Hand-held data capture system with interchangeable modules

• US 6,431,451 B1
• Filed: 06/30/2000
• Issued: 08/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Krunnfusz, Jeffrey S., Schultz, Darald R., Hanson, George E., Miller, Phillip, Koenck, Steven E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech, Karl D.
• Application Number:
  US09/609,078
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 235/472.01, 235/472.02, 235/462.45, 235/462.46
• US Class Current: 235/472.01
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/02 for radio sets, television sets, telephones, or the like; Arrangement of controls thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0241 for telephones
• 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 1/1698 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: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/32 Means for saving power
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/0225 User interface arrangements, e.g. keyboard, display; Interfaces to other computer systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisions for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10574 Multiple sources
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10584 Source control
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10702 Particularities of propagating elements, e.g. lenses, mirrors G06K7/10831 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10732 Light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10811 Focalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10841 Particularities of the light-sensitive elements semiconductor devices H01L
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10851 Circuits for pulse shaping, amplifying, eliminating noise signals, checking the function of the sensing device basic electronic circuitry H03
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1098 the scanning arrangement having a modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/12 : using a selected wavelength, e.g. to sense red marks and ignore blue marks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/343 : Cards including a counter
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/02 : by keys or other credit registering devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0045 : with a code reader for reading of an identifying code of the article to be registered, e.g. barcode reader or radio-frequency identity [RFID] reader
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/007 : specially adapted for indoor communication
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2266 : disposed inside the computer
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/241 : used in mobile communications, e.g. GSM H01Q1/247, H01Q1/248 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/24 : Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction circularly polarised patch antennas H01Q9/0428; circularly polarised horns H01Q13/0241; cross-polarised horns H01Q13/0258; polarisation converters H01Q15/242; cross-polarised rear feeds H01Q19/136; crossed polarisation dual antenna H01Q25/001
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3833 : Hand-held transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/3894 : Waterproofing of transmission device
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0032 : Without explicit signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/32 : Architecture of open systems interconnection [OSI] 7-layer type protocol stacks, e.g. the interfaces between the data link level and the physical level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/324 : in the data link layer [OSI layer 2], e.g. HDLC
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/325 : in the network layer [OSI layer 3], e.g. X.25 H04L69/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/326 : in the transport layer [OSI layer 4] H04L69/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A portable, hand-held data terminal of modular structure includes a base module with a keyboard and a display screen. A data and communications module may be selected from a number of different data and communications modules, each having different types of data communications transceivers, or including in addition data collection devices, such as shelf label readers or bar code readers. The base module includes a microprocessor-controlled data communications and control interface having a predetermined protocol. To adapt the various types of data and communications modules for selection of any one thereof to become attached to the base module and function therewith, each of the data and communications modules includes a microprocessor operable to function as an emulator to interact with the microprocessor of the base module and communicate with the microprocessor of the base module in accordance with the protocol of the data communications and control interface of the base module.

Claims

1. A data unit for communication with a remotely located device comprising;

a base module, the base module comprising control circuitry that controls the base module and that communicates data to and from the base module according to a predefined communication procedure;

a connector electrically connected to the control circuitry of the base module;

a communication module communicatively coupled to the base module via the connector, the communication module comprising data communication circuitry that communicates with a remotely locate device; and

the communication module further comprising emulation circuitry to permit the control circuitry of the base module to communicate with the remotely located device pursuant to the predefined communication procedure; and

the base module receiving the communication module such that the base module and the communication module comprise a single unit.

2. A data unit comprising:

a base module, the base module comprising control circuitry that controls the base module and that communicates data to and from the base module according to a predefined communication procedure; and

a communication module communicatively coupled to the base module, wherein the communication module comprises;

data interface circuitry that communicates with the base module according to the predefined communication procedure;

data communication circuitry that communicates with the data interface circuitry and that communicates with a remotely located device; and

the base module receiving the communication module such that the base module and the communication module comprise a single unit.

3. The data unit of claim 2, wherein the data interface circuitry comprises emulation circuitry that emulates the predefined communication procedure.

4. The data unit of claim 2, wherein the data communication circuitry comprises a radio transceiver.

5. The data unit of claim 4, wherein the radio transceiver comprises a spread spectrum radio transceiver.

6. A data unit comprising:

a base module having a housing including a data input interface, the base module including a first microprocessor that controls the base module and that communicates data and control signals to and from the base module according to predefined communication procedure;

a communication module comprising a second microprocessor and an interface circuit, the interface circuit communicatively coupling the first and second microprocessors;

the second microprocessor and the interface circuit emulating data communication between the first and second microprocessors according to the predefined communication procedure; and

the base module receiving the communication module such that the base module and the communication module comprise a single unit.

7. The data unit according to claim 6, the communication module further comprising data communication circuitry.

8. The data unit according to claim 7, wherein the data communication circuitry comprises a transceiver.

9. The data unit according to claim 8, wherein the transceiver is a spread spectrum radio transceiver.

10. A data unit comprising:

a base module, the base module including control circuitry that controls the base module and communicates data to and from the base module according to a predefined communication procedure;

a connector electrically connected to the control circuitry of the base module;

a communication module communicatively coupled to the base module via the connector, the communication module including emulation circuitry that performs emulation to accept communication from the base module according to the predefined communication procedure of the control circuitry of the base module; and

the base module receiving the communication module such that the base module and the communication module comprise a single unit.

11. The data unit according to claim 10, the communication module further comprising data communication circuitry that communicates data.

12. The data unit according to claim 11, wherein the data communication circuitry comprises a transceiver.

13. The data unit according to claim 12, wherein the transceiver is a radio transceiver.

14. The data unit according to claim 13, wherein the radio transceiver comprises a spread spectrum radio transceiver.

15. A data unit comprising:

a base module, the base module comprising control circuitry that controls the base module and that communicates data to and from the base module according to a predefined communication procedure;

a connector electrically connected to the control circuitry of the base module;

a communication module communicatively coupled to the base module via the connector, the communication module comprising emulation circuitry that permits the communication module to accept communication from the base module according to the predefined communication procedure of the control circuitry of the base module; and

the base module receiving the communication module such that the base module and the communication module comprise a single unit.

16. The data unit according to claim 15, the communication module further comprising data communication circuitry that communicates data.

17. The data unit according to claim 16, wherein the data communication circuitry comprises a transceiver.

18. The data unit according to claim 17, wherein the transceiver is a radio transceiver.

19. The data unit according to claim 18, wherein the radio transceiver comprises a spread spectrum radio transceiver.