Bar code scanning system with wireless communication links

• US 20040046031A1
• Filed: 08/12/2003
• Published: 03/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/1990
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Wilz, David M. Sr., Germaine, Gennady, Colavito, Stephen J., Rockstein, George B., Knowles, Carl H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,040,540 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/462.46
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/106 having diffraction gratings as scanning elements, e.g. holographic scanners holographic optical elements G02B5/32, holography G03H
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisious for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2007/10534 Scanner to be worn on a finger or on a wrist
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1012 Special detection of object
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1016 Motor control or optical moving unit control
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1017 Programmable
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1018 Source control
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10 by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10564 Light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10584 Source control
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10594 Beam path
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10603 Basic scanning using moving elements
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10663 using hologram
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10673 Parallel lines
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10693 for omnidirectional scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10702 Particularities of propagating elements, e.g. lenses, mirrors G06K7/10831 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10792 Special measures in relation to the object to be scanned
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10801 Multidistance reading
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10811 Focalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10851 Circuits for pulse shaping, amplifying, eliminating noise signals, checking the function of the sensing device basic electronic circuitry H03
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10861 : sensing of data fields affixed to objects or articles, e.g. coded labels postal sorting B07C3/14, conveying articles B65G47/48
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10871 : randomly oriented data-fields, code-marks therefore, e.g. concentric circles-code
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 : constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10891 : the scanner to be worn on a finger or on a wrist
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/109 : adaptations to make the hand-held scanner useable as a fixed scanner
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 : using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1443 : locating of the code in an image

Abstract

A code symbol reading device includes a portable housing that contains a source of optical energy. This optical energy is projected into a scan field external to the housing and is incident upon a code symbol situated on an object located within the scan field. Optical energy reflected off the code symbol is detected within the housing to produce scan data that is indicative of the detected optical energy. The scan data is processed to detect and decode the code symbol and to produce symbol character data that are representative of the decoded code symbol. A data packet utilizing the symbol character data is constructed and then used to modulate an electromagnetic carrier sign that is transmitted to a base unit. At the base unit, the carrier signal is demodulated and the data packet is recovered. The received data packet is processed to recover the symbol character data, and an acknowledgment signal is generated to acknowledge the receipt of the symbol character data at the base unit.

Claims

1. A system for reading code symbols comprising:

(A) a code symbol reading device including

(1) a housing supportable upon and/or in the hand of a user of said code symbol reading device, and having a light transmission aperture through which optical energy can exit from and enter into said housing,

(2) a light producing mechanism, disposed in said housing, for producing optical energy,

(3) a light projecting mechanism, disposed in said first housing, for projecting said optical energy into a scan field defined external to said first housing and onto a code symbol on an object located in at least a portion of said scan field,

(4) a light detecting mechanism, disposed in said first housing, for detecting optical energy reflected off said code symbol and passing through said light transmission aperture as said optical energy is projected onto said code symbol present in said scan field, and, for automatically producing scan data indicative of said detected optical energy,

(5) a scan data processing mechanism for processing produced scan data in order to detect and decode said code symbol when said code is present in said scan field and automatically producing symbol character data in a form representative of said decoded symbol,

(6) a control mechanism for automatically controlling the operation of at least two of said light producing mechanism, said light projecting mechanism, and said scan data processing mechanism,

(7) a data packet construction mechanism for constructing a data packet using said symbol character data produced from said scan data processing mechanism;

(8) a carrier signal generation mechanism for generating an electromagnetic carrier signal;

(9) a carrier signal modulation mechanism for modulating said carrier signal using said data packet; and

(10) a carrier signal transmitting mechanism for transmitting said modulated carrier signal across a data transmission range; and

(B) a base unit positionable within the data transmission range of said carrier signal transmitting mechanism and including;

(1) a carrier signal receiving mechanism for receiving said modulated carrier signal transmitted from said carrier signal transmitting mechanism,

(2) a carrier signal demodulation mechanism for demodulating said modulated carrier signal so as to recover said data packet,

(3) a data packet processing mechanism for processing said recovered data packet to recover said symbol character data therefrom, and

(4) an acknowledgment signal producing mechanism for automatically producing, in response to the recovery and storage of said symbol character data, an acknowledgment signal perceptible to the user of said code symbol reading device when said user is situated within said data transmission range, so as to inform said user that said symbol character data produced by said scan data processing mechanism has been received and recovered at said base unit.

