Wireless telephone for acquiring data encoded in bar code indicia

• US 6,687,345 B1
• Filed: 05/15/2000
• Issued: 02/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Goldman, Ron, Stern, Miklos, Roslak, Thomas, Swartz, Jerome, Barkume, Anthony R., White, Jay P., Serbin, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): WEAVER, SCOTT LOUIS
• Application Number:
  US09/571,618
• Time in Patent Office: 1,359 Days
• Field of Search: 379/90.01, 379/93.12, 379/100.02, 379/110.01, 379/910, 455/403, 455/412, 455/414, 455/555, 455/557, 235/375, 235/378, 235/385, 235/454, 395/201, 395/216, 395/226, 395/227, 239/472.01, 239/472.02
• US Class Current: 379/93.12
• 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 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10386 the interrogation device being of the portable or hand-handheld type, e.g. incorporated in ubiquitous hand-held devices such as PDA or mobile phone, or in the form of a portable dedicated RFID reader
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/00 Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/14 Systems including one or more distant stations co-operating with a central processing unit data transmission in general H04L; telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2755 by optical scanning
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724

Abstract

A system for transferring data between a centrally located site and a portable communications terminal via a telephone network, the site having associated therewith a look up table containing-plurality of data records correlating to items disposed at a retail establishment, wherein each of the items has associated therewith a bar code encoded with the indicia unique to each item, with each of the bar coded indicia corresponding to a particular record in the table, the data containing at least a portion of said record.

Claims

1. A portable handheld voice terminal, comprising:

a radio transceiver for (a) transmitting data to and receiving data from a location external of the terminal via a local network and for (b) transmitting data to and receiving data from a location external of the terminal via a global network;

a subsystem including a microphone and speaker for receiving voice signals from the microphone and applying voice signals to the speaker;

a display for displaying data to a user;

a keypad for applying data to the subsystem;

a controller for controlling the operation of the transceiver, to transmit and receive voice data alternatively over the local network and the global network.

2. The terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a bar code scanner for providing data representative of a read bar code to the controller.

3. The terminal according to claim 1, wherein the local network is used to communicate with a store computer during a self-checkout transaction and the global telephone is used to communicate with a selected destination during a telephone operation.

4. A portable handheld wireless terminal comprising:

a radio transceiver for transmitting data to and receiving data from a location external of the terminal via a plurality of wireless networks;

a subsystem including a microphone and speaker for receiving voice signals from the microphone and applying voice signals to the speaker;

a display for displaying data to a user; and

a controller for controlling the operation of the transceiver, subsystem and display to transmit and receive voice data alternatively over selected ones of the plurality of networks.

5. The terminal according to claim 4, further comprising a bar code scanner for providing data representative of a read bar code to the controller.

6. The terminal according to claim 4, wherein a first wireless network is used to communicate with a store computer during a self-checkout transaction and a second wireless network is used to communicate with a selected destination during a telephone operation.

7. A portable handheld wireless terminal comprising:

a radio transceiver for transmitting data to and receiving data from a location external of the terminal via a plurality of wireless networks;

a subsystem including a microphone and speaker for receiving voice signals from the microphone and applying voice signals to the speaker;

a display for displaying data to a user; and

a controller for controlling the operation of the transceiver, subsystem and display to transmit and receive voice data alternatively over selected ones of the plurality of networks wherein the controller selects a power level for the transceiver based upon the particular network the terminal is in communication with.