Rechargeable mobile hand-held fingerprint scanner with a data and power communication interface

• US 6,886,104 B1
• Filed: 06/23/2000
• Issued: 04/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: HID Global Corporation (Assa Abloy AB)
• Original Assignee: Cross Match Technologies Incorporated (Assa Abloy AB)
• Inventors: McClurg, George William, Brunell, David, Scott, Walter Guy
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): WANG, ALBERT C
• Application Number:
  US09/599,255
• Time in Patent Office: 1,768 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/186, 382/115, 382/124, 235/380, 235/972.01, 320/156
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/13 Sensors therefor

Abstract

A mobile, hand-held fingerprint scanner is recharged by a data and power communication interface. The mobile, hand-held fingerprint scanner includes a rechargeable power supply and a data and power communication interface. The rechargeable power supply powers the fingerprint scanner during mobile use. In one example, the rechargeable power supply includes at least one rechargeable battery, a charging circuit, and a voltage regulator circuit. Data and recharging power is carried over the sane interface. A separate plug for power is not needed. The fingerprint scanner can then be inserted quickly and easily in a docking station as only a single data and power communication interface need be coupled. This is particularly advantageous in law enforcement applications where mobile use is important and safety can be compromised if a mobile scanner does not couple to a docking station quickly and easily.

Claims

1. A mobile, hand-held fingerprint scanner, comprising:

an interface charged rechargeable power supply that powers the fingerprint scanner during mobile use; and

a data and power communication interface that is configured to be coupled to a docking station,

wherein data is communicated from said mobile, hand-held fingerprint scanner to a host processor via said data and power communication interface through said docking station and power is provided to charge said interface charged rechargeable power supply through said docking station when said data and power communication interface is coupled to said docking station, and wherein said data includes information representative of a fingerprint image captured by the mobile, hand-held fingerprint scanner;

whereby, a dedicated plug for recharging a power supply separate from a data interface can be avoided.

2. The mobile, hand-held fingerprint scanner of claim 1, wherein said interface charged rechargeable power supply includes at least one rechargeable battery.

3. The mobile, hand-held fingerprint scanner of claim 2, wherein said interface charged rechargeable power supply includes a charging circuit that regulates the charging of said at least one rechargeable battery when the fingerprint scanner is receiving power through the powered data and power communication interface.

4. The mobile, hand-held fingerprint scanner of claim 3, wherein said charging circuit regulates the rate of charging of said at least one rechargeable battery.

5. The mobile, hand-held fingerprint scanner of claim 2, wherein said interface charged rechargeable power supply includes a voltage regulator circuit that maintains a substantially constant output system voltage from the rechargeable battery during mobile use.

6. The mobile, hand-held fingerprint scanner of claim 2, wherein said data and power communication interface comprises a universal serial bus (USB).

7. The mobile, hand-held fingerprint scanner of claim 2, wherein said data and power communication interface comprises an IEEE1394 compatible interface.

8. The mobile, hand-held fingerprint scanner of claim 2, wherein said at least one rechargeable battery comprises at least one nickel cadmium battery.

9. A method for communicating data from a mobile fingerprint scanner comprising the steps of:

docking the mobile fingerprint scanner with a docking station to couple a data and power communication interface in the mobile fingerprint scanner to a docking station;

charging a rechargeable power supply in the mobile fingerprint scanner with power carried over the data and power communication interface when docked with the docking station; and

transmitting data from the mobile fingerprint scanner to a host processor over the data and communication interface when docked with the docking station, wherein the data includes information representative of a fingerprint image captured by the mobile fingerprint scanner.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the rechargeable power supply includes at least one rechargeable battery, wherein said charging step comprises:

regulating the charging of said at least one rechargeable battery when the fingerprint scanner is receiving power through the data and communication interface.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said regulating step comprises:

regulating the rate of charging of the at least one rechargeable battery.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the interface charged rechargeable power supply includes a voltage regulator circuit, further comprising the step of:

maintaining a substantially constant output system voltage from the rechargeable power supply during mobile use with the voltage regulator circuit.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein said docking step comprises:

coupling the data and power communication interface with the docking station through a universal serial bus (USB).

14. The method of claim 9, wherein said docking step comprises:

coupling the data and power communication interface with the docking station through an IEEE1394 compatible interface.