Registers – Coded record sensors – Particular sensor structure
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-04
2001-10-09
Lee, Michael G. (Department: 2876)
Registers
Coded record sensors
Particular sensor structure
C235S375000, C235S470000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06299063
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to data entry in a computer or other system; more particularly, the present invention relates to automatically entering bar code data obtained from a bar code into associated data fields of a database or other data store.
BACKGROUND
Bar codes allow for the sophisticated management of almost anything, without the traditional man hours usually required to gather information. For example, bar codes may be used to track assets in buildings, manage vehicle fleets, track the delivery of mail within various locations within an office, etc. A bar code is the combination of black and white lines that contains character information. The character information in bar codes may be read with specialized reading devices and subsequently passed on to a computer or other device (e.g., cash registers and other appliances). Various types of reading devices are used to obtain the data represented in bar codes, depending upon the application. One type of reading device that is used is a scanner. Scanners are generally equipped with laser diodes and a system of mirrors and lenses to scan the bar code and capture the reflection thereof.
One scanning method is so-called corded scanning. Corded scanning typically involves the use of a bar code scanner coupled to either a serial port or a keyboard of a computer.
FIG. 1
illustrates a typical corded scanning system
100
that may be used for bar code reading applications. System
100
includes a computer
105
, monitor
110
, keyboard wedge
115
, scanner
120
and keyboard
125
. Keyboard wedge
115
is coupled between computer
105
and scanner
120
and keyboard
125
. In essence, keyboard wedge
115
is an interface that permits the incorporation of bar code technology with data management systems (e.g., software packages) already in place in computer
105
. Characters typed on keyboard
125
are received at keyboard wedge and transmitted to computer
105
in the familiar fashion. In addition, bar code character information scanned by scanner
120
is converted into keyboard keycodes by keyboard wedge
115
and subsequently transmitted to computer
105
. Thus, computer
105
is not capable of distinguishing between characters received from scanner
120
or keyboard
125
.
FIG. 2
illustrates an exemplary applications display
200
that may be displayed on monitor
110
. Display
200
includes data fields
201
-
203
that may be descriptions of data base fields. Data field
201
may, for example, be used to enter information regarding the job number of a particular database entry, while data fields
202
and
203
may be used to enter location and operator name information, respectively. User information may be entered into each of the data fields by scanner
120
or keyboard
125
. For example, a user of system
100
may scan a bar code of an item using scanner
120
and have the character information associated with the bar code appear in either data field
201
,
202
or
203
.
One problem with system
100
is that character information from any bar code may be scanned into display
200
. Thus, information from bar codes unrelated to the particular application used in system
100
may be scanned into data fields
201
-
203
. It is therefore possible to scan a bar code on a milk container, for example, and have the information appear (improperly) as job number information in data field
201
.
Another problem with system
100
is that it invites users to scan information into the wrong data field. The determination of which information is entered into which data field is dependent upon the location of a cursor within display
200
. For instance, if a user scans a bar code label that contains job number information and the cursor is in data field
201
, the job number character information is correctly entered into data field
201
. However, if a user scans a bar code that contains operator name character information and the cursor is in data field
201
, the operator name information is incorrectly entered into data field
201
. Consequently, a user must always verify the location of the cursor before scanning a bar code in order to ensure that the cursor is placed in the proper data field. System
100
may therefore be impractical (due to its inherently high risk of error) in applications where hundreds, or thousands, of bar codes must be scanned in order to enter information into data fields.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one embodiment, the present invention provides a method of automatically inserting bar code data into a field in a computer database or other data store or display. The method includes determining whether bar code (or other) data has been received at the computer. If bar code data has been received at the computer, a field code included with the bar code data is matched with an associated data field. Subsequently, the bar code data is inserted into the associated data field.
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Blakely , Sokoloff, Taylor & Zafman LLP
Fureman Jared J.
Impresse Corporation
Lee Michael G.
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