Data reading devices, such as barcode or optical code scanners, RFID readers, and the like, are a popular means for data acquisition in computerized processing systems. Barcode scanners are used to optically capture barcode patterns or other symbols or information imprinted on different surfaces in order to transmit the information encoded in the barcode pattern or symbol to a host processing device.
Two major types of commonly used barcode scanners are flying spot laser scanners and image based barcode scanners. Flying spot laser barcode scanners generally obtain barcode information by sweeping a laser spot across the barcode. The laser spot may be generated from a light source inside an oscillating reflecting surface, typically a mirror. The light reflected from the barcode is collected by a photosensor, which outputs an analog waveform representing the relative spacing of the bars in the barcode. The analog signal may then be digitized and decoded into data representing the information encoded in the barcode.
Barcode scanning devices based on solid state image circuitry, such as charge coupled devices (CCDs), are also conventionally known. These types of barcode scanners are typically implemented using either a one-dimensional or two-dimensional imaging array of photosensors (or pixels) to capture the barcode. One-dimensional CCD readers capture a linear cross section of the barcode at once, producing an analog waveform whose amplitude represents the relative darkness and lightness of the barcode. Two-dimensional CCD readers capture an entire two-dimensional image at once.
A relatively new type of data reading technology is radio frequency identification (RFID). An RFID system typically employs at least two components, a “transponder” or “tag,” which is attached to the physical item to be identified, and a “reader,” which sends an electromagnetic signal to the transponder and then detects a response. Typically, the reader emits an RF signal which is received by the transponder after the transponder comes within an appropriate range. In response to the signal from the reader, the transponder sends a modulated RF signal back to the reader. The reader detects this modulated signal and receives the information from the transponder by decoding the modulated signal. After receiving the information from the transponder, the reader can either store the decoded information or transmit the decoded signal to a computer or other host.
The transponder used in an RFID system may be either “passive” or “active.” A passive transponder can be a simple resonant circuit, including an inductive coil and a capacitor. Passive transponders are generally powered by the carrier signal transmitted from the reader. Active transponders, on the other hand, generally include transistors or other active circuitry, and require their own power source.
Barcode scanners and RFID readers may be physically separate from host processing devices, such as personal computers, which provide decoding software, computer storage, and communication interfaces. Increasingly, however, barcode scanners and RFID scanners are being integrated into portable host processing devices. For instance, the Falcon® 4420 data collection terminal available from Datalogic Mobile, Inc. of Eugene, Oreg., combines a laser barcode scanner, storage memory, and wireless communication interface in a compact, portable form factor. Such portable devices can be easily transported to different locations within a warehouse, retail store, or the like, greatly simplifying the tasks of receiving and inventorying.
Updating configuration settings, updating an operating system (OS) image, and booting an alternate OS on a portable data reader may require intervention by the user (e.g., to initiate updates, monitor status, and respond to prompts) and may also require connection to a host computer. Accordingly, the present inventor has recognized a need for techniques to update configuration settings, update an OS image, and boot an alternate OS on a portable data reader that does not require a host computer and that requires little or no user intervention.