Hand Held Products, Inc.

James W Stewart

Thomas J Koziol

Ynjiun P Wang

William H Havens

Aldo Mario Caballero

Daniel D Yeakley

Guy H Berthiaume

James A Cairns

Methods and apparatus for modifying the feature set of data collection devices are disclosed. Requests are receiving at a computer system different from the data collection device for a new configuration of the data collection device, the request including an identifier for the data collection device, identification of one or more features, and for each identified feature, an indication to modify the operation of a feature. The identifier may comprise an identifier that is unique for a particular data collection device or an indication of a group of devices, e.g. a model number. Prior to authorizing the new configuration, a determination may be made as to whether the identified data collection device(s) are suitable for the new configuration by consulting a configuration database. To implement the new configuration, an encoded authorization file is generated based on the requested configuration and the identifier of the data collection device(s). The encoded authorization file is transmitted to one or more data collection devices. Each data collection device that receives an encoded authorization file attempts to decode of the license using its identifier(s). If the authorization file is successfully decoded, a license key on that device is updated to implement the new configuration.

Methods and apparatus to change a feature set on data collection devices

A method of operating an indicia reader comprising the steps of: requesting upgrade software from a remote server; the remote server sending in response to the request an information bearing indicia (IBI) to a device local to the indicia reader; providing the IBI on a readable medium; reading the IBI; recognizing in the indicia the presence of indicia upgrade information regarding retrieval of the upgrade software; and, retrieving upgrade software from the remote server in response to the indicia upgrade information.

Method for updating indicia readers

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E. Syracuse, NY, United States of America

James W Stewart