System, method, and apparatus for communicating information between a mobile communications device and a bar code scanner

System, method and apparatus for communicating information between a mobile communications device and a barcode scanner.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention generally relates to communication information encoded in a barcode format, and more specifically to systems, methods and apparatus for communicating that information encoded in a barcode format from a mobile communication device to a scanner or barcode scanner.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED TECHNIQUE

It is very common to use scanners or barcode scanners in a large number of aspects of daily life. Bar code scanners or scanners are found in many different types of facilities, including supermarkets, airport security, check-in and boarding areas, stadiums, libraries, test centers, conference centers, and in many other places. The use of barcode scanners or scanners has dramatically increased the speed at which many normal transactions can be made.

While they are typically printed on paper labels and heels, bar codes can also be presented on electronic visual displays such as mobile communication devices. For example, in International Publication No. WO 00/03325 dated January 20, 2000, Motorola Inc, of Schaumburg, Illinois, describes the information on the visual presentation of bar-coded information about a selective call receiver ("SCR"). ). Demographic information related to the SCR user is stored in the SCR. Demographic information is visually displayed in the SCR as a barcode, so that it can be read by a barcode scanner or scanner, such as in a warehouse or at a point of sale. A stored checkbook can also be presented visually in barcode format, so that it can be read and refunded at the point of sale. A stored affinity card code and a unique identifier can also be presented visually in a barcode, so that they can be read to identify a selected affinity group and the customer at the point of sale. As an example, Aeritas Inc. from Dallas, Texas, has proposed voice recognition technology to allow a cell phone user to identify himself or herself while wirelessly obtaining an electronically encoded boarding pass from an airline computer in the Airport using only a cell phone. As proposed, the electronic boarding pass can be presented visually as a barcode at the time of boarding on the cell phone screen, so that the agent at the door can explore the boarding pass in a conventional way .

While presenting information such as checkbook and user affinity information in a barcode form on a cell phone screen can be quite useful, the technique has several disadvantages. Some barcode scanners or scanners, for example, cannot reliably read bar codes presented visually in certain types of cell phone visual displays because the contrast ratio between the bars and spaces shown in the screen, which is usually a visual presentation in liquid crystal (“LCD”). In addition, the physical dimensions and / or resolution of the screen may also limit the size of the barcode that can be presented visually at any given time.

A subsequent document, DE 100 05 485 A1, which is considered the closest prior art document to the invention, discloses a mobile phone comprising a keyboard, a visual presentation, and a processing device. The processor is designed in such a way that for the transmission of data to another device a code is generated that can be read by a machine, which is visually represented. The code comprises a barcode and an alphanumeric code. Said document also states that the mobile phone processor activates the display illumination so that a sequence of on / off states in order and variable durations occurs. This sequence represents an additional code.

In addition, the prior art document US 5,760,383 discloses a system that is used to test a barcode reader. A bar code simulator device is provided comprising light emitting elements. The simulator stores sequences of light pulses that control the flashes of the light emitting elements. These flashes represent a barcode that should be read by a tested barcode reader.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention includes a method according to claim 1 and an apparatus according to claim 22.

An embodiment of the present invention includes a method for actively providing the transmission information data to a barcode scanner or scanner comprising: encoding in the mobile communications device the transmission information data in a barcode format ; generate in the mobile communications device a signal of the barcode format to simulate a reflection of a scanning beam that is moved along a static visual image of the barcode format; and transmit the signal as pulses of light from the mobile communications device.

Other advantageous embodiments of the method according to the invention are set forth in the appended claims.

Another embodiment of the present invention includes a mobile communications device to actively provide information to a barcode scanner or scanner, the device comprising: generating means to generate a signal from the barcode format to simulate a reflection of a explorer beam that is moved along a static visual image of the barcode format; and transmission means for transmitting the signal as light, in which the mobile communications device further comprises means for encoding information data in a barcode format.

