Low power telecommunication controller for a host computer server

• US 6,089,456 A
• Filed: 06/07/1996
• Issued: 07/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Moce Solutions Limited Liability Company
• Original Assignee: E-Comm Inc.
• Inventors: Walsh, Joseph F., Boydston, David H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thien Minh
• Application Number:
  US08/657,893
• Time in Patent Office: 1,502 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462, 235/472, 235/470, 235/469, 235/463, 361/688, 361/729, 361/731, 361/814, 364/708.1, 364/709.1, 455/90, 455/348
• US Class Current: 235/472.01
• 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: H04M 1/2755 by optical scanning
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality

Abstract

A handheld low power user device for accessing and controlling interactive bidirectional real time telecommunications with a host server over a telecommunication path, the handheld low power user device having a low power sleep mode and components including a communication transceiver, a microprocessor, a power supply interface and an operator interface selected from among a keypad, a bar code reader, an audio system comprising a speaker, a display screen and a microphone; wherein, the communication transceiver includes a low power voice and data modem, and a DTMF or an MF tone generator; the audio system includes a dual power system; the bar code reader includes a bar code media proximity detector; the microprocessor includes less than about 128 Kbytes of PROM, a protected memory, and RAM; the power supply interface is connected with a telephone line, a cellular or wireless telephone battery, or a PBX line; and the handheld low power user device operates on less than about 300 milliwatts of power when off hook (i.e., active).

Claims

1. A handheld low power user device for accessing and controlling interactive bidirectional real time voice and data telecommunications with a host server over a telecommunication path,

said handheld low power user device comprising a communication transceiver, a microprocessor, a power supply interface and an operator interface selected from among a keypad, a bar code reader, an audio system comprising a speaker, a display screen and a microphone,

wherein the communication transceiver comprises a low power sleep mode, a voice and data modem, and a DTMF or an MF tone generator, and wherein said communication transceiver is connected to and in communication with a component selected from among the telecommunication path, the microprocessor and the audio system;

wherein said audio system comprises a dual power audio system having a low power sleep mode;

wherein said bar code reader comprises a low power bar code reader having a low power sleep mode and a low power means for detecting proximity of a bar code media;

wherein said microprocessor comprises a program read only memory, a protected memory and a random access memory, and wherein said microprocessor is connected to and in communication with the transceiver and an operator interface selected from among the bar code reader and the display screen;

wherein the power supply interface is connected to the microprocessor and supplies less than about 300 milliwatts of power to operate said handheld low power user device when off hook.

2. The low power handheld user device of claim 1, wherein the power supply interface is connected to a power supply selected from among a telephone loop line current, a PBX telephone line, a cellular telephone battery, or a wireless telephone battery.

3. The handheld low power user device of claim 1, wherein the telecommunication path comprises a wire, a coaxial cable, an optical cable, a microwave telecommunication channel, a satellite telecommunication channel, wired, wireless or cordless telephone.

4. The handheld low power user device of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor program read only memory has means for determining a power supply status at the power supply interface and if the power supply status is low maintaining any of the communication transceiver, the audio system, the screen display or the bar code reader in the sleep mode.

5. The handheld low power user device of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor program read only memory has means for determining a voice communication mode or a data communication mode on the telecommunication path and a means for maintaining in the sleep mode one or more of a plurality of amplifiers in the audio system, the transceiver, the bar code reader and the microprocessor.

6. The handheld low power user device of claim 5, further comprising a means for awakening the microprocessor, said means comprising an input signal selected from among an interrupt signal from a low power interval timer, a keypad keystroke, a logic signal from the bar code reader, and a white state proximity detection signal from the bar code reader.

7. The handheld low power user device of claim 6, further comprising a means for determining a status for occurrence of the input signal, wherein if said status is negative the microprocessor returns to the sleep mode and wherein if said status is positive the microprocessor awakens and supplies power to one or more of the bar code reader, the transceiver, or the audio system.

8. The handheld low power user device of claim 6, wherein tie interval timer comprises a timer selected from among a microprocessor internal timer, an external timer, a CCD bar code reader microprocessor.

9. The handheld low power user device of claim 1, wherein said microprocessor is capable of encoding a command message to said host server, said host server is capable of receiving said command message and encoding and transmitting in response thereto an information message to said low power handheld user device, and wherein said communication transceiver is capable of transmitting said command messages and receiving said information messages.

10. The handheld low power user device of claim 1, wherein the bar code reader further comprises a bar code reader microprocessor.

11. The handheld low power user device of claim 9, wherein said telecommunication transceiver further comprises a call progress tone detector and a voice processing element.

12. The handheld low power user device of claim 1, wherein the protected memory comprises one or more of a credit or a debit card number, a financial account number, an encryption parameter, a spending limit, a password, a sequence number;

a telephone access number, an encryption seed, a user identification number, an account number, and a postal address.

13. The handheld low power user device of claim 9, wherein said command message comprise a telecommunication signal selected from among a modem data signal, an encoded bar code signal, a DTMF signal, an MF signal, a voice communication signal and an encoded keystroke signal.

