Method and application for scanning a barcode with a smart device while continuously running and displaying an application on the smart device display

A method of scanning a barcode with a smartphone while continuously running and displaying an application on a first portion of a smartphone visual display, the smartphone being provided with a user interface panel occupying a second portion of the smartphone visual display, the smartphone being provided with barcode scanning software, a viewfinder, and an embedded camera;

• the barcode scanning software, the viewfinder, the embedded camera, the user interface panel, and the visual display being communicatively coupled;
• the method comprising:
• i. Initiating barcode scanning via the user interface panel while an application is running and being displayed on the first portion of the smartphone visual display;
• ii. Removing the user interface panel from the second portion of the smartphone visual display;
• iii. Opening a barcode scanning viewfinder on the second portion of the smartphone visual display previously occupied by the user interface panel;
• iv. Routing the embedded camera video feed to the barcode scanning viewfinder;
• v. Locating a barcode in the barcode scanning viewfinder;
• vi. Scanning the barcode;
• vii. Decoding the barcode;
• viii. Closing the viewfinder;
• ix. Translating the decoded barcode data into keyboard strokes;
• and
• x. Displaying decoded barcode information on the first portion of the smartphone visual display within the running application.

A barcode scanning application for a smartphone, the smart phone having an embedded camera, a visual display, and an operating system, the operating system communicatively coupling the embedded camera and the visual display;

• the barcode scanning application comprising:
• a custom software input panel, the custom software input panel being provided with a barcode scanning key;
• the custom software input panel occupying a first portion of the visual display, the custom input panel being communicatively coupled through the operating system to the embedded camera;
• a keyboard wedge capable of translating barcode data into keyboard strokes, the keyboard wedge being an integral part of the custom software input panel, the keyboard wedge configured to control a barcode scanning operation;
• the custom software input panel being configured to initiate the barcode scanning operation when the barcode scanning key is touched;
• the keyboard wedge being configured to operate the barcode scanning operation while a different application is running and being displayed continuously on a second portion of the visual display;
• the custom software input panel, upon initiating barcode scanning, being configured to minimize and to open a barcode viewfinder on the first portion of the visual display previously occupied by the custom software input panel;
• the keyboard wedge being configured to scan a barcode in the barcode viewfinder, close the viewfinder, decode the scanned barcode, translate the decoded barcode information into keyboard strokes, and to send the keyboard strokes to be displayed within the different application running and displayed continuously on the second portion of the visual display.