1. An automatic data collection device for reading data carriers such as machine-readable symbols and radio frequency identification transponders, the automatic data collection device comprising:
a housing;
a symbol reading means carried by the housing for optically reading information encoded in machine-readable symbols;
a radio frequency identification reading means carried by the housing for wireless reading information stored in radio frequency identification transponders;
a position determining means carried by the housing for determining at least one of: 1) at least an approximate distance between the automatic data collection device and a target data carrier relative to an optimal distance between the automatic data collection device and the target data carrier, andor 2) at least an approximate orientation of the automatic data collection device with respect to the target data carrier relative to an optimal orientation between the automatic data collection device and the target data carrier; and
a visual indication means carried by the housing for providing a visual indication of the determined at least one of: 1) at least an approximate distance between the automatic data collection device and a target data carrier relative to an optimal distance between the automatic data collection device and the target data carrier, andor 2) at least an approximate orientation of the automatic data collection device with respect to the target data carrier relative to an optimal orientation between the automatic data collection device and the target data carrier,
wherein the position determining means comprises an output transducer operable to emit acoustical energy from the housing toward the target data carrier and an input transducer to receive acoustical energy returned from the target data carrier.
2. The automatic data collection device of claim 1 wherein the symbol reading means comprises a flood illumination source operable to substantially simultaneously illuminate approximately all of a machine-readable symbol and an image sensor positioned to receive illumination reflected from the machine-readable symbol.
3. The automatic data collection device of claim 2 wherein the position determining means further comprises a set of processor executable instructions to determine an approximate amount of deviation between a focus of an image captured by the image sensor and an optimal focus of the image.
4. The automatic data collection device of claim 1 wherein the symbol reading means comprises a laser selectively operable to emit a laser beam from the housing to successively illuminate portions of a machine-readable symbol and a photo detector positioned to receive a modulated laser beam reflected from the machine-readable symbol.
5. The automatic data collection device of claim 1 wherein the radio frequency identification reading means comprises a radio and at least a first antenna electrically coupled to the radio.
6. The automatic data collection device of claim 1 wherein the visual indication means comprises a first set of light emitting diodes selectively operable to indicate the determined distance between the automatic data collection device and the target data carrier.
7. The automatic data collection device of claim 1 wherein the visual indication means comprises a first set of pixels of a liquid crystal display selectively operable to indicate the determined distance between the automatic data collection device and the target data carrier.
8. The automatic data collection device of claim 1 wherein the visual indication means comprises a number of visual indicators generally extending along respective positions of a line representative at least one of the determined distance and the determined orientation.
9. An automatic data collection device for reading data carriers, the automatic data collection device comprising:
a housing;
an illumination source carried by the housing and selectively operable to provide illumination therefrom generally along a line-of-sight axis extending outward from the housing;
a photo sensor carried by the housing and having a field-of-view extending from the housing to receive reflected illumination;
at least a first antenna carried by the housing;
at least a first radio carried by the housing and coupled to at least the first antenna;
a first set of visual indicators carried by the housing and visible from an exterior thereof, each of the visual indicators in the first set of visual indicators located at a respective one of a number of positions extending generally along a first line; and
at least one processor coupled to selectively activate the visual indicators of the first set of visual indicators, the processor configured to activate a visual indicator in the first set of visual indicators that is spaced from an optimal position indicator by a number of positions indicative of a difference between at least an approximate position of the automatic data collection device with respect to a target data carrier and an optimal position of the automatic data collection device with respect to the target data carrier.
10. The automatic data collection device of claim 9 wherein the optimal position indicator is located between two outer most ones of the visual indicators of the first set of visual indicators.
11. The automatic data collection device of claim 10 wherein the first line extends generally perpendicularly with respect to the line-of-sight axis and the processor is configured to activate the visual indicator on a side of the optimal position indicator matching an orientation of the target data carrier with respect to automatic data collection device as viewed by a user of the automatic data collection device along the line-of-sight axis.
