Data collection apparatus and portable data collection device

• US 8,897,927 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2008
• Issued: 11/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Datalogic Mobile Incorporated (Datalogic S.p.A.)
• Original Assignee: Datalogic Mobile Incorporated (Datalogic S.p.A.)
• Inventors: Chiarini, Alessandro
• Primary Examiner(s): Algahaim, Helal A
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH, JELANI A
• Application Number:
  US13/142,020
• Publication Number:
  US 20110257811A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,156 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/32.4, 701/33.4, 701/41, 701/2, 701/444, 701/409, 342/357.59, 342/870.07, 342/933, 342/5.6, 297/452.29, 704/235, 439/34, 439/297, 439/529
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/00 Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0075 using a containment or docking space
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10 by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation

Abstract

An apparatus includes a portable device, a supporting base associable with a vehicle and connecting means to lock, or release, the device in the base. The apparatus further includes detecting means for detecting at least an operating parameter of the vehicle, interface means for setting an operating state of the device and control means, connected to the detecting means and to the interface means to command the connecting means, as a function of the operating parameter and/or of the operating state.

Claims

1. A portable device engageable in a supporting base associable with a vehicle, said portable device comprising:

first connecting means of commandable type, said supporting base being provided with second connecting means, said first connecting means being arranged for interacting with said second connecting means for locking or releasing said device in said supporting base;

detecting means for detecting at least an operating parameter of said vehicle, said operating parameter being selected from the group consisting of speed, acceleration, geographic localisation, and altitude of said device;

interface means for setting an operating state and a preset threshold value of the operating parameter of said device, said interface means comprising a manual management application for manually managing said operating state and setting the preset threshold value of said operating parameter to adapt an installation of the portable device to various operating situations; and

control means connected to said detecting means and to said interface means to command said first connecting means as a function of said operating parameter and/or of said operating state,

wherein said first connecting means is commandable for locking said device when said parameter is above or equal to the preset threshold value and is commandable for releasing said device from said base when said parameter is less than said preset threshold value, and/or

wherein said first connecting means is arranged for locking said device when said operating state is a locked state and is arranged for releasing said device from said base when said operating state is a free state.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said detecting means comprises a GPS detector or an accelerometer.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein said detecting means comprises a speed sensor integrated into said device, said detecting means is connected to a speed sensor integrated into said supporting base, or said detecting means is integrated into said vehicle.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein said first connecting means is arranged for locking said device to said supporting base in a locked operating state when the speed of said device is greater than or equal to a preset threshold value, and is arranged for releasing said device from said base in a free operating state when the speed of said device is less than said preset threshold value.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein said interface means is a graphic user interface suitable for setting said preset threshold value.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein said first connecting means comprises at least an electromagnet and said second connecting means comprises at least one permanent magnet.

7. The device according to claim 1 further comprising further detecting means for detecting the presence of said device in said base, said control means being arranged for commanding said first connecting means in the presence of said device in said base.

8. A supporting base of an apparatus suitable for receiving a portable device engageable in said supporting base and associable with a vehicle, said base comprising:

first connecting means of commandable type, said portable device being provided with second connecting means, said first connecting means being arranged for interacting with said second connecting means for locking or releasing said device in said base,

said device comprising;

detecting means for detecting at least an operating parameter of said vehicle, said operating parameter being selected from the group consisting of speed, acceleration, geographical localisation and altitude of said device;

interface means for setting an operating state and a preset threshold value of the operating of said device, said interface means comprising a manual management application for manually managing said operating state and setting the preset threshold value of said operating parameter to adapt an installation of the portable device to various operating situations;

said base comprising control means connectable to said detecting means and to said interface means of said device to command said first connecting means as a function of said operating parameter and/or of said operating state, said operating parameter and/or said operating state being exchanged by the device when connected to the base,

wherein said first connecting means is commandable for locking said device when said parameter is above or equal to the preset threshold value and is commandable for releasing said device from said base when said parameter is less than said preset threshold value; and

/or

wherein said first connecting means is arranged for locking said device when said operating state is a locked state and is arranged for releasing said device from said base when said operating state is in a free state.

9. The supporting base according to claim 8, wherein said detecting means comprises a GPS detector or an accelerometer.

10. The supporting base according to claim 8, wherein said detecting means comprises a speed sensor integrated into said device, said detecting means is connected to a speed sensor integrated into said supporting base, or said detecting means is integrated into said vehicle.

11. The supporting base according to claim 8, wherein said first connecting means locks said device to said supporting base in a locked operating state when the speed of said device is greater than or equal to a preset threshold value, and releases said device from said base in a free operating state when the speed of said device is less than said preset threshold value.

12. The supporting base according to claim 8, wherein said first connecting means comprises at least an electromagnet and said second connecting means comprises at least a permanent magnet.

13. The supporting base according to claim 8, wherein said first connecting means comprises at least an actuator acting on a stopping element and said second connecting means comprises at least a seat contained in an outer casing of said device, said stopping element being suitable for engaging in said seat to lock said device to said supporting base in a locked operating state.

