Indicator for communicating system status information

• US 20040164166A1
• Filed: 07/18/2003
• Published: 08/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Mahany, Pamela S., Mahany, Richard J., Mahany, Ronald L., Bandringa, John S., Dusio, Joseph M.
• Application Number:
  US10/623,484
• Publication Number:
  US 20040164166A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/472.02
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/324 Display of status information
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners

Abstract

A method and apparatus for indicating device and system readiness to a user is disclosed. An indicator is located on one or more devices of a data-handling system. The state of the indicator communicates the status of the device or system. The indicator can be standardized across two or more devices of the data-handling system. The indicator can be comprised of a single element or of multiple elements.

Claims

1. A data handling system, comprising:

a first data handling device, comprising a housing and a first communication component;

a second data handling device, comprising a second communication component capable of communicating with said first communication component; and

a first readiness light, located on said housing of said first data handling device;

wherein said first readiness light signals whether the data handling system is ready for use.

2. The data handling system according to claim 1, wherein said first data handling device comprises a portable data collection device having a visual display component and a user-input component.

3. The data handling system according to claim 2, wherein said user-input component comprises a touch screen.

4. The data handling system according to claim 2, wherein said user-input component comprises a digitizer screen.

5. The data handling system according to claim 2, wherein said user-input component comprises a keyboard.

6. The data handling system according to claim 2, wherein said user-input component comprises a voice-input component.

7. The data handling system according to claim 2, wherein said portable data collection device further comprises an integrated optical indicia reader.

8. The data handling system according to claim 1, wherein said first communication component and said second communication component can communicate wirelessly with each other.

9. The data handling system according to claim 1, further comprising a second readiness light located on said second data handling device.

10. The data handling system according to claim 2, wherein said second data handling device comprises a wireless access point.

11. The data handling system according to claim 2, wherein said second data handling device comprises an optical indicia reader.

12. The data handling system according to claim 2, wherein said second data handling device comprises a radio frequency identification tag reader.

13. The data handling system according to claim 2, wherein said second data handling device comprises a personal computer.

14. The data handling system according to claim 1, further comprising a third data handling device, said third data handling device comprising a third communication component.

15. The data handling system according to claim 1, wherein said first readiness light comprises a single light.

16. The data handling system according to claim 1, wherein said first readiness light comprises a plurality of lights.

17. The data handling system according to claim 1, wherein said first readiness light is made to blink to indicate readiness status.

18. The data handling system according to claim 1, wherein said first readiness light is made to change color to indicate readiness status.

19. The data handling system according to claim 1, wherein said first readiness light is essentially continuously illuminated to signal that the data handling system is functioning properly.

20. The data handling system according to claim 1, wherein said first data handling device must be successfully powered up and booted up before said first readiness light will indicate that the data handling system is ready for use.

21. The data handling system according to claim 20, wherein communication between said first communication component and said second communication component must be established before said first readiness light will indicate that the data handling system is ready for use.

22. The data handling system according to claim 1, wherein said first readiness light provides an indication of network connectivity.

23. The data handling system according to claim 20, wherein a peripheral component must be operational and detected before said first readiness light will indicate that the data handling system is ready for use.

24. The data handling system according to claim 20, wherein a properly functioning remotely-located device of the system must be detected before said first readiness light will indicate that the data handling system is ready for use.

25. A computerized device, comprising:

a housing;

a computerized processing system, located in said housing;

a memory component, located in said housing and coupled with said computerized processing system;

a user input component, supported by said housing;

a device readiness light, located on said housing, to signal whether the computerized device is ready for use; and

a diagnostic routine, stored in said memory component;

wherein said diagnostic routine signals results via said device readiness light.

26. The computerized device of claim 25, wherein said device readiness light comprises a single light.

27. The computerized device of claim 25, wherein said device readiness light comprises a plurality of lights.

28. The computerized device of claim 25, wherein said device readiness light is made to blink to indicate readiness status.

29. The computerized device of claim 25, wherein said device readiness light is essentially continuously illuminated to signal that the data handling system is functioning properly.

30. The computerized device of claim 25, wherein the computerized device must be successfully booted up before said device readiness light will indicate that the computerized device is ready for use.

31. The computerized device of claim 30, wherein communication between the computerized and remotely-located device must be established before said device readiness light will indicate that the computerized device is ready for use.

32. The computerized device of claim 25, wherein said device readiness light provides an indication of network connectivity.

33. The computerized device of claim 30, wherein a peripheral component of the computerized device must be operational and detected before said device readiness light will indicate that the computerized device is ready for use.

34. The computerized device of claim 31, wherein a properly functioning remotely-located device must be detected before said device readiness light will indicate that the computerized device is ready for use.

35. The computerized device of claim 25, wherein the computerized device comprises a portable data collection device having a visual display component.

