Hybrid synthetic barcode and RFID system and method
View Patent ↗A management system utilizes compact, reliable, adaptable, and cost effective article identifying synthetic barcode modules, which obviate printed barcodes. The modules are programmable, detect the presence of a conventional laser barcode scanner and communicate information optically in a form readable by a detected conventional laser barcode scanner. The system is compatible with network communication, allowing real-time monitoring and updating. Additionally, the system optionally includes radio frequency identification capability. An exemplary synthetic barcode module employs a single LED as a photodiode to sense the presence of a barcode scanner and as a light source to emit light that emulates light reflected from a scanned barcode. The LED enables bidirectional half-duplex optical communication.
1. A programmable synthetic barcode module comprising:
a light management module that produces output signals corresponding to received light pulses, emits light pulses that emulate light reflected from a scanned barcode in scan mode, and emits light pulses that enable optical bidirectional communication in programming mode, said light management module comprising an LED operating as both an optical receiver and an optical emitter, wherein the LED receives light pulses, produces output signals corresponding to the received light pulses, and emits light pulses; and
a controller module that receives and stores at least one code corresponding to at least one data field, receives said output signals corresponding to received light pulses, determines if the received light pulses correspond to scan mode or programming mode, and outputs driver signals to cause the light management module to emit the light pulses that emulate light reflected from a scanned barcode to communicate the at least one code optically in scan mode, and to emit light pulses that enable optical bidirectional half-duplex communication in programming mode.
2. A programmable synthetic barcode module according to claim 1 , wherein said controller module determines if the received light pulses correspond to scan mode or programming mode by checking stimulus timing.
3. A programmable synthetic barcode module according to claim 2 , wherein said controller module determines if the received light pulses correspond to scan mode or programming mode by checking stimulus timing by determining if the timing of received light pulses corresponds to a barcode scanner.
4. A programmable synthetic barcode module according to claim 2 , wherein said controller module determines if the received light pulses correspond to scan mode or programming mode by checking stimulus timing by determining if the timing of received light pulses corresponds to a programming unit.
5. A programmable synthetic barcode module according to claim 2 , further comprising an active programmable RFID circuit operably coupled to said controller module, said RFID circuit communicating radio frequency signals corresponding to the at least one code stored by the controller module when the active programmable RFID circuit is interrogated by an RFID reader.
6. A programmable synthetic barcode module according to claim 2 , further comprising an infrared emitter module, said infrared emitter module periodically emitting infrared optical signals corresponding to the at least one code stored by the controller.
7. A programmable synthetic barcode module according to claim 2 , further comprising
an motion sensor operably coupled to the controller module, said motion sensor producing acceleration signals when the programmable synthetic barcode module is moved, and
an infrared emitter module operably coupled to said controller module, said infrared emitter module periodically emitting infrared optical signals corresponding to the at least one code stored by the controller module when the motion sensor produces acceleration signals.
8. A programmable synthetic barcode module according to claim 2 , further comprising an CCD-readable display and a display controller, the CCD-readable display being operably coupled to the display controller and the display controller being operably coupled to the controller module, said CCD-readable display displaying indicia corresponding to the at least one code stored by the controller.
9. A programmable synthetic barcode module according to claim 8 , wherein the CCD-readable display comprises an active-matrix electrophoretic display.
10. An optical management system for an article, said system comprising:
a first synthetic barcode module associated with a first article; and
a scanner having an emitter configured to emit light, a sensor configured for receiving light and a scanner communications interface configured for communicating scan signals corresponding to the received light; and
a computer system having a processor, a data storage subsystem, a data communication subsystem, and a system communications interface, said computer system
communicating a first code corresponding to a first data field to the first synthetic barcode module, and
storing the first data field on the data storage subsystem, and
receiving scan signals from a scanner via the system communications interface, and
determining if the received scan signals indicate that the scanner scanned the first synthetic barcode module; and
the first synthetic barcode module being programmable and including:
a light management module that produces output signals corresponding to received light pulses, emits light pulses that emulate light reflected from a scanned barcode in scan mode, and emits light pulses that enable optical bidirectional communication in programming mode, said light management module comprising an LED operating as both an optical receiver and an optical emitter, wherein the LED receives light pulses, produces output signals corresponding to the received light pulses, and emits light pulses; and
a controller module that receives and stores at least one code corresponding to at least one data field, receives said output signals corresponding to received light pulses, determines if the received light pulses correspond to scan mode or programming mode, and outputs driver signals to cause the light management module to emit the light pulses that emulate light reflected from a scanned barcode to communicate the at least one code optically in scan mode, and to emit light pulses that enable optical bidirectional half-duplex communication in programming mode.