Other advantageous embodiments of the mobile communication device according to the invention are set forth in the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1A is a representation of a barcode. Figure 1B is a graphic representation of a signal representing the barcode of Figure 1A to actively provide transmission information data to a barcode scanner or scanner. Figure 2 is a flow chart of a method for actively providing transmission information data to a barcode scanner or scanner. Figure 3 is a schematic representation of an application of a system for providing transmission information data to a barcode scanner or scanner from a mobile communication device. Figure 4 is a pictorial representation of an electronic device in which an LED is used to actively provide a signal representing transmission information data to a barcode scanner or scanner. Figure 5 is a perspective view of an alternative electronic device in which an LED is used to actively provide a signal representing transmission information data to a barcode scanner or scanner. Figure 6 is a perspective view of an electronic device in which an IR port is used to actively provide a signal representing transmission information data to a barcode scanner or scanner. Figure 7 is a flow chart of a synchronization method of an active presentation of transmission information data to a scan scan of a barcode scanner or scanner. Figure 8 is a pictorial representation of an electronic device in which a visual display screen is used to actively provide a signal representing transmission information data to a barcode scanner or scanner. Figure 9 is a perspective view of an alternative electronic device in which a visual display screen is used to actively provide a signal representing transmission information data to a barcode scanner or scanner. Figure 10 is a pictorial representation of an electronic device in which a bar code is statically presented in a visual presentation of the electronic device for presentation to a bar code.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Figure 1A shows a barcode using a series of vertical lines, ie bars 14, and spaces 16 to represent a barcode. Different combinations of bars and spaces can be used to represent the different characters.

Conventional barcode scanners or scanners include sequential scanners or barcode scanners and scanners or barcode scanners of docked loading device ("CCD"). For example, a scanner or sequential barcode scanner uses a scanning beam, typically a narrow band light in the visible spectrum such as a red laser, but potentially any light bandwidth in the visible or infrared spectra, to pass over a sequence of bars and spaces such as bar 14 and space 16 sequentially, for example from left to right and / or from right to left. Another type of sequential scanner or scanner is a scanner or stylus scanner, which is scanned through the barcode by a user to create the scanner beam. When the light scanning beam scans through the barcode 10 the beam is at least partially reflected back towards the scanner

or scanner through spaces 16, and is at least partially absorbed by dark bars 14. A receiver, such as a photoelectric cell detector, in the scanner or barcode scanner receives the reflected beam and converts the beam into a signal electric When the beam scans through the barcode, the scanner or scanner typically creates a low electrical signal for spaces 16, i.e. the reflected beam, and a high electrical signal for bars 14, that is, where the beam is absorbed. However, the scanner or scanner can create a high electrical signal for bars 14 and a high electrical signal for spaces 16. The width of the elements determines the duration of the electrical signal. This signal is decoded by the scanner or scanner or by an external processor in the characters represented by the barcode.

However, in a CCD scanner or scanner said scanner or scanner takes a digital image of the barcode and decodes the barcode using a software that is well known in the art to convert the elements into the identification code.

In a sequential barcode scanner or scanner or in a CCD scanner or scanner the contrast between bar elements and spaces is used to distinguish the elements and decode the bar code. A bar code displayed visually on an LCD screen such as a PDA or cell phone, for example, has a lower contrast between the gray "off" state that designates a bar code space and the black "on" state than designates a bar that is available for a barcode printed on a black and white label. This minor contrast between the bar code elements may result in a lower reliability of the decoding process.

Figure 2 shows a method of generating a signal for use with a scanner or sequential barcode scanner that simulates a bar code with light pulses. The method of Figure 2 is especially useful for sequential scanners or barcode scanners that use the reflection of a scanning beam that is moved over a barcode. In block 20, the transmission information data is acquired or generated. Such transmission information data may be any type of data that one may wish to communicate while in an installation equipped with a barcode scanner or scanner, which includes information conventionally communicated using bar codes, as well as other types of information that is not available. It communicates conventionally using barcodes due to, for example, the physical limitations imposed by the barcode format. For example, transmission information data may include numerical, alphabetic, or alphanumeric data, an index, or other data values. The transmission information data may represent, for example, information on boarding passes, electronic ticket information, ticket information, credit card information, debit card information, information on automated bank teller machine cards, information identification, accounting information, electronic payment information, wire transfer information, purchasing information, security information, affinity information, and so on.

Transmission information data may be stored locally in the mobile communications device such as in a random access memory ("RAM") or read-only memory ("ROM"), or may be acquired from a remote source. The mobile communications device may include, for example, a static or dynamic RAM ("SRAM" or "DRAM" respectively), a flash memory FLASH, or any other memory known in the art. Transmission information data can be programmed into the device, entered into the device by the user, or received by the device from a remote source by any known communication technology such as a wireless transmission, a universal serial bus transmission ( "USB"), a parallel transmission, and a serial transmission. The remote source may be a personal computer, a wireless operator, a networked server with the wireless operator, an equal networked network with the wireless operator, a wireless data port, and so on.

