Encoded information reading terminal with user-configurable multi-protocol wireless communication interface

• US 9,485,802 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2015
• Issued: 11/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Wang, Ynjiun P., Qu, Huyu, Sauerwein, James T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech, Karl D
• Application Number:
  US14/964,718
• Publication Number:
  US 20160095161A1
• Time in Patent Office: 327 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.44, 235/462.45, 235/462.46, 235/472.01, 235/472.02, 235/472.03, 235/380
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/01 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10297 arrangements for handling protocols designed for non-contact record carriers such as RFIDs NFCs, e.g. ISO/IEC 14443 and 18092 cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; network security protocols H04L63/00; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; network protocols for data switching network services H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/40 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/401 for selecting or indicating operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/06 Transport layer protocols, e.g. TCP [Transport Control Protocol] over wireless transmission control protocol/Internet protocol [TCP/IP] or user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

An apparatus may include a microprocessor and a wireless communication interface configured to perform at least one of receiving a first radio signal or transmitting a second radio signal. The microprocessor may be configured to execute at least one of a base-band encoder software program or a base-band decoder software program. The apparatus may be further configured to execute a wireless communication protocol selector software program that may be configured to optimize a value of a user-defined criterion in order to dynamically select at least one of a wireless communication network, a wireless communication protocol, and a parameter of a wireless communication protocol.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

electrically coupling an RF front end of a wireless communication interface of a terminal to at least one of an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), the RF front end configured to perform at least one of;

receiving a first radio signal and transmitting a second radio signal; and

dynamically selecting at least one of a wireless communication network, a wireless communication protocol, and a parameter of a wireless communication protocol responsive to detecting a predefined user action.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising executing at least one of a base-band encoder software program or a base-band decoder software program.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the base-band encoder software program is executed by at least one of a general purpose microprocessor or a specialized microprocessor.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the base-band decoder software program is executed by at least one of a general purpose microprocessor or a specialized microprocessor.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the base-band encoder software program is executed by at least one of a central processing unit (CPU) or a specialized microprocessor.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the base-band decoder software program is executed by at least one of a central processing unit (CPU) or a specialized microprocessor.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the terminal comprises one of a bar code reading device, an RFID reading device, and a card reading device.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising detecting the predefined user action, wherein the predefined user action comprises at least one of scanning a pre-defined bar code, scanning an RFID tag, and scanning a card.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the terminal is configured to perform at least one of outputting raw message data containing an encoded message and outputting decoded message data corresponding to an encoded message.

10. A method comprising:

providing a terminal and a wireless communication interface configured to support at least two wireless communication protocols;

detecting a user action; and

dynamically selecting at least one of a wireless communication network, a wireless communication protocol, and a parameter of a wireless communication protocol responsive to the user action.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the terminal is configured to perform at least one of outputting raw message data containing an encoded message and outputting decoded message data corresponding to an encoded message.

12. A method comprising:

electrically coupling an RF front end of a wireless communication interface of a terminal to at least one of an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), the RF front end configured to perform at least one of;

receiving a first radio signal and transmitting a second radio signal; and

executing at least one of a base-band encoder software program or a base-band decoder software program,

wherein the base-band encoder software program is configured to produce a first encoded bit stream by performing at least one of the following functions;

source encoding of a first bit stream, encryption, channel encoding, multiplexing, modulation, frequency spreading, and media access control.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the DAC is configured to output an analog signal corresponding to the first encoded bit stream.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the ADC is configured to output a second encoded bit stream corresponding to an analog signal produced by the wireless communication interface.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the base-band decoder software program is configured to produce a second bit stream corresponding to the second encoded bit stream by performing at least one of the following functions:

media access control, frequency de-spreading, de-modulation, de-multiplexing, channel decoding, decryption, or source decoding.

16. A system comprising:

a microprocessor electrically coupled to a system bus;

a wireless communication interface configured to support at least two wireless communication protocols;

wherein said system is configured to execute a wireless communication protocol selector software program, said wireless communication protocol selector software program configured optimize a value of a user-defined criterion in order to dynamically select at least one of a wireless communication network, a wireless communication protocol, and a parameter of a wireless communication protocol.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said wireless communication interface is implemented using one of (1) a single multi-protocol chipset or (2) two or more chipsets.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein said value of said user-defined criterion is calculated based on at least one of network status, communication quality, signal strength, service cost, bandwidth, a user preference, and communication channel throughput.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein said value of said user-defined criterion is calculated as a weighted sum of components, at least one of said components represented by either:

(A) at least one of network status, communication quality, signal strength, service cost, bandwidth, a user preference, and communication channel throughput;

or

(B) a difference between an actual value and a desired value of at least one of network status, communication quality, signal strength, service cost, bandwidth, and communication channel throughput.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein said value of said user-defined criterion is calculated as a square root of a weighted sum of squares of components, at least one of said components represented by at least one of network status, communication quality, signal strength, service cost, bandwidth, a user preference, and communication channel throughput.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein said value of said user-defined criterion is calculated as a square root of a weighted sum of squares of components, at least one of said components represented by a difference between an actual value and a desired value of at least one of network status, communication quality, signal strength, service cost, bandwidth, a user preference, and communication channel throughput.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein said system is configured to search beacon signals over a pre-defined frequency range, and then select at least one of a wireless communication network and frequency channel which optimizes said user-defined criterion.

23. The system of claim 16, wherein said system is configured to evaluate said user-defined criterion before attempting to initiate a communication session.

24. The system of claim 16, wherein said system is configured to switch at least one of said wireless communication network and said wireless communication protocol responsive to evaluating said user-defined criterion.

25. The system of claim 16, wherein said system is configured to evaluate said user-defined criterion responsive to a pre-defined event.

26. The system of claim 16 further configured to periodically evaluate said user-defined criterion.

27. The system of claim 16 further configured to dynamically select at least one of a wireless communication network, a wireless communication protocol, and a parameter of a wireless communication protocol responsive to a user action.

28. The system of claim 16 further configured to dynamically select at least one of a wireless communication network, a wireless communication protocol, and a parameter of a wireless communication protocol responsive to scanning a pre-defined bar code.