Barcode reader and accessory for the barcode reader

• US 9,355,291 B1
• Filed: 03/07/2015
• Issued: 05/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Code Corporation (Brady Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Code Corporation (Brady Corporation)
• Inventors: Pierce, Steve, Hoobler, Ryan, Deal, John, Russell, Garrett
• Primary Examiner(s): Unelus, Ernest
• Application Number:
  US14/641,305
• Publication Number:
  US 20160140370A1
• Time in Patent Office: 451 Days
• Field of Search: 235/472.02
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• 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 2007/10524 Hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10821 further details of bar or optical code scanning devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10851 Circuits for pulse shaping, amplifying, eliminating noise signals, checking the function of the sensing device basic electronic circuitry H03
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners

Abstract

A barcode reader and an accessory are disclosed. The accessory may include an interface system and a wireless and/or wired interface for communication with a host computer such that the barcode reader may communicate with the host computer via the accessory. The interface system includes an authentication coprocessor such that the barcode reader may establish mutual authentication with the host computer using the authentication coprocessor of the interface system. The barcode reader may send a request for an accessory identifier, and the accessory may then query the authentication coprocessor for the accessory identifier and provide the accessory identifier to the barcode reader. The barcode reader may send an authentication challenge to the accessory, and the accessory may then present the authentication challenge to the authentication coprocessor to obtain an authentication response, and provide the authentication response to the barcode reader.

Claims

1. An accessory for a barcode reader for providing operating power to the barcode reader and providing decoded data of a barcode received from the barcode reader to a host computer, the accessory comprising:

a first power/data connector for connecting to the barcode reader; and

a second power/data connector for connecting to a power source and providing operating power to both the barcode reader, via the first power/data connector, and an interface system, the interface system including;

a processor;

memory;

a first power/data interface for receiving the decoded data from the barcode reader via the first power/data connectors;

a wireless interface for providing the decoded data to the host computer, wherein the host computer is not the power source to which the second power/data connector is connected; and

an authentication system;

wherein the interface system is configured to operate in both a command mode and a pass through mode;

wherein in the command mode, the processor is configured to;

receive, and provide to the authentication system for processing, authentication information received from the barcode reader via the first power/data connector, and

return to the barcode reader, via the first power/data connector, the results of processing the authentication information by the authentication system; and

wherein in the pass through mode, the processor is configured to pass information received from the barcode reader to the host computer via the wireless interface.

2. The accessory of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to convert the information received from a serial port profile format as received from the barcode reader via the first power/data interface to one of:

i) a keyboard format for wireless transmission to the host computer via the wireless interface;

ii) a serial port profile format for transmission to the host computer via the wireless interface;

or iii) a Universal Serial Bus (USB) format for wireless transmission to the host computer via the wireless interface.

3. The accessory of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to pass information received from the host computer via the wireless interface to the barcode reader via the first power/data interface, wherein the processor is configured to convert the information from a serial port profile format, a keyboard format, or a Universal Serial Bus (USB) format as received from the host computer to a serial port profile format used for transmission to the barcode reader via the first power/data interface.

4. The accessory of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to place radio frequency (RF) systems of the interface system into a discoverable mode in response to a request from the barcode reader, and establish a secure RF connection with the host computer in the discoverable mode.

5. The accessory of claim 4, wherein the secure RF connection is a Bluetooth pairing between the interface system and the host computer.

6. The accessory of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:

forward to the barcode reader via the first power/data connector a request for an accessory identifier received from the host computer via the wireless interface, receive from the barcode reader via the first power/data connector, the request for the accessory identifier,

query the authentication system for the accessory identifier in response to receipt of the request for the accessory identifier from the barcode reader,

receive the accessory identifier from the authentication system, and

send the accessory identifier to the barcode reader via the first power/data connector.

7. The accessory of claim 6, wherein the accessory identifier is generated by the authentication system or a digital certificate stored in the interface system.

8. The accessory of claim 6, wherein communication between the processor and the authentication system is performed by way of Inter-Integrated Circuit (I2C) communication over an internal bus.

9. The accessory of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:

forward to the barcode reader via the first power/data connector an authentication challenge received from the host computer via the wireless interface,

receive the authentication challenge from the barcode reader via the first power/data connector when in the command mode,

present the authentication challenge received from the barcode reader to the authentication system,

obtain an authentication response from the authentication system, and

provide the authentication response to the barcode reader via the first power/data connector.

