INDICIA-READING SYSTEM

• US 20150144701A1
• Filed: 10/28/2014
• Published: 05/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Xian, Tao, Liu, Haiyang, Bremer, Edward C., Smith, Taylor
• Granted Patent: US 9,530,038 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/472.02
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10693 for omnidirectional scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners
• 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: G07G 1/0018 Constructional details, e.g. of drawer, printing means, input means
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0081 the reader being a portable scanner or data reader G07G1/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00045 Authentication, i.e. circuits for checking compatibility between one component, e.g. a battery or a battery charger, and another component, e.g. a power source

Abstract

Indicia-reading systems include an auxiliary reading apparatus with wireless charging capability. The systems are configured to couple, transfer, and receive energy wirelessly between a base charging station and auxiliary indicia reader via resonating coils that include an impedance matching network. Wireless charging capability can save space at the point-of-sale and add convenience for the operator.

Claims

1. An indicia-reading system, comprising:

a hand-held indicia reader, comprising (i) an indicia-capturing subsystem for acquiring information about indicia within the indicia-capturing subsystem'"'"'s field of view, (ii) an indicia-decoding subsystem configured for decoding indicia information acquired by the indicia-capturing subsystem, (iii) a receiving inductor for wirelessly receiving energy, and (iv) a hand-supportable housing physically integrating the indicia-capturing subsystem, the indicia-decoding subsystem, and the receiving inductor; and

an emitting inductor for wirelessly emitting energy to the hand-held indicia reader'"'"'s receiving inductor.

2. The indicia-reading system according to claim 1, wherein the emitting inductor and the hand-held indicia reader'"'"'s receiving inductor are tuned to resonant frequency.

3. The indicia-reading system according to claim 1, wherein the hand-held indicia reader comprises a battery physically integrated within the hand-supportable housing, the receiving inductor being configured to charge the battery.

4. The indicia-reading system according to claim 3, wherein the hand-held indicia reader comprises a rectifier physically integrated within the hand-supportable housing and electrically integrated between the receiving inductor and the battery, the rectifier being configured to convert RF-energy to DC energy.

5. The indicia-reading system according to claim 1, wherein the hand-held indicia reader comprises a super capacitor physically integrated within the hand-supportable housing, the receiving inductor being configured to charge the super capacitor.

6. The indicia-reading system according to claim 5, wherein the hand-held indicia reader comprises a rectifier physically integrated within the hand-supportable housing and electrically integrated between the receiving inductor and the super capacitor, the rectifier being configured to convert RF-energy to DC energy.

7. The indicia-reading system according to claim 1, comprising an amplifier configured to drive the emitting inductor at resonance.

8. The indicia-reading system according to claim 1, wherein the emitting inductor comprises an emitting coil and a resonating coil.

9. The indicia-reading system according to claim 1, wherein the receiving inductor comprises a receiving coil and a resonating coil.

10. The indicia-reading system according to claim 1, wherein the hand-held indicia reader comprises a wireless communication module at least partially integrated within the hand-supportable housing.

11. An indicia-reading system, comprising:

a hand-held indicia reader, comprising (i) an auxiliary indicia-capturing subsystem for acquiring information about indicia within the auxiliary indicia-capturing subsystem'"'"'s field of view, (ii) an auxiliary indicia-decoding subsystem configured for decoding indicia information acquired by the auxiliary indicia-capturing subsystem, (iii) a receiving inductor for wirelessly receiving energy, and (iv) a hand-supportable housing physically integrating the auxiliary indicia-capturing subsystem, the auxiliary indicia-decoding module, and the receiving inductor; and

a point-of-sale indicia-reader, comprising (i) a point-of-sale indicia-capturing subsystem for acquiring information about indicia within the point-of-sale indicia-capturing subsystem'"'"'s field of view, (ii) a point-of-sale indicia-decoding subsystem configured for decoding indicia information acquired by the point-of-sale indicia-capturing subsystem, and (iii) an emitting inductor for wirelessly emitting energy to the hand-held indicia reader'"'"'s receiving inductor.

12. The indicia-reading system according to claim 11, wherein the emitting inductor and the hand-held indicia reader'"'"'s receiving inductor are tuned to the resonant frequency.

13. The indicia-reading system according to claim 11, wherein the hand-held indicia reader comprises a battery physically integrated within the hand-supportable housing, the receiving inductor being configured to charge the battery.

14. The indicia-reading system according to claim 11, wherein the hand-held indicia reader comprises a rectifier physically integrated within the hand-supportable housing and electrically integrated between the receiving inductor and the battery, the rectifier being configured to convert RF-energy to DC energy.

15. The indicia-reading system according to claim 11, comprising an amplifier configured to drive the emitting inductor at resonance.

16. The indicia-reading system according to claim 11, wherein the hand-held indicia reader comprises a wireless communication module.

17. The indicia-reading system according to claim 16, wherein the point-of-sale indicia-reader comprises a wireless communication base.

18. The indicia-reading system according to claim 17, wherein the hand-held indicia reader and the point-of-sale indicia-reader are in wireless communication.

19. A method for wirelessly charging a hand-held indicia reader, comprising:

providing a hand-held indicia reader comprising a receiving inductor for wirelessly receiving energy and a battery, the receiving inductor being configured to charge the battery;

providing a charging station comprising an emitting inductor for wirelessly emitting energy to the hand-held indicia reader'"'"'s receiving inductor; and

charging the hand-held indicia reader using the charging station.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising reading indicia using the charged hand-held indicia reader.