Importance

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Abstract

A retail store network comprising a cash register, server, and hand held optical reader for reading a bar code symbol of an item and generating a decoded out bar code data message. The hand held bar code reader has an electrical connector and a wireless transceiver. The optical reader can be used with a base unit also having an electrical connector and a wireless transceiver. The network is configured so that the hand held bar code reader and the base unit have one linking mode in which the address of the base unit is sent to the hand held bar code reader through their respective electrical connectors. The linking process is completed by way of wireless communication, including the transmission of the address of the hand held bar code reader to the base unit. The hand held bar code reader further comprises circuitry to allow the optical reader to also operate in a linking mode where it can link with other devices that it cannot physically mate its electrical connector with, but can initiate the linking and complete the process wirelessly.

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First Claim