Portable wireless optical scanner with user interface mounted on charger

• US 5,929,425 A
• Filed: 12/12/1996
• Issued: 07/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kanno, Tsutomu
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael G.
• Application Number:
  US08/766,403
• Time in Patent Office: 957 Days
• Field of Search: 235/472, 235/462, 235/454, 235/472.01, 235/472.02, 235/462.43, 235/462.44, 235/462.45, 235/462.46, 235/462.47
• US Class Current: 235/472.01
• 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

Abstract

A timer operates when a barcode reader is lifted from a charger and a charger terminal is isolated from the charger and a communication control means transmits an application acknowledgment signal to the fixed unit via a light receiving means when a barcode indicating the ID number of a user is read within the predetermined time after operation of the timer. A check means of the fixed unit watches detection of reception of the application acknowledgment signal by a communication control means and drives an alarm means when such signal is not received within the predetermined time after the timer has operated, while lights a communicating condition display lamp of the charger for each reception of the application acknowledgment signal and each subsequent communication. Accordingly, the fixed unit can be connected easily to a host computer and can easily select its installation area, while the charger can be set to the area near a user. Communication can be confirmed from both handy unit and the charger.

Claims

1. An optical wireless apparatus comprising:

a handy unit and a fixed unit for making optical wireless communication therebetween; and

a charger for charging said handy unit, said charger can be moved together with said handy unit;

said fixed unit further having a transmitter for sending by wire a condition of the communications with said handy unit to said charger and a wired interface with an external host computer;

said charger having a communicating condition informer for informing the condition of communication between said handy unit and said fixed unit transmitted from said transmitter to a user; and

whereby said charger and said fixed unit are not integral units.

2. An optical wireless apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said fixed unit has a checking element that determines whether an appropriate user has lifted the handy unit and the checking element outputting a signal indicating a result of the check at least one of said handy unit, fixed unit and charger has an alarm for issuing an alarm when said result of a check indicates a non-appropriate user.

3. An optical wireless apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said handy unit transmits the barcode information read by the handy unit to said fixed unit.

4. An optical wireless apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said handy unit transmits the barcode information read by the handy unit to said fixed unit.