Pre-paid usage system for encoded information reading terminals
First Claim
1. An encoded information reading (EIR) terminal comprising:
- a central processing unit (CPU);
a memory communicatively coupled to said CPU;
a communication interface;
an 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;
wherein said EIR terminal is configured to initialize a counter of EIR operations, stored in said memory, responsive to inputting an unlocking encoded message via one of;
said communication interface, said EIR device;
wherein said EIR terminal is further configured, before executing an EIR operation, to ascertain whether said EIR operation is permitted by comparing said counter of EIR operations to a pre-defined constant value;
wherein said EIR terminal is further configured to perform one of;
incrementing said counter of EIR operations, decrementing said counter of EIR operations in the course of executing each EIR operation; and
wherein said counter of EIR operations reflects one of;
a number of executed EIR operations, a number of remaining pre-paid EIR operations.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A fleet management system for managing a fleet of encoded information reading (EIR) terminals can comprise one or more computers, a fleet management software module, and a payment processing software module in communication with the fleet management software module. The fleet management software module can be configured, responsive to receiving a customer initiated request, to generate an unlocking message upon processing a payment by the payment processing software module. The unlocking message can be provided by a bar code to be read by an EIR terminal, or by a bit stream to be transferred to an EIR terminal via network. Each EIR terminal can be configured to perform not more than a pre-defined number of EIR operations responsive to receiving the unlocking message.
462 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An encoded information reading (EIR) terminal comprising:
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a central processing unit (CPU); a memory communicatively coupled to said CPU; a communication interface; an 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;wherein said EIR terminal is configured to initialize a counter of EIR operations, stored in said memory, responsive to inputting an unlocking encoded message via one of;
said communication interface, said EIR device;wherein said EIR terminal is further configured, before executing an EIR operation, to ascertain whether said EIR operation is permitted by comparing said counter of EIR operations to a pre-defined constant value; wherein said EIR terminal is further configured to perform one of;
incrementing said counter of EIR operations, decrementing said counter of EIR operations in the course of executing each EIR operation; andwherein said counter of EIR operations reflects one of;
a number of executed EIR operations, a number of remaining pre-paid EIR operations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A fleet management system for managing a plurality of EIR terminals, each EIR terminal of said plurality of EIR terminals including an EIR device selected from the group consisting of:
- a barcode reading device, an RFID reading device, and a card reading device, said fleet management system comprising;
one or more computers, each computer comprising a central processing unit, a memory, and a communication interface; a fleet management software module being executed by at least one computer of said one or more computers; and a payment processing software module in communication with said fleet management software module, said payment processing software module being executed by at least one computer of said one or more computers; wherein said fleet management software module is configured, responsive to receiving a customer initiated request, to generate an unlocking message upon processing a payment by said payment processing software module; wherein said unlocking message is provided by one of;
a bar code to be read by an EIR terminal, a bit stream to be transferred to an EIR terminal via said communication interface;wherein each EIR terminal of said plurality of EIR terminals comprises a memory and is configured to initialize a counter of EIR operations, stored in said memory, responsive to receiving said unlocking message; wherein each EIR terminal of said plurality of EIR terminals is configured, before executing an EIR operation, to ascertain whether said EIR operation is permitted by comparing said counter of EIR operations to a pre-defined constant value; wherein each EIR terminal of said plurality of EIR terminals is further configured to perform one of;
incrementing said counter of EIR operations, decrementing said counter of EIR operations in the course of executing each EIR operation; andwherein said counter of EIR operations reflects one of;
a number of executed EIR operations, a number of remaining pre-paid EIR operations. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
- a barcode reading device, an RFID reading device, and a card reading device, said fleet management system comprising;
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14. An encoded information reading (EIR) terminal comprising:
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a memory storing a counter of EIR operations, the counter of EIR operations reflecting either a number of executed EIR operations or a number of remaining pre-paid EIR operations; a communication interface; an EIR device comprising a bar code reading device, an RFID reading device, and/or a card reading device; wherein the EIR terminal is configured to; initialize the counter of EIR operations, stored in the memory, responsive to inputting an unlocking encoded message via the communication interface and/or the EIR device; before executing an EIR operation, ascertain whether the EIR operation is permitted by comparing the counter of EIR operations to a pre-defined constant value; and in the course of executing each EIR operation, either increment the counter of EIR operations or decrement the counter of EIR operations. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification