Barcode-reading system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10073999-B2
Application number	US-201514923120-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 26, 2015
Priority date	Oct 9, 2014
Publication date	Sep 11, 2018
Grant date	Sep 11, 2018

Abstract

This patent specification describes operations of a mobile device with barcode-reading capabilities and an application and license server. A mobile device may include a barcode-reading application downloaded from an application server. The barcode-reading application may operate in a base mode or an enhanced mode. In the base mode, the barcode-reading application may establish a network connection to a licensing server to obtain a license code, and determine at least one operating permission authorized by the license code. In the enhanced mode, the barcode-reading application may implement at least one enhanced barcode-reading function which corresponds to the at least one operating permission authorized by the license code. For example, the enhanced barcode-reading function may be a function of decoding a barcode symbology that the decoder is restricted from decoding in the base mode of operation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A barcode-reading system for a mobile device, comprising:
a barcode-reading enhancement accessory securable to the mobile device, the barcode-reading enhancement accessory comprising at least one optic system that is positioned either within a field of illumination of a light source of the mobile device for modifying the field of illumination projected by the light source or within a field of view of a camera of the mobile device for modifying illumination reflected from objects within the field of view of the camera; and
a barcode-reading application stored in a memory of the mobile device and executable by a processor of the mobile device,
wherein the barcode-reading application is configured to operate in a base mode or an enhanced mode,
wherein in the base mode of operation, the barcode-reading application is configured to:
control a network interface of the mobile device to establish a network connection to a licensing server and obtain a license code from the licensing server;
subject the license code to a predetermined algorithm and determine at least one operating permission authorized by the license code; and
enable an enhanced mode of operation,
wherein in the enhanced mode of operation, the barcode-reading application is configured to implement at least one enhanced barcode-reading function which corresponds to the at least one operating permission authorized by the license code.

2. The barcode-reading system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one enhanced barcode-reading function comprises a function of decoding a barcode symbology that the decoder is restricted from decoding in the base mode of operation.

3. The barcode-reading system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one enhanced barcode-reading function comprises a function of decoding multiple barcodes in sequence at a rate that is faster than a rate at which the barcode-reading application can decode multiple barcodes in sequence in the base mode of operation.

4. The barcode-reading system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one enhanced barcode-reading function comprises a function of decoding a quantity of barcodes of a particular symbology that exceeds a restricted quantity of barcodes of the particular symbology that the barcode-reading application can decode in the base mode of operation.

5. The barcode-reading system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one enhanced barcode-reading function comprises removing a demonstration restriction function under which the barcode-reading application functions in the base mode of operation,
wherein the demonstration restriction function is at least one of: i) a function that scrambles decoded data from a barcode of at least one symbology; ii) a function that restricts the decoded data or scrambled decoded data from a barcode of at least one symbology from being made available for further processing; or iii) a function that restricts the decoded data or the scrambled decoded data from a barcode of at least one symbology from being displayed on a display screen of the mobile device.

6. The barcode-reading system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one enhanced barcode-reading function comprises enabling at least one enhanced image processing function that improves an ability to decode an image of a barcode and is not operable when the decoder operates in the base mode of operation.

7. The barcode-reading system of claim 1 , wherein the base mode of operation comprises a base decoding mode of operation and a demonstration mode of operation,
wherein the barcode-reading application, in the base decoding mode of operation, is configured to:
drive a camera assembly to capture an image of a barcode;
apply base decoder functions to the image to identify a barcode symbology;
if the barcode symbology is a base symbology, decode the barcode and make decoded data available for further processing; and
if the barcode symbology is not the base symbology, enter the demonstration mode of operation, and

wherein the barcode-reading application, in the demonstration mode of operation, is configured to:
apply at least one enhanced barcode-reading function to decode the barcode; and
perform at least one of:
outputting an indication of successful decoding of the barcode; or
implementing a restriction function, the restriction function being at least one of: i) a function that scrambles decoded data; ii) a function that restricts the decoded data or scrambled decoded data from being made available for further processing by at least one application executing on the mobile device; or iii) a function that restricts the decoded data or the scrambled decoded data from being displayed on a display screen of the mobile device.

8. The barcode-reading system of claim 7 , wherein the barcode-reading application is further configured to perform an upgrade function in the demonstration mode of operation, wherein the upgrade function enables a user selection to obtain the license code, obtains the license code based on the user selection, establishes a network connection to the licensing server, and obtains the license code from the licensing server.

9. The barcode-reading system of claim 8 , wherein in order to obtain the license code from the licensing server, the barcode-reading application is further configured to communicate to the licensing server one of: i) a unique identification code of the mobile device; or ii) a user identification code identifying a controller of the mobile device.

10. A barcode-reading system for a mobile device, comprising:
a barcode-reading enhancement accessory securable to the mobile device, the barcode-reading enhancement accessory comprising at least one optic system that is positioned either within a field of illumination of a white light source of the mobile device for modifying the field of illumination projected by the white light source or within a field of view of a camera of the mobile device for modifying illumination reflected from objects within the field of view of the camera; and
a barcode-reading application stored in a memory of the mobile device and executable by a processor of the mobile device, the barcode-reading application including:
an image capture function for controlling the white light source and the camera to capture an image of a barcode, the image of the barcode being affected by the at least one optic system;
a base decoder function for decoding a barcode in a base mode of operation if an enhanced decoder mode has not been authorized; and
an enhanced decoder function for decoding a barcode in an enhanced mode of operation if the enhanced decoder mode has been authorized.

11. The barcode-reading system of claim 10 , wherein the enhanced decoder function comprises a function of decoding a barcode that the barcode-reading application is restricted from decoding in the base mode of operation.

12. The barcode-reading system of claim 10 , wherein the enhanced decoder function comprises a function of decoding multiple barcodes in sequence at a rate that is faster than a restricted rate at which the barcode-reading application can decode a sequence of multiple barcodes when in the base mode of operation.

13. The barcode-reading system of claim 10 , wherein the enhanced decoder function comprises a function of decoding a quantity of barcodes of a particular symbology that exceeds a restricted quantity of barcodes of the particular symbology which the barcode-reading application can decode when in the base mode of operation.

14. The barcode-reading system of claim 10 , wherein the enhanced decoder function comprises removing a demonstration restriction function under wh

Assignees

• Code Corp

Inventors

• Deal John
• Powell George
• Russell Garrett

Classifications

• H02J7/751

  concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries · CPC title

• G06K7/0004

  Hybrid readers · CPC title

• G06K7/089

  hand-held scanners · CPC title

• G06K7/10732

  Light sources · CPC title

• G06K7/10881

  constructional details of hand-held scanners · CPC title