Portable optical scanning and pointing systems

• US 6,375,079 B1
• Filed: 06/07/2000
• Issued: 04/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Swartz, Jerome
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech, Karl D.
• Application Number:
  US09/589,379
• Time in Patent Office: 685 Days
• Field of Search: 235/472.01, 235/472.02, 235/462.45, 235/462.46, 235/462.44, 235/462.43, 235/462.13
• US Class Current: 235/472.01
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 37/0016 with folding cover or folding bottom (hinge without spring)
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 47/00 Time-pieces combined with other articles which do not interfere with the running or the time-keeping of the time-piece clockwork cases for special purposes G04B37/12; clocks with magnifying glass built in the face G04B39/00; time-pieces in which parts or cases produce special effects, e.g. aesthetic effects, G04B45/00, particularly with inscriptions or pictures moved by hand G04B45/003, with specially shaped cases or parts G04B45/0069; combination of writing or drawing implements with devices for indicating time B43K29/087; combined with cameras, projectors, or photographic printing apparatus G03B29/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0331 Finger worn pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2007/10534 Scanner to be worn on a finger or on a wrist
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1016 Motor control or optical moving unit control
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10564 Light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10584 Source control
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10653 using flexible or piezoelectric means
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10891 the scanner to be worn on a finger or on a wrist
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1098 the scanning arrangement having a modular construction

Abstract

An optical scanning system for reading indicia of differing light reflectivity has an optical scan module which is adapted to be mounted on a finger of a user. A first peripheral module, preferably in the form of a wrist watch, has a receiver which detects the reflected light. A second peripheral module, mounted on the other arm of the user, communicates with the first module by radio frequency transmission. According to other aspects of the invention, the light detector may be mounted in a housing which is separate and part from the optical scan module. According to another aspect, a laser pointer or scanner is mounted to a ring which is arranged to be worn on a single finger of the user.

Claims

1. A data collection system, comprising:

a) a computer for collecting data;

b) a support connected to the computer for supporting the computer on a user during data collection;

c) a storage unit having a compartment for entirely receiving the computer and the support when the computer is not supported on the user; and

d) a download interface in the compartment for downloading the data collected by the computer after reception of the computer and the support in the compartment.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the support is a finger mount.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the support is a wrist mount.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the support is an arm mount.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the support is a band having a battery for supplying electrical power to the computer.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the battery is flexible.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the battery is a lithium polymer.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer has an exterior periphery, and wherein the compartment has an interior periphery of complementary contour to the exterior periphery of the computer.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer includes a generally circular casing, and wherein the support includes a pair of side straps connected to, and extending in opposite directions from opposite lateral sides of, the casing;

and wherein the compartment has a generally circular recess for snugly receiving the casing, and a pair of side recesses for snugly receiving the side straps.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the storage unit includes a base in which the compartment is located, and a lid movable between an open position in which the compartment is accessible to the computer, and a closed position in which the lid covers the compartment.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the computer contains a rechargeable battery, and wherein the compartment contains an electrical recharging contact through which an electrical current flows to recharge the battery when the computer is received in the compartment.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the storage unit includes a recharging socket and a switch actuated by movement of the lid to the closed position, the switch being operative to conduct the electrical current from the recharging socket to the contact in the compartment.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer contains a memory component for storing the data, and wherein the download interface contains an electrical download contact through which the data is downloaded after reception of the computer in the compartment.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the storage unit includes a download socket through which the data is automatically downloaded.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the storage unit includes a download socket through which the data is downloaded upon request from an external host device.

16. A data collection system, comprising:

a) a computer for collecting data, and having a rechargeable battery;

b) a support connected to the computer for supporting the computer on a user during data collection;

c) a storage unit having a compartment for entirely receiving the computer and the support when the computer is not supported on the user; and

d) an electric charger interface in the compartment for recharging the battery in the computer after reception of the computer and the support in the compartment.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the support is a finger mount.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the support is a wrist mount.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the support is an arm mount.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the support is a band having the battery incorporated therein.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the battery is flexible.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the battery is a lithium polymer.

23. The system of claim 16, wherein the computer has an exterior periphery, and wherein the compartment has an interior periphery of complementary contour to the exterior periphery of the computer.

24. The system of claim 16, wherein the computer includes a generally circular casing, and wherein the support includes a pair of side straps connected to, and extending in opposite directions from opposite lateral sides of, the casing;

and wherein the compartment has a generally circular recess for snugly receiving the casing, and a pair of side recesses for snugly receiving the side straps.

25. The system of claim 16, wherein the storage unit includes a base in which the compartment is located, and a lid movable between an open position in which the compartment is accessible to the computer, and a closed position in which the lid covers the compartment.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the compartment contains an electrical recharging contact through which an electrical current flows to recharge the battery when the computer is received in the compartment.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the storage unit includes a recharging socket and a switch actuated by movement of the lid to the closed position, the switch being operative to conduct the electrical current from the recharging socket to the contact in the compartment.

28. In a process of collecting data, a method comprising the steps of:

a) collecting data with a computer;

b) supporting the computer on a user during data collection by connecting a support to the computer;

c) entirely receiving the computer and the support in a compartment of a storage unit, after the computer has been removed from the user; and

c) downloading the data collected by the computer after the computer and the support have been received in the compartment.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein step (a) is performed by supporting the computer on one finger of the user.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein step (a) is performed by strapping the computer on a wrist of the user.

31. The method of claim 28;

and further comprising the step of recharging the computer when the computer is received in the compartment.

32. The method of claim 28;

and further comprising the step of storing the collected data in the computer, and the downloading step is performed by downloading the stored data when the computer is received in the compartment.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the downloading step is performed automatically.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the downloading step is performed upon request from an external host device.