Encoded information reading terminal with micro-electromechanical radio frequency front end

• US 8,779,898 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2011
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Havens, William H., Qu, Huyu
• Primary Examiner(s): GIRMA, FEKADESELASS
• Application Number:
  US13/211,555
• Publication Number:
  US 20130043980A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,063 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.1, 340/572.1, 340/539.1, 235/426
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• 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: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2216 used in interrogator/reader equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/0086 said selective devices having materials with a synthesized negative refractive index, e.g. metamaterials or left-handed materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/314 using frequency dependent circuits or components, e.g. trap circuits or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13095 PIN / Access code, authentication

Abstract

An encoded information reading (EIR) terminal can comprise a microprocessor electrically coupled to a system/data bus, a memory communicatively coupled to the microprocessor, an EIR device, a multi-band antenna, and a wireless communication interface. The EIR device can be provided by a bar code reading device, an RFID reading device, or a card reading device. The EIR device can be configured to output raw message data containing an encoded message and/or output decoded message data corresponding to an encoded message. The wireless communication interface can comprise a radio frequency (RF) front end electrically coupled to the multi-band antenna. The RF front end can comprise a micro-electromechanical (MEMS) filter array including one or more band-pass filter. Each band-pass filter of the MEMS filter array can be electrically coupled to a bias voltage source or an oscillating signal source. The RF front end can be electrically coupled to an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter and/or to a digital-to-analog (D/A) converter. The wireless communication interface can be configured to transmit radio signals in two or more frequency regulatory domains and/or receive radio signals in two or more frequency regulatory domains. The multi-band antenna can in one embodiment be provided by a meta-material antenna.

Claims

1. An encoded information reading (EIR) terminal comprising:

a microprocessor electrically coupled to a system/data bus;

a memory communicatively coupled to said microprocessor;

an EIR device selected from the group consisting of;

a bar code reading device, an RFID reading device, and a card reading device, said EIR device configured to perform at least one of;

outputting raw message data containing an encoded message and outputting decoded message data corresponding to an encoded message;

a multi-band antenna; and

a wireless communication interface comprising a radio frequency (RF) front end electrically coupled to said multi-band antenna;

wherein said RF front end comprises a micro-electromechanical (MEMS) filter array, said filter array comprising one or more band-pass filter;

wherein each band-pass filter of said MEMS filter array is electrically coupled to one of;

a bias voltage source, an oscillating signal source;

wherein said radio frequency front end is electrically coupled to at least one of;

an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter electrically coupled to said system/data bus and a digital-to-analog (D/A) converter electrically coupled to said system/data bus;

wherein said wireless communication interface is configured to perform at least one of;

transmitting radio signals in one or more frequency regulatory domains, receiving radio signals in one or more frequency regulatory domains;

wherein each band-pass filter of said MEMS filter array is electrically coupled to a switch, said switch being electrically coupled to one of;

said bias voltage source, said oscillating signal source;

wherein said microprocessor is configured to execute an operating frequency selector software program, said operating frequency selector software program configured to dynamically control said switch; and

wherein said operating frequency selector software program is configured to dynamically control said switch based on estimated cost of data transmission.

2. The EIR terminal of claim 1, wherein said RF front end further comprises a low noise amplifier and a micro-electromechanical (MEMS) down-conversion mixer-filter.

3. The EIR terminal of claim 1, wherein said EIR terminal is configured to transmit at least one of:

said raw message data, said decoded message data to an external host computer.

4. The EIR terminal of claim 1, wherein said one or more frequency regulatory domains include one or more of:

800 MHz, 850 MHz, 900 MHz, 1700 MHz, 1800 MHz, 1900 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2400 MHZ, and 5 GHz.

5. The EIR terminal of claim 1, wherein said wireless communication interface is configured to support at least one of:

IEEE 802.11, IEEE 802.15, IEEE 802.16, GSM, GPRS, TDMA, EDGE, HSPA, CDMA, 1xEV-DO, UMTS, and LTE wireless communication protocols.

