Safe, virtual trigger for a portable data capture terminal

• US 5,996,080 A
• Filed: 10/04/1996
• Issued: 11/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nytell Software LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Norand Corporation (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Silva, Dennis, Beard, Paul, Howington, Jeffry A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gordon, Paul P.
• Application Number:
  US08/726,148
• Time in Patent Office: 1,152 Days
• Field of Search: 345/126, 345/169, 345/173, 345/179, 364/750, 364/707, 382/312, 382/313, 340/825, 713/320, 713/321, 708/602
• US Class Current: 713/320
• 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 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1632 Pen holder integrated in the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A portable, hand-held data collection terminal is of modular structure including, among other modules, multiple endcap modules and radio frequency communications pod modules, each of which may be chosen from a plurality of modules available for assembly into the terminal unit therby providing a plurality of modular combinations thereof. The functions of the multiple modular combinations are activated and controlled by a virtual trigger on a touch sensitive display. The virtual trigger may be positioned anywhere on the display to ergonomically accommodate different users. The terminal evaluates touch images retrieved from the touch sensitive display to determine whether they constitute an intentional touch. Unintentional touching will not activate the virtual button. Various other safety and power saving features are provided via orientation and motion sensors placed within the terminal.

Claims

1. A portable data collection terminal utilized by any of a plurality of users, the terminal comprising:

a housing;

a display disposed on the housing;

a touch sensitive panel assembly disposed on the display;

an image capture circuit;

a virtual button displayed on the display used to trigger the image capture circuit; and

the position of the virtual button on the display being selected by any of the plurality of users via the touch sensitive panel.

2. The portable data collection terminal of claim 1 further comprising orientation sensing circuitry that selectively disables the image capture circuit.

3. The portable data collection terminal of claim 1 further comprising motion sensing circuitry that selectively disables the image capture circuit.

4. The portable data collection terminal of claim 1 further comprising a second virtual button and a radio modem controllable by the second virtual button.

5. The portable data collection terminal of claim 1 wherein the touch sensitive panel assembly generates touch image information used in attempts to identify intentional selection of the virtual button.

6. The portable data collection terminal of claim 5 wherein only touch image information that is identified as intentional causes a triggering of the image capture circuit.

7. The portable data collection terminal of claim 1 wherein the virtual button comprises two buttons requiring simultaneous depression to cause triggering of the image capture circuit.

8. A portable data collection terminal utilized by any of a plurality of users, the terminal comprising:

a control circuit;

a display coupled to the control circuit;

a touch sensitive panel assembly disposed on the display which generates touch image information;

a panel interface circuit coupled to the touch sensitive panel assembly;

a first circuit supporting a predetermined functionality;

a virtual button displayed on the display used to trigger the first circuit; and

the control circuit and panel interface circuit together attempting to screen unintentional selections of the virtual button based on the touch image information.

9. The portable data collection terminal of claim 8 further comprising an orientation sensor coupled to the control circuit, and the control circuit selectively responding to the orientation sensor to attempt to screen unintentional selections of the virtual button.

10. The portable data collection terminal of claim 9 further comprising a motion sensor coupled to the control circuit, and the control circuit selectively responding to the motion sensor to attempt to screen unintentional selections of the virtual button.

11. The portable data collection terminal of claim 10 wherein the control circuit also selectively responds to the motion sensor by entering a low power state.

12. The portable data collection terminal of claim 8 wherein the virtual button comprises two buttons requiring simultaneous depression to cause triggering of the first circuit.

13. The portable data collection terminal of claim 8 wherein the first circuit comprises an image capture circuit.

14. The portable data collection terminal of claim 8 wherein the first circuit comprises a radio modem.