Rotatable/removable keyboard

• US 7,726,576 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2007
• Issued: 06/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Salvato, Dominick H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Seung H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marshall; Christle I
• Application Number:
  US11/676,478
• Publication Number:
  US 20070138290A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,198 Days
• Field of Search: 235/472.01
• US Class Current: 235/472.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1622 with enclosures rotating around an axis perpendicular to the plane they define or with ball-joint coupling, e.g. PDA with display enclosure orientation changeable between portrait and landscape by rotation with respect to a coplanar body enclosure
• 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 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0231 Including a rotatable keypad body part
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0233 Including a rotatable display body part

Abstract

A system that facilitates desirable orientation of a display on a machine data reader comprises a keypad that is moveable with respect to a body of the machine data reader, the keypad utilized to relay information to the machine data reader. The system further comprises a component that senses a position of the keypad, and a component that orients the display based at least in part upon the sensed position of the keypad.

Claims

1. A system that facilitates orientation of a display on a machine data reader, comprising:

a detachable face comprising a display and a moveable keypad, the detachable face rotatable from an original orientation to a disparate orientation along an axis normal to a plane of the machine data reader, the movable keyboard is capable of rotating in multiple orientations in relation to the detachable face;

a component that senses the disparate orientation of the detachable face;

one or more keys not movable with respect to a body of the detachable face;

a multi-position connector that enables connection of the moveable keypad in multiple positions relative to the detachable face;

a component that senses a disparate position of the moveable keypad by monitoring a physical connection between the multi-position connector and the moveable keypad; and

a component that automatically orients the display based upon the sensed disparate position of the moveable keypad and the sensed disparate orientation of the detachable face.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more keys that are not movable with respect to the body of the detachable face are employed to enter information into the machine data reader, the operability of the one or more keys depending upon the sensed position of the movable keypad.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a customization component that facilitates user-customization of the display based upon the sensed disparate position of the movable keypad.

4. The system of claim 3, the customization component customizes size of at least one of text and imagery of the display.

5. The system of claim 3, the customization component associated with an artificial intelligence component that infers a desirable display orientation based upon one or more of user identification, user history, and current application.

6. The system of claim 1, the machine data reader being a wearable barcode scanner.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the wearable barcode scanner includes a scanning component that facilitates emitting and receiving light in connection with reading a barcode symbol.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a mechanism that locks the keypad in a desirable position.

9. The system of claim 8, the keypad inoperative when the keypad is not locked in a desirable position.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a data store that contains one or more profiles, the profiles related to individual users and comprising information related to user preferences, and the display oriented based at least in part upon a profile.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the data store stores information related to items scanned.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the information related to the items scanned includes at least one of product identification information, price information, or inventory information.

13. A method for displaying data on a machine data reader, comprising:

providing a detachable face with a display and a movable keypad,

rotating the detachable face from an original orientation to a disparate orientation along an axis normal to a plane of the machine data reader;

sensing the disparate orientation of the detachable face;

providing one or more keys that are not movable with respect to a body of the detachable face;

providing a multi-position connector that enables positioning of the movable keypad in four disparate positions relative to the detachable face;

sensing a disparate position of the movable keypad by monitoring a physical connection between the multi-position connector and the movable keypad; and

orienting a display based upon the sensed disparate position of the movable keypad and the sensed disparate orientation of the detachable face.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising customizing the display based upon user-preference.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising customizing the display based on one or more of user history, user identification, and current application.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising storing one or more profiles in a data store, the profiles related to individual users and comprise information related to user preferences, and the display oriented based at least in part upon a profile.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the data store stores information related to items scanned, wherein the information related to the items scanned includes at least one of product identification information, price information, or inventory information.

18. The method of claim 13, the machine data reader being a wearable barcode scanner that includes a scanning component that facilitates emitting and receiving light in connection with reading a barcode symbol.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising altering operability of the non-movable keys based upon the sensed disparate position of the movable keypad.