36. The computerized device of claim 25, wherein said user-input component comprises a touch screen.

37. The computerized device of claim 25, wherein said user-input component comprises a digitizer screen.

38. The computerized device of claim 25, wherein said user-input component comprises a keyboard.

39. The computerized device of claim 25, wherein said user-input component comprises a voice-input component.

40. The computerized device of claim 25, wherein the computerized device further comprises an integrated optical indicia reader.

41. The computerized device of claim 25, wherein the computerized device is a wireless access point.

42. The computerized device of claim 25, wherein computerized device is an optical indicia reader.

43. The computerized device of claim 25, wherein the computerized device comprises a radio frequency identification tag reader.

44. The computerized device of claim 25, wherein the computerized device comprises a personal computer.

45. The computerized device of claim 25, wherein said diagnostic routine is initiated from said user-input component.

46. The computerized device of claim 25, further comprising a plurality of different diagnostic routines, each different diagnostic routine designed to check for a different problem.

47. The computerized device of claim 46, wherein one diagnostic routine of said plurality of different diagnostic routines performs a check of a data collection system of the computerized device.

48. The computerized device of claim 46, wherein one diagnostic routine of said plurality of different diagnostic routines performs a check of an application software component of the computerized device.

49. The computerized device of claim 46, wherein one diagnostic routine of said plurality of different diagnostic routines performs a check of a wireless security credential of the computerized device.

50. The computerized device of claim 46, wherein one diagnostic routine of said plurality of different diagnostic routines performs a check of connectivity of the computerized device with an access point.

51. The computerized device of claim 46, wherein one diagnostic routine of said plurality of different diagnostic routines performs a check of an access point serving the computerized device.

52. The computerized device of claim 46, wherein one diagnostic routine of said plurality of different diagnostic routines performs a check of a host computer system serving the computerized device.

53. The computerized device of claim 46, wherein one diagnostic routine of said plurality of different diagnostic routines performs a check of a printer device serving the computerized device.

54. The computerized device of claim 46, wherein one diagnostic routine of said plurality of different diagnostic routines performs a check of a peripheral component of the computerized device.

55. The computerized device of claim 54, wherein said peripheral component comprises an optical indicial reader.

56. The computerized device of claim 54, wherein said peripheral component comprises a radio frequency identification tag reader.

57. The computerized device of claim 54, wherein said peripheral component comprises an additional memory component coupled with the computerized device.

58. A method for troubleshooting a computerized device having a readiness light, comprising the steps of:

signaling a device problem via a readiness light;

initiating a diagnostic procedure via a user interface of the computerized device;

indicating the result of the diagnostic procedure via the readiness light.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein said initiating step comprises pressing at least one key of as keyboard on said computerized device.

60. The method of claim 58, wherein said indicating step comprises illuminating the readiness light.

61. The method of claim 58, wherein said indicating step comprises causing the readiness light to blink.

62. The method of claim 58, wherein said indicating step comprises causing the readiness light to change color.

63. The method of claim 58, wherein the readiness light is essentially continuously illuminated to signal that the device is functioning properly.

64. The method of claim 58, wherein the readiness light comprises a single light.

65. The method of claim 58, wherein the readiness light comprises a plurality of lights.

66. The method of claim 65, wherein each readiness light of said plurality of readiness lights indicates readiness of a different subsystem of the computerized device.

67. The method of claim 58, wherein the initiated diagnostic procedure performs a check of a data collection system of the computerized device.

68. The method of claim 58, wherein the initiated diagnostic procedure performs a check of an application software component of the computerized device.

69. The method of claim 58, wherein the initiated diagnostic procedure performs a check of a wireless security credential of the computerized device.

70. The method of claim 58, wherein the initiated diagnostic procedure performs a check of connectivity of the computerized device with an access point.

71. The method of claim 58, wherein the initiated diagnostic procedure performs a check of an access point serving the computerized device.

72. The method of claim 58, wherein the initiated diagnostic procedure performs a check of a host computer system serving the computerized device.

73. The method of claim 58, wherein the initiated diagnostic procedure performs a check of a printer device serving the computerized device.

74. The method of claim 58, wherein the initiated diagnostic procedure performs a check of a peripheral component of the computerized device.

75. A computerized device, comprising:

means for housing the computerized device;

means for processing computer instructions, located in said means for housing;

means for storing information, located in said means for housing and coupled with said means for processing computer instructions;

means for inputting information from a user, supported by said means for housing;

means for indicating readiness of the computerized device, located on said means for housing; and

means for diagnosing errors, stored in said means for storing information;

wherein said means for diagnosing errors signals results to a user via said means for indicating readiness.

76. A data handling system, comprising:

a first data handling device, comprising a housing and a first communication component;

a second data handling device, comprising a second communication component capable of communicating with said first communication component; and

a first status indicator, located on said housing of said first data handling device;

wherein said first status indicator signals whether the data handling system is ready for use.