2. A system for reading bar code symbols comprising:

(A) an automatic bar code symbol device including

(1) a housing having a light transmission aperture through which optical energy can exit from and enter into said housing, said housing supportable upon and/or in the hand of a user of said automatic bar code symbol reading device,

(2) a laser beam generator, disposed in said housing, for producing a laser beam,

(3) a laser beam scanning mechanism, disposed in said housing, for repeatedly scanning said laser beam across a scan field defined external to said housing and across a bar code symbol on an object located in at least a portion of said scan field,

(4) a light detector, disposed in said housing, for detecting laser light reflected off said bar code symbol and passing through said light transmission aperture as said laser beam is repeatedly scanned across said bar code symbol present in said scan field, and for automatically producing scan data indicative of said detected light,

(5) a scan data processing mechanism for processing produced scan data so as to detect and decode said bar code symbol when said bar code is present in said scan field and for automatically producing symbol character data in a form representative of said decoded bar code symbol,

(6) a control mechanism for automatically controlling the operation of at least two of said laser beam generator, said laser beam scanning mechanism, and said scan data processing mechanism,

(7) a data packet construction mechanism for constructing a data packet using said symbol character data produced from said scan data processing mechanism;

(8) a carrier signal generation mechanism for generating an electromagnetic carrier signal;

(9) a carrier signal modulation mechanism for modulating said carrier signal using said data packet, and

(10) a carrier signal transmitting mechanism for transmitting said modulated carrier signal over a data transmission range; and

(B) a base unit positionable within the data transmission range and including;

(1) a carrier signal receiving mechanism for receiving said modulated carrier signal transmitted from said carrier signal transmitting mechanism,

(2) a carrier signal demodulation mechanism for demodulating said modulated carrier signal signal so as to recover said data packet,

(3) a data packet processing mechanism for processing said recovered data packet so as to recover said symbol character data therefrom,

(4) a data packet buffering mechanism for buffering said symbol character data recovered from said data packet processing mechanism, and

(5) an acknowledgment signal producing mechanism for automatically producing, in response to the recovery of said symbol character data, an acknowledgment signal perceptible to the user of said automatic bar code symbol reading device when said user is situated within said data transmission range, so as to inform said user that said symbol character data processed by said scan data processing mechanism has been received and recovered at said base unit.

3. A bar code symbol reading system comprising:

a portable bar code symbol reader including;

(a) a housing and (b) a mechanism for reading a bar code symbol on an object and for producing symbol character data representative of the bar transmission range, so as to inform said user that said symbol character data processed by said scan data processing mechanism has been received and recovered at said base unit.

4. A portable bar code symbol reading system for desktop use, comprising:

a hand-graspable housing having physical dimensions which permit the hand-graspable housing to be substantially grasped within the palm of a user'"'"'s hand, the hand-graspable housing further including;

a bottom surface for contact with the desktop during bar code symbol reading operations,

a viewing aperture formed in the bottom surface, and

a light transmission aperture through which optical energy can exit and enter said hand-graspable housing,

wherein a bar code symbol, on an object supported on the desktop surface, is viewable by the user along a line of sight extending from said viewing aperture to the viewer'"'"'s eye; and

a bar code symbol reading mechanism disposed in said hand-graspable housing for reading said viewable bar code symbol, and for producing symbol character data representative of the bar code symbol.

5. An automatic bar code symbol reading device comprising:

a housing including a removable attachment mechanism for removably attaching the housing to the arm of a user, the housing having a light transmission window permitting the entry and exit of optical energy;

an automatic bar code symbol reading mechanism in the housing for automatically reading a bar code symbol on an object disposed in at least a portion of a scan field defined external to the housing, and for automatically producing symbol character data representative of the bar code symbol; and

a wireless data transmission mechanism in the housing for generating and transmitting an electromagnetic carrier modulated by the produced symbol character data.

6. A desktop base unit comprising:

a radio receiver for receiving a modulated electromagnetic carrier signal transmitted from a portable bar code symbol reading device and for demodulating said modulated carrier signal to retrieve bar code symbol character data; and

an acoustical acknowledgment signal generator for producing an audible acoustical acknowledgment signal upon retrieval of the bar code symbol character data by the radio receiver.

7. A desktop base unit for receiving symbol character data transmitted as data packets over a modulated electromagnetic carrier signal, the desktop base unit comprising:

a radio receiver for receiving the modulated electromagnetic carrier signal transmitted from a portable bar code symbol reading device;

the receiver including a carrier signal demodulator for demodulating said modulated carrier signal and retrieving the symbol character data;

an acoustical acknowledgment signal generator for generating an audible acoustical acknowledgment signal upon retrieval of the symbol character data from the carrier signal demodulator;

a keyboard input port for receiving keyboard output data produced from a keyboard device;

a data transmission mechanism for selectively transmitting at least one of (a) the retrieved symbol character data, and (b) the keyboard output data, to an input port of a host device; and

a control mechanism for controlling the operation of the acoustical acknowledgment signal generator and the data transmission mechanism.

