Inexpensive and easy-to-handle structure of optical information reading apparatus

• US 20030222150A1
• Filed: 05/21/2003
• Published: 12/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Denso PS Corporation (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Denso PS Corporation (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Sato, Masaki, Uchida, Minoru, Shigekusa, Hisashi
• Granted Patent: US 7,028,905 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/472.02
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/002 Specific input/output arrangements not covered by G06F3/01 - G06F3/16 other optical apparatus G02B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1098 the scanning arrangement having a modular construction

Abstract

An optical information reading apparatus is provided which is made of an assembly of a barcode reader and a personal digital assistant (PDA). The barcode reader and the PDA are joined through an attachment. The barcode reader includes a joint detector working to detect the joint to the PDA and a communication system establishing communication with the PDA. The barcode reader works to transmit barcode data to the PDA through the communication system only when the joint detector has detected the joint to the PDA, thereby providing ease of operability, useability, etc.

Claims

1. An optical information reading apparatus comprising:

a handheld optical information reading unit working to read optical information and output data on the optical information;

a portable information terminal designed to receive and process information to output the information; and

an attachment establishing a joint between said optical information reading unit and said portable information terminal,

wherein said optical information reading unit includes a joint detector working to detect the joint between said optical information reading unit and said portable information terminal and a communication system establishing communication with said portable information terminal, said optical information reading unit working to transmit the data on the optical information to said portable information terminal through said communication system when the joint detector has detected the joint between said optical information reading unit and said portable information terminal.

2. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said communication system transmits the data on the optical information to said portable information terminal through wire communication, each of said optical information reading unit and said portable information terminal is equipped with a wire communication connector, and said attachment includes a first connector joined to the connector of said portable information terminal, a second connector joined to the connector of said optical information reading unit, and a signal line connecting between the first and second connectors.

3. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said attachment includes a signal converter which works to convert a signal inputted to the first connector into a signal to be outputted from the second connector and also convert a signal inputted to the second connector into a signal to be outputted from the first connector.

4. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said joint detector is designed to determine that said optical information reading unit is joined to said portable information terminal when said joint detector has outputted a test signal to said portable information terminal through the communication system and received a given answer signal from said portable information terminal.

5. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said optical information reading unit is designed to determine that said optical information reading unit is joined to said portable information terminal when said joint detector has received a given test signal from said portable information terminal through the communication system.

6. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said optical information reading unit is designed to determine that said optical information reading unit is joined to said portable information terminal when at least one of signal terminals of said communication system shows a predetermined electrical characteristic.

7. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein the predetermined electrical characteristic of the signal terminal of said communication system is one of a voltage and an impedance.

8. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said joint detector includes a joint sensor which senses the joint between said optical information reading unit and said portable information terminal and outputs a joint signal indicative thereof, and wherein said optical information reading unit determines that said optical information reading unit is joined to said portable information terminal when the joint sensor outputs the joint signal.

9. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein said joint sensor is implemented by a contactless sensor using one of light and magnetism which outputs the joint signal when said portable information terminal has a preselected positional relation to said optical information reading unit.

10. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said optical information reading unit has a wire communication system for establishing communication with an external information processing device, the wire communication system being designed to achieve transmission of data between said portable information terminal and the external information processing device.

11. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein when said joint detector does not detect the joint between said optical information reading unit and said portable information terminal, said optical information reading unit transmits the data on the optical information to said external information processing device through the wire communication system.

12. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 10, further comprising a selecting circuit which switches between a normal mode in which the data on the optical information is transmitted to said external information processing device through the wire communication system and a bus use mode in which said portable information terminal uses said wire communication system.

13. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein when said selecting circuit receives an information transmission request from said portable information terminal, said selecting circuit establishes the bus use mode.

14. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein said selecting circuit monitors use of the wire communication system in the bus use mode and determines that said portable information terminal has completed use of the wire communication system when no transmission is established by the wire communication system for a given period of time.

15. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said attachment has a data entry portion equipped with numeral keys which transmit input numeral data to said portable information terminal.

16. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said portable information terminal has a radio communication system which establishes radio communication with an external information processing device, and wherein said portable information terminal is designed to transmit the data on the optical information received through the communication system from said optical information reading unit to the external information processing device through the radio communication system.

17. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said portable information terminal has a communication system, and wherein said attachment is designed to mount said portable information terminal on said optical information reading unit, said attachment has a first attachment surface to which said portable information terminal is joined detachably and a second attachment surface to be joined to said optical information reading unit, and further comprising an electrical connection member which establishes an electrical connection between the communication systems of said portable information terminal and said optical information reading unit.

18. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 17, wherein said attachment has formed on the first attachment surface a pocket into which at least a lower portion of said portable information terminal is inserted so that the lower portion is held at front, back, side, and lower surfaces thereof within the pocket.

19. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 17, wherein said attachment includes a retainer which retains and holds said portable information terminal from moving in a longitudinal direction of said portable information terminal from a lower to an upper portion of said portable information terminal.

20. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 19, wherein said retainer has a stopper which holds said portable information terminal from moving in a direction parallel to the first attachment surface.

21. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 19, wherein said retainer has a claw which holds said portable information terminal from moving in a direction perpendicular to the first attachment surface.

22. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 19, wherein said retainer is designed to be movable between a locked position where the upper portion of said portable information terminal is locked to retain said portable information terminal on said attachment and an unlocked position which permits said portable information terminal to be removed from said attachment.

23. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 19, wherein said retainer is designed to be pivotable to an angular position where said retainer makes an acute angle with the second attachment surface of said attachment, said retainer serving as a support in the angular position which works to keep said attachment at a tilt angle on a plane.

24. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 17, wherein said first and second attachment surfaces are opposed to each other and extend substantially parallel to each other.

25. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 17, wherein each of the communication systems of said portable information terminal and said optical information reading unit has a wire communication connector, and wherein said electrical connection member is implemented by a cable connecting the wire communication connectors of said portable information terminal and said optical information reading unit.

26. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 25, wherein said cable is installed in said attachment.

27. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 17, wherein said attachment has a joint mechanism provided on the second attachment surface, and said optical information reading unit has a joint mechanism which establishes a mechanical joint to the joint mechanism of said attachment through sliding motion of said attachment relative to said optical information reading unit.

28. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 27, wherein the joint mechanism of said optical information reading unit has a path along which the joint mechanism of said portable information terminal slides in engagement with the joint mechanism of said optical information reading unit, the joint mechanism of said optical information reading unit having at one end of the path a stopper defining a limit of the sliding motion of said attachment and at the other end of the path an elastically deformable release deterrent working to deter said joint mechanism of said attachment from moving out of the engagement with the joint mechanism of said optical information reading unit.

29. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 27, wherein the joint mechanism of said optical information reading unit extends in parallel to an optical axis of an optically reading system of said optical information reading unit.

30. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 27, wherein the joint mechanism of said optical information reading unit includes a joint groove formed in an outer surface of said optical information reading unit.

31. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 27, wherein the joint mechanism of said optical information reading unit is designed to have a structure common to a plurality of attachments holding portable information terminals different in external shape from each other.

32. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 17, wherein said attachment is designed to bear said portable information terminal on a plane through a side of said attachment and a grip installed on said optical information reading unit so as to orient a front surface of said portable information terminal upward at a tilt angle to the plane.

33. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising an intercommunication system which establish intercommunication between said portable information terminal and said optical information reading unit, and wherein said optical information reading unit is equipped with a power output terminal which is used to supply an operating electrical power to said portable information terminal through a power input terminal installed in said portable information terminal.

34. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 33, wherein said attachment has a first power supply terminal joined to the power input terminal of said portable information terminal, a second power supply terminal joined to the power output terminal of said optical information reading unit, and a power supply connecting line connecting the first and second power supply terminals.

35. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 34, wherein said attachment includes a voltage converter which works to convert a voltage of the operating electrical power inputted to said second power supply terminal into a voltage required to operate said portable information terminal correctly and output the converted voltage to said first power supply terminal.

36. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 35, wherein said voltage converter is made of a switching regulator which operates on the operating electrical power inputted to said second power supply terminal.

37. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 34, wherein said attachment is designed to establish communication with an external power supply and supply an operating electrical power provided by the external power supply to said portable information terminal through the first power supply terminal.

38. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 34, wherein said intercommunication system is implemented by a wire communication system, and wherein said attachment includes a first and a second connector for establishing communication between said optical information reading unit and said portable information terminal through the wire communication system, and wherein the first and second power supply terminals are provided by portions of terminals installed in the first and second connectors.

39. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 33, wherein when the joint detector detects the joint between said portable information terminal and said optical information reading unit, said optical information reading unit outputs the operating electrical power from the power output terminal.

40. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 33, wherein said optical information reading unit and said portable information terminal have installed therein batteries which work to provide electrical power to drive said optical information reading unit and said portable information terminal, respectively, and wherein said optical information reading unit compares an operable time of said optical information reading unit as estimated by an available reserve power remaining in the battery of said optical information reading unit with an operable time of said portable information terminal as estimated by an available reserve power remaining in the battery of said portable information terminal, when it is determined that the operable time of said portable information terminal is shorter than that of said optical information reading unit, said optical information reading unit outputting the operating electrical power from the power output terminal.

41. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 33, wherein said optical information reading unit has a feeder terminal for receiving an operating electrical power from an external power supply and works to output a portion of the operating electrical power from the power output terminal.

42. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 41, wherein said optical information reading unit has installed therein a battery working to provide an operating electrical power to said optical information reading unit and includes a charging portion working to charge the battery with the operating electrical power supplied from the external power supply.

43. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 41, wherein said feeder terminal is provided by a terminal of a connector installed in a lower end of a grip of said optical information reading unit, and wherein said optical information reading unit receives the operating electrical power from the external power supply through a feeder line connected detachably to the connector.

44. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 43, wherein the connector includes a signal terminal used to establish wire communication with an external information processing device.

