Encoded information reading terminal in communication with peripheral point-of-sale devices

An encoded information reading (EIR) terminal comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory;
• at least one EIR device selected from the group consisting of:
• a bar code reading device, an RFID reading device, an NFC reading device, and a magnetic card reading device, said EIR device configured to perform at least one of:
• outputting raw message data containing an encoded message and outputting decoded message data corresponding to an encoded message;
• at least one communication interface;
• a display provided by at least one of:
• a built-in display, an external display;
• a user input device provided by at least one of:
• a built-in keyboard, an external keyboard;
• wherein said EIR terminal is further configured to communicate to at least one peripheral device, said at least one peripheral device being at least one external peripheral device;
• wherein said EIR terminal is further configured to perform at least one of:
• routing messages from said at least one peripheral device to an external computer and routing messages from said external computer to said at least one peripheral device;
• wherein said EIR terminal is further configured to perform at least one of:
• aggregating at least two messages received from said at least one peripheral device and forwarding an aggregated message to said external computer, aggregating at least two messages received from said external computer and forwarding an aggregated message to said at least one peripheral device.