8. An automatic bar code symbol reading device comprising:

a housing having an optical transmission aperture and an interior volume of approximately 1.7 cubic inches or less;

an object detector in the housing for detecting an object located within at least a portion of a scan field defined external to the optical transmission aperture, and for automatically generating a first activation signal indicative of the detection of the object in at least a portion of the scan field;

a scan data producing mechanism in the housing for producing scan data from the detected object located in the scan field, the scan data producing mechanism including;

(a) a laser beam source in the housing for producing a beam of optical energy, and

(b) a laser beam scanner for projecting the beam through the optical transmission aperture and for repeatedly scanning the beam across the scan field, such that the beam is incident upon a bar code symbol on the detected object, and

(c) an optical detector for detecting optical energy reflected off the bar code symbol and passing through said optical transmission aperture, and for automatically producing scan data indicative of the detected optical energy;

a bar code symbol detection circuit in the housing for processing produced scan data so as to detect the bar code symbol on the detected object, and for automatically generating a second activation signal in response to the detection of the bar code symbol;

a programmed microprocessor in the housing for processing produced scan data so as to decode said detected bar code symbol, and for automatically producing symbol character data representative of the decoded bar code symbol in response to the decoding of the detected bar code symbol; and

a system control mechanism for automatically activating the scan data producing mechanism and the bar code symbol detection circuit for up to a first predetermined time period in response to the generation of the first activation signal, and for automatically activating said scan data producing mechanism and the programmed microprocessor for up to a second predetermined time period in response to the generation of the second activation signal.

9. A portable bar code symbol reading device comprising:

a hand-supportable housing of lightweight, compact construction;

a bar code symbol reading engine within the hand-supportable housing, the bar code symbol reading engine including

a receiver for receiving a data packet modulated electromagnetic carrier signal transmitted from a portable bar code symbol reading device;

the receiver including a carrier signal demodulator for demodulating the modulated carrier signal and for recovering the symbol character data;

a data storage mechanism for storing the recovered symbol character data;

an acoustical acknowledgment signal generator for generating an audible acoustical acknowledgment signal upon recovering the symbol character data from the carrier signal demodulator; and

a data transmission mechanism in the compact housing for transmitting the recovered symbol character data from the data storage mechanism to an input port of a host device.

10. A portable data collection device for receiving symbol character data transmitted over a data packet modulated electromagnetic carrier signal, the portable data collection device comprising:

a compact housing of lightweight construction;

a receiver in the compact housing for receiving the data packet modulated electromagnetic carrier signal transmitted from a portable bar code symbol reading device;

a carrier signal demodulator in the compact housing for demodulating the modulated carrier signal and recovering the symbol character data;

a data storage mechanism for storing the recovered symbol character data;

an acoustical acknowledgment signal generating mechanism in the compact housing for producing an audible acoustical acknowledgment signal upon recovering the symbol, character data from the carrier signal demodulator; and

a data transmission mechanism in the compact housing for transmitting the recovered symbol character data from the data storage means to an input port of a host device.

11. A method of receiving symbol character data transmitted over a data packet modulated electromagnetic carrier signal, the method comprising the steps of

(a) receiving, at a base unit, a data packet modulated electromagnetic carrier signal transmitted from a portable bar code symbol reading device;

(b) demodulating, at said base unit, the modulated carrier signal and recovering the symbol character data from the demodulated carrier signal;

(c) storing, in said base unit, the recovered symbol character data; and

(d) generating, at said base unit, an audible acoustical acknowledgment signal after recovering the symbol character data.

12. A method of reading bar code symbols, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) reading a bar code symbol on an object present in at least a portion of a scan field defined externally with respect to a portable bar code symbol reading device, and automatically producing symbol character data in a form representative of the bar code symbol;

(b) using the produced symbol character data to construct a data packet within the bar code symbol reading device;

(c) generating an electromagnetic carrier signal within the bar code symbol reading device;

(d) modulating the generated carrier signal using the constructed data packet;

(e) transmitting the modulated carrier signal from the portable bar code symbol reading device over a data transmission range;

(f) receiving the transmitted modulated carrier signal at a base unit positioned within the data transmission range of the portable bar code symbol reading device;

(g) demodulating the modulated carrier signal at the base unit so as to recover the data packet;

(b) processing the recovered data packet so as to recover the symbol character data therefrom; and

(i) in response to the recovery of the symbol character data, automatically producing from the base unit, an acoustical acknowledgment signal perceptible to the user of the portable bar code symbol reading device when said user is situated within the data transmission range, so as to inform the user that the symbol character data produced by the scan data processing means has been received and recovered at the base unit.

13. A bar code symbol reading system comprising:

a portable bar code symbol reader including;

(a) a housing and (b) a mechanism for reading a bar code symbol on an object and for producing symbol character data representative of the bar code symbol; and

an electronically-passive target affixed to the housing which is detectable by an invisible interrogation field created at a point of interrogation within a working environment.