Hand-held data capture system with interchangeable modules

• US 5,567,925 A
• Filed: 07/19/1994
• Issued: 10/22/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Norand Corporation (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Hanson, George E., Miller, Phillip, Koenck, Steven E., Krunnfusz, Jeffrey S., Schultz, Darald R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hajec, Donald T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FRECH, KARL D
• Application Number:
  US08/277,559
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 235/472, 235/462, 235/375
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/02 for radio sets, television sets, telephones, or the like; Arrangement of controls thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0241 for telephones
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/0225 User interface arrangements, e.g. keyboard, display; Interfaces to other computer systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisious 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 7/10574 Multiple sources
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10584 Source control
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10702 Particularities of propagating elements, e.g. lenses, mirrors G06K7/10831 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10732 Light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10811 Focalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10841 Particularities of the light-sensitive elements semiconductor devices H01L
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10851 Circuits for pulse shaping, amplifying, eliminating noise signals, checking the function of the sensing device basic electronic circuitry H03
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1098 the scanning arrangement having a modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/12 using a selected wavelength, e.g. to sense red marks and ignore blue marks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/343 Cards including a counter
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/02 : by keys or other credit registering devices
• 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: H01Q 1/007 : specially adapted for indoor communication
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/22 : by structural association with other equipment or articles
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/241 : used in mobile communications, e.g. GSM H01Q1/247, H01Q1/248 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/24 : Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction circularly polarised patch antennas H01Q9/0428; circularly polarised horns H01Q13/0241; cross-polarised horns H01Q13/0258; polarisation converters H01Q15/242; cross-polarised rear feeds H01Q19/136; crossed polarisation dual antenna H01Q25/001
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/1615 : Switching on; Switching off, e.g. remotely battery saving circuits associated with selective call operation H04W52/00; details of power consumption reduction in a PLL, H03L7/0802, H03L7/14, H03L2207/08, H03L2207/18; muting amplifiers by gain control see H03G3/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3833 : Hand-held transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/3894 : Waterproofing of transmission device
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0002 : by adapting the transmission rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0025 : Transmission of mode-switching indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0029 : Reduction of the amount of signalling, e.g. retention of useful signalling or differential signalling power control H04W52/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1671 : the supervisory signal being transmitted together with control information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1685 : the supervisory signal being transmitted in response to a specific request, e.g. to a polling signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/18 : Automatic repetition systems, e.g. Van Duuren systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/12 : Modulator circuits; Transmitter circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/14 : Demodulator circuits; Receiver circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/156 : with demodulation using temporal properties of the received signal, e.g. detecting pulse width
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 : Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/32 : Architecture of open systems interconnection [OSI] 7-layer type protocol stacks, e.g. the interfaces between the data link level and the physical level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/324 : in the data link layer [OSI layer 2], e.g. HDLC
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/325 : in the network layer [OSI layer 3], e.g. X.25 H04L69/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/326 : in the transport layer [OSI layer 4] H04L69/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0254 : comprising one or a plurality of mechanically detachable modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 : Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/028 : switching on or off only a part of the equipment circuit blocks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A portable, hand-held data terminal of modular structure includes a base module with a keyboard and a display screen. A data and communications module may be selected from a number of different data and communications modules, each having different types of data communications transceivers, or including in addition data collection devices, such as shelf label readers or bar code readers. The base module includes a microprocessor-controlled data communications and control interface having a predetermined protocol. To adapt the various types of data and communications modules for selection of any one thereof to become attached to the base module and function therewith, each of the data and communications modules includes a microprocessor operable to function as an emulator to interact with the microprocessor of the base module and communicate with the microprocessor of the base module in accordance with the protocol of the data communications and control interface of the base module.

Claims

1. A hand-held data collection terminal comprising:

a base module having a housing including a data input means, the base module including a first microprocessor for controlling the base module, and for communicating data and control signals to and from the base module according to a predefined communication procedure;

a communication module comprising a second microprocessor and an interface circuit, the interface circuit communicatively coupling the first and second microprocessors;

the second microprocessor and the interface circuit providing for the emulation of data communication between the first and second microprocessors according to the predefined communication procedure of the first microprocessor; and

the base module receiving the communication module such that the base module and the communication module comprise a single, hand-held unit.

2. The hand-held data collection terminal according to claim 1, the data and communication module further comprising means for communicating data.

3. The hand-held data collection terminal according to claim 2, wherein the means for communicating data device comprises a transceiver.

4. The hand-held data collection terminal according to claim 3, wherein the transceiver is a spread spectrum radio transceiver.

5. A hand-held data terminal comprising:

a base module, the base module including control circuitry for controlling the base module and for communicating data to and from the base module according to a predefined communication procedure;

a connector electrically connected to the control circuitry of the base module;

a communication module communicatively coupled to the base module via the connector, the communication module comprising emulation means for performing emulation to accept communication from the base module according to the predefined communication procedure of the control circuitry of the base module; and

the base module receiving the communication module such that the base module and the communication module comprise a single, hand-held unit.

6. The hand-held data terminal according to claim 5, the communication module further comprising means for communicating data.

7. The hand-held data terminal according to claim 6, wherein the means for communicating data comprises a transceiver.

8. The hand-held data terminal according to claim 7, wherein the transceiver is a radio transceiver.

9. The hand-held data terminal according to claim 8, wherein the radio transceiver comprises a spread spectrum radio transceiver.

10. A hand-held data terminal comprising:

a base module, the base module comprising control circuitry for controlling the base module and for communicating data to and from the base module according to a predefined communication procedure;

a connector electrically connected to the control circuitry of the base module;

a communication module communicatively coupled to the base module via the connector, the communication module comprising emulation circuitry for permitting the communication module to accept communication from the base module according to the predefined communication procedure of the control circuitry of the base module; and

the base module receiving the communication module such that the base module and the communication module comprise a single, hand-held unit.

11. The hand-held data terminal according to claim 10, the communication module further comprising means for communicating data.

12. The hand-held data terminal according to claim 11, wherein the means for communicating data comprises a transceiver.

13. The hand-held data terminal according to claim 12, wherein the transceiver is a radio transceiver.

14. The hand-held data terminal according to claim 13, wherein the radio transceiver comprises a spread spectrum radio transceiver.

15. A hand-held data terminal for communicating with a remotely located device comprising:

a base module, the base module comprising control circuitry for controlling the base module and for communicating data to and from the base module according to a predefined communication procedure;

a connector electrically connected to the control circuitry of the base module;

a communication module communicatively coupled to the base module via the connector, the communication module comprising means for communicating with a remotely located device;

the communication module further comprising emulation circuitry to permit the control circuitry of the base module to communicate with the remotely located device pursuant to the predefined communication procedure;

the base module receiving the communication module such that the base module and the communication module comprise a single, hand-held unit.