Wireless bar code transaction device

• US 20090088203A1
• Filed: 09/27/2007
• Published: 04/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Havens, William H., Cairns, James A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,946,493 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/556.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1011 Aiming
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2755 by optical scanning
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera

Abstract

A cellular camera telephone is provided with aiming, illumination, and decoding functionality to enable the economical and ergonomic reading and decoding of bar code symbols. The aiming and illumination are preferably a single system to minimize power consumption, such as by projecting a rectangle of light to both frame and illuminate the image area containing the target bar code. The cell phone is further provided with a lens system that permits switching between the ‘normal’ picture-taking focal range of from a few feet to infinity, and a bar code-reading focal range on the order of from a few to several inches. The lens system may involve, or combine, conventional autofocus/autozoom technology, fluid or adaptive lens technology, and liquid crystal lens technology. The cell phone may both acquire information from scanning bar codes, and transmit information by creating and displaying bar codes. Wireless connectivity allows the cell phone to communicate with the Internet or any of a number of network types, enabling the user to request, review, and authorize transactions.

Claims

1. A cellular camera telephone comprising;

a) a two-dimensional photosensor,

b) an aiming light source for projecting light from said cellular camera telephone onto a target bar code indicia to assist the using in properly aligning the indicia with the cellular camera,

c) an illumination light source for illuminating said target bar code indicia,

d) a processor for decoding said target bar code indicia; and

e) a power supply appropriately dimensioned to enable energizing said illumination light source either continuously, or in multiple light flashes having a separation of less than 1 second.

2. A method of purchasing goods or services using a cellular camera telephone capable of reading and decoding bar code indicia, said method comprising the steps of:

a) using the cellular camera telephone to scan bar code indicia representative of the goods or services to be purchased;

b) transmitting the scanned bar code indicia, or information decoded therefrom, to a vendor to request goods or services;

c) receiving, on the cellular camera telephone, a transaction summary and request for approval from the vendor; and

d) providing approval of the transaction using the cellular camera telephone.