6. The EIR terminal of claim 1, wherein said multi-band antenna is provided by a metameterial (MTM) antenna.

7. The EIR terminal of claim 1, wherein said multi-band antenna is configured to support two or more frequency bands.

8. The EIR terminal of claim 1, wherein said operating frequency selector software program is configured to dynamically control said switch based on an amount of data to be transmitted.

9. The EIR terminal of claim 1, wherein said operating frequency selector software program is configured to dynamically control said switch based on an estimated rate of data transmission.

10. The EIR terminal of claim 1, wherein said operating frequency selector software program is configured to dynamically control said switch based on an estimated quality of a data transmission channel.

11. An encoded information reading (EIR) terminal comprising:

a multi-band, metameterial (MTM) antenna;

a system/data bus;

a wireless communication interface comprising a radio frequency (RF) front end electrically coupled to the multi-band, MTM antenna, wherein;

the RF front end comprises a micro-electromechanical (MEMS) filter array comprising a band-pass filter;

the band-pass filter is electrically coupled to a switch;

the switch is electrically coupled to either a bias voltage source or an oscillating signal source;

the RF front end is electrically coupled to an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter electrically coupled to the system/data bus and/or a digital-to-analog (D/A) converter electrically coupled to the system/data bus; and

the wireless communication interface is configured for transmitting radio signals in a frequency regulatory domain and/or receiving radio signals in a frequency regulatory domain;

a microprocessor electrically coupled to a system/data bus, the microprocessor being configured for executing an operating frequency selector software program;

a memory communicatively coupled to the microprocessor; and

an EIR device comprising a bar code reading device, an RFID reading device, and/or a card reading device, the EIR device being configured for outputting raw message data containing an encoded message and/or outputting decoded message data corresponding to an encoded message;

wherein the operating frequency selector software program is configured for dynamically controlling the switch based on estimated cost of data transmission.

12. The EIR terminal of claim 11, wherein the RF front end comprises a low noise amplifier and a micro-electromechanical (MEMS) down-conversion mixer-filter.

13. The EIR terminal of claim 11, wherein the EIR terminal is configured for transmitting raw message data and/or decoded message data to an external host computer.

14. The EIR terminal of claim 11, wherein the operating frequency selector software program is configured for dynamically controlling the switch based on an estimated rate of data transmission.

15. The EIR terminal of claim 11, wherein the operating frequency selector software program is configured for dynamically controlling the switch based on an estimated quality of a data transmission channel.

16. An encoded information reading (EIR) terminal comprising:

a multi-band antenna;

a system/data bus;

a wireless communication interface comprising a radio frequency (RF) front end electrically coupled to the multi-band antenna, wherein;

the RF front end comprises a micro-electromechanical (MEMS) filter array comprising a band-pass filter;

the band-pass filter is electrically coupled to a switch;

the switch is electrically coupled to either a bias voltage source or an oscillating signal source;

the RF front end is electrically coupled to an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter electrically coupled to the system/data bus and/or a digital-to-analog (D/A) converter electrically coupled to the system/data bus; and

the wireless communication interface is configured for transmitting radio signals in a frequency regulatory domain and/or receiving radio signals in a frequency regulatory domain;

a microprocessor electrically coupled to a system/data bus, the microprocessor being configured for executing an operating frequency selector software program;

a memory communicatively coupled to the microprocessor; and

an EIR device comprising a bar code reading device, an RFID reading device, and/or a card reading device, the EIR device being configured for outputting raw message data containing an encoded message and/or outputting decoded message data corresponding to an encoded message;

wherein the operating frequency selector software program is configured to dynamically control the switch based on an amount of data to be transmitted.

17. The EIR terminal of claim 16, wherein the EIR terminal is configured for transmitting raw message data and/or decoded message data to an external host computer.

18. The EIR terminal of claim 16, wherein the multi-band antenna is a metameterial (MTM) antenna.

19. The EIR terminal of claim 16, wherein the operating frequency selector software program is configured for dynamically controlling the switch based on an estimated rate of data transmission.

20. The EIR terminal of claim 16, wherein the operating frequency selector software program is configured for dynamically controlling the switch based on an estimated quality of a data transmission channel.