Multiple technology data reader for bar code labels and RFID tags

• US 6,415,978 B1
• Filed: 05/03/1999
• Issued: 07/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Datalogic Mobile Incorporated (Datalogic S.p.A.)
• Original Assignee: PSC Scanning, Inc. (Datalogic ADC Incorporated)
• Inventors: McAllister, Clarke W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thien M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): St. Cyr, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US09/304,228
• Time in Patent Office: 1,163 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.13, 235/462.01, 235/462.14, 235/462.25
• US Class Current: 235/462.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0004 Hybrid readers

Abstract

A multiple technology data reader, for reading bar code labels and RFID tags. The multiple technology data reader includes a bar code reader and a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader, connected to a host computer via a computer bus, such as a universal serial bus (USB). The bar code reader and the RFID reader communicate with the host computer through logically independent data pipes and device drivers. Compound, composite, or complex interface implementations are possible. A single electronic interface may be configured to allow a single host computer to logically communicate with the bar code and RFID readers as either separate independent readers, or as a single cooperative multiformat label/tag data reader. Thus, the bar code and RFID readers may be operated independently, or powered and operated simultaneously.

Claims

1. A multiple technology data reader comprising:

an optical data reader comprising

a housing;

a photosensitive detector within said housing;

an optical collector for directing light on to said photosensitive detector; and

processing circuitry connected to an output of said photosensitive detector;

a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader for detecting a plurality of data;

a communications unit connected to said optical data reader and said RFID reader; and

a computer bus connected to said communications unit, said communications unit conveying over said computer bus data simultaneously or concurrently collected by said optical data reader and said RFID reader without requiring a user to select between said optical data reader and said RFID reader.

2. The data reader according to claim 1, wherein said optical collector, said processing circuitry, said RFID reader, said communication unit, and said computer bus are all within said housing.

3. The data reader according to claim 2 further comprising an internal hub having a first port and a second port, said first port connected to said optical data reader and said second port connected to said RFID reader, whereby said optical data reader and said RFID reader are logically addressable over said computer bus.

4. The data reader according to claim 3, wherein said computer bus supplies power from a host computer to the multiple technology data reader and establishes a two-way communication link between (i) said host computer and (ii) said optical data reader and said RFID reader.

5. The data reader according to claim 4 wherein said computer bus conveys data collected by said optical data reader and by said RFID reader to the host computer.

6. The data reader according to claim 5 wherein said computer bus comprises a universal serial bus and is connected to the host computer, said universal serial bus providing independent, logical addressing by the host computer of said optical data reader and said RFID reader.

7. The data reader according to claim 2 wherein said RFID reader is a low frequency radio frequency identification reader.

8. The data reader according to claim 2 wherein said RFID reader comprises a low frequency radio frequency identification reader and a high frequency radio frequency identification reader.

9. The data reader according to claim 1 further comprising a wireless communication link for establishing two-way communication between said computer bus and a host computer.

10. The data reader according to claim 9 wherein said computer bus comprises a universal serial bus.

11. A multiple technology data reader comprising:

a housing;

an optical data reader located within said housing;

a multi-bit radio frequency identification (RFID) reader located within said housing;

a communications unit connected to said optical data reader and said RFID reader;

a computer bus connected to said communications unit; and

means for simultaneously, concurrently or independently operating both said optical data reader and said RFID reader and automatically selecting data to be convey over said computer bus from either said optical data reader or said RFID reader without user intervention.

12. The data reader according to claim 11, wherein said means for operating both said optical data reader and said RFID reader and selecting data to be convey over said computer bus comprises means for temporarily activating said optical data reader to test for a presence of a bar code symbol and, if the test is satisfied, then keeping said optical data reader activated.

13. The data reader according to claim 12, wherein said RFID reader is automatically activated if the test for the presence of a bar code symbol is not satisfied.

14. The data reader according to claim 13, wherein said communication unit, said computer bus, and said means for operating both said optical data reader and said RFID reader and selecting data to be convey over said computer bus are all located within said housing.

15. The data reader according to claim 11, wherein said means for operating both said optical data reader and said RFID reader and selecting data to be convey over said computer bus comprises means for temporarily activating said RFID reader to test for a presence of a RFID tag and, if the test is satisfied, then keeping said RFID reader activated.

16. The data reader according to claim 15, wherein said optical data reader is automatically activated if the test for the presence of an RFID tag is not satisfied.

17. The data reader according to claim 16, wherein said communication unit, said computer bus, and said means for operating both said optical data reader and said RFID reader and selecting data to be convey over said computer bus are all located within said housing.

18. A multiple technology data reader comprising:

a housing;

an optical data reader located within said housing;

a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader located within said housing;

a communications unit connected to said optical data reader and said RFID reader;

a computer bus connected to said communications unit;

means for automatically operating both said optical data reader and said RFID reader in response to no more than a single user action; and

means for deactivating said RFID reader if a collision is detected between response signals from multiple RFID tags and wherein said optical reader is activated in response to detection of two or more RFID tags by said RFID reader in order to distinguish between the two or more detected RFID tags.

