Bar code transmission and reception system and method

Claim 1

A bar code transmission and reception system, comprising; means for storing an output signal of a bar code reader which is generated by scanning a series of bar codes; means for modulating the stored signal into an audible signal within a transmission characteristic of telephone lines and for sending out the audible signal from a loudspeaker; means for transmitting the loudspeaker signal to a remote location through a mouthpiece of a telephone set; means for demodulating said audible signal received through the telephone lines to generate a reproduced bar code signal; means for decoding said reproduced bar code signal to generate alphanumeric data contained therein; means for detecting a stop bit in said reproduced bar code signal; and voice synthesizer means for informing a calling party of contents of the bar code after said stop bit of said bar code signal is detected.

Claim 4

A method of transmitting a bar code, comprising the steps of: scanning a bar code to produce a bar code signal; modulating the bar code signal into an audible signal within a frequency band suitable for audio transmission over telephone lines; acoustically coupling said audible signal onto a telephone line; receiving and demodulating said audible signal coupled on the telephone line to develop a reproduced bar code signal; decoding said reproduced bar code signal to generate alphanumeric data contents thereof; detecting an end of said reproduced bar code, and, in response, audibly informing a calling party of said alphanumeric data contents of said reproduced bar code.

Claim 5

A method of transmitting a bar code, comprising the steps of: scanning a bar code to produce a bar code signal; modulating the bar code signal into an audible signal within a frequency band suitable for audio transmission over telephone lines; acoustically coupling said audible signal onto a telephone line; receiving and demodulating said audible signal coupled on the telephone line to develop a reproduced bar code signal; decoding said reproduced bar code signal to generate alphanumeric data contents thereof; detecting an end of said reproduced bar code, and, in response, audibly informing a calling party of said alphanumeric data contents of said reproduced bar code.

Claim 13

A method of transmitting a bar code, comprising the steps of: scanning a bar code to produce a bar code signal; modulating said bar code signal with an audio signal to produce a modulated audio signal; supplying said modulated audio signal to a telephone line; receiving said modulated audio signal from said telephone line at a remote site; demodulating said modulated audio signal to recapture said bar code signal; converting said recaptured bar code signal to binary data; supplying a light signal in response to the recaptured bar code signal; detecting an end of the recaptured bar code signal; and supplying, in response to said detecting step, a voice message signal onto said telephone line.

Claim 14

A method of transmitting a bar code, comprising the steps of: scanning a bar code to produce a bar code signal; modulating said bar code signal with an audio signal to produce a modulated audio signal; supplying said modulated audio signal to a telephone line; receiving said modulated audio signal from said telephone line at a remote site; demodulating said modulated audio signal to recapture said bar code signal; converting said recaptured bar code signal to binary data; supplying a light signal in response to the recaptured bar code signal; detecting an end of the recaptured bar code signal; and supplying, in response to said detecting step, a voice message signal onto said telephone line.

Claim 18

A method of using bar code data to control an apparatus, comprising: (a) irradiating a bar code to derive a first pulse train; (b) modulating said first pulse train to an audio frequency signal; (c) transmitting said audio frequency signal from an originating station over a telephone line; (d) receiving said audio frequency signal from the telephone line at a remote station; (e) demodulating said audio frequency signal to derive a second pulse train identical to said first pulse train; (f) converting said second pulse train directly to infrared radiation; and (g) applying said infrared radiation to an apparatus to be controlled.

Claim 19

A method of using bar code data to control an apparatus, comprising: (a) irradiating a bar code to derive a first pulse train; (b) modulating said first pulse train to an audio frequency signal; (c) transmitting said audio frequency signal from an originating station over a telephone line; (d) receiving said audio frequency signal from the telephone line at a remote station; (e) demodulating said audio frequency signal to derive a second pulse train identical to said first pulse train; (f) converting said second pulse train directly to infrared radiation; and (g) applying said infrared radiation to an apparatus to be controlled.

Claim 24

A system of using bar code data to control a remote apparatus comprising: bar code reader means for deriving a first pulse train from light reflected from a printed bar code representing bar code data; modem means for modulating said first pulse train onto an audio signal and for supplying the modulated audio signal to a telephone line; receiving means for receiving said modulated audio signal from said telephone line; demodulating means for converting said modulated audio signal to a second pulse train identical to said first pulse train; and output means for converting said second pulse train directly to infrared radiation, whereby said bar code data is not converted to alphanumeric data.

Claim 25

A system of using bar code data to control a remote apparatus comprising: bar code reader means for deriving a first pulse train from light reflected from a printed bar code representing bar code data; modem means for modulating said first pulse train onto an audio signal and for supplying the modulated audio signal to a telephone line; receiving means for receiving said modulated audio signal from said telephone line; demodulating means for converting said modulated audio signal to a second pulse train identical to said first pulse train; and output means for converting said second pulse train directly to infrared radiation, whereby said bar code data is not converted to alphanumeric data.

Claim 27

A system for transmitting bar code data to control a remote apparatus comprising: bar code reader means for deriving a first data sequence from light reflected from a printed bar code, said first data sequence comprising a start field, a stop field and a plurality of information fields; modem means for modulating said first data sequence onto an audio signal and for supplying the modulated audio signal to a telephone line; receiving means for receiving said modulated audio signal from said telephone line; demodulating means for converting said modulated audio signal to a second data sequence identical to said first data sequence, said second data sequence comprising a start field, a stop field and a plurality of information fields; means for storing said plurality of information fields; detecting means coupled to said storing means for initiating input of said plurality of information fields to said storing means when said start field is detected and for terminating input of said plurality of information fields to said storing means when said stop field is detected; voice synthesizer means coupled to said storing means and responsive to each information field outputted from said storing means for generating a voice signal; shifting means responsive to said voice signal for shifting said plurality of information fields stored in said storing means to output an information field from said storing means; output optical means for converting said plurality of information fields outputted from said storing means to optical signal for controlling the remote apparatus.

Claim 28

A system for transmitting bar code data to control a remote apparatus comprising: bar code reader means for deriving a first data sequence from light reflected from a printed bar code, said first data sequence comprising a start field, a stop field and a plurality of information fields; modem means for modulating said first data sequence onto an audio signal and for supplying the modulated audio signal to a telephone line; receiving means for receiving said modulated audio signal from said telephone line; demodulating means for converting said modulated audio signal to a second data sequence identical to said first data sequence, said second data sequence comprising a start field, a stop field and a plurality of information fields; means for storing said plurality of information fields; detecting means coupled to said storing means for initiating input of said plurality of information fields to said storing means when said start field is detected and for terminating input of said plurality of information fields to said storing means when said stop field is detected; voice synthesizer means coupled to said storing means and responsive to each information field outputted from said storing means for generating a voice signal; shifting means responsive to said voice signal for shifting said plurality of information fields stored in said storing means to output an information field from said storing means; output optical means for converting said plurality of information fields outputted from said storing means to optical signal for controlling the remote apparatus.