Mobile computing unit for reducing usage fatigue

• US 9,129,174 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2012
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Choi, Jaeho, Jenkins, Ian R., Martin, Richard M., Nair, Chandra M., Tsiopanos, Konstantinos D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael G
• Assistant Examiner(s): TARDIF, DAVID P
• Application Number:
  US13/721,241
• Publication Number:
  US 20140014727A1
• Time in Patent Office: 992 Days
• Field of Search: 235/470
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0004 Hybrid readers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/01 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/015 Aligning or centering of the sensing device with respect to the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10 by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10009 sensing by radiation using wavelengths larger than 0.1 mm, e.g. radio-waves or microwaves
• 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 7/10554 Moving beam scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1091 means to wake up the scanner from a sleep mode, e.g. using an acceleration sensor indicating that the scanner is being picked up by a user
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/142 using hand-held instruments; Constructional details of the instruments
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/11 Supports for sets, e.g. incorporating armrests
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

A mobile unit (MU) is described. The MU includes a handle configured for gripping the MU with fingers of one hand of a user'"'"'s arm. The MU includes a trigger switch positioned on the handle and configured to activate a data capture function of the MU when the trigger switch is depressed. The MU includes a display device positioned above the handle of the MU such that the display device is viewable to the user when the fingers grip the handle of the MU and the user'"'"'s arm is maximally extended. The MU includes a data acquisition device located on an opposite side of the display device so as to capture data from an object positioned in a field of view of the data acquisition device when the trigger switch is depressed.

Claims

1. A mobile unit (MU), comprising:

a top portion;

a handle extending from the top portion, the handle configured for gripping the MU with fingers of one hand of a user'"'"'s arm;

a trigger switch positioned on the handle and configured to activate a data capture function of the MU when the trigger switch is depressed;

a display device mounted on the top portion, the display device positioned above the handle of the MU and configured to be substantially flush with sides of the top portion for viewing display data such that the display data is viewable to the user when the fingers grip the handle of the MU and the user'"'"'s arm is maximally extended, the display device having a display plane at an acute angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the handle; and

a data acquisition device located on an opposite side of the top portion from the display device so as to capture object data from an object positioned in a field of view of the data acquisition device when the trigger switch is depressed, the data acquisition device having a field of view with a central axis at an obtuse angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the handle.

2. The mobile unit of claim 1, wherein the data acquisition device comprises an imaging device.

3. The mobile unit of claim 2, wherein the display device is configured to display images from the imaging device.

4. The mobile unit of claim 1, wherein the data acquisition device comprises a laser scanning device.

5. The mobile unit of claim 1, wherein the data acquisition device comprises a radio-frequency identification (RFID) module.

6. The mobile unit of claim 1, further comprising a camera positioned adjacent to the data acquisition device such that a field of view of the camera at least partially overlaps the field of view of the data acquisition device.

7. The mobile unit of claim 1, further comprising a holster sensor configured to determine when the mobile unit is in a holster for controlling the display device and the data acquisition device.

8. The mobile unit of claim 1, wherein the trigger switch is accessible to an index finger of the hand of the user when the handle is held in the hand of the user.

9. The mobile unit of claim 1, further comprising a battery positioned in a recess of the handle.

10. The mobile unit of claim 1, further comprising a rotary control switch disposed on the top portion, the rotary control switch for controlling a function of the mobile unit.

11. The mobile unit of claim 1 wherein the obtuse angle is up to about one hundred and thirty-five degrees.

12. The mobile unit of claim 1 wherein the acute angle is less than about thirty degrees.

13. The mobile unit of claim 1 wherein the acute angle is about ten degrees.

14. A housing of a mobile unit (MU), comprising:

a handle configured for gripping the mobile unit with fingers of one hand of a user'"'"'s arm, a trigger switch positioned on the handle and configured to activate a data capture function of the mobile unit when the trigger switch is depressed; and

a top portion coupled to the handle for housing a display device and a data acquisition device, the display device disposed above the handle of the mobile unit and configured to be substantially flush with sides of the top portion for viewing display data such that the display data is viewable to the user when the fingers grip the handle of the mobile unit and the user'"'"'s arm is maximally extended, the display device having a display plane at an acute angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the handle; and

the data acquisition device disposed on an opposite side of the housing from a side including the display device so as to capture object data from an object positioned in a field of view of the data acquisition device when the trigger switch is depressed, the data acquisition device having a field of view with a central axis at an obtuse angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the handle.

15. The housing of claim 14, wherein the top portion further comprises a proximity sensor for sensing proximity of an object in the field of view relative to the housing.

16. The housing of claim 14, wherein the top portion further comprises a motion sensor for sensing a motion of the housing.

17. The housing of claim 14, wherein the top portion at least partially houses a light source configured to generate illumination on the object.

18. The housing of claim 14, wherein the top portion at least partially houses a camera positioned adjacent the data acquisition device such that a field of view of the camera at least partially overlaps the field of view of the data capture device.

19. The housing of claim 14, wherein the top portion at least partially houses a rotary control switch for controlling a function of the mobile unit.

20. A mobile unit (MU), comprising:

a housing comprising a handle for gripping the mobile unit with fingers of one hand of a user'"'"'s arm;

a trigger switch positioned on the handle for activating a data capture function of the mobile unit when the trigger switch is depressed, the trigger switch being accessible to an index finger of the hand of the user when the handle is held in the hand of the user;

a display device disposed at least partially within the housing and above the handle of the mobile unit and configured to be substantially flush with sides of the top portion for viewing display data such that the display data is viewable to the user when the fingers grip the handle of the device and the user'"'"'s arm is maximally extended, the display device having a display plane at an acute angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the handle;

an imaging device coupled to the housing and located on an opposite side of the mobile unit from a side housing the display device so as to capture object data from an object positioned in a field of view of the imaging device when the trigger switch is depressed, the data acquisition device having a field of view with a central axis at an obtuse angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the handle; and

a camera coupled to the housing and located adjacent to the imaging device such that a field of view of the camera at least partially overlaps the field of view of the imaging device.