Multi-barcode scan process

#The following relates to scanning visually encoded data tags, and more particularly to receiving scanner data encoded in multiple visually encoded data tags and processing the data.

#Visually encoded data tags, e.g., barcodes, are capable of compactly representing data, and may be decoded quickly through the use of a scanning device. Such barcodes have become commonplace for tracking products in warehouses, retail stores, online shipping, and many other applications. For example, each product for sale in a large retail store most likely contains a UPC-type barcode printed on the product or product package. When a customer selects an item for purchase, a retail sales associate may scan the barcode on the product which allows an associated cash register to process the barcode information and output a price for the customer to pay. Additionally, the process of scanning the barcode saves the sales associate the time of manually inputting a product identification value into the cash register for each product being purchased, thus promoting efficiency and reducing human error.

#Many products contain one barcode, which is usually located on the product or product package for use by the retail store as described above. However, newer products emerging over the last several years are beginning to require two or more barcodes. For example, in addition to the traditional product-identification codes that are usually encoded into UPC-type barcodes used for sales purposes, other codes such as International Mobile Equipment Identity (“IMEI”) codes and Integrated Circuit Card ID (“ICCID”) codes are also used to sell mobile phones and they too are encoded into barcodes. The IMEI code can be a unique 17 or 15-digit code used to identify an individual mobile device to a GSM or UMTS network, and the ICCID code can be the 19 or 20 digit serial number of the SIM card contained within the device. When these products are sold in the retail setting, a sales associate must scan each of the barcodes individually, one at a time as prompted, for the sales transaction to be complete.

#FIG. 1 is an exemplary schematic perspective view of a transportable point of sale device;

#FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of an exemplary point-of-sale system;

#FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary scanning operation;

#The present technology is applied to encoded data tags, and more particularly, relates to methods, devices and computer program products that provide for scanning and decoding multiple encoded data tags and processing the data to populate a sales form with data encoded in the multiple data tags.

#FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary roaming point-of-sale system 100, which includes a scanning device 102 and a handheld computing device 103, which can fit into a cavity in the scanning device in a docking arrangement. As illustrated, the handheld computing device can be received in the cavity of the scanning device in such a configuration that gives the appearance that the system is one integral device.

#The scanning device 102 includes a barcode scanner 106 and, in some embodiments, the scanning device can have a magnetic card reader 108, as illustrated. However, in other embodiments, the barcode scanner 106 and the magnetic card reader 108 can be physically distinct devices. As illustrated, the handheld computing device 103 and the scanning device 102 are in electrical communication via connector 104. The connector 104 can be any connection that is able to establish electrical communication between the scanning device 102 and the handheld computing device, but it is especially forseen as being an universal serial bus connector or a 30-pin connector such as is most commonly found on an IPOD TOUCH portable media-playing devices or an IPHONE smartphone, both of which are sold by Apple Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.