Portable adapter for barcode scanners

Barcode technology presents management with rapid, timely and accurate information and provides quick turnaround times for customers. Its popularity can be attested by its use in all the sectors of the industry. Ordinary barcode scanners are linked to personal computers and hence render the scanner non-portable unless the scanner is connected to a notebook or palm-top computer. One class of portable barcode scanners utilises wireless transmission technology, usually radio frequency, which faces problems of limited coverage and radio interferences. These devices often have a prohibitive price tag, as they comprise a handheld unit and a base station. Another type of portable scanners has built-in memory units to store the data collected. However, the price is still high. In both cases, users cannot make use of their existing non-portable scanners but need to replace them with portable ones. This paper describes the design of a low-cost portable adapter for commercial barcode scanners. The portable adapter transforms any ordinary barcode scanner into a portable standalone data collector. It essentially comprises an 8-bit microcontroller with a local memory module for storing the barcodes. A Liquid Crystal Display and keypad are also integrated for error checking and correction purposes. Barcode information can subsequently be uploaded to the host computer via the keyboard port or RS232 link.