Multiple-interface selection system for computer peripherals

• US 5,347,113 A
• Filed: 03/25/1993
• Issued: 09/13/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PSC Scanning, Inc. (Datalogic ADC Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Spectra-Physics Scanning Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Reddersen, Brad R., Moch, Rockie D., Shepard, Phillip W.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHEPPERD, JOHN W
• Application Number:
  US08/039,606
• Time in Patent Office: 537 Days
• Field of Search: 439/488, 439/489, 439/491, 439/620, 235/375, 235/436, 235/462, 174/268
• US Class Current: 235/462.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/18 Packaging or power distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1017 Programmable
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10 by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/7076 for connection between PCB and component, e.g. display
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/465 Identification means, e.g. labels, tags, markings H01R9/2475, H01R9/2683 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/64 Means for preventing incorrect coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 29/00 Coupling parts for selective co-operation with a counterpart in different ways to establish different circuits, e.g. for voltage selection, for series-parallel selection, programmable connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/06 Intermediate parts for linking two coupling parts, e.g. adapter with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/94

Abstract

An interface selection and configuration system for a computer peripheral in which configuration for the peripheral and/or the host interface is at least in part accomplished by the interface connector cable. In a preferred embodiment, the computer peripheral is equipped with one or more hardware interfaces. The interface connector cable has a first end connector for attaching to the computer peripheral. The first end connector of the interface connector cable is typically a multiple pin connector constructed and arranged to be properly physically and electrically connectable only to a specific computer peripheral or class of computer peripherals, the first end connector including at least one electrical connection between two pins for completing a circuit within the computer peripheral thereby enabling the computer peripheral. Where the peripheral is a data reading device such as a laser scanner, alternate or additional configuration may be provided by reading, with data reading device, a label on the interconnect cable. The label, which may for example be a bar code, contains information or instructions by which the data reading device (and/or the host) is configured.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a data reader for a particular host comprising the steps of

providing the data reader with sufficient internal hardware and/or firmware so as to be configurable for at least two different hosts;

selecting a matching interconnect cable corresponding to the data reader and the particular host, the interconnect cable having a label thereon containing encoded data which may be read by the data reader;

connecting a first end of the interconnect cable to the data reader a second end to the host;

activating the data reader and the host;

selecting internal hardware and/or firmware for the data reader by the steps of;

reading the encoded data contained on the label of the interconnect cable,

processing the encoded data which contains instructions for selection of internal hardware and/or firmware for the data reader, and

by means of an internal configuration routine, configuring the data reader for the particular host on the basis of the instructions from the encoded data.

2. A method for configuring a data reader according to claim 1 wherein the multiple contact connector is selected from the group consisting of:

edge connectors, pin connectors, plugs, and sockets.

3. A method for configuring a data reader according to claim 1 wherein the data reader comprises a handheld laser scanner.

4. A method for configuring a data reader according to claim 1 further comprising the step of ensuring a correct interconnect cable is selected for the given host and the data reader.

5. A method for configuring a data reader for a given host, comprising the steps of:

supplying the data reader with sufficient internal architecture to be configurable for at least two different hosts;

equipping the data reader with at least two internal configuration selection switch settings, the data reader being selectively configured for a given host by selecting a given one or more of said internal configuration selection switch settings;

selecting a matching interconnect cable which matches the data reader and the given host, the interconnect cable having a first end connector for attaching to the data reader, the interconnect cable having a label thereon containing encoded data which may be read by the data reader;

attaching the interconnect cable to the data reader;

reading the encoded data contained on the label of the interconnect cable with the data reader;

processing the encoded data which contains instructions for selection of internal hardware and/or firmware for the data reader;

by means of an internal configuration routine, configuring the data reader for the particular host by selecting proper parameter settings on the basis of the instructions from the encoded data.

6. A method for configuring a data reader according to claim 5 wherein the step of attaching the interconnect cable to the data reader comprises actuating the given one or more of said internal configuration selection switch settings for configuring the data reader for a given application.

