Data Collection Apparatus and Portable Data Collection Device

• US 20110257811A1
• Filed: 12/30/2008
• Published: 10/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Datalogic Mobile Incorporated (Datalogic S.p.A.)
• Original Assignee: Datalogic Mobile Incorporated (Datalogic S.p.A.)
• Inventors: Chiarini, Alessandro
• Granted Patent: US 8,897,927 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/00 Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0075 using a containment or docking space
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10 by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation

Abstract

An apparatus includes a portable device, a supporting base associable with a vehicle and connecting means to lock, or release, the device in the base. The apparatus further includes detecting means for detecting at least an operating parameter of the vehicle, interface means for setting an operating state of the device and control means, connected to the detecting means and to the interface means to command the connecting means, as a function of the operating parameter and/or of the operating state.

Claims

1. A portable device, comprising first connecting means for locking or releasing said device in a supporting base associable with a vehicle and provided with second connecting means arranged for interacting with said first connecting means, said device comprising detecting means for detecting at least an operating parameter of said vehicle, interface means for setting an operating state of said device and control means, connected to said detecting means and to said interface means to command said first connecting means as a function of said operating parameter and/or of said operating state.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said operating parameter is selected from in the group consisting of speed, acceleration, geographical localisation and altitude of said device.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein said detecting means comprises a GPS detector or an accelerometer.

4. The device according to claim 2, wherein said detecting means comprises a speed sensor integrated into said device, said detecting means is connected to a speed sensor integrated into said supporting base, or said detecting means is integrated into said vehicle.

5. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

7. The device according to claim 2, wherein said first connecting means is arranged for locking said device to said supporting base in a locked operating state when the speed of said device is greater than or equal to a preset threshold value, and is arranged for releasing said device from said base in a free operating state when the speed of said device is less than said preset threshold value.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein said interface means is a graphic user interface suitable for setting said preset threshold value.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein said first connecting means comprises at least an electromagnet and said second connecting means comprises at least one permanent magnet.

10. The device according to claim 1 further comprising further detecting means for detecting the presence of said device in said base, said control means being arranged for commanding said first connecting means in the presence of said device in said base.

11. (canceled)

12. A supporting base of an apparatus suitable for receiving a portable device and associable with a vehicle, said base comprising first connecting means for locking or releasing said device in said base, said device being provided with second connecting means arranged for interacting with said first connecting means and comprising detecting means for detecting at least an operating parameter of said vehicle and interface means for setting an operating state of said device;

said base comprising control means connectable to said detecting means and to said interface means of said device to command said first connecting means as a function of said operating parameter and/or of said operating state said operating parameter and/or said operating state being exchanged by the device when connected to the base.

13. The supporting base according to claim 12, wherein said operating parameter is selected from the group consisting of speed, acceleration, geographical localisation and altitude of said device.

14. The supporting base according to claim 13, wherein said detecting means comprises a GPS detector or an accelerometer.

15. The supporting base according to claim 13, wherein said detecting means comprises a speed sensor integrated into said device, said detecting means is connected to a speed sensor integrated into said supporting base, or said detecting means is integrated into said vehicle.

16. (canceled)

17. (canceled)

18. The supporting base according to claim 13, wherein said first connecting means locks said device to said supporting base in a locked operating state when the speed of said device is greater than or equal to a preset threshold value, and releases said device from said base in a free operating state when the speed of said device is less than said preset threshold value.

19. (canceled)

20. The supporting base according to claim 12, wherein said first connecting means comprises at least an electromagnet and said second connecting means comprises at least a permanent magnet.

21. The supporting base according to claim 12, wherein said first connecting means comprises at least an actuator acting on a stopping element and said second connecting means comprises at least a seat contained in an outer casing of said device, said stopping element being suitable for engaging in said seat to lock said device to said supporting base in a locked operating state.

22. (canceled)

23. The supporting base according to claim 12, comprising a pushbutton that is actuatable by a user to command said first connecting means overriding the previously set operating state or releasing said device from said base in a free operating state.

24. An apparatus comprising a portable device, a supporting base associable with a vehicle and connecting means for locking or releasing said device in said base, said apparatus comprising detecting means for detecting at least an operating parameter of said vehicle, interface means for setting an operating state of said device and control means connected to said detecting means and to said interface means to command said connecting means as a function of said operating parameter and/or of said operating state.

25. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said operating parameter is selected from the group consisting of speed, acceleration, geographical localisation and altitude of said device.

26. The apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said detecting means comprises a GPS detector or an accelerometer.

27. The apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said detecting means comprises a speed sensor integrated into said device said detecting means is connected to a speed sensor integrated into said supporting base, or said detecting means is integrated into said vehicle.

28. (canceled)

29. (canceled)

30. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said connecting means comprises first connecting means and second connecting means, said first connecting means being commandable by said control means.

31. The apparatus according to claim 30, wherein said device is lockable by said first connecting means to said supporting base in a locked operating state when the speed of said device is greater than or equal to a preset threshold value, and said device is releasable from said base in a free operating state when the speed of said device is less than said preset threshold value.

32. The apparatus according to claim 31, wherein said interface means is a graphic user interface integrated into said device and suitable for setting said preset threshold value, or wherein said interface means is a graphic user interface integrated into a computer connected remotely to said base and suitable for setting said preset threshold value.

33. (canceled)

34. The apparatus according to claim 30, wherein said first connecting means comprises at least an electromagnet and said second connecting means comprises at least one permanent magnet.

35. (canceled)

36. (canceled)

37. The apparatus according to claim 30, wherein said first connecting means comprises at least an actuator acting on a stopping element and said second connecting means comprises at least a seat of said device or of said base, said stopping element being suitable for engaging in said seat to lock said device to said supporting base in a locked operating state.

38. The apparatus according to claim 24, further comprising further detecting means for detecting the presence of said device in said base, said control means commanding said connecting means in the presence of said device in said base.

39. The apparatus according to claim 24 wherein said apparatus comprises first coupling means for the data exchange between said detecting means and said control means, and second coupling means for the data exchange between said control means and said connecting means.

40. The apparatus according to claim 39 wherein said apparatus comprises a wireless communication system including the first coupling means and said second coupling means.

41. (canceled)

42. (canceled)

43. The apparatus according to claim 24, comprising a pushbutton that is actuatable by a user to command said first connecting means, overriding the previously set operating state or releasing said device from said base in a free operating state.

44. A method for controlling an apparatus comprising a portable device, a supporting base associable with a vehicle, and connecting means to lock or release said device in said base, said method comprising the steps of:

detecting at least an operating parameter of said vehicle, and/or setting an operating state of said device; and

commanding said connecting means as a function of said operating parameter and/or of said operating state.

45. The method according to claim 44, comprising the step of, before said detecting, checking the presence of said device in said base and checking that detecting means of said apparatus suitable for detecting said parameter is active.

46. The method according to claim 44, wherein said commanding comprises actuating said connecting means to lock said device to said supporting base in a locked operating state when said operating parameter of said device is greater than or equal to a preset threshold value, and said commanding comprises actuating said connecting means for releasing said device from said base in a free operating state when said operating parameter is less than said preset threshold value.

47. The method according to claim 44 wherein said operating state is settable by a user by means of a manual management application.

48. The method according to claim 46 wherein said operating parameter is speed.