Information gathering apparatus and method having multiple wireless communication options

• US 20040105411A1
• Filed: 11/29/2002
• Published: 06/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intermec Technologies Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: White, Ryan R., Boatwright, Darrell L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,580,395 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

An information handling apparatus, and a method, having a plurality of wireless communication systems is disclosed. The apparatus can include three radio-frequency communication components. In another embodiment, the device can include four wireless communication systems. In one embodiment, the communication systems can communicate simultaneously.

Claims

1. An information handling apparatus, comprising:

a first radio-frequency communication system;

a second radio-frequency communication system;

a third radio-frequency communication system;

a processor component, communicatively coupled with each of said first radio-frequency communication system, said second radio-frequency communication system and said third radio-frequency communication system; and

a portable housing, containing said first radio-frequency communication system, said second radio-frequency communication system, said third radio-frequency communication system and said processor component.

2. The information handling apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an optical indicia reader.

3. The information handling apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a laser scan engine.

4. The information handling apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a two-dimensional digital imager component.

5. The information handling apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a light energy communication component.

6. The information handling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first radio-frequency communication system comprises a wireless wide area network communication system.

7. The information handling apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said second radio-frequency communication system comprises a wireless local area network communication system.

8. The information handling apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said third radio-frequency communication system comprises a wireless personal area network communication system.

9. The information handling apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said wireless wide area network communication system comprises a GPRS compatible wide area network radio transceiver.

10. The information handling apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said wireless wide area network communication system comprises a CDMA compatible wide area network radio transceiver.

11. The information handling apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said wireless local area network communication system comprises an 802.11b compatible local area network radio transceiver.

12. The information handling apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said wireless personal area network communication system comprises a Bluetooth compatible personal area network radio transceiver.

13. The information handling apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a user interface.

14. The information handling apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said user interface comprises a touch input screen.

15. The information handling apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a display.

16. The information handling apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said user interface comprises a keyboard.

17. The information handling apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said user interface comprises a touch input screen and a keypad.

18. The information handling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first radio-frequency communication system, said second radio-frequency communication system and said third radio-frequency communication system can be operated simultaneously to communicate data.

19. The information handling apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said first radio-frequency communication system and said second radio-frequency communication system can be operated simultaneously to communicate data.

20. The information handling apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said first radio-frequency communication system and said third radio-frequency communication system can be operated simultaneously to communicate data.

21. The information handling apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said second radio-frequency communication system and said third radio-frequency communication system can be operated simultaneously to communicate data.

22. The information handling apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said first radio-frequency communication system, said second radio-frequency communication system, said third radio-frequency communication system and said optical indicia reader can be operated simultaneously.

23. The information handling apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said first radio-frequency communication system and said second radio-frequency communication system, said third radio-frequency communication system, and said two-dimensional digital imager component can be operated simultaneously.

24. A method of communicating data via a portable information handling apparatus having a plurality of radio transceivers, comprising the steps of:

determining whether a data transmission should be communicated via a wide area network, a local area network or a personal area network;

activating the appropriate resident radio transceiver for communication via the type of network determined to be appropriate in said determining step; and

transmitting the data transmission via the resident radio transceiver that was activated in said activating step.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said transmitting step comprises the step of concurrently transmitting data via an activated wide area network radio transceiver and an activated local area network radio transceiver.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein said transmitting step comprises the step of concurrently transmitting data via an activated wide area network radio transceiver and an activated personal area network radio transceiver.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein said transmitting step comprises the step of concurrently transmitting data via an activated local area network radio transceiver and an activated personal area network radio transceiver.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein said transmitting step comprises the step of concurrently transmitting data via an activated wide area network radio transceiver, an activated local area network radio transceiver and an activated personal area network radio transceiver.

29. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of reading optical indicia via an optical indicia reader of the portable information handling apparatus.

30. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of capturing an optical image via a digital imager of the portable information handling apparatus.

31. The method of claim 24, wherein said transmitting step further comprises communicating a data transmission to a printer via a personal area network radio transceiver.

32. The method of claim 24, wherein said transmitting step further comprises communicating a data transmission to a cellular telephone unit via a personal area network radio transceiver.

33. The method of claim 24, wherein said transmitting step further comprises communicating a data transmission to a personal area network capable unit via a personal area network radio transceiver.

34. An information handling apparatus, comprising:

a first wireless communication system;

a second wireless communication system;

a third wireless communication system;

a fourth wireless communication system;

a processor component, communicatively coupled with each of said first wireless communication system, said second wireless communication system, said third wireless communication system and said fourth wireless communication system; and

a portable housing, containing said first wireless communication system, said second wireless communication system, said third wireless communication system, said fourth wireless communication system and said processor component.

35. The information handling apparatus according to claim 34, wherein said first wireless communication system comprises a wide area network communication system.

36. The information handling apparatus according to claim 34, wherein said first wireless communication system comprises a local area network communication system.

37. The information handling apparatus according to claim 34, wherein said first wireless communication system comprises a personal area network communication system.

38. The information handling apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said second wireless communication system comprises a local area network communication system.

39. The information handling apparatus according to claim 38, wherein said third wireless communication system comprises a personal area network communication system.

40. The information handling apparatus according to claim 39, wherein said fourth wireless communication system comprises a light energy communication system.

41. The information handling apparatus according to claim 40, wherein said light energy communication system comprises an infrared communication system.

42. The information handling apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said second wireless communication system comprises a personal area network communication system.

43. The information handling apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said second wireless communication system comprises a local area network communication system.

44. The information handling apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said wide area network communication system comprises a GPRS compatible wide area network radio transceiver.

45. The information handling apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said wide area network communication system comprises a CDMA compatible wide area network radio transceiver.

46. The information handling apparatus according to claim 36, wherein said local area network communication system comprises an 802.11b compatible local area network radio transceiver.

47. The information handling apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said personal area network communication system comprises a Bluetooth compatible personal area network radio transceiver.