Bar code reader operable as remote scanner or with fixed terminal

• US 5,189,291 A
• Filed: 09/30/1991
• Issued: 02/23/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Siemiatkowski, Bish
• Primary Examiner(s): WEINHARDT, ROBERT A
• Application Number:
  US07/769,330
• Time in Patent Office: 512 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/383, 235/462, 235/472, 235/432, 235/493, 235/419, 455/603
• US Class Current: 235/462.45
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisions for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/109 adaptations to make the hand-held scanner useable as a fixed scanner
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0045 with a code reader for reading of an identifying code of the article to be registered, e.g. barcode reader or radio-frequency identity [RFID] reader
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/12 electronically operated digital data processing aspects G06Q20/00

Abstract

A laser-scan bar code reader is mounted in a hand-held unit operable in two modes. In one mode the hand-held unit may be mounted in a fixed position in a terminal in which case the data generated from the bar code reading operation is transferred immediately to the terminal and the reader is powered continuously from the terminal unit. In the other mode, the hand-held unit is separated from the terminal and held manually, in which case the data from bar code reading is stored in a local memory to be later transferred to the terminal when the hand-held unit is again inserted into the terminal. A battery in the hand-held unit is charged when the unit is mounted in the terminal, then powers the hand-held unit while operating remote from the terminal. The power for battery charging and the data transfer are accomplished without direct connections between the hand-held unit and the terminal.

Claims

1. A system for reading bar code symbols, comprising:

(a) a hand-held scanning unit in a lightweight, portable housing operating in a remote mode uncoupled from a terminal unit and operating in a coupled mode engaging a terminal unit, said scanning unit including;

symbol-detection means for generating a light beam directed toward a symbol to be read, and for receiving reflected light from such symbol to produce electrical signals corresponding to data represented by the symbol;

data transfer means for transferring the data represented by the symbol externally of said scanning unit and for receiving information from a source external to said scanning unit, by first coupling means requiring no direct electrical connection when in said coupled mode;

read-control means to actuate said symbol-detection means to initiate reading of a symbol; and

a rechargeable power supply in said scanning unit for supplying electrical power to said scanning unit, said power supply including second coupling means for receiving power for recharging; and

(b) a terminal unit operating remotely from said scanning unit when in said remote mode and operating coupled to said scanning unit when in said coupled mode, said terminal unit including;

data input means for receiving the data transferred from the data transfer means of said scanning unit by transmission without direct electrical connection when the scanning unit engages the terminal unit via said first coupling means in said coupled mode, and data output means for transmitting information to said scanning unit via said first coupling means, to thereby receive data from and transfer information to said scanning unit without direct electrical connection;

means for displaying and storing the data transferred from said scanning unit; and

means for transferring power to said second coupling means by power transmission without direct electrical connection for recharging said rechargeable power supply of said scanning unit when said scanning unit engages said terminal unit in said coupled mode;

said scanning unit by said symbol-detection means generating said laser beam and receiving said reflected light when in said coupled mode in response to said information transferred from said terminal unit.

2. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said symbol-detection means includes scanning means for repetitively scanning said beam over at least a portion of a symbol to be read.

3. A system as defined in claim 2 wherein said symbol-detection means includes photodetector means for detecting at least a portion of said light reflected from each symbol.

4. A system as defined in claim 3 including in said scanning unit means responsive to successful recognition of a symbol to be read to produce an indication, and means responsive to said indication to terminate actuation of the symbol-detection means.

5. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein said scanning unit further includes means for storing said data representing symbols read.

6. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein said read-control means comprises a switch on the housing for initiating reading of each symbol upon each manual actuation of the switch by the user.

7. A system as defined by claim 1, including means in said scanning unit for detecting a successful decoding of a symbol to be read.

8. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein said terminal unit includes a terminal housing having a rectangular slot that is adapted to receive said portable housing of said scanning unit when said scanning unit engages said terminal unit, said rectangular slot of said terminal housing having a seating portion to receive an interior end portion of said portable housing of said scanning unit, said seating portion including said data output means and said data input means to receive said data transferred by said scanning unit.

9. A system as defined in claim 8, wherein said terminal unit comprises object sensor means to detect when an object bearing a bar code label is moved into a field of view of said symbol-detection means of said scanning unit when said scanning unit is seated in said rectangular slot.

10. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein said terminal unit includes a housing having a slot adapted to receive said scanning unit when said scanning unit engages said terminal unit, and means in said slot for transferring data to or information from said scanning unit.

