Barcode-reading system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016104016-A1
Application number	US-201514923027-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 26, 2015
Priority date	Oct 9, 2014
Publication date	Apr 14, 2016
Grant date	—

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 application for a mobile device embodied on a computer-readable medium, wherein the mobile device comprises a camera assembly, a network interface, a memory, and a processor for executing the barcode-reading application including a decoder, the barcode-reading application comprising:
instructions executable by the processor for controlling the camera assembly to capture an image of a barcode, decoding the image of the barcode to generate decoded data, and processing the decoded data, wherein the barcode-reading application operates in a base mode or an enhanced mode, wherein in the base mode of operation, the instructions are configured to:
control the network interface 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 instructions are 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 application 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 application 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 application 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 application 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 application 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 application of claim 1 , wherein the base mode of operation comprises a base decoding mode of operation and a demonstration mode of operation,
wherein the instructions, in the base decoding mode of operation, are configured to:
drive the 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 instructions, in the demonstration mode of operation, are 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 application of claim 7 , wherein the instructions are 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 application of claim 8 , wherein in order to obtain the license code from the licensing server, the instructions are 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 application for a mobile device, wherein the barcode-reading application includes a decoder, and the mobile device comprises a camera, a memory, and a processor for executing an operating system and the barcode-reading application stored in the memory, the barcode-reading application comprising:
instructions to drive the camera to capture an image of a barcode symbology; instructions to apply base decoder functions of the decoder to decode the barcode symbology if an enhanced decoder mode has not been authorized for the mobile device; and instructions to apply at least one enhanced decoder function of the decoder to decode the barcode symbology if the enhanced decoder mode has been enabled.

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

12 . The barcode-reading application of claim 10 , wherein the at least one 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 decoder can decode a sequence of multiple barcodes when in the base mode of operation.

13 . The barcode-reading application of claim 10 , wherein the at least one 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 decoder can decode when in the base mode of operation.

14 . The barcode-reading application of claim 10 , wherein the at least one enhanced decoder function comprises removing a demonstration restriction function under which the decoder functions when in the base mode of operation thereby making decoded data from a barcode of a particular symbology available for further processing by an application executing on the mobile device, and
wherein the demonstration restriction function is at least one of: i) a function which scrambles decoded data from a barcode of at least one particular symbology; ii) a function which restricts the decoded data or scrambled decoded data from a barcode of at least one particular symbology from being made available for further processing by at least one application executing on the mobile device; or i

Assignees

• Code Corp

Inventors

• Deal John
• Powell George
• Russell Garrett

Classifications

• H02J7/751

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

• G06K7/10881

  constructional details of hand-held scanners · CPC title

• G06K7/10732

  Light sources · CPC title

• G06K7/089

  hand-held scanners · CPC title

• G06K7/0004

  Hybrid readers · CPC title