Rotatable/removeable keyboard

• US 20050139679A1
• Filed: 12/29/2003
• Published: 06/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Salvato, Dominick H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,185,818 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/462.440
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1622 with enclosures rotating around an axis perpendicular to the plane they define or with ball-joint coupling, e.g. PDA with display enclosure orientation changeable between portrait and landscape by rotation with respect to a coplanar body enclosure
• 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 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0231 Including a rotatable keypad body part
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0233 Including a rotatable display body part

Abstract

A system that facilitates desirable orientation of a display on a machine data reader comprises a keypad that is moveable with respect to a body of the machine data reader, the keypad utilized to relay information to the machine data reader. The system further comprises a component that senses a position of the keypad, and a component that orients the display based at least in part upon the sensed position of the keypad.

Claims

1. A system that facilitates desirable orientation of a display on a machine data reader, comprising:

a keypad that is moveable with respect to a body of the machine data reader, the keypad utilized to relay information to the machine data reader;

a component that senses a position of the keypad; and

a component that orients the display based at least in part upon the sensed position of the keypad.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a detachable face, the keypad and the display resident upon the detachable face; and

a component that senses a position of the detachable face, the display oriented at least in part upon the sensed position of the detachable face.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising one or more keys that are employed to enter information into the machine data reader, the one or more keys not moveable with respect to the body of the machine data reader, and operability of the one or more keys depending upon the sensed position of the keypad.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a customization component that facilitates user-customization of a display rendering based at least in part upon the sensed position of the keypad.

5. The system of claim 4, the customization component customizes size of at least one of text and imagery of the display.

6. The system of claim 4, the customization component associated with an artificial intelligence component that infers a desirable display orientation based at least in part upon one or more of user identification, user history, and current application.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a multi-position connector that facilitates connecting the keypad to the body of the machine data reader, the position of the keypad sensed via monitoring a physical connection between the keypad and the multi-position connector.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a sensing component that dynamically senses a position of the keypad, the display dynamically rendered based at least in part upon the sensed position of the keypad.

9. The system of claim 1, the machine data reader being a wearable barcode scanner.

10. The system of claim 1, the keypad detachable from the machine data reader.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a mechanism that locks the keypad in a desirable position.

12. The system of claim 11, the keypad inoperative when the keypad is not locked in a desirable position.

13. The system of claim 1, the machine data reader being at least one of a device that reads contact IC technology and contactless IC technology.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising a data store that contains one or more profiles, the profiles related to individual users and comprising information related to user preferences, and the display oriented based at least in part upon a profile.

15. A method for displaying data on a machine data reader, comprising:

providing a keypad that is moveable with respect to a body of a machine data reader;

positioning the keypad in a desirable position;

sensing the position of the keypad; and

orienting a display based at least in part upon the sensed position of the keypad.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

providing a detachable face, the keypad and the display resident on the detachable face;

orienting the detachable face in a desirable orientation;

determining the orientation of the detachable face; and

orienting the display based at least in part upon the orientation of the detachable face.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising customizing the display based at least in part upon user-preference.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising customizing the display based at least in part on one or more of user history, user identification, and current application.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

associating keys that are not moveable with the machine data reader; and

altering operability of the keys based at least in part upon the sensed position of the moveable keypad.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising altering a size of at least one of text and images of the display based at least in part upon an application of the user.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising locking the keypad in place upon the keypad being positioned at the desired position.

22. The method of claim 21, the keypad not operable when the keypad is not locked in place.

23. A system that facilitates desirably orienting a display on a barcode scanner, comprising:

means for altering an orientation of a keypad on the barcode scanner, the keypad employed to facilitate entering of information into the barcode scanner;

means for determining the orientation of the keypad with respect to a body of the barcode scanner; and

means for orienting the display based at least in part upon the determined orientation of the keypad.

24. The system of claim 23, the barcode scanner being a wearable barcode scanner, the wearable barcode scanner wearable on at least one of a right arm and a left arm.

25. The system of claim 23, further comprising means for locking the keypad at a desirable orientation.

26. The system of claim 25, further comprising means for unlocking the keypad to further alter orientation of the keypad.

27. The system of claim 23, further comprising means for customizing the orientation of the display based at least in part upon user identification, user history, and current application.

28. The system of claim 23, further comprising means for utilizing a profile to orient the display, the profile comprising information relate to user-preference regarding the barcode scanner display.

29. The system of claim 23, further comprising means for dynamically orienting the display while the orientation of the keypad is being altered.