12. The automatic data collection device of claim 11 wherein the first line is curved.
13. The automatic data collection device of claim 10 wherein the first line extends approximately parallel with respect to the line-of-sight axis and the processor is configured to activate the visual indicator on a far side of the optimal position indicator from a user of the automatic data collection device as viewed by the user along the line-of-sight axis if a distance between automatic data collection device and the target data carrier is greater than an optimal distance, and alternatively to activate the visual indicator on a near side of the optimal position indicator from the user of the automatic data collection device as viewed by the user along the line-of-sight axis if the distance between automatic data collection device and the target data carrier is less than the optimal distance.
14. The automatic data collection device of claim 13, further comprising:
a second set of visual indicators extending along a second line, the second line generally perpendicular to the first line, wherein the processor is further configured to activate the visual indicator on a side of the optimal position indicator matching an orientation of the automatic data collection device with respect to the target data carrier as viewed by a user of the automatic data collection device along the line-of-sight axis.
15. The automatic data collection device of claim 10 wherein the processor sequentially activates a number of visual indicators between the optimum position indicator and the most distal activated one of the activated indicators in the first set of visual indicators.
16. The automatic data collection device of claim 9 wherein the optimal position indicator is located proximate an outer most one of the visual indicators of the first set of visual indicators.
17. The automatic data collection device of claim 9 wherein the optimal position indicator is an outer most one of the visual indicators of the first set of visual indicators.
18. The automatic data collection device of claim 9 wherein the first set of visual indicators comprises a first set of light emitting diodes.
19. The automatic data collection device of claim 9 wherein the first set of visual indicators comprises a first set of pixels of a liquid crystal display.
20. The automatic data collection device of claim 9 wherein a most distal activated one of the visual indicators in each of the first set of visual indicators produces an indication different from any more proximate activated ones of the visual indicators in the first set of visual indicators.
21. The automatic data collection device of claim 9 wherein a most distal activated one of the visual indicators in each of the first set of visual indicators produces an indication of a different color from any more proximate activated ones of the visual indicators in the first set of visual indicators.
22. A method for use in an automatic data collection device, the method comprising:
determining a position of the automatic data collection device with respect to a target data carrier;
determining a difference between the determined position of the automatic data collection device with respect to a target data carrier and an optimal position of the automatic data collection device with respect to the target data carrier; and
providing a visual indication of the determined difference between the determined and the optimal positions of the automatic data collection device with respect to the target data carrier, including activating a visual indicator in a first set of visual indicators that is spaced from an optimal position indicator by a number of positions indicative of the difference between the determined position of the automatic data collection device with respect to the target data carrier and the optimal position of the automatic data collection device with respect to the target data carrier.
23. The method of claim 22 wherein determining the position of the automatic data collection device with respect to the target data carrier comprises: determining a distance between the automatic data collection device and the target data carrier.
24. The method of claim 22 wherein determining the position of the automatic data collection device with respect to the target data carrier comprises: determining an orientation of the automatic data collection device with respect to the target data carrier.
25. The method of claim 22 wherein determining the position of the automatic data collection device with respect to the target data carrier comprises capturing an image of at least a portion of the target data carrier with an image sensor and determining an approximate amount of deviation between a focus of the image captured by the image sensor and an optimal focus of the image.
26. The method of claim 22 wherein determining the position of the automatic data collection device with respect to the target data carrier comprises emitting electromagnetic radiation from the automatic data collection device, receiving electromagnetic radiation at least partially reflected by the target data carrier at the automatic data collection device, and processing at least one parameter of the received electromagnetic radiation at least partially reflected by the target data carrier.
27. The method of claim 22 wherein determining the difference between the determined position of the automatic data collection device with respect to the target data carrier and the optimal position of the automatic data collection device with respect to the target data carrier comprises determining at least one of a magnitude and a direction of the difference between a determined distance between the automatic data collection device and the target data carrier and an optimal distance between the automatic data collection device and the target data carrier.
28. The method of claim 22 wherein determining the difference between the determined position of the automatic data collection device with respect to the target data carrier and the optimal position of the automatic data collection device with respect to the target data carrier comprises determining a difference between a determined orientation of the automatic data collection device with respect to the target data carrier and an optimal orientation between the automatic data collection device and the target data carrier.