14. The handheld low power user device of claim 1, wherein said a bar code reader is selected from among a low power CCD bar code reader and a single point bar code reader.

15. The handheld low power user device of claim 14, wherein said CCD bar code reader further comprises a proximity detector means.

16. A low power bar code reader having a low power sleep mode, and said bar code reader comprising:

a power supply interface;

an interface to a central processing unit;

a proximity detection means;

a bar code reading means;

a microprocessor having a program read only memory capable of processing bar code readings, determining a power level at a power supply interface, and maintaining the bar code reading means in the low power sleep mode when the power level at the power supply interface is low; and

wherein the power level at the power supply interface comprises less than about 300 milliwatts.

17. The low power bar code reader of claim 16, further comprising a timer selected from among an internal timer and an external timer, wherein said timer is connected to a microprocessor having means for awakening the bar code reader from the sleep mode and for instructing the bar code reader to determine a proximity of a bar code media.

18. The low power bar code reader of claim 17, further comprising a CCD bar code reader comprising a proximity detector having a target light and a photosensitive diode for detecting a light reflected from a target bar code media.

19. A voice and data modem having a low power sleep mode, said voice and data modem capable of transmitting and receiving telecommunication signals while operating on less than about 300 milliwatts of power.

20. A microprocessor having a low power sleep mode, said microprocessor comprising a first means for determining a power level at a power supply interface;

a second means for maintaining in a sleep mode a bar code reader, a transceiver and an audio system;

a third means for digital processing of a keypad keystroke entry, a bar code data signal, and a digital voice signal; and

a fourth means for operating to achieve all of said first, second and third means on less than about 300 milliwatts of power.

21. A telecommerce system comprising a handheld low power user device for accessing and controlling interactive bidirectional real time voice and data telecommunications with a host server at a financial institution over a telecommunication path,

said handheld low power user device comprising a communication h microprocessor, a power supply interface and an operator interface selected from among a keypad, a bar code reader, a display screen and an audio system comprising a speaker and a microphone,

wherein the communication transceiver comprises a low power sleep mode, a modem, and a DTMF or an MF tone generator, and wherein said communication transceiver is connected to and in communication with a component selected from among the telecommunication path, the microprocessor and the audio system;

wherein said audio system comprises a dual power audio system having a low power sleep mode;

wherein said bar code reader comprises a low power bar code reader having a low power sleep mode and a low power means for detecting proximity of a bar code media;

wherein said microprocessor comprises a program read only memory, a protected memory and a random access memory, and wherein said microprocessor is connected to and in communication with the transceiver and an operator interface selected from among the bar code reader and the display screen;

wherein the protected memory comprises one or more of a credit or a debit card number, a financial account number, an encryption parameter, a spending limit, a password, a sequence number;

a telephone access number, an encryption seed, a user identification number, an account number, and a postal address; and

wherein the power supply interface is connected to the microprocessor and supplies less than about 300 milliwatts of power to operate said handheld low power user device.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising a plurality of command instructions in the microprocessor for conducting a session with the host server.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the session conducted with the host server comprises one ore more steps for ordering a consumer product or service.

25. The low power handheld user device of claim 22, wherein the power supply interface is connected to a power supply selected from among a telephone loop line current and, PBX telephone line, a cellular telephone battery, or a wireless telephone battery.

26. The handheld low power user device of claim 22, wherein the telecommunication path comprises a wire, a coaxial cable, an optical cable, a microwave telecommunication channel, a satellite telecommunication channel, wired, wireless or cordless telephone.

24. A handheld low power user device for answering a telephone call, comprising a communication transceiver drawing less than about 10 nanoamps of current when in an off hook mode, a microprocessor, an telecommunications interface to a telecommunication path, a power supply interface, an on hook relay coil, a storage capacitor, and an operator interface selected from among a keypad, a bar code reader, an audio system comprising a speaker, a display screen and a microphone,

wherein the communication transceiver comprises a low power sleep mode and a low power voice and data modem, and wherein said communication transceiver is connected to and in communication with a component selected from among the telecommunication path, the microprocessor and the audio system;

wherein said audio system comprises a dual power audio system having a low power sleep mode;

wherein said bar code reader comprises a low power bar code reader having a low power sleep mode and a low power means for detecting proximity of a bar code media;

wherein said microprocessor comprises a program read only memory, a protected memory and a random access memory, and wherein said microprocessor is connected to and in communication with the transceiver and an operator interface selected from among the bar code reader and the display screen;

wherein the user device has a first means for listening for a ring signal on the telecommunications path;

a second means for using a ring power in the ring signal to turn on the relay coil;

a third means for feeding the ring signal power to the storage capacitor thereby to provide a power supply for the user device at the power supply interface;

a fourth means for activating said microprocessor after said storage capacitor reaches a specified voltage level; and

wherein the power supply interface is connected to the microprocessor and supplies less than about 300 milliwatts of power to operate said handheld low power user device.