In block 22 the information representative of the transmission information data that will identify the transmission information data to a user of the mobile communication device is presented in an output device installation. The output installation may include, for example, a visual presentation such as an LCD screen of a PDA or cordless telephone, a loudspeaker, or any other output device for communication with a user. Representative information may include the transmission information data itself, or it may be other information that the user will associate with the transmission information data. In order to identify the transmission information data element, the representative information that will identify that transmission information data can be presented, for example, in a text, numerical, and / or graphic form and displayed visually on a screen. of a properly equipped mobile communications device, or as an audio message that is reproduced by a speaker of a properly equipped mobile communications device. In Figures 4, 5 and 6, for example, information on boarding passes is displayed on a screen of a mobile communication device that identifies the airline, flight and seat numbers, date and time of departure of the flight, and the door number. In this way, the user of the mobile communication device can identify the transmission information data to be presented to the barcode scanner or scanner. If several transmission information data elements are stored locally on the device and / or remotely retrieved, for example, the user can perform a scan through them and select the appropriate transmission information data to be presented to the scanner or scanner. of barcodes.

In block 24 a barcode is identified. The type of barcode can be any type of barcode known in the art, such as, but not limited to, a UPC, EAN, interpolated 2 of 5, Code 93, Code 128, and Code 39, or types of specially designed barcodes.

In block 25, the transmission information data is encoded in a barcode format of the type of barcode identified. The barcode format can be represented, for example, by a binary matrix. In typical barcode of one dimension, for example, the smallest width of a bar element or space of a bar code can be designated as a single element of an array. If the barcode has a width of 256 dots or pixels, and the smallest element of the barcode has a width of 4 dots or pixels, for example, a binary matrix that has sixty-four array elements (for example ,, a1, a2, ..., a64) can be used to represent the barcode format. Each element of the matrix is ​​assigned a value that depends on whether that part of the barcode is part of a bar or a space. For example, a bar can be designated as having a value equal to one (for example, a1 = 1), and a space can be designated as having a value equal to zero (for example, a32 = 0). The matrix can also alternatively be a two-dimensional matrix, such as a bitmap, which can be easily visualized on a screen. In yet another example, the transmission information data may be encoded in a digital series corresponding to a representation of a barcode of the type of barcode selected in block 24. Alternatively, the transmission information data may be encoded in any number of other formats that may correspond to the type of barcode selected identified in block 24. The barcode format can also be compressed or encrypted, such as when the barcode format is to be transmitted from a remote source to the mobile communications device.

Optionally, the transmission information data may also be presented in a visual format as well as being encoded in a barcode format such as that shown in block 26. In this way, the mobile communications device can actively provide transmission information data to some barcode scanners or scanners such as barcode scanners or sequential scanners, and can also statically provide transmission information data to other barcode scanners or scanners such as CCD scanners or scanners.

In block 27 a signal is generated from the bar code format to simulate the reflection of a scanning beam that is moved through a visual image of the bar code format of block 25. The simulated signal can be generated corresponding to an approximate or measured scan speed. If the simulated signal is to be generated for a majority of the types of scanners or scanners currently in common use, such as a laser scanner or scanner that uses a scan rate in the range of about 30 to about 60 scans per second, the Simulated signal can be generated using a scan rate within the range of scan speeds (for example, approximately 45 scans per second). Alternatively, the simulated signal can be created using a variable scan rate that is swept over a range of scan speeds. Alternatively, as described below with respect to an example of an infrared transmitter / receiver pair, the scanning speed of the scanning beam can be measured where a receiver is available to detect the scanning beam. In this case, once the scanning speed or speeds have been determined, the signal is generated in block 27 corresponding to this scanning speed or speeds.

In block 28 the simulated signal is transmitted as light pulses. For the purposes of the present invention the term "light" refers to the spectra of visible light and infrared light. The term "impulse" refers to a change in the level of light when the characteristics of the change are not critical. Light pulses can be generated at any desired visible or infrared wavelength by any light source known in the art, such as an LED, a laser, an infrared transmitter, a backlight of an LCD screen, or a light bulb. illumination.

Figure 1A shows a representative barcode 10 that may have been presented visually in block 26 of Figure 2. The barcode 10 includes a silent zone 12, bars 14, and spaces 16. While Figure 1A shows a silent zone 12 that is brighter, the silent zone may alternatively be darker if the scanner or scanner is adapted to recognize it. Consequently, the bars 14 and the spaces 16 can be inverted so that the bars 14 are brighter than the spaces

16.

