Product category:
Wireless Communications
News Release from: Brainboxes | Subject: BL-521
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 11 June 2004
Standard module is tailored Bluetooth
solution
Brainboxes is supplying a customised Bluetooth solution to Microvision, the Washington-State-based leader in high-resolution scanned beam display and imaging systems.
Brainboxes is supplying a customised Bluetooth solution to Microvision, the Washington-State-based leader in high-resolution scanned beam display and imaging systems Brainboxes' Bluetooth convertor being supplied to Microvision provides a simple way to convert any computer with a serial port into a wireless system, since, unlike some adapters, it requires no software on the host terminal and no difficult configuration
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 16 Dec 2002 at 8.00am (UK)
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Bluetooth adapter runs wireless RS232 links
The latest Bluetooth adapter from Brain Boxes is an RS232 to Bluetooth convertor suitable for any product with an RS232 connector - from PCs to label printers, test equipment to modems.
Serial to Bluetooth convertor finds fans in POS
The BL-521 RS232 to Bluetooth convertor is now in use in a wide range of applications including cashless point of sales (POS) systems and retail printers.
Microvision is making available the Brainboxes Bluetooth convertors with its Flic cordless Bluetooth laser barcode scanner and is now starting to supply them for point-of-sale (POS) terminals such as those made by NCR and IBM.
To meet Microvision's specific requirements, Brainboxes has provided bespoke Bluetooth firmware, and has made specific modifications to its standard plug-and-play RS232 to Bluetooth convertor, the BL-521.
The BL-521 becomes a wireless basestation for connection between the POS terminal and Microvision's Flic cordless laser barcode scanner - allowing the user to roam freely within a range of 100m or more from the terminal - and with virtually unlimited range, using the Flic Scanner's auto-reconnect feature and onboard 500 barcode memory.
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Full Bluetooth from a CompactFlash card
The new Bluetooth CompactFlash card from Brain Boxes is fully supported by the Microsoft Windows CE.NET operating system for true plug and play capability.
Brainboxes BL-521 contains a Class 1 Bluetooth device (Class 1 devices have a wireless operating range of at least 100m), and includes all the Bluetooth intelligence for the terminal, allowing the Flic scanner to connect to POS equipment without any configuration.
Delivery has started and production is scheduled to ramp up in Q3 and Q4 2004.
Ed Millet, Senior Product Manager for Microvision commented: "Brainboxes has provided customised technology to meet our requirements and the solution they came up with provides exactly what our customers need - the easiest possible route for Bluetooth-enabling POS terminals to work with our Flic scanners".
Millet continued: "We have been extremely pleased with level of commitment to quality and satisfaction we have received from Brainboxes".
Eamonn Walsh, Managing Director of Brainboxes, commented: "Brainboxes has vast experience in customising serial and Bluetooth devices to our customers requirements so relished the challenge presented by Microvision".
Walsh continued: "The BL-521 is seeing rapid take up in industrial and retail applications since it requires no configuration to be applied to cable-inconvenient, cable-averse or cable-impossible applications".
"The convenience and cost-effectiveness of Bluetooth wireless technology means it is seeing a much wider take up in these applications".
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