10. The accessory of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to send a message to the barcode reader confirming completion of authentication.

11. A power/data cable accessory for a barcode reader, comprising:

a wireless interface for establishing a wireless communication link with a host computer, receiving information from the host computer, and transmitting information to the host computer;

a first power/data connector for connecting to a barcode reader;

a second power/data connector for connecting to a power source and providing operating power to the barcode reader via the first power/data connector, the wireless interface, and an interface system; and

the interface system including a plurality of interfaces for communicating with the barcode reader and the host computer, wherein the interface system is configured to;

pass all information received from the host computer via the wireless communication link to the barcode reader via the first power/data connector,

when operating in a pass-through mode, pass information received from the barcode reader via the first power/data connector to the host computer via the wireless communication link; and

when operating in a command mode, process authentication information received from the barcode reader via the first power/data interface and return to the barcode reader the results of processing the authentication information.

12. The power/data cable accessory of claim 11, wherein, when in the pass through mode, the interface system is configured to convert the information received from a serial port profile format as received from the barcode reader via the first power data connector to one of:

i) a keyboard format for wireless transmission to the host computer via the wireless link;

ii) a serial port profile format for transmission to the host computer via the wireless link;

or iii) a Universal Serial Bus (USB) format for wireless transmission to the host computer via the wireless link.

13. The power/data cable accessory of claim 11, wherein the interface system is configured to pass information received from the host computer to the barcode reader, wherein the interface system is configured to convert the information from a serial port profile format, a keyboard format, or a Universal Serial Bus (USB) format as received from the host computer to a serial port profile format used for transmission to the barcode reader.

14. The power/data cable accessory of claim 11, wherein the interface system is configured to:

forward to the barcode reader via the first power/data connector a request for an accessory identifier received from the host computer via the wireless interface,

receive from the barcode reader via the first power/data connector, the request for the accessory identifier,

query an authentication system for the accessory identifier in response to receipt of the request for the accessory identifier,

receive the accessory identifier from the authentication system, and

send the accessory identifier to the barcode reader via the first power/data connector.

15. The power/data cable accessory of claim 11, wherein the interface system is configured to:

forward to the barcode reader via the first power/data connector an authentication challenge received from the host computer via the wireless interface,

receive the authentication challenge from the barcode reader via the first power/data connector,

present the authentication challenge received from the barcode reader to the authentication system,

obtain an authentication response from the authentication system, and

provide the authentication response to the barcode reader via the first power/data connector.

16. An accessory for a barcode reader, comprising:

a first connector for connecting to a barcode reader;

a second connector for connecting to a power source and providing operating power to both the barcode reader and an interface system; and

the interface system including a wireless interface for communicating with a host computer and an authentication coprocessor, wherein the interface system is configured to;

pass information received from the host computer, via a wireless connection formed with the host computer using the wireless interface, to the barcode reader;

provide for the authentication coprocessor to process authentication information received from the barcode reader, generate authentication results, and return the authentication results to the barcode reader via the first connector thereby enabling authentication of the barcode reader to the host computer; and

following authentication of the barcode reader to the host computer, pass decoded barcode data received from the barcode reader via the first connector to the host computer via the wireless connection.

17. The accessory of claim 16, wherein the interface system is configured to:

forward to the barcode reader via the first power/data connector a request for an accessory identifier received from the host computer via the wireless interface,

receive the request for the accessory identifier from the barcode reader via the first power/data connector,

query the authentication coprocessor for the accessory identifier in response to receipt of the request for the accessory identifier,

receive the accessory identifier from the authentication coprocessor, and

send the accessory identifier to the barcode reader via the first power/data connector.

18. The accessory of claim 16, wherein the interface system is configured to:

forward to the barcode reader via the first power/data connector an authentication challenge received from the host computer via the wireless interface,

receive the authentication challenge from the barcode reader via the first power/data connector, present the authentication challenge to the authentication coprocessor, obtain an authentication response from the authentication coprocessor, and provide the authentication response to the barcode reader.

19. The accessory of claim 16, wherein the interface system is configured to establish a Bluetooth pairing with the host computer.