Apparatus having random ordered keypad

• US 9,778,841 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2012
• Issued: 10/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Showering, Paul Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): LANDIS, LISA S
• Application Number:
  US13/370,617
• Publication Number:
  US 20130207902A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,062 Days
• Field of Search: 345173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

An apparatus including: a touch screen display for displaying information, including displaying a keypad comprising an array of touch keys; a processor for controlling software and firmware operation; and a housing for supporting the touch screen display and configured to facilitate an operator keypad data entry, wherein the processor changes the displayed key configuration at a predetermined time.

Claims

1. A method for preventing access to a device, the device comprising a touchscreen with a keypad having a plurality of keys, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying a first arrangement of the plurality of keys;

determining a first code entered by a user via the touchscreen utilizing the keys in the first arrangement;

providing access to aspects of the device if the first code entered by the user matches a security code of the device;

locking the device, such that another code matching the security code must be entered before providing access to the aspects of the device;

displaying a second arrangement of the plurality of keys that is different from the first arrangement of keys, such that a location of each of at least a plurality of the plurality of keys in the second arrangement is different from a location of the respective keys in the first arrangement, where displaying the second arrangement of the plurality of keys takes place after expiration of a predetermined time measured from when the user was provided access to aspects of the device;

determining a second code entered via the touchscreen utilizing the keys in the second arrangement; and

providing access to the aspects of the device if the second code matches the security code.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the touch keys are comprised of at least one of the following:

alphanumeric keys, multi-functional keys, symbols and icons.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the device comprises an indicia reader for reading information bearing indicia and a button for activating indicia reading.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a data capture system and a button for activating data capture.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the touch keys are multi-functional and wherein the touch keys may be utilized for data entry other than alpha or numeric data.

6. A method for preventing access to a device, the device comprising a processor and a touchscreen with a keypad having a plurality of keys, the method comprising the steps of:

sending and receiving communications between the processor and the touchscreen for a user to enter data into the device by touching the touchscreen;

displaying a first arrangement of the plurality of keys on the touchscreen;

determining a first code entered by the user via the touchscreen utilizing the keys in the first arrangement;

providing access to aspects of the device if the first code entered by the user matches a security code of the device;

locking the device, such that another code matching the security code must be entered before providing access to the aspects of the device;

displaying a second arrangement of the plurality of keys that is different from the first arrangement of keys, such that a location of at least a plurality of the plurality of keys in the second arrangement is different from a location of the respective keys in the first arrangement, where displaying the second arrangement of the plurality of keys takes place after expiration of a predetermined time measured from when the user was provided access to aspects of the device;

determining a second code entered via the touchscreen utilizing the keys in the second arrangement; and

providing access to the aspects of the device if the second code matches the security code.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the device comprises an indicia reader for reading information bearing indicia and a button for activating indicia reading.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the device comprises a data capture system and a button for activating data capture.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the keys are multi-functional wherein they may be utilized for data entry other than alpha or numeric data.