Figure 1B shows an idealized representation of a signal generated in block 27 of Figure 2 corresponding to the reflection of a scanning beam of a bar code 10 represented in Figure 1A. When the scanning beam scans through silent zone 12 and spaces 16, the beam is reflected towards the scanner or scanner. However, when the beam explores through the bars 14, the beam is absorbed (or at least the reflected beam has a smaller amplitude than the reflected beam from the brightest silent zone 12 and the spaces 16). In this way, the amplitude of the beam received in the scanner or scanner decreases in moments t1, t3, t5, t7, and t9 corresponding to the beam reaching a leading edge of a bar 14, and increases in moments t2, t4 , t6, t8, and t10 that correspond to the beam reaching the termination edge of a bar 14.

Transmission information data encoded in a barcode format can be actively provided to a sequential barcode scanner or scanner by providing a light-based representation of a signal, as shown in Figure 1B, at a scanner or scanner instead of providing the scanner or scanner with a static image of a barcode. Since many receivers of scanners or barcode scanners will receive visual wavelength signals, mobile communications devices that have components operating at those wavelengths can be used to provide an active representation of light from the simulated reflected scan beam to a sequential scanner or barcode scanner. Information transmission data can thus be actively provided to sequential barcode scanners or scanners without the need to alter the existing barcode scanner or scanner infrastructure.

When the scanner or barcode scanner receives the beam, the scanner or scanner decodes the beam on / off sequence to determine, in a manner known in the art, the transmission information data that is being provided.

Providing sequentially such a signal to a sequential scanner or barcode scanner further facilitates the transmission of barcode information without taking into account the physical size and resolution limitations of the visual presentation of the device. For example, a bar code representation that might otherwise require a screen that is too wide to carry all the information to the scanner or scanner can be provided directly to the scanner or scanner in one step from even the narrowest of the screens.

Figure 3 shows a schematic representation of an implementation of a system 30 to provide transmission information data to a barcode scanner or scanner from a mobile communication device. The server 32 is connected to a host 36 through a network 34, such as a local area network ("LAN"), a wide area network ("WAN"), an intranet, an extranet, the Internet, or other known network. In turn, the host computer 36 is connected to the mobile communications device 38, such as through wireless technology, telephone line, exclusive service line ("DSL"), cable connection, or other remote access technology. For example, in one approach the server 32 may maintain a database of transmission information data elements that are transmitted to a mobile communication device 38 through the host computer 36. A user of the mobile communication device may remotely select one or more transmission information data elements, or the server 32 may provide a transmission information data element that has been selected for the user of the mobile communication device 38, either by server 32 or by some other system and communicated to the server, such as through network 34. The server 32 retrieves the one or more transmission information data elements from the database and provides the transmission information data to the mobile communication device through the host computer 36. In this approach the mobile communication device 38 receives the transmission information data in block 20 of Figure 2 and performs the remaining operations represented in blocks 22, 24, 25, 27, and 28.

Alternatively, some or all of the processing shown in blocks 20, 22, 24, 25, and 27 may be performed upstream of the mobile communication device 38, such as on server 32, on host computer 36, or at a location intermediate such as a component of the network 34. For example, server 32 can retrieve transmission information data from a database, either by itself or in response to a request from the user of the mobile communication device 38, to identify a type of bar code (block 24) , encode the transmission information data in a barcode format such as the matrix described above (block 25), and transmit the matrix to the mobile communications device. If the mobile communications device 38 does not yet have representative information to visually present on the screen of the device 38 (block 22) the server 32 may also provide this information to the mobile communications device 38. The information provided to the mobile communications device 38 may be encrypted and / or compressed as is known in the art.

Figures 4 and 5 show pictorial representations of a cordless telephone 40 and a PDA 50 that include an alternative signal generator that can be used within the scope of the present invention. The wireless telephone 40 and the PDA 50 include visible light sources, such as light emitting diodes ("LEDs") 42 and 45, respectively, which can be used to present barcode information to a sequential scanner or scanner of code codes. bars. Such LEDs are normally used for purposes such as energy management, which includes battery management, and user notification. The LEDs 42 and 52 of the cordless telephone and the PDA 50, respectively, can be alternated between on and off or between relatively bright and relatively dark fixing points according to the simulated signal to simulate the movement of the reflection of a scanning beam through a conventional barcode. In this way, LEDs 42 and 52 can be set at their brightest point for a period of time corresponding to the period of time during which the simulated scanning beam would pass from the termination edge to the leading edge of a bar, and its darkest fixation point in the time interval corresponding to the period of time during which the simulated scanning beam would pass from the leading edge to the termination edge of a bar. If the light source is capable of emitting different colors such as red and blue, the light source can be alternated between different colors to simulate a reflection from a visual image of the barcode format.