19. The data reader according to claim 18, wherein said communication unit, said computer bus, said means for automatically operating both said optical data reader and said RFID reader, and said means for deactivating said RFID reader are all located within said housing.

20. A data reader according to claim 19, wherein said RFID reader is activated only if a radio frequency identification code received from an RFID tag matches a user-defined criterion.

21. A data reader according to claim 19, wherein said single user action comprises pulling of a trigger of said data reader by a operator of said data reader.

22. A data reader according to claim 21, wherein said means for automatically operating both said optical data reader and said RFID reader comprises means for temporarily activating said optical data reader to test for the presence of a bar code symbol and, if the test is satisfied, then keeping said optical data reader activated and said RFID reader is automatically activated if the test for the presence of a bar code symbol is not satisfied.

23. A method for reading data, comprising the steps of:

providing a multi-technology data reader with an optical data reader and a multi-bit radio frequency identification (RFID) reader within a single housing;

activating said optical data reader and said RFID reader simultaneously, concurrently or independently;

reading an optical code with said optical data reader to obtain data therefrom;

reading an RFID tag with said RFID reader to obtain data therefrom;

outputting the data from said optical data reader and the data from said RFID reader; and

selecting without user intervention the data from either said optical data reader or said RFID reader for further processing.

24. The method according to claim 23, further comprising the step of conveying the data from said optical data reader and said RFID reader over a universal serial bus to a host computer.

25. The method according to claim 24, further comprising the step of transmitting instructions from the host computer to said optical data reader and said RFID reader over the universal serial bus, said universal serial bus providing logical addressing of said optical data reader and said RFID reader.

26. The method according to claim 25, further comprising the step of supplying power to said optical data reader and said RFID reader from the host computer via said universal serial bus.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein said step of activating both said optical data reader and said RFID reader comprises the step of temporarily activating said optical data reader to test for presence of a bar code symbol and activating said RFID reader if the test is not satisfied.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein said step of activating both said optical data reader and said RFID reader comprises the step of temporarily activating said RFID reader to test for presence of an RFID tag and activating said optical data reader if the test is not satisfied.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein said RFID reader is activated only if a radio frequency identification code sent by a RFID tag matches a user-defined criterion.

30. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of deactivating said RFID reader if a collision is detected between response signals from multiple RFID tags.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising the step of activating said optical data reader if two or more RFID tags are detected by said RFID reader in order to distinguish between the two or more detected RFID tags.

32. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of conveying the data from said optical data reader and said RFID reader to a host computer via a wireless communication link.

33. A multiple technology data reader comprising:

an optical data reader, said optical data reader comprising a bar code decoder;

an RFID reader, said RFID reader comprising an RFID decoder for decoding multiple bits of information;

a device microcontroller serially connected to said optical data reader and said RFID reader, said device microcontroller comprising a communications control interface, an optical data reader interface connected to said communications control interface, and an RFID reader interface connected to said communications control interface;

a bus add-on card for integrating said communication control interface, said optical data reader interface, and said RFID reader interface into a single unit that can be detached and replaced during upgrading; and

a serial computer bus connected to said communications control interface and to a host computer, said serial computer bus providing logical addressing of said optical data detector interface and said RFID interface by the host computer.

34. A multiple technology data reader according to claim 33, wherein said serial computer bus allows the host computer to supply power to the multiple technology data reader.

35. A multiple technology data reader according to claim 33, further comprising a trigger unit connected to said communications control interface.

36. A multiple technology data reader according to claim 33, wherein said computer bus comprises a universal serial bus (USB).

37. A multiple technology data reader according to claim 33, wherein said optical data detector comprises a bar code reader.

38. A multiple technology data reader comprising:

a housing;

an optical data reader located within said housing;

a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader located within said housing;

a communications unit connected to said optical data reader and said RFID reader;

a computer bus connected to said communications unit; and

means for automatically operating both said optical data reader and said RFID reader in response to no more than a single user action, wherein said means for automatically operating both said optical data reader and said RFID reader comprises means for temporarily activating said RFID reader to test for the presence of a RFID tag and, if the test is satisfied, then keeping said RFID reader activated and, if the test is not satisfied, then automatically activating said optical reader.

39. The data reader according to claim 38, wherein said communication unit, said computer bus, and said means for automatically operating both said optical data reader and said RFID reader are all located within said housing.

40. A data reader according to claim 39, wherein said single user action comprises pulling of a trigger of said data reader by a operator of said data reader.

41. A data reader according to claim 39, wherein said RFID reader is activated only if a radio frequency identification code received from an RFID tag matches a user-defined criterion.

42. A data reader according to claim 41, wherein said RFID reader is deactivated if a collision is detected between response to signals from multiple RFID tags.

43. A data reader according to claim 42, wherein said optical data reader is activated in response to detection of two or more RFID tags by said RFID reader in order to distinguish between the two or more detected RFID tags.