Device For Delivery Service

• US 20150242933A1
• Filed: 02/26/2014
• Published: 08/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Beguin, Julien George, Depew, John Mathew, Young, Richard David, Butler, David George, Howard, John Avery, Mader, Thomas Bruno, Thomelin, Toni Raquel Reid, Keen, Thomas William
• Granted Patent: US 9,892,450 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1091 means to wake up the scanner from a sleep mode, e.g. using an acceleration sensor indicating that the scanner is being picked up by a user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/10 Services

Abstract

In some cases, a handheld electronic device may operate in a voice input mode or a scanner input mode. When operating in the voice input mode, the handheld electronic device may record and store audio data in memory. In some cases, the stored audio data may be communicated from the handheld electronic device (e.g., via a Wi-Fi connection) to one or more remote computing devices (e.g., for speech processing). When operating in the scanner input mode, the handheld electronic device may record and store item identifier information (e.g., as barcode data) in the memory. In some cases, the stored item identifier data may be communicated to the one or more remote computing devices (e.g., for item identification processing).

Claims

1. A handheld electronic device comprising:

a sleeve, wherein a first dimension of the sleeve is substantially longer than a second dimension of the sleeve and wherein the first dimension of the sleeve is substantially longer than a third dimension of the sleeve;

a button assembly comprising;

a first button associated with a voice input mode; and

a second button associated with a scanner input mode;

a memory;

a microphone configured to receive a voice input, wherein the voice input that is received when operating in the voice input mode is stored in the memory as audio data;

a barcode scanner, wherein the barcode scanner points substantially in the direction of the first dimension and wherein barcode data associated with a barcode that is scanned when operating in the scanner input mode is stored in the memory; and

a microcontroller configured to;

activate the microphone in response to a signal received from the first button and store the received voice input in the memory; and

activate the barcode scanner in response to a signal received from the second button and store the barcode data in the memory.

2. The handheld electronic device as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

an antenna; and

a wireless module communicatively coupled to the microcontroller and the antenna for establishing a wireless connection and communicating, via the wireless connection, the audio data and the barcode data to one or more computing devices.

3. The handheld electronic device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a power supply, wherein the power supply is configured to receive power from at least one removable battery.

4. The handheld electronic device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a sleeve frame configured to secure the barcode scanner and one or more printed circuit boards within the sleeve, wherein the sleeve is substantially cylindrical or substantially cuboidal.

5. The handheld electronic device as recited in claim 4, further comprising:

a lens frame that includes one or more lens feet and that is positioned at a first side of the sleeve; and

a handle frame that includes one or more handle feet and that is positioned at a second side of the sleeve,

wherein the one or more lens feet and the one or more handle feet apply pressure to the sleeve frame to secure the sleeve frame in the sleeve.

6. A handheld electronic device comprising:

a housing;

a microphone;

a scanner;

an antenna;

a non-volatile memory;

a microcontroller configured to;

receive a first signal;

in response to receiving the first signal, activate the microphone and store a voice input in the non-volatile memory as audio data;

receive a second signal;

in response to receiving the second signal, activate the scanner and store information associated with an identifier in the non-volatile memory as identifier data;

establish a wireless connection using the antenna; and

in response to establishing the wireless connection, transmit the audio data and the identifier data to the one or more remote computing devices.

7. The handheld electronic device as recited in claim 6, wherein a first dimension of the housing is substantially longer than a second dimension of the housing and wherein the first dimension of the housing is substantially longer than a third dimension of the housing.

8. The handheld electronic device as recited in claim 6, wherein the housing is substantially cylindrical or substantially cuboidal.

9. The handheld electronic device as recited in claim 6, further comprising:

a first button, wherein activation of the first button causes the first signal to be sent to the microcontroller; and

a second button, wherein activation of the second button causes the second signal to be sent to the microcontroller.

10. The handheld electronic device as recited in claim 6, wherein the housing further comprises a substantially circular-shaped portion for hanging the handheld electronic device from a hook.

