APPARATUS HAVING RANDOM ORDERED KEYPAD

• US 20130207902A1
• Filed: 02/10/2012
• Published: 08/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Showering, Paul Edward
• Granted Patent: US 9,778,841 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

An apparatus including: a touch screen display for displaying information, including displaying a keypad comprising an array of touch keys; a processor for controlling software and firmware operation; and a housing for supporting the touch screen display and configured to facilitate an operator keypad data entry, wherein the processor changes the displayed key configuration at a predetermined time.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a touch screen display for displaying information, including displaying a keypad comprising an array of touch keys;

a processor for controlling software and firmware operation; and

a housing for supporting the touch screen display and configured to facilitate an operator keypad data entry,

wherein the processor changes the displayed key configuration at a predetermined time.

2. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the keys are comprised of at least one of the following:

alphanumeric keys, multi-functional keys, symbols and icons.

3. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising an indicia reader for reading information bearing indicia and a button for activating indicia reading.

4. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a data capture system and a button for activating data capture.

5. An apparatus comprising:

a communication module for sending and receiving communications to a processor;

a touch screen display for touch screen displaying information, including displaying an an array of touch keys;

the processor for controlling software and firmware operation;

a housing encompassing the communication module, touch screen display, processor and touch screen display configured to facilitate an operator holding the mobile device in one hand and keypad data entry with the other hand; and

,

wherein the processor randomly changes the displayed touch keys configuration at a predetermined time.

6. An apparatus in accordance with claim 5, wherein the keys are comprised of at least one of the following:

alphanumeric keys, multi-functional keys, symbols and icons.

7. An apparatus in accordance with claim 5, further comprising an indicia reader for reading information bearing indicia and a button for activating indicia reading.

8. An apparatus in accordance with claim 5, further comprising a data capture system and a button for activating data capture.

9. An apparatus in accordance with claim 5, wherein the numeric keys and/or the alpha keys are multi-functional wherein they may be utilized for data entry.

10. A method of operating an apparatus comprising:

displaying information on a touch screen display for displaying an array of of touch keys;

a processor for controlling software and firmware operation; and

a housing for supporting the touch screen display and configured to facilitate an operator keypad data entry, wherein the processor changes the displayed touch key configuration at a predetermined time.

11. A method of operating an apparatus in accordance with claim 10, wherein the keys are comprised of at least one of the following:

alphanumeric keys, multi-functional keys, symbols and icons.

12. A method of operating an apparatus in accordance with claim 10, further comprising an indicia reader for reading information bearing indicia and a button for activating indicia reading.

13. A method of operating an apparatus in accordance with claim 10, further comprising a data capture system and a button for activating data capture.

14. A method of operating An apparatus in accordance with claim 13, wherein the keys are multi-functional wherein they may be utilized for data entry other than alpha or numeric data.

15. A method of operating an apparatus comprising the steps of:

sending and receiving communications to a processor;

displaying information on a a touch screen display, including displaying a keypad for entering data comprising an array of touch keys;

controlling software and firmware operation utilizing the processor; and

supporting the touch screen display to facilitate an operator holding the mobile device in one hand and keypad data entry with the other hand,

wherein the processor randomly changes the displayed touch keys at a predetermined time.

16. A method of operating an apparatus in accordance with claim 15, further comprising an indicia reader for reading information bearing indicia and a button for activating indicia reading.

17. A method of operating an apparatus in accordance with claim 15, further comprising a data capture system and a button for activating data capture.

18. A method of operating An apparatus in accordance with claim 15, wherein the keys are multi-functional wherein they may be utilized for data entry other than alpha or numeric data.