11. An optical management system for an article according to claim 10 , the first synthetic barcode module further comprising an RFID circuit operably coupled to said controller module and configured to communicate radio frequency signals corresponding to the code stored by the controller module when the RFID circuit is interrogated by an RFID reader.
12. An optical management system for articles according to claim 11 , wherein the light management module further comprises a signal conditioning circuit operably coupled to the LED and the controller, said signal conditioning circuit improving a signal to noise ratio and supplying a logic level signal to the controller module corresponding to light emitted from the scanner and received by the LED.
13. An optical management system for articles according to claim 12 , wherein the light management module further comprises an LED driver configured to regulate electrical power supplied to the LED.
14. An optical management system for articles according to claim 10 , wherein said system communications interface comprises a bi-directional optical communications interface optically communicating to the first synthetic barcode module optical signals representing the first code corresponding to the first data field.
15. An optical management system for articles according to claim 14 , wherein the first synthetic barcode module discriminates light pulses received from a scanner from light pulses received from the bi-directional optical communications interface.
16. An optical management system for articles according to claim 10 , wherein the first article is an article from the group consisting of a wearable item, a container for a drug, a patient chart, a computing device and a patient's bed.
17. An optical management method for articles comprising steps of:
providing a first programmable synthetic barcode module, said programmable synthetic barcode module including:
a light management module that produces output signals corresponding to received light pulses, emits light pulses that emulate light reflected from a scanned barcode in scan mode, and emits light pulses that enable optical bidirectional communication in programming mode, said light management module comprising an LED operating as both an optical receiver and an optical emitter, wherein the LED receives light pulses, produces output signals corresponding to the received light pulses, and emits light pulses; and
a controller module that receives and stores at least one code corresponding to at least one data field, receives said output signals corresponding to received light pulses, determines if the received light pulses correspond to scan mode or programming mode, and outputs driver signals to cause the light management module to emit the light pulses that emulate light reflected from a scanned barcode to communicate the at least one code optically in scan mode, and to emit light pulses that enable optical bidirectional half-duplex communication in programming mode;
receiving light from an external light source using a first LED;
generating a signal from the light received from the external light source using the first LED;
conditioning the signal from the light received from the external light source using the first LED to improve signal to noise ratio;
determining if the signal corresponds to light received from a compatible device from the group consisting of a barcode scanner and an optical programming device;
if the signal corresponds to light received from a compatible device from the group consisting of a barcode scanner and a optical programming device, determining whether the signal corresponds to light received from a barcode scanner or an optical programming device based upon stimulus timing;
if the signal corresponds to light received from a barcode scanner, determining output optical signals to emit from the first LED and emitting the output optical signals from the first LED; and
if the signal corresponds to light received from an optical programming device, engaging in bidirectional optical half-duplex communication between the optical programming device and the first programmable synthetic barcode module to receive programming data on the first programmable synthetic barcode module.
18. An optical management method for articles according to claim 17 , said step of determining whether the signal corresponds to light received from a barcode scanner or from an optical programming device based upon stimulus timing comprising determining if the signal repeats at a fixed time interval.
19. An optical management method for articles according to claim 17 , said step of determining if the signal corresponds to light received from a compatible device from the group consisting of a barcode scanner and an optical programming device by determining whether the signal amplitude equals or exceeds a determined amplitude and signal rise time is no greater than a determined rise time, said determined rise time and said determined amplitude being characteristic of a light pulse from the compatible device.