45. An optical information reading apparatus comprising:

a handheld optical information reading unit working to read optical information and output data on the optical information, said optical information reading unit having installed therein a battery which works to provide an operating electrical power to drive said optical information reading unit;

a portable information terminal designed to receive and process information to output the information, said portable information terminal being joined detachably to said optical information reading unit, said portable information terminal having installed therein a battery which works to provide an operating electrical power to drive said portable information terminal;

a data transmission system establishing transmission of data between said optical information reading unit and said portable information terminal; and

a power supply connector which works to supply the operating electrical power produced by the battery of one of said optical information reading unit and said portable information terminal to the other of said optical information reading unit and said portable information terminal.

46. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 45, wherein said power supply connector includes a voltage converter made up of an output voltage converting circuit which works to convert a voltage of the operating electrical power to be supplied from said optical information reading unit to said portable information terminal into a voltage required to operate said portable information terminal correctly and an input voltage converting circuit which works to convert a voltage of the operating electrical power to be supplied from said portable information terminal to said optical information reading unit into a voltage required to operate said optical information reading unit correctly.

47. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 46, further comprising an attachment which establishes a physical joint between said optical information reading unit and said portable information terminal, and wherein said voltage converter is installed in said attachment.

48. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 46, wherein said voltage converter is installed in said optical information reading unit.

49. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 48, wherein said voltage converter is installed detachably in said optical information reading unit.

50. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 46, wherein the output voltage converting circuit of said voltage converter is installed in said portable information terminal, and wherein the input voltage converting circuit is installed in said optical information reading unit.

51. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 45, wherein said optical information reading unit works to determine an operable time of said portable information terminal and compares the operable time with an operable time of said optical information reading unit as estimated by an available reserve power remaining in the battery of said optical information reading unit, and further comprising a power supply controlling circuit working to supply the operating electrical power from one of said optical information reading apparatus and said portable information terminal which is determined to be shorter in the operable time to the other of said optical information reading apparatus and said portable information terminal.

52. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 51, wherein said optical information reading unit determines the operable time of said portable information terminal using data on an available reserve power remaining in the battery of said portable information terminal as received through said data transmission system from said portable information terminal.

53. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 52, wherein said optical information reading unit receives the data on the available reserve power of the battery from said portable information terminal at a given time interval and decreases the given time interval as the operable time as determined by the received data on the available reserve power decreases.

54. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 45, wherein the battery of said optical information reading unit has a capacity ensuring the operable time longer than that of said portable information terminal.

56. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 54, wherein when the mode detecting circuit does not detect the interlocking mode of said portable information terminal, the mode limiting circuit prohibits said optical information reading unit from entering the read enable mode.

57. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 56, wherein said optical information reading unit switches the operating mode thereof from the standby mode to the read enable mode in response to a given mode selecting operation, after which when the mode detecting circuit does not detect the interlocking mode of said portable information terminal, the mode limiting circuit returns the operating mode of said optical information reading unit to the standby mode.

55. An optical information reading apparatus comprising:

a handheld optical information reading unit working to read optical information and output data on the optical information;

a portable information terminal designed to receive and process information to output the information, said portable information terminal being joined releasably to said optical information reading unit; and

a data transmission system establishing transmission of data between said optical information reading unit and said portable information terminal,

wherein said portable information terminal is designed to operate selectively in an interlocking mode which permits said portable information terminal to receive the data from said optical information reading unit and an uninterlocking mode in which reception of the data from said optical information reading unit is infeasible, and

wherein said optical information reading unit is designed to operate selectively in a read enable mode which enables said optical information reading unit to read the optical information and a standby mode in which electrical power to be consumed by said optical information reading unit is saved without reading the optical information, said optical information reading unit including a mode detecting circuit working to detect an operating mode of said portable information terminal in connection with said portable information terminal and a mode limiting circuit working to limit an operating mode thereof to one of the read enable mode and the standby mode as a function of the operating mode as detected by the mode detecting circuit.

58. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 55, wherein a switch from the standby mode to the read enable mode in said optical information reading unit is accomplished in response to actuation of a data reading key.

59. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 55, wherein the mode detecting circuit receives a mode indicative signal from said portable information terminal through said data transmission system to determine the operating mode of said portable information terminal.

60. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 59, wherein the mode detecting circuit outputs a mode request signal to said portable information terminal through said data transmission system and determines that said portable information terminal is in the interlocking mode when a given answer signal is received from said portable information terminal.

61. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 55, wherein said data transmission system includes a signal converter which works to convert a signal outputted from one of said optical information reading unit and said portable information terminal into a signal in a form of communication matching a protocol of the other of said optical information reading unit and said portable information terminal.

62. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 61, further comprising an attachment which establishes a joint between said optical information reading unit and said portable information terminal, and wherein the signal converter is installed in said attachment.

63. An optical information reading apparatus as set forth in claim 55, wherein said portable information terminal is responsive to input of a mode request signal from said optical information reading unit to switch the operating mode thereof to the interlocking mode and output a given answer signal indicative the interlocking mode to said optical information reading unit.