HYBRID OPTICAL CODE SCANNER USER ALERT

• US 20130075471A1
• Filed: 09/27/2011
• Published: 03/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Inventors: Collins, Donald A. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 9,313,581 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/440
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10554 Moving beam scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/109 adaptations to make the hand-held scanner useable as a fixed scanner
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1096 the scanner having more than one scanning window, e.g. two substantially orthogonally placed scanning windows for integration into a check-out counter of a super-market
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/02 adapted to be supported entirely by ear

Abstract

A hybrid optical code scanner, system and method are presented for alerting a user when one or more events related to a handheld imaging scanner, undocked from the hybrid optical code scanner, occur. The events include moving the handheld imaging scanner beyond it communication range, keeping the handheld imaging scanner undocked beyond a predetermined period of time and activation of a switch on the handheld imaging scanner.

Claims

1. ) A hybrid optical code scanner comprising:

a housing;

a speaker located in the housing where the speaker produces audible sounds;

a laser scanner adapted to read optical codes presented to the hybrid optical code scanner for reading, where the laser scanner is located in the housing;

an imaging scanner adapted to read optical codes, where the imaging scanner is removable from the housing and when the imaging scanner is docked to the housing, it reads optical codes presented to the hybrid optical code scanner for reading and when the imaging scanner is undocked from the housing, it is operated by hand and reads optical codes remote from the hybrid optical code scanner; and

where an audible alarm is sent to the speaker when an event related to the imaging scanner being removed from the housing occurs.

2. ) The hybrid optical code scanner of claim 1, wherein the event occurs when the imaging scanner has been removed from the housing for more than a predetermined period of time.

3. ) The hybrid optical code scanner of claim 1, wherein the event occurs when a switch on the imaging scanner that has been removed from the housing is activated.

4. ) The hybrid optical code scanner of claim 1, further including:

a wireless network that transfers data between the imaging scanner and the hybrid optical code scanner; and

wherein the event occurs when the wireless network loses contact with the imaging scanner because the imaging scanner has been moved beyond the range of the wireless network.

5. ) The hybrid optical code scanner of claim 1, wherein the alarm is an audible tone.

6. ) The hybrid optical code scanner of claim 1, wherein the alarm includes one or more audible words describing the event causing the alarm.

7. ) The hybrid optical code scanner of claim 1, wherein the sounding of the alarm stops when the imaging scanner is returned to the housing.

8. ) The hybrid optical code scanner of claim 1, wherein the imaging scanner is paired to the hybrid optical code scanner and only communicates with the paired hybrid optical code scanner.

9. ) A computer implemented method for alerting a user when one of a plurality of events occurs related to an imaging scanner undocked from a hybrid optical code scanner where the imaging scanner when docked with the hybrid optical code scanner is used by the hybrid optical code scanner to scan optical codes, the method comprising:

detecting the imaging scanner has been undocked from the hybrid scanner;

in response to detecting the imaging scanner has been undocked, determining one of the following conditions;

whether wireless communications between the imaging scanner and the hybrid scanner has been lost, and

whether the imaging scanner has been undocked for more than a first period of time; and

wherein in the event one or more of the conditions occurs, generating an audible alert on a speaker located within the hybrid optical code scanner.

10. ) The method of claim 9, wherein the determining one of the following conditions further includes determining:

whether a switch on the imaging scanner has been activated.

11. ) The method of claim 9, wherein the audible alert includes verbal information describing the condition that occurred.

12. ) The method of claim 9, further including:

determining that the imaging scanner has been docked with the hybrid scanner and stopping the generation of the audible alert.

13. ) A point of sale terminal system comprising:

a store computer server;

a computer network connected to the store computer server; and

a point of sale terminal in communication with the store computer server over the computer network, the point of sale terminal comprising;

a hybrid optical code scanner comprising;

a housing;

a speaker located in the housing where the speaker produces audible sounds;

a laser scanner adapted to read optical codes presented to the hybrid optical code scanner for reading by the laser scanner, where the laser scanner is located in the housing;

an imaging scanner adapted to read optical codes, where the imaging scanner is removable from the housing and when the imaging scanner is docked to the housing, it reads optical codes presented to the hybrid optical code scanner for reading and when the imaging scanner is undocked from the housing, it is operated by hand and reads optical codes remote from the hybrid optical code scanner; and

wherein an audible alarm is sent to the speaker when an event related to the imaging scanner being removed from the housing occurs.

14. ) The system of claim 13, wherein the event occurs when the imaging scanner has been removed from the housing for more than a first period of time.

15. ) The system of claim 13, wherein the event occurs when a switch on the imaging scanner that has been removed from the housing is activated.

16. ) The system of claim 13, where the hybrid optical code scanner further comprises:

a wireless network that transfers data between the imaging scanner and the hybrid optical code scanner; and

wherein the event occurs when the wireless network loses contact with the imaging scanner because the imaging scanner has been moved beyond the range of the wireless network.

17. ) The system of claim 13, wherein the alarm is an audible tone.

18. ) The system of claim 13, wherein the alarm includes one or more audible words describing the event causing the alarm.

19. ) The system of claim 13, wherein the sounding of the alarm stops when the imaging scanner is returned to the housing.

20. ) The system of claim 13, wherein the imaging scanner is paired to the hybrid optical code scanner and only communicates with the paired hybrid optical code scanner.