System and method for controlling the distribution of data translation components to portable data collection devices

Abstract

A system () includes a data collection device () for reading a machine readable data storage medium () and generating formatted data in accordance with data manipulation commands of a rules file (). A protected rule file creation system: i) generates the rule file (); ii) encrypts the rule file () to generate a protected rule file () which, when deciphered using a source key () yields the rule file (); and iii) generates a license record (). The license record () comprises the source key () and a source identifier (). A trusted license file distribution system () encrypts the license record () using a private key () of a public/private key pair to generate a license file (). The data collection device () comprises: i) a non-volatile memory storing a reader ID () and a public key (); and ii) a processor () operating a decoder () and an interpreter (). The interpreter () receives decoded data () from the decoder () and manipulates the decoded data () in accordance with the plurality of data manipulation commands defined in the rule file () to generate the formatted data (). The interpreter module () obtains the rule file () by: i) receiving the protected rule file (); ii) receiving the license file (); iii) deciphering the license record () of the license file () using the public encryption key (); and iv) if the identification of an authorized reader () matches the reader ID (), deciphering the protected rule file () using the source license key () to recover the rule file ().