System and method for reliable store-and-forward data handling by encoded information reading terminals
First Claim
1. An encoded information reading terminal operating in a data collection system including an external data collection server and a plurality of peer terminals, the encoded information reading terminal comprising:
- an encoded information reading device outputting decoded message data corresponding to an encoded message, the encoded information reading device selected from the group consisting of a bar code reading device, an RFID reading device, and IC card reading device;
a hand held housing incorporating said encoded information reading device;
at least one wireless communication interface;
a memory device;
a battery;
wherein said encoded information reading terminal is configured, upon power up, to initialize in said memory a data structure for storing an outbound data queue for queuing data packets intended for the delivery to said data collection server;
wherein said encoded information reading terminal is further configured, in response to a user interface action, to perform a data capture operation yielding captured data, followed by formatting said captured data into one or more data packets, each of said data packets comprising a header and a payload, and further followed by appending said one or more data packets to said outbound data queue;
wherein said encoded information reading terminal is further configured, in response to receiving a wireless message from one or more of said peer terminals, said message containing one or more data packets of said captured data, to append said one or more data packets to said outbound data queue; and
wherein said encoded information reading terminal is further configured to periodically ascertain the presence of data packets in said outbound data queue and upon detecting the presence of one or more data packets in said outbound data queue to perform a method of forwarding the data packets from said outbound data queue to at least one of said data collection server, one or more said peer encoded information reading terminals.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A data collection system for, and methods of, providing reliable store-and-forward data handling by encoded information reading terminals can utilize ad-hoc peer-to-peer (i.e., terminal-to-terminal) connections in order to store data that is normally stored on a single terminal only, in a redundant manner on two or more terminals. Each portable encoded information reading terminal can be configured so that when it captures data, a software application causes the terminal to search out nearby peer terminals that can store and/or forward the data to other peer terminals or to a data collection server, resulting in the data having been stored by one or more peer terminals that are immediately or not immediately accessible by the data-originating terminal.
30 Citations
35 Claims
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1. An encoded information reading terminal operating in a data collection system including an external data collection server and a plurality of peer terminals, the encoded information reading terminal comprising:
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an encoded information reading device outputting decoded message data corresponding to an encoded message, the encoded information reading device selected from the group consisting of a bar code reading device, an RFID reading device, and IC card reading device; a hand held housing incorporating said encoded information reading device; at least one wireless communication interface; a memory device; a battery; wherein said encoded information reading terminal is configured, upon power up, to initialize in said memory a data structure for storing an outbound data queue for queuing data packets intended for the delivery to said data collection server; wherein said encoded information reading terminal is further configured, in response to a user interface action, to perform a data capture operation yielding captured data, followed by formatting said captured data into one or more data packets, each of said data packets comprising a header and a payload, and further followed by appending said one or more data packets to said outbound data queue; wherein said encoded information reading terminal is further configured, in response to receiving a wireless message from one or more of said peer terminals, said message containing one or more data packets of said captured data, to append said one or more data packets to said outbound data queue; and wherein said encoded information reading terminal is further configured to periodically ascertain the presence of data packets in said outbound data queue and upon detecting the presence of one or more data packets in said outbound data queue to perform a method of forwarding the data packets from said outbound data queue to at least one of said data collection server, one or more said peer encoded information reading terminals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A data collection system comprising:
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a plurality of encoded information reading terminals, each having at least an encoded information reading device outputting decoded message data corresponding to an encoded message, the encoded information reading device selected from the group consisting of a bar code reading device, an RFID reading device, and IC card reading device, a hand held housing incorporating said encoded information reading device, at least one wireless communication interface, a memory device, and a battery; and a data collection server external to said encoded information reading terminal having at least one network interface capable of establishing communications with said plurality of bar code reading terminals, and being in communication with at least a database storing the decoded messages data collected by said terminals; wherein said data collection system is configured to support ad-hoc network connectivity between said encoded information reading terminals in order to increase the reliability of the delivery of said encoded message data to said data collection server; wherein each terminal of said plurality of encoded information reading terminals is configured, upon power up, to initialize in said memory a data structure for storing an outbound data queue for queuing data packets intended for delivery to said data collection server; wherein each terminal of said plurality of encoded information reading terminals is further configured, in response to a user interface action, to perform a data capture and decoding operation yielding captured data, followed by formatting said captured data into one or more data packets, each of said data packets comprising a header and a payload, and further followed by appending said one or more data packets to said outbound data queue; wherein each terminal of said plurality of encoded information reading terminals is further configured, in response to receiving a wireless message from one or more of said plurality of encoded information reading terminals, said message containing one or more data packets of said captured data, to append said one or more data packets to said outbound data queue; and wherein each terminal of said plurality of encoded information reading terminals is further configured to periodically ascertain the presence of data packets in said outbound data queue and upon detecting the presence of one or more data packets in said outbound data queue to perform a method of forwarding the data packets from said outbound data queue to at least one of said data collection server, one or more said peer encoded information reading terminals. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of reliable store-and-forward data handling by an encoded information reading terminal operating in a system including an external data collection server and a plurality of peer terminals, comprising the steps of:
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upon power up, initializing in said memory a data structure for storing an outbound data queue for queuing data packets intended for the delivery to said data collection server; in response to a user interface action, performing a data capture operation yielding captured data, followed by formatting said captured data into one or more data packets, each of said data packets comprising a header and a payload, and further followed by appending said one or more data packets to said outbound data queue; in response to receiving a wireless message from one or more of said peer terminals, said message containing one or more data packets of said captured data, appending said one or more data packets to said outbound data queue; and periodically ascertaining the presence of data packets in said outbound data queue and upon detecting the presence of one or more data packets in said outbound data queue, forwarding the data packets from said outbound data queue to at least one of said data collection server, one or more said peer encoded information reading terminals. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. An encoded information reading terminal operating in a data collection system including an external data collection server and a plurality of peer terminals, the encoded information reading terminal comprising:
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an encoded information reading device outputting decoded message data corresponding to an encoded message, the encoded information reading device selected from the group consisting of a bar code reading device, an RFID reading device, and IC card reading device; a hand held housing incorporating said encoded information reading device; at least one wireless communication interface; a memory device; a battery; wherein said encoded information reading terminal further has a user interface enabling the operator of said terminal to select a level of data redundancy in storing and forwarding data within said data collection system. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
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Specification