11. The handheld electronic device as recited in claim 6, wherein at least one primary cell is configured to provide power to the handheld electronic device.

12. The handheld electronic device as recited in claim 6, wherein the scanner is a barcode scanner.

13. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media maintaining instructions executable by one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving, at a handheld electronic device, a first signal;

in response to receiving the first signal;

transitioning the handheld electronic device from a first power state to a second power state, wherein the handheld electronic device consumes more power in the second power state than the first power state;

receiving, at the handheld electronic device, a voice input via a microphone of the handheld electronic device;

recording the voice input as audio data in a memory of the handheld electronic device; and

communicating the audio data to one or more remote computing devices, wherein the one or more remote computing devices perform speech processing on the audio data; and

transitioning the handheld electronic device from the second power state to the first power state.

14. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 13, wherein the first power state is an electrically off state.

15. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 13, the operations further comprising detecting that the first signal is no longer being received, wherein the handheld electronic device transitions from the second power state to the first power state in response to determining that the first signal is no longer being received.

16. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 13, the operations further comprising:

receiving a second instance of the first signal; and

in response to the second instance of the first signal, transitioning the handheld electronic device from the first power state to the second power state.

17. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 13, the operations further comprising:

establishing a network connection in response to receiving the first signal; and

wherein the audio data is communicated to the one or more remote computing devices in response to establishing the network connection.

18. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 13, wherein at least a portion of the audio data stored in the memory is communicated to the one or more remote computing devices before the voice input is complete.

19. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 13, the operations further comprising:

receiving a selection of a button, wherein the first signal is received in response to selection of the button;

providing a voice activation indication via the handheld electronic device;

determining that the button is no longer selected; and

providing a voice deactivation indication,

wherein at least one of the voice activation indication or the voice deactivation indication includes an audible output, a visual output, a haptic output, or a combination thereof.

20. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 13, further comprising determining that no wireless connection has been established, wherein the audio data is stored in the memory until a wireless connection has been established in order to communicate the audio data to the one or more remote computing devices.

21. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 20, wherein transitioning the handheld electronic device from the second power state to the first power state is in response to an expiration of a period of time.

22. A method comprising:

under control of one or more processors,

receiving, at a handheld electronic device, a first signal;

in response to receiving the first signal;

transitioning the handheld electronic device from a first power state to a second power state, wherein the handheld electronic device consumes more power in the second power state than the first power state;

activating a scanner of the handheld electronic device;

scanning an idem identifier using the scanner of the handheld electronic device;

storing information associated with the scanned item identifier as identifier data in a memory of the handheld electronic device; and

communicating the identifier data to one or more remote computing devices, wherein the one or more remote computing devices perform item identification processing on the identifier data; and

transitioning the handheld electronic device from the second power state to the first power state.

23. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein the first power state is an electrically off state.

24. The method as recited in claim 22, further comprising providing a scanner success indication via the handheld electronic device in response to scanning the item identifier.

25. The method as recited in claim 22, further comprising:

establishing a network connection in response to receiving the first signal; and

wherein the identifier data is communicated to the one or more remote computing devices in response to establishing the network connection.

26. The method as recited in claim 22, further comprising:

receiving a selection of a first button, wherein the first signal is received in response to selection of the first button;

detecting that the first signal is no longer being received;

transitioning the handheld electronic device from the second power state to the first power state;

receiving, at the handheld electronic device, a second signal, wherein the second signal is received in response to selection of a second button; and

in response to receiving the second signal;

transitioning the handheld electronic device from the first power state to a third power state, wherein the handheld electronic device consumes more power in the third power state than the first power state;

receiving, at the handheld electronic device, a voice input via a microphone of the handheld electronic device; and

recording the voice input as audio data in the memory.

27. The method as recited in claim 22, further comprising determining that no wireless connection has been established, wherein the identifier data is stored in the memory until a wireless connection has been established in order to communicate the identifier data to the one or more remote computing devices.