Triggering system and method

• US 20060289771A1
• Filed: 06/28/2005
• Published: 12/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: White, Jay Paul
• Granted Patent: US 7,244,944 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/370.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10891 the scanner to be worn on a finger or on a wrist
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2009/0221 the switches being fixed to the operator's hand, e.g. integrated in a glove or fixed to a ring

Abstract

Described is a triggering arrangement including a power supply, a lighting arrangement and a switch. The lighting arrangement is coupled to the power supply. The switch is coupled to the lighting arrangement and the power supply. When the switch is in a first position, the lighting arrangement generates light to a photo-sensing portable device. The device is situated a predetermined distance from the arrangement. The device initiates a predetermined action in response to the light.

Claims

1. A triggering arrangement, comprising:

a power supply;

a lighting arrangement coupled to the power supply; and

a switch coupled to the lighting arrangement and the power supply,

wherein when the switch is in a first position, the lighting arrangement generates light to a photo-sensing portable device, the device being situated a predetermined distance from the arrangement, the device initiating a predetermined action in response to the light.

2. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the power supply is a battery.

3. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the lighting arrangement is a light-emitting diode.

4. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the switch is one of a button, a rocker, a toggle and a slide switch.

5. The arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising:

an attachment arrangement allowing the triggering arrangement to be worn by a user.

6. The arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the attachment arrangement is one of a sizable band and a molded ring.

7. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the light is an infrared light.

8. The arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising:

an encoding circuit which, when the switch is in the first position, causes the light to be generated in a predefined pattern to the device.

9. The arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the predefined pattern is unique to the triggering arrangement.

10. The arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the device initiates the predetermined action in response to a plurality of predefined patterns.

11. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the device is a scanner.

12. The arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the predetermined action is a scan.

13. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the device includes a further attachment arrangement for being worn by the user.

14. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a photo-sensing portable device, a first optical signal from a triggering arrangement;

comparing the first optical signal to at least a second signal optical stored in a memory of the device; and

when the first signal matches the second signal, initiating a predetermined action.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising, prior to the receiving step:

receiving, by the device, a third optical signal from the arrangement; and

storing the third optical signal as the second signal.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the first optical signal is an infrared light.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein the first optical signal is a predefined pattern of light.

18. The method according to claim 14, wherein the device is a scanner and the predetermined action is a scan.

19. A system, comprising:

a photo-sensing portable device including an optical sensor; and

a triggering arrangement including an optical source wirelessly communicating with the optical sensor, the triggering arrangement including a power supply, an attachment arrangement for attaching the triggering arrangement to a user with the optical source in a line-of-sight of the optical sensor, and a switch which, when activated, supplies energy from the power supply to activate the optical source, an operation of the device being controlled based on signals corresponding to light received by the optical sensor.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the device is a scanner and the operation of the device includes a scanning operation.