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein said means for transferring power to said scanning unit for charging said rechargeable power supply in said scanning unit is located in said slot of the terminal unit.

12. A system for reading bar code symbols, comprising:

(a) a hand-held scanning unit in a lightweight, portable housing, operable in a remote mode not connected with a terminal unit and also operable in a coupled mode wherein the scanning unit is coupled to a terminal unit;

said scanning unit including;

symbol-detection means for generating a light beam directed toward a symbol to be read and for receiving reflected light from such symbol to produce electrical signals corresponding to data represented by the symbol;

read-control means in said unit to actuate said symbol-detection means to initiate reading of a symbol;

a battery; and

data transfer means for transferring the data represented by the symbol externally of said scanning unit to said terminal unit and for receiving information from said terminal unit when said scanning unit is in said coupled mode via coupling means requiring no direct electrical connection; and

(b) a terminal unit operable remotely from said scanner unit and receiving said scanning unit in a receptacle, the terminal unit including data input/output means without direct electrical connection to the data transfer means for receiving the data transferred from the data transfer means of said scanning unit and for transmitting information to said scanning means via said coupling means only when said scanning unit is in said receptacle operating in said coupled mode;

means for displaying and storing the data transferred from said scanning unit; and

means for activating said read-control means of said scanning unit in response to said information from said received terminal unit via said data transfer means when said scanning unit is placed in said receptacle of said terminal unit and operating in said coupled mode.

13. A system as defined in claim 12, wherein said beam is a laser beam, and said scanner unit includes means for providing first and second scanning modes for said laser beam, and said first scanning mode is a low power standby mode for detecting a symbol but not reading the symbol and said second scanning mode is high power reading mode for reading the symbol.

14. A system as defined in claim 13, wherein in said first scanning mode said laser beam traces a scanning line having a first length in a reference plane lying generally normal to the optical path of said laser beam, and in said second scanning mode said laser beam traces a scanning line in said reference plane having a second length greater than said first length.

15. A system as defined in claim 12 wherein said scanner unit includes detector means responsive to light reflected from a symbol to detect the presence of a symbol, and wherein said read control means is responsive to said detector means and activated when an object having a reflected light characteristic that could be indicative of the presence of a symbol is detected.

16. A system for reading symbols, comprising:

(a) a portable scanner operative in a hand-held mode supported by a user and in a terminal-supported mode for reading symbols, and in data transfer mode, said scanner including

(i) a housing;

(ii) reader means in the housing for transmitting a light beam toward and scanning across each symbol to be read, and for receiving reflected light from each symbol, and for processing the scan of reflected light into electrical signals corresponding to data indicative of each symbol, said reader means being operated by control means in said housing to provide said scanning in said hand-held mode,

(iii) local data storage in said housing means for storing the data,

(iv) means for initiating the reading of each symbol, and

(v) a rechargeable power supply in said housing for supplying electrical power to the scanner, the rechargeable power supply including coupling means for receiving power,

(vi) means for transferring data from said local data storage; and

(b) a terminal located remotely from the scanner when the scanner is used in the hand-held mode, and coupled to and supporting the scanner when the scanner is in said terminal-supported mode and the data transfer mode, and including

(i) a main data storage means, and

(ii) actuatable recharge means for supplying power to said coupling means for recharging the rechargeable power supply; and

(iii) means for receiving and supporting the scanner on the terminal in the terminal-supported mode and data transfer mode, said receiving and supporting means including

data transfer means for coupling to said means for transferring data without direct electrical connection and operative for transferring the data stored in the local data storage means of the scanner to the main data storage means in the terminal and for transmitting information from the terminal, and

means for actuating the recharge means and supplying power by said coupling means without direct electrical connection to recharge the rechargeable power supply in said scanner;

(c) said control means, in response to said information from said terminal received via said means for receiving and supporting, operating said reader means in said terminal-supported mode when said scanner is received and supported by said terminal.

17. A system as defined in claim 16, wherein said means for actuating the recharge means is responsive to said scanner being mounted on the terminal.

18. A system as defined in claim 16, wherein said recharge means comprises an induction coil for transferring power via said coupling means to said scanner by induction.

19. A system as defined in claim 16, wherein said means for transferring data and said data transfer means include a light emitting diode for wireless transmission of the data to said main data storage means.

20. A system as defined in claim 16, wherein said terminal includes a base portion on which said terminal is seated, and said means for receiving and supporting the scanner functions to direct the light beam emitted from said scanner in the data transfer mode to a reference plane adjacent to said base portion.