System, method, and apparatus for communicating information between a mobile communications device and a bar code scanner

1. A method of providing transmission information to a bar code scanner from a mobile phone comprising:

receiving on the mobile phone the transmission information via a wireless transmission;

storing the transmission information on the mobile phone as stored transmission information;

presenting representative information for the stored transmission information on a screen of the mobile phone;

encoding in the mobile phone the stored transmission information into a bar code format;

generating in the mobile phone a signal from the bar code format to simulate a reflection of a scanning beam being moved across a static visual image of the bar code format; and

transmitting the signal as light pulses from the mobile phone.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the mobile phone includes an infrared transmitter/receiver pair, further comprising:

directing the infrared transmitter/receiver pair at the bar code scanner;

receiving at the infrared receiver a scanning beam emitted by the bar code scanner; and

determining a scan rate of the scanning beam;

wherein the generating step comprises generating the signal based on the scan rate; and

wherein the transmitting step comprises transmitting the signal as light pulses from the infrared transmitter.

3. A mobile phone comprising:

a receiver section for receiving on the mobile phone transmission information via a wireless transmission;

a memory for storing the transmission information from the receiver section on the mobile phone as stored transmission information;

a screen for presenting representative information for the stored transmission information from the memory;

a program component for encoding in the mobile phone the stored transmission information into a bar code format;

a program component for generating in the mobile phone a signal from the bar code format to simulate a reflection of a scanning beam being moved across a static visual image of the bar code format; and

a light source for transmitting the signal as light pulses.

4. The mobile phone of claim 3 further comprising:

an infrared transmitter/receiver pair; and

a program component for determining a scan rate of a scanning beam emitted by a bar code scanner and received at the infrared receiver;

wherein the generating program component further is for generating the signal based on the scan rate; and

wherein the light source is the infrared transmitter.

5. A mobile phone comprising:

means for receiving on the mobile phone transmission information via a wireless transmission;

means for storing the transmission information on the mobile phone as stored transmission information;

means for presenting representative information for the stored transmission information on a screen of the mobile phone;

means for encoding in the mobile phone the stored transmission information into a bar code format;

means for generating in the mobile phone a signal from the bar code format to simulate a reflection of a scanning beam being moved across a static visual image of the bar code format; and

means for transmitting the signal as light pulses from the mobile phone.

6. The mobile phone of claim 5 further comprising:

an infrared transmitter/receiver pair; and

means for determining a scan rate of a scanning beam emitted by a bar code scanner and received at the infrared receiver;

wherein the generating program component further comprises means for generating the signal based on the scan rate; and

wherein the light source is the infrared transmitter.