14. The supporting base according to claim 8, comprising a pushbutton that is actuatable by a user to command said first connecting means, overriding the previously set operating state or releasing said device from said base in a free operating state.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a portable-device and a supporting base associable with a vehicle, said portable device being engageable in said supporting base;

connecting means comprising first connecting means of commandable type, and second connecting means, said first connecting means being arranged for interacting with said second connecting means for locking or releasing said device in said base;

detecting means for detecting at least an operating parameter of said vehicle, said operating parameter being selected from the group consisting of speed, acceleration, geographical localisation and altitude of said device;

interface means for setting an operating state and a preset threshold value of the operating parameter of said device, said interface means comprising a manual management application for manually managing said operating state and setting the preset threshold value of said operating parameter to adapt an installation of the portable device to various operating situations; and

control means connected to said detecting means and to said interface means to command said connecting means as a function of said operating parameter and/or of said operating state,

wherein said first connecting means is commandable for locking said device when said parameter is above or equal to the preset threshold value and is commandable for releasing said device from said base when said parameter is less than said preset threshold value, and/or

wherein said first connecting means is arranged for locking said device when said operating state is a locked state and is arranged for releasing said device from said base when said operating state is a free state.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said detecting means comprises a GPS detector or an accelerometer.

17. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said detecting means comprises a speed sensor integrated into said device said detecting means is connected to a speed sensor integrated into said supporting base, or said detecting means is integrated into said vehicle.

18. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said device is lockable by said first connecting means to said supporting base in a locked operating state when the speed of said device is greater than or equal to a preset threshold value, and said device is releasable from said base in a free operating state when the speed of said device is less than said preset threshold value.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said interface means is a graphic user interface integrated into said device and suitable for setting said preset threshold value, or wherein said interface means is a graphic user interface integrated into a computer connected remotely to said base and suitable for setting said preset threshold value.

20. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said first connecting means comprises at least an electromagnet and said second connecting means comprises at least one permanent magnet.

21. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said first connecting means comprises at least an actuator acting on a stopping element and said second connecting means comprises at least a seat of said device or of said base, said stopping element being suitable for engaging in said seat to lock said device to said supporting base in a locked operating state.

22. The apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising further detecting means for detecting the presence of said device in said base, said control means commanding said connecting means in the presence of said device in said base.

23. The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said apparatus comprises first coupling means for the data exchange between said detecting means and said control means, and second coupling means for the data exchange between said control means and said connecting means.

24. The apparatus according to claim 23 wherein said apparatus comprises a wireless communication system including the first coupling means and said second coupling means.

25. The apparatus according to claim 15, comprising a pushbutton that is actuatable by a user to command said first connecting means, overriding the previously set operating state or releasing said device from said base in a free operating state.

26. A method for controlling an apparatus comprising a portable device, a supporting base associable with a vehicle, said portable device being engageable in said supporting base, and connecting means comprising first connecting means of commandable type and second connecting means, said first connecting means interacting with said second connecting means to lock or release said device in said base, said method comprising the steps of:

detecting at least an operating parameter of said vehicle, said operating parameter being selected from the group consisting of speed, acceleration, geographical localisation and altitude of said device, and/or setting an operating state of said device; and

commanding said connecting means as a function of said operating parameter and/or of said operating state, wherein said commanding said connecting means comprises;

actuating said first connecting means to lock said device to said supporting base when said parameter is above or equal to a preset threshold value and actuating said first connecting means for releasing said device from said base when said parameter is less than said preset threshold value; and

actuating said first connecting means for locking said device when said operating state is a locked state and releasing said device from said base when said operating parameter is a free state,

the method further comprising the step of receiving through a manual management application the preset threshold value of said operating parameter.

27. The method according to claim 26, comprising the step of, before said detecting, checking the presence of said device in said base and checking that detecting means of said apparatus suitable for detecting said parameter is active.

28. The method according to claim 26 wherein said operating state is settable by a user by means of a manual management application.

29. A portable device engageable in a supporting base associable with a vehicle, said portable device comprising:

first connecting means of commandable type, said supporting base being provided with second connecting means, said first connecting means being arranged for interacting with said second connecting means for locking or releasing said device in said supporting base;

detecting means for detecting at least an operating parameter of said vehicle, said operating parameter being selected from in the group consisting of speed, acceleration, geographical localisation and altitude of said device;

interface means for setting an operating state of said device and a preset threshold value of the operating parameter of said device, said interface means comprising a manual management application for manually managing said operating state and setting the preset threshold value of said operating parameter to adapt an installation of the portable device to various operating situations; and

control means connected to said detecting means and to said interface means to command said first connecting means as a function of said operating parameter and/or of said operating state;

wherein said first connecting means is commandable for locking said device when said parameter is above or equal to a preset threshold value and is commandable for releasing said device from said base when said parameter is less than said preset threshold value; and

/or wherein said first connecting means is arranged for locking said device when said operating state is a locked state and is arranged for releasing said device from said base when said operating state is in a free state;

wherein said portable device is a portable data collection device suitable for acquiring data associated with objects, such as the identifying data identifying the objects, manually through an operator or automatically by reading optical information or RFID tags associated with said object.