29. The method of claim 22 wherein activating the visual indicator in the first set of visual indicators that is spaced from the optimal position indicator by the number of positions indicative of the difference between the determined position of the automatic data collection device with respect to the target data carrier and the optimal position of the automatic data collection device with respect to the target data carrier comprises activating a visual indicator on a side of the optimal position indicator matching an orientation of the target data carrier with respect to automatic data collection device as viewed by a user of the automatic data collection device along a line-of-sight axis.
30. The method of claim 22 wherein determining the position of the automatic data collection device with respect to the target data carrier comprises determining a distance between the automatic data collection device and the target data carrier based at least in part on a characteristic of at least one of optical or acoustical energy received at the automatic data collection device via the target data carrier, and
wherein determining the difference between the determined position of the automatic data collection device with respect to the target data carrier and the optimal position of the automatic data collection device with respect to the target data carrier comprises determining a difference between the determined distance and an optimal distance corresponding to an optimal wireless range.
31. The method of claim 22 wherein determining the position of the automatic data collection device with respect to the target data carrier comprises determining a distance between the automatic data collection device and a target data carrier based at least in part on a characteristic of a radio frequency signal received at the automatic data collection device via the target data carrier, and
wherein determining the difference between the determined position of the automatic data collection device with respect to the target data carrier and the optimal position of the automatic data collection device with respect to the target data carrier comprises determining a difference between the determined distance and an optimal distance corresponding to an optimal optical range.
32. A method for use in an automatic data collection device, the method comprising:
determining a position of the automatic data collection device with respect to a target data carrier, including: emitting acoustical energy from the automatic data collection device, receiving acoustical energy at least partially reflected by the target data carrier at the automatic data collection device, and processing at least one parameter of the received acoustical energy at least partially reflected by the target data carrier;
determining a difference between the determined position of the automatic data collection device with respect to a target data carrier and an optimal position of the automatic data collection device with respect to the target data carrier; and
providing a visual indication of the determined difference between the determined and the optimal positions of the automatic data collection device with respect to the target data carrier.
33. A method for use in an automatic data collection device, the method comprising:
determining a position of the automatic data collection device with respect to a target data carrier;
determining a difference between the determined position of the automatic data collection device with respect to a target data carrier and an optimal position of the automatic data collection device with respect to the target data carrier; and
providing a visual indication of the determined difference between the determined and the optimal positions of the automatic data collection device with respect to the target data carrier, including activating a visual indicator of a first set of visual indicators on a far side of an optimal position indicator from a user of the automatic data collection device as viewed by the user along a line-of-sight axis if a distance between automatic data collection device and the target data carrier is greater than an optimal distance, and alternatively to activate a visual indicator on a near side of the optimal position indicator from the user of the automatic data collection device as viewed by the user along the line-of-sight axis if a distance between automatic data collection device and the target data carrier is less than the optimal distance.
34. The method of claim 33, further comprising:
activating a visual indicator of a second set of visual indicators on a side of the optimal position indicator matching an orientation of the target data carrier with respect to automatic data collection device as viewed by the user of the automatic data collection device along the line-of-sight axis.
35. A computer-readable media storing instructions executable by a processor for operating an automatic data collection device, by:
determining a position of the automatic data collection device with respect to a target data carrier;
determining a difference between the determined position of the automatic data collection device with respect to a target data carrier and an optimal position of the automatic data collection device with respect to the target data carrier; and
providing a visual indication of the determined difference between the determined and the optimal positions of the automatic data collection device with respect to the target data carrier, by;
activating a visual indicator in a first set of visual indicators that is spaced from an optimal position indicator by a number of positions indicative of a difference between the determined position of the automatic data collection device with respect to the target data carrier and the optimal position of the automatic data collection device with respect to the target data carrier.
