Symbol Technologies, LLC

Donald Schaefer

James Robert Fuccello

Allan Perry Herrod

Curt D Croley

Sudhir Bhatia

Alex Gernert

Ted Trask

Richard S Walters

Alan Herrod

An application program interface in a computer for allowing application programs executing in the computer to access a wireless RF input/output facility or port in the computer, which emulates a serial port in the computer by the steps of opening a handle to a virtual COM port from an application program executing in the computer; opening and configuring a serial port by the application program; starting a thread to receive characters to be communicated through the RF facility; and utilizing the virtual COM port to open a component interface to allow communications through wireless RF communications.

Software method for emulating a serial port between applications for enabling communications by mobile bar code readers and computer terminals in wireless networks

A method for communication between a host computer and at least one mobile computer terminal which provides an efficient way of running a computer network where the at least one mobile computer terminal operates at a remote site, has selectable operating characteristics, and is connected to the host computer through a wireless communications network, and wherein the host computer executes an application program in which data is entered from the at least one mobile computer terminal and processed by the application program, the method comprising the steps of: configuring the operating characteristics of the mobile computer terminal to correspond to data field characteristics required by the application program running on the host computer; utilizing the at least one mobile computer terminal to automatically acquire data at the remote site in response to a data acquisition program running on the at least one mobile computer terminal; transforming the acquired data into a data structure in the mobile computer terminal in accordance with said data field characteristics required by the application program running on the host computer; and transferring said data structure to the host computer over the wireless communications network. The method also provides for a way to ensure that the application program running on the host computer handles data received from the at least one mobile computer terminals when one of the mobile computer terminals goes out of range of the wireless network, comprising the steps of: establishing communications and association between a first of the at least one mobile computer terminals and a first access point on a local network; determining in said first of the at least one mobile computer terminals, that communications between said first of the at least one mobile computer terminals and all other access points have been impeded and switching to batch mode to continue data collection.

Data reconciliation between a computer and a mobile data collection terminal

The method provides for a way to ensure that the application program running on the host computer handles data received from the at least one mobile computer terminals when one of the mobile computer terminals goes out of range of the wireless network. Communication and association may be established between a mobile computer terminal and an access point on a local network. Then, when it has been determined that communications between the mobile computer terminal and the access point have been impeded, the mobile computer terminal may switch to batch mode to continue data collection.

Collecting data in a batch mode in a wireless communications network with impeded communication

A logical function is executed in addressable units in a wireless local area network based upon the current state value of other units in the network. Depending upon a persistence setting which may be pre-set or programmed into each unit, the logical function may be recomputed at predetermined time intervals, or upon receiving an overriding resetting signal or control packet.

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Wantagh, NY, United States of America

Donald Schaefer