Portable data terminal and cradle

• US 6,405,049 B2
• Filed: 08/05/1997
• Issued: 06/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Klein, John, Herrod, Allan, Vesuna, Sarosh, Bard, Simon
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Congvan
• Application Number:
  US08/906,722
• Publication Number:
  US 20010055978A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,771 Days
• Field of Search: 455/403, 455/414, 455/421, 455/422, 455/425, 455/456, 455/466, 455/556, 455/557, 455/550, 455/552, 455/553, 455/554, 455/566, 455/486, 455/555
• US Class Current: 455/517
• 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 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1635 Details related to the integration of battery packs and other power supplies such as fuel cells or integrated AC adapter
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0018 Constructional details, e.g. of drawer, printing means, input means
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/14 using intermediate storage
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0241 where no transmission is received, e.g. out of range of the transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0277 according to available power supply, e.g. switching off when a low battery condition is detected
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0296 switching to a backup power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/00 Devices specially adapted for wireless communication networks, e.g. terminals, base stations or access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A portable data device system includes a portable data device and a cradle for receiving the portable data device. The cradle is arranged to recharge the portable data device power supply and/or upload or download information to and from the portable data device. The cradle and portable data device are in wireless communication allowing a minimum of processing and data storage capability at the front end and hence operation of the portable data device as a thin client.

Claims

1. A mobile communications device, comprising:

a) an activatable transceiver circuit for wireless communication when activated with at least one of a plurality of access points of a private, local area network;

b) an activatable telephone circuit for wireless communication when activated with at least one of a plurality of cell sites of a public, cellular telephone network independent of the private network; and

c) control means for activating one of the circuits to enable wireless communication with one of the independent networks by default, for determining a quality of the wireless communication between said one circuit and said one independent network, and for automatically activating the other of the circuits to enable wireless communication with the other of the independent networks upon a determination that the quality of the wireless communication between said one circuit and said one independent network has satisfied a predetermined switching criterion.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication is at radio frequency.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the private network includes a plurality of hardware units located within a limited geographic area and sharing a common communications line.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the private network is operative under IEEE 802.11 standard.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the private network is operative under an Internet Protocol (IP) to convey voice and data in IP packets.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the control means activates the transceiver circuit by default to enable wireless communication with the private network when the device is located within an operating range relative to said at least one access point, and activates the telephone circuit to enable wireless communication with the public network when the device is located out of said operating range.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the control means determines said quality by determining communications reliability during movement of the device.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein the control means activates the telephone circuit by default to enable wireless communication with the public network, and activates the transceiver circuit to enable wireless communication with the private network upon the determination that said quality has degraded.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the device includes a hand-held housing supportable by a user, a microphone on the housing for transmitting voice communication via the public network, and a speaker on the housing for providing audible sound via the public network.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the device includes a display on the housing for displaying information.

11. A method of communicating with a mobile communications device, comprising the steps of:

a) providing an activatable transceiver circuit in the device for wireless communication when activated with at least one of a plurality of access points of a private, local area network;

b) providing an activatable telephone circuit in the device for wireless communication when activated with at least one of a plurality of cell sites of a public, cellular telephone network independent of the private network; and

c) activating one of the circuits to enable wireless communication with one of the independent networks by default, determining a quality of the wireless communication between said one circuit and said one independent network, and automatically activating the other of the circuits to enable wireless communication with the other of the independent networks upon a determination that the quality of the wireless communication between said one circuit and said one independent network has satisfied a predetermined switching criterion.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the wireless communication is at radio frequency.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the private network includes a plurality of hardware units located within a limited geographic area and sharing a common communications line.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the private network is operative under IEEE 802.11 standard.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the private network is operative under an Internet Protocol (IP) to convey voice and data in IP packets.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the activating step is performed by activating the transceiver circuit by default to enable wireless communication with the private network when the device is located within an operating range relative to said at least one access point, and by activating the telephone circuit to enable wireless communication with the public network when the device is located out of said operating range.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the determining step is performed by determining said quality by determining communications reliability during movement of the device.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the activating step is performed by activating the telephone circuit by default to enable wireless communication with the public network, and by activating the transceiver circuit to enable wireless communication with the private network upon the determination that said quality has degraded.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the device includes a hand-held housing supportable by a user;

and further comprising the steps of providing a microphone on the housing for transmitting voice communication via the public network, and a speaker on the housing for providing audible sound via the public network.

20. The method of claim 19, and further comprising the step of displaying information on the housing.