Method and system for collecting and processing bar code data

• US 5,748,899 A
• Filed: 02/24/1997
• Issued: 05/05/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lowry Holding Company, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lowry Computer Products, Inc.
• Inventors: Aldrich, Rodney D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Treat, William M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Coulter, Kenneth R.
• Application Number:
  US08/805,061
• Time in Patent Office: 435 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.5, 395/200.51, 395/200.52, 395/500
• US Class Current: 709/222
• 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

Abstract

Method and system for the on-line, real-time collection and processing of bar code data utilizing a bar code data collection network, at least one work station and a host computer having a database, such as a relational database, is provided. Bar code data collection programs can be interactively developed and/or modified from the workstation which is programmed with menu-driven software. Bar code transactions are interactively defined and validated from the workstation.

Claims

1. A method for setting up a bar code network from a central location according to the requirements of a user for use with a host computer operable through a host computer terminal having at least one host screen with host data fields at predetermined row and column locations having at least one database, the bar code network including a plurality of data collection terminals, a plurality of workstations and a controller for transmitting and receiving bar code data made up of bar code transactions containing a plurality of bar code data fields to and from the terminals over a communications line, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting at least one database;

configuring the terminals;

testing the terminals;

each of the steps of selecting, configuring and testing is performed from the central location;

selecting any one of said workstations as the central location;

wherein said configuring step includes emulating said host computer terminal by associating individual bar code data fields contained in said bar code transactions with the row and column locations of host data fields on said host screen to thereby configure said bar code network to supply bar code transactions to said host computer as if entered through said host computer terminal;

wherein said testing step includes the steps of choosing a number of terminals in the network to be tested, selecting a duration of a test to be conducted and reporting test results based upon the test; and

wherein said database selecting step includes the steps of identifying a storage location for the collected bar code data, and identifying a storage location for validation data and processing programs.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising the step of assigning a bar code printer to any of the terminals from the central location.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising the steps of configuring the communications line to each of the terminals and workstations from the central location, and of providing default communications line parameters to a user at the central location.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bar code network collects bar code transactions and wherein the method further comprises the step of configuring the terminals and the controller from the central location to generate, maintain and automatically update a backup copy of the bar code transactions as said bar code transaction data is collected.

5. A system for setting up a bar code network from a central location according to the requirements of a user in combination with a host computer operable through a host computer terminal having at least one host screen with host data fields at predetermined row and column locations having at least one database, the bar code network including a plurality of data collection terminals, a plurality of workstations and a controller for transmitting and receiving bar code data made up of bar code transactions containing a plurality of bar code data fields to and from the terminals over a communications line, the system comprising:

means for selecting at least one database;

means for configuring the terminals;

means for testing the terminals;

each of the means for selecting, configuring and testing are controlled from the central location;

wherein any of said workstations is usable as the central location;

means for designating any one of said workstations as the central location;

wherein said configuring step includes emulating said host computer terminal by associating individual bar code data fields contained in said bar code transactions with the row and column locations of host data fields on said host screen to thereby configure said bar code network to supply bar code transactions to said host computer as if entered through said host computer terminal;

wherein said means of selecting a database determines a storage location for incoming transactions, selects a processing unit for processing bar code data and communicates said terminals with validation data and processing programs;

wherein said testing means comprises means for selecting the terminals to be tested, means for selecting a duration test to be conducted and means for reporting test results; and

wherein said testing means tests the communication lines of the terminals selected for testing.

6. The system as claimed in claim 5 further comprising a bar code printer and means for assigning the bar code printer to any of the terminals, from the central location;

and means for presenting screen forms to a user at the central location to assist the user in using said data base selecting means, said terminal configuration means, and said testing means.

7. The system as claimed in claim 5 further comprising means for configuring the communications line for each of the terminals and workstations from the central location, and for providing to a user at the central location default communications values for each communications line.

8. The system as claimed in claim 5 wherein the bar code network collects bar code transactions and wherein the system further comprises means for generating, maintaining and updating a backup copy of the bar code transactions as said bar code transaction data is collected.