Figure 6 shows a perspective view of a personal data assistant ("PDA") 60 that can alternatively be used to provide transmission information data within the scope of the present invention. The PDA 60 includes an infrared transmitter / receiver ("IR") pair 62 that is normally used in mobile communication devices to exchange digital information. The PDA 60 can, for example, operate with operating systems such as the PalmTM operating system and the WindowsTM CE operating system. Alternatively, other electronic devices that include an IR transmitter / receiver pair can be used within the scope of the present invention. In one approach, the PDA 60 selects a scanning speed for the scanner or scanner beam, calculates a signal that corresponds to the reflection of a simulated scanning beam that moves through a barcode image at that speed of Scan and transmit that signal through the IR transmitter / receiver pair to the scanner or scanner.

In an alternative approach, the pair receiver can be used to detect the scanning speed of a scanner beam or sequential barcode scanner along one or more scan cycles as shown in Figure 7. The PDA 60 can then calculate the scan speed of the beam and synchronize its transmission of a simulated reflected beam to the scanner or scanner. If a beam has not been detected, a default scan speed can be used. If the IR transmitter / receiver pair 62 is not specialized in presenting bar code information for the mobile communication device, and the device cannot distinguish the scanning beam from other IR transmissions the PDA 60 is placed in a mode of barcode presentation in block 70. In this mode, when a barcode scanning beam is detected in block 71 in the receiver of the IR transmitter / receiver pair 62 of the PDA 60 an interrupt activation is generated indicating the start of the scanning of the scanner or sequential scanner. If a signal on a processor pin is normally low (logical state) when no signal has been detected, and high when a signal has been detected on the receiver, the processor monitors the receiver and determines how long the pin remains in the state logical high in the block

72. This time corresponds to a scan or scanner sweep. The processor can determine the scanning speed from the duration of a scanner or scanner scan in block 73. For example, a scanner or scanner scan of approximately 33 milliseconds corresponds to a scan rate of approximately 30 scans per second, and a scanner or scanner scan of approximately 10 milliseconds corresponds to a scan rate of approximately 100 scans per second. The processor also calculates the scanner or scanner scan time sequence corresponding to the attack and termination and silent zones 12, and the bar code data zone in block 74. This time sequence is graduated to present the beam of simulated reflected scan to the scanner or scanner in a scanner or scanner sweep in block 75. When another incoming activation is detected that corresponds to the start of a new sweep in block 76, the processor delays the start of block 78 to center the display of bar code data on the scan sweep of the scanner or scanner, and the reflection Simulated scanning beam corresponding to the barcode is transmitted through the IR transmitter of the IR transmitter / receiver pair 62 in block 78.

Figures 8 and 9 show pictorial representations of a cordless telephone 80 and a PDA 90 that include visual displays 82 and 92, respectively, that can be used to present the transmission information data to a sequential barcode scanner or scanner. within the scope of the present invention. The visual displays 82 and 92 of the cordless telephone 80 and the PDA 90, respectively, can be alternated between on and off, or between relatively bright and relatively dark fixing points, or between different colors such as red and blue, to simulate movement of a scanning beam through a conventional barcode. In this way, the visual presentations 82 and 92, or at least a significant part of them, can be set at their brightest fixation point in an interval corresponding to the period of time during which the simulated scanning beam would pass from the edge following the leading edge of a bar, and at its darkest fixation point for a period of time corresponding to the period of time during which the simulated scanning beam would pass from the leading edge to the next edge of a bar. Alternatively, any aspect of the visual presentation that can be changed and recognized by a scanner receiver or barcode scanner can be used. For example, a visual presentation with a bright background can be turned on and off to provide the receiver with the simulated scan beam signal. In some cases combining the techniques can be more effective. For example, the reflected light can be simulated by a white screen with a back light on, while the absorbed light can be simulated by a dark screen with a back light off.

Visual displays 82 and 92 can be used to visually present the information representative of the transmission information data to actively provide the transmission information data to a barcode scanner or scanner in various ways. For example, the display screen may visually present the representative information first and, after a prescribed period of time or after the user changes the state of the mobile communications device such as by pressing a button, the visual presentation is erased and begins to actively provide transmission information data to the barcode scanner or scanner. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 8, different parts of the visual presentation can be used to visualize the representation information data and to actively provide the transmission information data. The visual presentation can also be used to visually present the representative information and to simultaneously provide the transmission information data such as through backlight flashes, changing colors, inverting the visual presentation, or other changes in the presentation characteristics. visual.

