Voice-directed portable terminals for wireless communication systems

• US 20050095899A1
• Filed: 11/05/2004
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vocollect, Inc. (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Vocollect, Inc. (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Lacy, Graham Keith, Logan, James Randall, Zatezalo, Douglas Mark, Davis, Michael, Zoschg, Ryan Anthony, McLellan, Steven, Heseltine, Ian, Mellott, Mark Bradford
• Granted Patent: US 8,128,422 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/358
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/2421 using coil springs
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/56 Means for preventing chafing or fracture of flexible leads at outlet from coupling part
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6272 comprising a single latching arm
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/923 Separation or disconnection aid

Abstract

A communication system includes a voice-directed portable terminal with a voice user interface that is configured for being able to communicate with a computer system. The communication system includes a peripheral device having a cord coupled with the portable terminal and a connector adapted to disconnect from the portable terminal when a sufficient force is applied to the cord. This disengages the peripheral device from the portable terminal. The ability of the cord to break-away from the portable terminal prevents damage not only to the connector, but also to the cord, peripheral, and terminal.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

a voice-directed portable terminal with a voice user interface; and

a peripheral device for use with said terminal, said peripheral device including a cord operably coupled to said terminal with an electrical connector, said peripheral device configured such that said electrical connector disconnects from said terminal, to disengage said peripheral device, when a break-away force having a magnitude of between about 3 pounds and about 15 pounds is applied to said cord.

2. The communication system of claim 1 wherein said electrical connector is configured to disconnect from said portable terminal when the magnitude of the break-away force is between about 8 pounds and about 12 pounds.

3. The communication system of claim 1 wherein said peripheral device includes a voice headset electrically coupled with said cord.

4. The communication system of claim 3 wherein said voice headset includes a microphone.

5. The communication system of claim 1 further comprising:

a securing device adapted to make said portable terminal wearable.

6. The communication system of claim 5 wherein said securing device is adapted to make said portable terminal wearable on a person'"'"'s torso.

7. The communication system of claim 1 wherein said portable terminal further comprises:

a terminal connector portion with a first engagement lip including an angled surface, a first mating surface, and at least one terminal-side electrical contact proximate said first mating surface.

8. The communication system of claim 7 wherein said electrical connector includes a plug connector portion attached to said cord, said plug connector portion further comprising:

a plug member having a second mating surface configured to interface with said first mating surface and at least one plug-side electrical contact proximate said second mating surface; and

a spring-biased lever arm pivotally mounted to said plug member, said lever arm movable between a first position in which said plug connector portion is coupled to said terminal connector portion to connect said terminal-side electrical contact and said plug-side electrical contact and a second position in which said plug connector portion is uncoupled from said terminal connector portion, said lever arm including a first engagement claw having an angled surface configured to engage said angled surface of said first engagement lip when said lever arm is in said first position.

9. The communication system of claim 8 wherein said lever arm is biased toward said first position with a biasing force, said plug connector portion configured for uncoupling from said terminal connector portion when said angled surface of said first engagement claw is engaged with said angled surface of said first engagement lip, the break-away force overcomes said biasing force, and said angled surfaces move relative to each other to pivot said lever arm from said first position toward said second position without manual actuation of said lever arm.

10. The communication system of claim 8 wherein a leading edge of said lever arm has an angled surface that contacts a corresponding angled surface on said terminal connector portion when said plug connector portion is moved to couple from said terminal connector portion, the contact between said angled surfaces causing said lever arm to move from said first position to said second position.

11. The communication system of claim 1 further comprising:

a central computer system, said portable terminal and said central computer system adapted to communicate with each other across a wireless link.

12. The communication system of claim 1 wherein said portable terminal includes a terminal connector portion having an angled engagement surface.

13. The communication system of claim 12 wherein said electrical connector further comprises:

a plug connector portion attached to said cord; and

a moveable lever arm on said plug connector portion, said moveable lever arm having an angled engagement surface resiliently biased into mating engagement with said angled engagement surface on said terminal connector portion to securely join said plug and terminal connector portions during normal operation of the system.

14. The communication system of claim 13 wherein said angled engagement surfaces and the resilient bias of the angled engagement surfaces against each other are configured to permit said plug connector portion to decouple from said terminal connector portion without manual actuation of said lever arm when the break-away force is applied to said cord.

15. The communication system of claim 1 wherein said break-away force is approximately one-fourth of the value of a rated damage force of said cord.

16. A communication system for use in inventory management environment, comprising:

a central computer system capable of executing a software package suitable for inventory management; and

a plurality of voice-directed portable terminals each including a voice user interface and a peripheral device for use with said terminal, said peripheral device including a cord operably coupled to said terminal with an electrical connector, said peripheral device configured such that said electrical connector disconnects from said terminal, to disengage said peripheral device, when a break-away force having a magnitude of between about 3 pounds and about 15 pounds is applied to said cord, each of said portable terminals and said central computer system adapted to communicate with each other across one of a corresponding plurality of wireless links for exchanging data.

17. The communication system of claim 16 wherein said peripheral device of each of said portable terminals includes a voice headset electrically coupled with said cord.

18. The communication system of claim 17 wherein said voice headset includes a microphone.

19. The communication system of claim 16 further comprising:

a plurality of securing devices each adapted to make a corresponding one of said portable terminals wearable.

20. The communication system of claim 19 wherein each of said securing devices is adapted to make the corresponding one of said portable terminals wearable on a person'"'"'s torso.