Multiple-interface selection system for computer peripherals

• US 5,703,347 A
• Filed: 09/09/1996
• Issued: 12/30/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• 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., Williams, Jon Paul Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Hajec, Donald T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Frech, Karl D.
• Application Number:
  US08/706,736
• Time in Patent Office: 477 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462, 235/472, 235/436, 439/329, 439/488, 439/489, 439/491, 439/620, 439/502
• US Class Current: 235/462.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/18 Packaging or power distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/002 Specific input/output arrangements not covered by G06F3/01 - G06F3/16 other optical apparatus G02B27/00
• 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: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners
• 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 or RFID reader, alternate or additional configuration may be obtained, with data reading device, from the label on the interconnect cable. The label, which may for example be a bar code or RFID tag, contains information or instructions by which the data reading device (and/or the host) is configured.

Claims

1. A method for interfacing a data reader of a data reading system with a particular host, comprising the steps of

identifying the data reader;

assembling the data reading system by selecting a corresponding interconnect cable, the interconnect cable having a label associated therewith containing data which may be read by the data reader, and connecting a first end of the interconnect cable to the data reader;

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

connecting a second end of the interconnect cable to the host;

configuring internal hardware and/or firmware for the data reading system by the steps of;

obtaining the data from the label with the data reader;

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

configuring the data reading system for the particular host on the basis of the instructions from the data.

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

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

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the label comprises a bar code label and the data reader comprises a barcode reader.

5. A method according to claim 1 further comprising providing the interconnect cable with a printed circuit board.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein the step of configuring the data reading system comprises switching a setting on the printed circuit board.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein the label is positioned on the interconnect cable.

8. A method according to claim 7 wherein the label is positioned on an end connector of the interconnect cable.

9. A method according to claim 1 wherein the label comprises a radio frequency identification tag and the data reader comprises a radio frequency identification reader.

10. A method for setting a function of a data reading system comprising the steps of

selecting an interconnect cable corresponding to a data reader and a given host device, the interconnect cable having a label associated therewith containing data which may be obtained by the data reader;

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

activating the data reader and the given host device;

obtaining the data from the label with the data reader;

setting a function of the data reading system on the basis of the data obtained from the label.

11. A method according to claim 10 wherein the data reader comprises a handheld laser scanner.

12. A method according to claim 10 further comprising the step of ensuring a correct interconnect cable is selected for the given host device and the data reader.

13. A method according to claim 10 wherein the label comprises a bar code label and the data reader comprises a barcode reader.

14. A method according to claim 10 wherein the label comprises a radio frequency identification tag and the data reader comprises a radio frequency identification reader.

15. A method according to claim 10 wherein the step of setting a function of the data reading system comprises configuring the data reading system for proper interface with the given host.

16. A method according to claim 10 wherein the label is positioned on the interconnect cable.

17. A method according to claim 16 wherein the label is positioned on an end connector of the interconnect cable.

18. A multiple interface data reading system comprising a data reader and an interconnect cable detachably connectable to the data reader, the interconnect cable being removable by being connecting to and being disconnected from the data reader wherein hardware and/or firmware of the data reading system is automatically configured to interface with a given host changing the interconnect cable and connecting the interconnect cable to the data reader.

19. A system according to claim 18 wherein the interconnect cable includes a switch for changing configuration of the interconnect cable.

20. A system according to claim 18 wherein the interconnect cable includes a printed circuit board.

21. A system according to claim 18 further comprising an identifying code located on an outer surface of the interconnect cable, the identifying code corresponding to a particular host or class of hosts to which the interconnect cable corresponds.

22. A peripheral system comprising a peripheral device, a connector on the peripheral device, and a interconnect cable detachably connectable to the connector, the interconnect cable being changeable by connecting to and being disconnected from the peripheral device, wherein hardware and/or firmware of the peripheral system is automatically configured to interface with a given host by changing the interconnect cable and connecting the interconnect cable to the peripheral device.

23. A data reading system which is configurable to a first host having an interface configuration and a second host having an interface configuration different than the interface configuration of the first host, comprising

a data reader unit;

a first interconnect cable connectable at a first end thereof to the data reader unit and connectable at a second end thereof to the first host, the first interconnect cable configuring the data reading system for the interface configuration of the first host;

a second interconnect cable connectable at a first end thereof to the data reader unit and connectable at a second end thereof to the second host, the second interconnect cable configuring the data reading system for the interface configuration of the second host.

24. A data reading system according to claim 23 wherein the data reader comprises a handheld laser scanner.

25. A data reading system according to claim 23 wherein the second end of the second interconnect cable includes a multiple contact connector constructed and arranged to be properly physically connectable only to the second host or similar class of hosts.

26. A data reading system according to claim 23 further comprising means for ensuring correct selection of the interconnect cable for the data reader.

27. A data reading system according to claim 23 further comprising an identifying code located on an outer surface of the interconnect cable, the identifying code corresponding to a particular host or class of hosts to which the interconnect cable corresponds.

28. A method for internally configuring a data reading system for a given host/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 interconnect cable by identifying an interconnect cable corresponding to the data reader and the given host/application identified in steps (1) and (2);

(4) configuring the data reading system by connecting the interconnect cable selected in step (3) to the data reader and the host.

29. A method according to claim 28 wherein the step of selecting the correct interconnect cable comprises selecting an interconnect cable having an identifying code imprinted thereon corresponding to the data reader and the given host/application identified in steps (1) and (2).

30. A method according to claim 28 further comprising

(5) using the data reader to obtain data contained by a label on the interconnect cable;

(6) processing the data which contains instructions for selection of interface configuration parameters for the data reading system;

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