reprogramming database, said reprogramming database containing a plurality of reprogramming records, each reprogramming record of said plurality of reprogramming records containing an EIR terminal identifying information and at least one of:

a binary file identifier, a data file identifier, a script file identifier.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said second terminal interface node is configured to complete a higher priority operation before executing a lower priority operation;

and

wherein a priority of said upload of said data to said second terminal interface node is higher than a priority of said transmit of said reprogramming message by said second terminal interface node.

8. A system comprising:

a plurality of encoded information reading (EIR) terminals, wherein each of the plurality of EIR terminals comprises a terminal interface node;

a plurality of docking stations;

wherein at least one of the plurality of EIR terminals is configured to establish a communication with the terminal interface node of a second of the plurality of EIR terminals upon engaging to one of the plurality of docking stations;

wherein the at least one EIR terminal of the plurality of EIR terminals is configured to upload data to the terminal interface node;

wherein the at least one EIR terminal of the plurality of EIR terminals is configured to transmit a terminal status message to the terminal interface node;

wherein the terminal interface node is configured to transmit, responsive to receiving the terminal status message, a terminal reprogramming message to the at least one EIR terminal of the plurality of EIR terminals, the terminal reprogramming message including at least one of;

a binary file, a data file, a script file;

wherein at least one EIR terminal of the plurality of EIR terminals is configured to execute, responsive to receiving the binary file, the binary file;

wherein at least one EIR terminal of the plurality of EIR terminals is configured to update, responsive to receiving the data file, a software configuration parameter;

wherein at least one EIR terminal of the plurality of EIR terminals is configured to execute, responsive to receiving the script file, the script file;

wherein the terminal interface node is configured to complete a higher priority operation before executing a lower priority operation; and

wherein a priority of the upload of the data to the terminal interface node is higher than a priority of the transmit of the reprogramming message by the terminal interface node.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the terminal status message reflects one of:

a status of hardware component of at least one EIR terminal of the plurality of EIR terminals;

a status of software component of said EIR terminal.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the terminal reprogramming message includes one of:

a time of executing said script file and a condition to be satisfied to trigger the executing of said script file.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the terminal interface node is configured to query, before transmitting the terminal reprogramming message, a reprogramming database, said reprogramming database containing a plurality of reprogramming records, each reprogramming record of said plurality of reprogramming records containing an EIR terminal identifying information and at least one of:

binary file identifier, a data file identifier, a script file identifier.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the terminal interface node is configured to query, before transmitting the terminal reprogramming message, a terminal status database, said terminal status database containing a plurality of terminal status records.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the terminal interface node is configured to modify, responsively to receiving a reprogramming information message from a resource network, a reprogramming database, said reprogramming database containing a plurality of reprogramming records, each reprogramming record of said plurality of reprogramming records containing an EIR terminal identifying information and at least one of:

a binary file identifier, a data file identifier, a script file identifier.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the terminal interface node is configured to complete a higher priority operation before executing a lower priority operation;

and

wherein a priority of said upload of said data to the terminal interface node is higher than a priority of said transmit of said reprogramming message by the terminal interface node.