Communication protocol for use with a data acquisition and retrieval system with handheld user interface

• US 6,389,477 B1
• Filed: 02/01/1999
• Issued: 05/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Donahue, Brett, Simmon, Arnulf
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrell, Robert B.
• Application Number:
  US09/241,214
• Time in Patent Office: 1,198 Days
• Field of Search: 709/230, 709/231, 709/232, 709/234, 709/236, 709/238
• US Class Current: 709/234
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/387 for adaptation of different data processing systems to different peripheral devices, e.g. protocol converters for incompatible systems, open system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/3814 Wireless link with a computer system port
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/20 for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records

Abstract

A data retrieval and acquisition system having a wireless handheld interface for data entry by the user. The system includes a communiation server for communicating, such as throuhg IR signals, with the handheld interfaces. The communications server communicates with multiple command servers and with a master server and/or other communication servers through a communications bus. The handheld interface includes touch screen which is operated through an event driven architecture. The user is allowed to enter data through virtual rolling keys, a scroll bar, virtual key pad, bar code reader, and the like. The system minimized the transmission time by minimizing the necessary information transmitted and by synchronizing the operation of the handheld interfaces with the corresponding communications server. The communications server transmits information to the handheld through a first unique protocal and to the command server through a second unique protocal. Data transmission is further reduces by using shorthand command codes for constants, such as for commands, user names, and the like.

Claims

1. A communication protocol comprising:

multiple communications messages transmitted between a first computer and a second computer, each message comprising a plurality of information packets, each of which being equal in length, wherein a first information packet in each message is constructed with a first format including a long header and a data segment and wherein all information packets subsequent to said first information packet in each message are constructed with a second format including a short header and a data segment, the data segments from said plurality of information packets within each message forming a single data set related to a single matter.

2. The communications protocol of claim 1, further comprising:

means for reading a current data set from work space memory in the handheld user interface;

means for determining a length of a message corresponding to said current data set and for determining an user ID of the user logged into said handheld user interface;

means for constructing said first information packet within a transmit buffer of the handheld user interface; and

said first information packet including said long head and a data segment derived from at least a portion of a said current data set.

3. The communications protocol of claim 2, further comprising:

means, within the handheld user interface for transmitting a current information packet within the transmit buffer and clearing said buffer; and

means for constructing at least one information packet subsequent to said first information packet including said short header, along with a next data segment derived from said current data set, when said current data set is longer than said data segment of said first information packet.

4. The communications protocol of claim 1, wherein the long header includes a command field identifying a process to be performed upon the corresponding data segment, a user ID for identifying the user logged into the first computer and a message total field identifying a total length of the single data set corresponding to a current message within the present information packet and all subsequent information packets associated with said current message.

5. The communications protocol of claim 1, wherein the short header includes a command field for identifying a process to be performed upon the corresponding data segment, and a positioning packet identifying a position of a corresponding information packet within a current message.

6. The communications protocol of claim 1, wherein the data segments within information packets having the second format are longer than the data segments within packets having the first format.

7. The communications protocol of claim 1, further comprising:

a receiver/transmitter, within a communications/command server, for receiving and transmitting said information packets from and to at least one handheld user interface;

a temporary buffer for storing each information packet from each communication channel, each communication channel corresponding to a unique handheld user interface; and

an input buffer for storing received information packets while a CPU converts said received information packets from said first and second formats to a message list format.

8. The communications protocol of claim 7, wherein said message list format includes command information section containing information related to messages received from said at least one handheld user interface, said command information including a device number uniquely identifying the handheld user interface transmitting a given message, a command to be processed in accordance with the given message, a packet number identifying a position of the current information packet within the given message, a destination user ID identifying a user to which said given message is addressed, a message total length identifying a total length of said single data set, for the given message, a message length identifying a portion of said given message currently received, and a message pointer into a message buffer to a location of said given message.