WIRELESS ADAPTER FOR DATA EXCHANGE AND METHOD
A wireless adapter is provided with a universal plug or jack and a wireless RS232 serial interface. The wireless adapter may include a BLUETOOTH® wireless transmitter and receiver operable to communicate data using a DEX/UCS protocol. The universal plug may be satisfactory used with conventional sockets associated with a manual telephone exchange. Such sockets are often used as communication ports at fixed facilities to allow portable computers and other portable electronic equipment to gain access to computer networks associated with such facilities.
1 . A wireless adapter comprising:
a housing having a wireless transceiver disposed therein and a universal jack extending from one end of the housing;
the universal jack operable to be releasably engaged with a communication port;
a processor operable to convert RS232 data to BLUETOOTH data;
the processor operably coupled with the universal jack and the wireless transceiver; and
the wireless transceiver operable to communicate data between the communication port and a wireless electronic device.
2 . The wireless adapter of claim 1 wherein the universal jack comprises a three-conductor plug defined in part by a tip, a ring and a sleeve.
3 . The wireless adapter of claim 1 further comprising a power source coupled with the processor and the wireless transceiver.
4 . The wireless adapter of claim 1 wherein the wireless electronic device further comprises a handheld computer operable to exchange inventory data, delivery data and invoice data with a computer network operably coupled with the communication port.
5 . The wireless adapter of claim 1 further comprising the wireless transceiver operable to communicate with the wireless electronic device over a distance of approximately fifty feet.
6 . A method to communicate data from a computer network to one or more handheld electronic devices comprising:
combining a wireless serial interface with a standard jack to form an integrated wireless adapter;
installing the standard jack into a communication port operably coupled to a computer network associated with a facility at a specific location;
communicating data between the communication network to the communication port using RS232 standards associated with hardwired data communication;
communicating RS232 data to the wireless serial interface using the standard jack;
converting the RS232 data to a wireless standard using the wireless serial interface; and
communicating the converted data using wireless technology to an electronic device operable to receive data from the wireless serial interface.
7 . The method of claim 6 wherein the facility further comprises a grocery store, a vending machine, a shipping and receiving dock, a storefront, a beverage dispensing machine, an ice machine or a manufacturing facility.
8 . The method of claim 7 further comprising the serial wireless interface using BLUETOOTH wireless technology.
9 . The method of claim 6 further comprising communicating data between a vending machine and a handheld computer using the wireless technology and a DEX/UCS protocol.
10 . The method of claim 6 further comprising communicating data between the electronic device and a communication port coupled with a computer network at a store using the wireless technology and a DEX/UCS protocol wherein the data is associated with direct delivery of consumer goods to the store.
11 . A wireless adapter comprising a jack operable to connect to a serial port of a field asset and operable to receive serial data from the field asset, a wireless transceiver operable to transmit data received via the jack to a hand held wireless device.
12 . The adapter of claim 11 , wherein the serial port comprises a DEX port of a vending machine.