Portable terminal and pistol grip sled with optimized scan angle

• US 8,567,682 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2009
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Psion PLC (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Psion PLC (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Boyd, Barry
• Primary Examiner(s): MARSHALL, CHRISTLE I
• Application Number:
  US12/511,374
• Publication Number:
  US 20100025473A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,553 Days
• Field of Search: 235/472.01, 235/482, 235/486
• US Class Current: 235/472.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10 by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1098 the scanning arrangement having a modular construction

Abstract

A portable terminal, handheld computer and handle are provided. The portable terminal includes a handheld computer operable as a stand-alone device, including operational components having a display and a scanner, and an expansion connector capable of detachably coupling to a peripheral. The peripheral includes at least a handle held by an operator of the portable terminal. The handheld computer is electrically and mechanically coupled to the handle so that the angle between the viewing area of the display and a scanner beam from the scanner is optimized without tilting the viewing area of the display. The portable terminal includes: a handheld device operable as a stand-alone device, including: one or more operational components; and an expansion connector being capable of detachably coupling to a peripheral directly or via an external device connectable to the peripheral, the handheld device being electrically coupled to the peripheral via the expansion connector and identifies the peripheral. The handle for a handheld device, includes: a housing including a grip held by an operator of a handheld device, the handheld device being operable as a stand alone device; a coupling assembly being capable of mechanically and operationally coupling to the handheld device directly or via an external device connectable to the handheld device; and an actuator coupling to the coupling assembly for actuating at least one function of the handheld device, the actuator being configured so that the user operates the actuator while holding the grip.

Claims

1. A portable terminal, comprising:

a handheld computer operable as a stand-alone device, including;

operational components having;

a display including a viewing area observable by a user,

a keyboard including an input area operable by the user; and

a device for capturing information from a target by pointing the device toward the target and acquiring an image of the target, the display and the device being operably coupled to a processor,

an expansion connector coupled to the processor, the expansion connector operable to detachably couple to a peripheral including at least a handle to be held by the user,

a non-folding housing mounting the operational components such that the viewing area of the display is arranged obliquely upward with respect to the input area of the keyboard, and the device mounted on the housing is pointed downward at an angle in the range from about 15 degrees to about 20 degrees with respect to the input area of the keyboard,

the device being operable, when activated by the user holding the terminal, to acquire the image at a downward angle with respect to the viewing area of the display to allow the user to view the viewing area of the display while also having a line of sight to the target.

2. A portable terminal as claimed in claim 1, wherein the handheld computer uniquely identifies the peripheral via the expansion connector.

3. A portable terminal as claimed in claim 1, wherein the peripheral comprises:

an actuator for operating at least one of the operational components.

4. A portable terminal as claimed in claim 3, wherein the actuator is configured so that the user operates the actuator with a user'"'"'s hand holding the handle.

5. A portable terminal as claimed in claim 4, wherein the actuator comprises:

a pressure sensitive trigger area for detecting a pressure and providing a tactile feedback, at least one of the operational components being operated by applying the pressure on the trigger area.

6. A portable terminal as claimed in claim 1, wherein the expansion connector can mechanically and operably couple to an external device and to the peripheral via an external device, the peripheral having an actuator assembly for operating the external device and the handheld computer.

7. The portable terminal as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device comprises:

a scanner mounted on a housing of the terminal such that an axis of a beam emitted from the scanner is at the angle with respect to the input area of the keyboard.