Portable transaction terminal having an image recognition system

• US 20050035208A1
• Filed: 06/24/2004
• Published: 02/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Poulin, Jeffrey S., Heaton, Michael A., Elliot, Russell W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,118,032 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/472.10
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/343 Cards including a counter
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00362 Calculation or computing within apparatus, e.g. calculation of postage value
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00427 Special accounting procedures, e.g. storing special information
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00443 Verification of mailpieces, e.g. by checking databases
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/02 by keys or other credit registering devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0886 the card reader being portable for interacting with a POS or ECR in realizing a payment transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

A portable transaction terminal has an imager and image recognition system. The image recognition system produces information from image data for transaction processing. An optional location system enables obtaining and recording data corresponding to the location of the terminal at the time a transaction is processed.

Claims

1. A portable transaction terminal comprising:

a processor;

an imager configured to produce digital image data using a source of continuous light during production of the digital image data, the imager being operably linked to the processor; and

an image recognition module configured to produce data for a transaction, from the digital image data, using the processor.

2. The portable terminal of claim 1, wherein the imager is comprised of a device from the group consisting of a flatbed scanner having a mobile scan head;

an article-fed scanner having an article feeder and an immobile scan head;

a handheld scanner configured for manual positioning; and

a digital camera.

3. The portable terminal of claim 1, further including one or more communications devices configured for communications with a peripheral subsystem or system.

4. The portable terminal of claim 3, wherein the one or more communications devices include a transceiver for wireless communications, the transceiver being operably linked to the processor.

5. The portable terminal of claim 4, wherein the transceiver is configured to communicate via radio frequency.

6. The portable terminal of claim 1, further comprising a location system operably linked to the processor.

7. The portable terminal of claim 6, wherein the location system is comprised of a global positioning system configured to receive and process signals from a plurality of satellites to determine the location of the terminal, the location system being operably linked to the processor.

8. The portable terminal of claim 7, wherein the global positioning system is configured to further receive and process one or more signals from a global positioning system transceiver at a known location to enhance accuracy of the determined location of the terminal.

9. The portable terminal of claim 6, wherein the location system is configured to receive manually entered location data.

10. The portable terminal of claim 6, wherein the location system is configured to produce location information from the digital image data.

11. The portable terminal of claim 1, wherein the digital image data corresponds to an object from the group consisting of:

a mail piece;

a payment card;

a commercial paper;

an identification article;

a good;

a meter;

a person;

a place;

a vehicle;

an animal; and

a structure.

12. The portable terminal of claim 1, wherein the source of continous light is ambient light

13. The portable terminal of claim 1, wherein the source of continuous light is a lamp.

14. The portable terminal of claim 13, wherein the lamp is one of a cold cathode fluorescent lamp, a xenon lamp and a fluorescent lamp.

15. A portable transaction terminal comprising:

a processor;

an imager configured to produce digital image data using a source of continuous light during production of the digital image data, the imager being operably linked to the processor;

an image recognition module configured to produce data for a transaction from the digital image data using the processor; and

a display operably linked to the processor, the display being configured to display data or an image corresponding to the digital image data.

16. The portable terminal of claim 15, wherein the source of continous light is ambient light

17. The portable terminal of claim 15, wherein the source of continuous light is a lamp.

18. The portable terminal of claim 17, wherein the lamp is one of a cold cathode fluorescent lamp, a xenon lamp and a fluorescent lamp.

19. The portable terminal of claim 15, wherein the imager is comprised of a device from the group consisting of a flatbed scanner having a mobile scan head;

an article-fed scanner having an article feeder and an immobile scan head;

a handheld scanner configured for manual positioning; and

a digital camera.

20. The portable terminal of claim 15, further comprising a transceiver configured for wireless communications, the transceiver being operably linked to the processor.

21. The portable terminal of claim 15, further comprising a location system operably linked to the processor.

22. The portable terminal of claim 15, wherein the digital image data corresponds to an object from the group consisting of:

a mail piece;

a payment card;

a commercial paper;

an identification article;

a good;

a meter;

a person;

a place;

a vehicle;

an animal; and

a structure.

23. A method of transaction processing using a portable transaction terminal having an imager and an image recognition module, the method comprising steps of

producing image data corresponding to an object;

producing transaction information from the image data; and

performing one or more transaction steps using the transaction information produced from the image data.

24. A method of transaction processing according to claim 23, further comprising a step of obtaining location data representing a location of the terminal.

25. A method of transaction processing according to claim 23, further including a step of communicating transaction information to a system, subsystem or peripheral.

26. A method of transaction processing according to claim 23, wherein the object is a mail piece and the transaction information is an address.