7. A method for configuring a data reader according to claim 6 wherein the step of actuating the given one or more of said internal configuration selection switch settings for configuring the data reader for a given application comprises closing an electrical circuit between contacts in the multiple contact connector of the data reader by attaching the first end connector of the matching interconnect cable to the data reader, the first end connector having certain of its contacts electrically interconnected.

8. A handheld data reader system which is configurable to a plurality of host interfaces, comprising:

a host interface;

a handheld data reader unit having internal architecture such that the unit may be configured for use with at least two different host interfaces;

an interface connector cable connected at a first end thereof to the handheld data reader unit and connectable at a second end thereof to a given host interface, the interface connector cable having a label with configuration data encoded thereon, the configuration data comprising information used by the handheld data reader unit to configure itself for the given host interface;

wherein the handheld data reader includes an internal operation routine which provides for configuring the handheld data reader for the given host interface on the basis of the information obtained by reading said label on said interface connector cable.

9. An interface configuration system according to claim 8 wherein the data reader comprises a handheld laser scanner.

10. An interface configuration system according to claim 8 wherein the second end of the interface connector cable includes a multiple contact connector constructed and arranged to be properly physically connectable only to a specific host interface or class of host interfaces.

11. An interface configuration system according to claim 8 further comprising means for ensuring correct interface connector cable selection for the data reader.

12. An interface configuration system for configuring a data reader unit for a given host interface, comprising:

a data reader unit having (a) at least two internal configuration selection circuits and (b) having internal architecture such that the data reader unit may be configured for use with at least two different host interfaces by actuation of a given one or more of said internal configuration selection circuits; and

an interface connector cable having a first end connectable to the data reader unit and a second end connectable to the given host interface, said interface connector cable including

at least one electrical connection between two contacts which, when the first end of said interface connector cable is plugged into the data reader, completes the given one or more of said internal configuration selection circuits within the data reader unit thereby configuring the internal architecture of the data reader unit such that the data reader unit corresponds to the given host interface and

a label with configuration data encoded thereon, the configuration data comprising information used by the handheld data reader unit to configure itself for the given host,

wherein the data reader includes an internal operation routine which provides for configuring the data reader for the given host on the basis of the information obtained by reading said label on said interface connector cable.

13. An interface connector cable for configuring a handheld data reader for a particular application or host, comprising

a first end connector connectable to the handheld data reader, the first end connecting having at least one electrical connection between two contacts for completing an internal configuration selection circuit within the handheld data reader thereby internally configuring the handheld data reader for the particular application or host;

a label with configuration data encoded thereon, the configuration data comprising information used by the handheld data reader unit to configure itself for the given host; and

an identifying code located on an outer surface of the interface connector cable, the identifying code corresponding to the particular application or host.

14. A method for internally configuring a data reader for a given application, comprising the steps of

(1) identifying the data reader;

(2) identifying the given host/application for which the data reader will be used;

(3) selecting a correct interface connector cable by identifying a connector cable having an identifying code corresponding to the data reader and the given host/application identified in steps (1) and (2);

(4) connecting the interface connector cable selected in step (3) to the data reader and the host;

(5) reading encoded data contained on a label on the interconnect cable with the data reader;

(6) processing the encoded data which contains instructions for selection of configuration parameters for the data reader; and

(7) by means of an internal configuration routine, configuring the data reader for the particular application by selecting proper internal parameter settings on the basis of the instructions from the encoded data.

15. A method for internally configuring a data reader according to claim 14 further comprising

equipping the data reader with at least two internal configuration selection switch settings, the data reader being selectively configured for a given host by actuation of a given one or more of said internal configuration selection switch settings,

wherein the step of attaching the interconnect cable to the data reader actuates the given one or more of said internal configuration selection switch settings by closing an electrical circuit between contacts in the multiple contact connector of the data reader.

16. A method for internally configuring a data reader according to claim 14 wherein the step of connecting the interface connector cable to the data reader comprises establishing electrical connection between certain contacts in a mating connector on the data reader thereby actuating a given one or more internal configuration selection switches within the data reader to select a desired internal configuration of the data reader for the given application.