36. A computer-readable media storing instructions executable by a processor for operating an automatic data collection device, by:
determining a position of the automatic data collection device with respect to a target data carrier;
determining a difference between the determined position of the automatic data collection device with respect to a target data carrier and an optimal position of the automatic data collection device with respect to the target data carrier; and
providing a visual indication of the determined difference between the determined and the optimal positions of the automatic data collection device with respect to the target data carrier, by:
activating a visual indicator of a first set of visual indicators on a far side of an optimal position indicator from a user of the automatic data collection device as viewed by the user along a line-of-sight axis when a distance between automatic data collection device and the target data carrier is greater than an optimal distance, and alternatively to activate the visual indicator on a near side of the optimal position indicator from the user of the automatic data collection device as viewed by the user along the line-of-sight axis when a distance between automatic data collection device and the target data carrier is less than the optimal distance.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A computer implemented method of at least one of synchronizing and managing processes in the parallel development of an application, comprising:
provisioning a first development environment, including at least a first server executing a first application platform, a first source code control system, and a first content management system;
generating, from a first release of the application having first source code and first content using the first development environment, a second release of the application, wherein the second release of the application includes second source code and second content;
provisioning a second development environment, including at least a second server executing a second application platform, a second source code control system, and a second content management system;
comparing the first development environment and the second development environment and generating at least one artifact responsive to the comparison; and
synchronizing the first development environment with the second development environment utilizing the at least one artifact resulting from the comparison between the first development environment and the second development environment;
provisioning the second application platform comprises:
running one or more scripts to install source code and content on the second application platform; and
locking the second application platform before running the one or more scripts; and
unlocking the second application platform after running the one or more scripts.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
generating unique identifications for at least one source code file and one content file of the second release;
merging modifications to the second source code and the second content of the second release into the first source code and the first content of the first release using the unique identifications to generate a third release of the application including third source code and third content; and
deploying the third release of the application to at least one production environment.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein merging the modifications to the second source code and the second content of the second release into the first source code and the first content of the first release to generate the third release of the application including third source code and third content is performed by a non-technical business user through the graphical user interface that includes interfaces for managing tasks and for reviewing the result of completed tasks.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the graphical user interface on the client computer system:
sends commands to a corresponding management application executing on a deployment and build server, and wherein the deployment and build server is coupled to the production environment through an electronic network, and
builds executable versions of the third source code for deployment on the production environment application platform server, and wherein the deployment build server installs the third content to the content management server of the production environment.
5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:
generating a backup of the first release before merging the modifications to the second source code and the second content of the second release into the first release, and
rolling back, when necessary, the merging of modifications using the generated backup.
6. The method of claim 2, further comprising:
deploying the third release of the application to a pre-production environment; and testing the third release in the pre-production environment, before deploying the third release to a production environment.
7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:
generating a baseline based on the second development environment, wherein the baseline includes the status of source code and content files within the second development environment;
comparing the second release of the application to the baseline; and
deploying the second release of the application to the second development environment responsive to the comparison.
8. The method of claim 2, further comprising:
reviewing, by a user, a log of the merging of the modifications to the second source code and the second content of the second release into the first source code and the first content of the first release to determine if any errors occurred during the merging process.
9. The method of claim 2, further comprising:
forwarding users of the production environment to a backup production environment in the event of a failure, and synchronizing the production environment and the backup production environment using a storage area network.
10. The method of claim 2, wherein merging the modifications to the second source code and the second content of the second release into the first source code and the first content of the first release to generate a third release comprises:
at least one of, adding in a source code file, deleting a source code file, ignoring changes to a source code file, overwriting a source code file, and including only parts of a source code file.
11. The method of claim 2, wherein deploying the third release of the application to a production environment comprises:
automatically stopping execution of at least one application on the production environment before deploying the third release; and
automatically starting execution of the third release of the application after deployment of the third release to the production environment.
12. The method of claim 1, further comprising: comparing the first and the second source code and comparing rendered displays of the first and the second content, and wherein the rendered displays of at least one of the first and the second content are selectively highlighted for visual comparison using a graphical interface.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the servers executing the application platform, at least one of the first and the second source code control system, and at least one of the first and the second content management system, are separate and distinct servers.
