Coded information reader comprising a device for controlling a plurality of distinct actions

• US 20020056755A1
• Filed: 02/20/2001
• Published: 05/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Datalogic S.p.A.
• Original Assignee: Datalogic S.p.A.
• Inventors: Storto, Marco, Canini, Federico
• Granted Patent: US 6,478,226 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/462.48
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1011 Aiming
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1091 means to wake up the scanner from a sleep mode, e.g. using an acceleration sensor indicating that the scanner is being picked up by a user

Abstract

A coded information reader (101) including a device (1) for controlling a plurality of distinct actions, as well as a method for controlling said coded information reader (101) are described. The coded information reader (101) includes a control device (1) comprising a plurality of actuators (2, 3) arranged in sequence downstream of a driving device (4) mobile between an inactive position (A) and a plurality of positions (B, C) active, respectively, on the status of said plurality of actuators (2, 3), said actuators (2, 3) being driven by said driving device (4). Advantageously, the coded information reader (101) of the invention has small size, reliability and flexibility of use.

Claims

1. Coded information reader (101) including a device (1) for controlling a plurality of distinct actions, comprising a plurality of actuators (2, 3) arranged in sequence downstream of a driving device (4) mobile between an inactive position (A) and a plurality of positions (B, C) active, respectively, on the status of said plurality of actuators (2, 3), said actuators (2, 3) being driven by said driving device (4), characterized in that at least one of said actuators (2, 3) is of the physical control type.

2. Coded information reader (101) according to claim 1, wherein at most the last actuator of the sequence of said actuators (2, 3) is a mechanical control actuator.

3. Coded information reader (101) according to claim 1, wherein said driving device (4) comprises a lever mobile between said inactive position (A) and said plurality of active positions (B, C).

4. Coded information reader (101) according to claim 1, wherein said driving device (4) is selected from the group comprising:

integrated photo-actuators, pairs including non-integrated photo-emitter and photo-receiver, magnetic sensors, Hall effect sensors, proximity sensors, pressure sensors, temperature sensors and acoustic sensors.

5. Coded information reader (101) according to claim 1, wherein said at least one physical control actuator (2) is selected from the group comprising:

integrated photo-actuators, pairs including non-integrated photo-emitter and photo-receiver, magnetic sensors, Hall effect sensors, proximity sensors, pressure sensors, temperature sensors and acoustic sensors.

6. Coded information reader (101) according to claim 1, further comprising a control logic (5) generating at least one signal (S2) associated to the status of at least one of said physical control actuators (2).

7. Coded information reader (101) according to claim 6, wherein said control logic (5) is connected to at least one of said physical control actuators (2) and to at least one storing means (6), in turn connected to said physical control actuator (2).

8. Coded information reader (101) according to claim 7, wherein said storing means is a condenser (6).

9. Coded information reader (101) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises an acoustic and/or visual warning device for warning of the status of said actuators.

10. Method for controlling a coded information reader (101) including the execution of a plurality of distinct actions by means of a plurality of actuators (2, 3) arranged in sequence, and the activation of said actuators (2, 3) by means of a driving device (4) mobile between an inactive position (A) and a plurality of positions (B, C) active, respectively, on the status of said actuators (2, 3), characterized in that it provides for at least one of said actuators (2, 3) to be a physical control actuator.

11. Method according to claim 10, characterized in that it provides that at most the last actuator of the sequence of said actuators (2, 3) is a mechanical control actuator.

12. Method according to claim 10, characterized in that it further comprises the steps of:

subjecting said at least one physical control actuator (2) alternatively to a switching on cycle (D1) and to a switching off cycle (D2);

generating a signal (S2) associated to the status of said at least one physical control actuator (2) independently of the cycle to which said at least one physical control actuator (2) is subjected.

13. Method according to claim 12, characterized in that the ratio between the duration of said switching on cycle (D1) and the duration of said switching off cycle (D2) is comprised between {fraction (1/100)} and {fraction (1/25)}.

14. Device (1) for controlling a plurality of distinct actions, comprising a plurality of actuators (2, 3) arranged in sequence downstream of a driving device (4) mobile between an inactive position (A) and a plurality of positions (B, C) active, respectively, on the status of said plurality of actuators (2, 3), said actuators (2, 3) being driven by said driving device (4), characterized in that at least one of said actuators (2, 3) is of the physical control type.