Although the approaches outlined above for actively presenting bar code information are generally preferred for use with sequential scanners or scanners, there are cases in which it is preferable to visually present a bar code visually in the visual presentation of a mobile communication device. For example, when a barcode is visually presented to a CCD scanner or scanner, which takes a digital image of the barcode and decodes the image using a software, it may sometimes be preferred to present the barcode statically in the presentation visual of the mobile communications device. Alternatively, it may be convenient to present the static and actively barcode information for presentation to a wider range of barcode scanners or scanners. When barcodes are visually presented statically in a visual presentation, such as that of a mobile communications device, the present invention contemplates the following methods and apparatus for improving the presentation of the barcode.

Figure 10 shows a pictorial representation of a barcode 104 statically represented in a visual presentation 102 of a cordless telephone 100. In an approximation the brightness and / or contrast of the visual presentation can be adjusted in order to increase reliability of an exploration process. For example, the device can automatically adjust the visual presentation to maximum brightness and / or contrast when a barcode is displayed visually. In another embodiment in which the device includes a visual display 102 in color, at least one element of the barcode is represented in color. The barcode 104 may be presented in colors preferably located at opposite ends of the visual light spectrum. In this embodiment a scanner or scanner can accept one of the colors, although more effectively it rejects the other color. A barcode represented with red spaces and blue bars, for example, is more easily accepted by a scanner or scanner than a barcode represented in a black and gray LCD visual display.

While the embodiments described above represent particular electronic devices that can be used within the scope of the present invention many different types of mobile communication devices are currently known and commercially available, and a large number of new devices are likely to be introduced. mobile communications These devices show a great variety in their input and visual presentation capabilities. Examples of mobile communications devices include personal data assistants (“PDAs”) that work with operating systems such as the Palm® operating system and Windows® CE, a SmartPad electronic calendar such as that available in Seiko Instruments Torrance, California, and equipped with a wireless PDA device, two-way personal search engines, some types of wireless consumer Internet access devices (“CADs”) and Internet equipment, GSM phones, WAP-enabled phones, as well as J2ME (Java 2 Micro Edition) phones available from various manufacturers such as Nokia from Helsinki, Finland , and Telefonieaktienbolaget LM Ericsson of Stockholm, Sweden, personal communications system telephones (“PCS”), Wireless multifunction “smart” phones such as the iMODE phone available at NTT Docomo in Tokyo, Japan. Other examples of electronic devices that can be used within the scope of the present invention include a personal data assistant enabled for communications. Many different kinds of communication-enabled PDAs are available. Examples are the Palm VII connected organizer, which is available at Palm Computing Inc in Santa Clara, California; the pdQ smartphone, which is available at QUALCOMM Incorporated in San Diego, California; and a variety of PDAs suitably equipped with built-in wireless modems such as, for example, Palm III and V connected organizers with Novatel Wireless Inc. Minstrel® wireless pocket modems. of SanDiego, California, which are distributed by Omnisky Corp. of Palo Alto, California. Other examples include various devices based on the Windows® CE operating system such as the various devices available at, for example, Compaq Computer of Houston, Texas, Hewlett Packard of Palo Alto, California, Casio Corporation of Tokyo, Japan; and the Revo organizer available at Psion PLC in London, England. Another illustrative platform is the Wireless Internet Device (“WID”), a type of device that includes the functionality of a telephone and also that of a PDA, a WAP browser, and an HTML browser. An example of a WID device is the communicator platform, which is being developed by Ericsson. Any appropriate wireless technology can be used, for example GSM, CDMA, TDMA, GRPS, and UMTS are included. Examples of user input capabilities offered by these devices include numeric keypad, keyboard, stylet, handwriting recognition, voice recognition, and so on. Examples of visual presentation capabilities offered by or appropriate for these devices include liquid crystal displays (“LCD”), thin-film transistor screens (“TFT”), visual displays on glasses (also known as personal vision devices) , front visual presentations, and so on. Techniques for allowing graphic images such as barcodes to be displayed on these devices are well known in the art and include, for example, bitmaps, JIF, GIF and other types of graphic file, and instructions that, after execution, recreate the picture.

The description of the various embodiments set forth herein is illustrative of our invention and is not intended to limit the scope of them, since variations and / or modifications are possible. Alternatives and equivalents may be apparent from this description. These and other variations and modifications of the embodiments set forth herein may be made without departing from the scope of the claims.