Method and apparatus to read different types of data carriers, such as RFID tags and machine-readable symbols, and a user interface for the same

• US 20010045460A1
• Filed: 07/23/2001
• Published: 11/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Andrew E. Reynolds, Christopher A. Wiklof, Daniel B. Bodnar
• Original Assignee: Andrew E. Reynolds, Christopher A. Wiklof, Daniel B. Bodnar
• Inventors: Wiklof, Christopher A., Bodnar, Daniel B., Reynolds, Andrew E.
• Application Number:
  US09/911,881
• Publication Number:
  US 20010045460A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/385
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0004 Hybrid readers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners

Abstract

A data carrier reader includes an RFID tag reading section and a machine-readable symbol reading section, which can contain some common components. The reader is operable in an RFID tag reading mode and/or a symbol reading mode. The reader provides a consistent and intuitive user interface within, and between, the operating modes. The user interface can include visual, aural and tactile indicators. The visual indicators can include a pattern displayed by indicators on the reader, or projected onto or near the data carrier.

Claims

1. A multi-purpose data carrier reader, comprising:

a symbol reading section including an image sensor to image machine-readable symbols;

an RFID tag reading section including a radio to interrogate RFID tags;

a first set of human-perceptible indicators coupled to the symbol reading section for control thereby to produce human-perceptible indications in response to at least one symbol reading activity; and

a second set of human-perceptible indicators, different from the first set of human-perceptible indicators and coupled to the RFID tag reading section for control thereby to produce human-perceptible indications in response to at least one RFID tag reading activity.

2. The reader of

claim 1

wherein each of the first and second sets of human-perceptible indicators include a respective light emitting diode of a first color, the first color light emitting diode in the first set of human-perceptible indicators being activated when a machine readable symbol is successfully read and the first color light emitting diode in the second set of human-perceptible indicators being activated when an RFID tag is successfully read.

3. The reader of

claim 1

wherein the first set of human-perceptible indicators produces a first human-perceptible signal when a machine readable symbol is successfully read;

and the second set of human-perceptible indicators produces the first human-perceptible signal when an RFID tag is successfully read.

4. The reader of

claim 1

wherein the first set of human-perceptible indicators produces a first human-perceptible signal when a first symbol reading activity occurs;

and the second set of human-perceptible indicators produces the first human-perceptible signal when a corresponding RFID reading activity occurs.

5. The reader of

claim 1

wherein the first and second set of human-perceptible indicators are visual indicators.

6. The reader of

claim 1

wherein the first and second set of human-perceptible indicators are light emitting diodes.

7. The reader of

claim 1

wherein the first and second set of human-perceptible indicators are visual indicators are icons displayed on a display.

8. The reader of

claim 1

wherein the first and second set of human-perceptible indicators are visual indicators are alpha-numeric characters displayed on a display.

9. The reader of

claim 1

wherein the first and second set of human-perceptible indicators are sounds emitted from an audio source.

10. The reader of

claim 1

wherein the first and second set of human-perceptible indicators are vibrations emitted by a tactile source.

11. A multi-purpose data carrier reader, comprising:

a symbol reading section including an image sensor to image machine-readable symbols;

an RFID tag reading section including a radio to interrogate RFID) tags; and

a mode switch configured to switch operation between the symbology reader section and the RFID tag reader section.

12. The reader of

claim 11

wherein the mode switch is a user selectable switch.

13. The reader of

claim 11

wherein the mode switch is a user selectable membrane switch.

14. The reader of

claim 11

wherein the mode switch is responsive to a command signal from an external host device.

15. The reader of

claim 11

wherein the mode switch provides a command signal to an external host device.

16. The reader of

claim 11

wherein the mode switch is responsive to at least a portion of data in a previously read data carrier.

17. The reader of

claim 11

wherein the mode switch is a trigger responsive to select a mode based on a number of successive trigger activations.

18. The reader of

claim 11

wherein the mode switch is a trigger responsive to select a mode based on a duration of trigger activation.

19. The reader of

claim 11

, further comprising a first number of visual indications corresponding to a symbol mode and a second number of visual indicators corresponding to an RFID mode, wherein the mode switch has at least a first and a second positions, the first and second positions oriented to provide a visual indication consistent with the positions of the visual indicators.

20. A method of operating a data carrier reader, comprising:

selecting one of at least two human-recognizable temporal indication patterns based on a current operation of the data carrier reader, where the human-recognizable temporal indication patterns each correspond to a respective temporal user indication; and

projecting light substantially outward of the data carrier reader to form the selected human-recognizable temporal indication pattern.

21. The method of

claim 20

wherein projecting the light includes successively flashing the light to produce the selected human-recognizable temporal indication pattern.

22. The method of

claim 20

wherein projecting the light includes selectively flashing a first color light and a second color light to produce the selected human-recognizable temporal indication pattern.

23. The method of

claim 20

wherein projecting the light includes modulating a laser to produce the selected human-recognizable temporal indication pattern.

24. The method of

claim 20

, further comprising:

modulating a laser while in an RFID reading mode to produce the selected human-recognizable temporal indication pattern; and

illuminating a symbol with the laser in a symbol reading mode to scan the symbol.

25. A data carrier reader, comprising:

a first light source substantially alignable with a data carrier;

a processor coupled to control the first light source to produce a selected one of at least two human-recognizable temporal indication patterns based on a reader operation, where each of the human-recognizable temporal indication patterns correspond to a respective temporal user indication.

26. The data carrier reader of

claim 25

wherein the processor is coupled to control the first light source to produce a scanning beam across the data carrier in a symbol reading mode, and to produce the selected human-recognizable indication pattern in an RFID reading mode.

27. The data carrier reader of

claim 25

wherein the selected human-recognizable indication pattern includes a number of successively timed flashes of light.

28. The data carrier reader of

claim 25

wherein the selected human-recognizable indication pattern includes a number of different color flashes of light, successively timed.

29. A method of operating a data carrier reader having a laser, comprising:

producing a first scanning laser beam with the laser in a symbol reading mode; and

producing a human-recognizable temporal indication pattern based on a reader operation in an RFID reading mode.

30. The method of

claim 29

, further comprising:

selecting the human-recognizable temporal indication pattern from a number of human-recognizable temporal indication patterns, the human-recognizable temporal indication patterns corresponding to respective temporal user indications.