14. The method of claim 1, further comprising deploying the second release to the second development environment, wherein deploying the second release to the second development environment comprises installing executable versions of the second source code to an application platform of the second development environment and installing the second content to a content management server of the second development environment.
15. The method of claim 1, further comprising executing the first and the second source code control systems and the first and the second content management systems within different logical areas of the same work area.
16. The method of claim 1, further comprising executing the first and the second source code control systems and the first and the second content management systems within a separate work area.
17. The method of claim 1, further comprising synchronizing the second development environment with the first development environment utilizing at least a second artifact resulting from a comparison between the second development environment and the first development environment.
18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
receiving a first instruction from a non-technical business user to perform a comparison between the first source code and the first content of the first release with the second source code and the second content of the second release;
executing the first instruction and displaying the results of the comparison in a graphical user interface; and
controlling, responsive to a second instruction from a non-technical business user, at least one of merging, overwriting, adding, ignoring and deleting of the first or the second source code and the first or the second content to synchronize the first source code and the first content of the first release with the second source code and the second content of the second release.
19. A computer system comprising at least one processor for managing processes in the parallel development of an application, the components comprising:
a provisioning component provisioning a first development environment including at least a first application platform, a first source code control system, and a first content management system, wherein said provisioning the first development environment comprises automatically configuring at least a first server to run a first predetermined application to support the first development environment, wherein the provisioning component, executed by the at least one computer processor:
(i) generates, by the at least one computer processor, from a first release of the application having first source code and first content using the first development environment, a second release of the application, wherein the second release of the application includes second source code stored within the first source code control system and second content stored within the first content management system;
(ii) provisions, by the at least one computer processor, a second development environment, including at least a second application platform, a source code control system, and a content management system, wherein said provision of the second development environment comprises automatically configuring at least a second server to run a second predetermined application to support the second development environment;
provisioning the second application platform comprises:
running one or more scripts to install source code and content on the second application platform; and
locking the second application platform before running the one or more scripts; and
unlocking the second application platform after running the one or more scripts;
a deployment component deploying the second release to the second development environment;
a merging component merging modifications to the second source code, stored within the second source code control system, and the second content, stored within the second content management system of the second release into the first source code and the first content of the first release; and
the deployment component deploying the third release of the application to a production environment for use by users of the application, wherein the deployment includes installing (a) executable versions of the third source code and (b) the third content, to another application platform for the production environment.
20. The system of claim 19, wherein the system merges the modifications to the second source code and the second content of the second release into the first source code and the first content of the first release to generate a third release of the application including third source code and third content using unique identifications for at least one source code file and one content file of the second release before the second release is deployed to the second development environment to generate a third release of the application including third source code and third content.
21. The system of claim 19, wherein at least one of the first and the second source code control system and at least one of the first and the second content management system have internal branching mechanisms.
22. The system of claim 21, wherein the first release, second release, and third release of the application are each separate versions in at least one of the first and the second source code control system and at least one of the first and the second content management system.
23. The system of claim 19, wherein the system generates a backup of the first release before merging the modifications to the second source code and the second content of the second release into the first release.
24. The system of claim 23, wherein the system generates a baseline based on the second development environment, wherein the baseline includes the status of source code and content files within the second development environment; and compares the second release of the application to the baseline; and deploying the second release of the application to the second development environment responsive to the comparison.
25. A computer implemented method of at least one of synchronizing and managing processes in the parallel development of an application, comprising:
provisioning, by at least one computer system, a first development environment, including at least a first server executing a first application platform, a first source code control system, and a first content management system;
generating, by the at least one computer system, from a first release of the application having first source code and first content using the first development environment, a second release of the application, wherein the second release of the application includes second source code and second content;
provisioning, by at least a second computer system, a second development environment, including at least a second server executing a second application platform, a second source code control system, and a second content management system, installing the second source code and second content on the second application platform, and locking the second application platform before installing the second source code and unlocking the second application platform after installing the second source code;
comparing the first development environment and the second development environment and generating at least one artifact responsive to the comparison; and
synchronizing the first development environment with the second development environment utilizing the at least one artifact resulting from the comparison between the first development environment and the second development environment.