Joseph G Guszcza

US Patent:

61617601, Dec 19, 2000

Filed:

Sep 14, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/152583

Inventors:

David Marrs - Syracuse NY
Louis Bruno - Auburn NY
Joseph Guszcza - Jordan NY
Timothy Meier - Marcellus NY
Matthew Pankow - Marcellus NY
James A. Parker - Liverpool NY
John Pettinelli - Rome NY
Bradley Randolph - Syracuse NY
Andrew Reynolds - Bothell WA
Thomas Ruhlman - Skaneateles NY

Assignee:

Welch Allyn Data Collection, Inc. - Skaneateles Falls NY

International Classification:

G06F 1700
G06F 1900
G06K 710

US Classification:

23546215

Abstract:

The invention is a multiterminal data collection network including a plurality of terminals and a base station configured so that each data collection terminal can be programmed in accordance with one of a predetermined number of available application. When a data collection terminal such as a bar code reader is programmed to operate in accordance with a particular application, the reader operates according to a data collection protocol that is the same as the data collection protocol of each other reader in the network programmed to operate in accordance with that same application. In another aspect of the invention, a base station normally transmits messages received from different readers according to different transmission protocols if the readers are programmed to operate in accordance with different applications, and transmits messages received from different readers according to the same protocol if the readers are programmed in accordance with the same application. A reader of the network can be associated with a new application group by reading of a specially designed application selector symbol.