ROTATABLE/REMOVABLE KEYBOARD

• US 20070138290A1
• Filed: 02/19/2007
• Published: 06/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Salvato, Dominick
• Granted Patent: US 7,726,576 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/462.440
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1622 with enclosures rotating around an axis perpendicular to the plane they define or with ball-joint coupling, e.g. PDA with display enclosure orientation changeable between portrait and landscape by rotation with respect to a coplanar body enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0231 Including a rotatable keypad body part
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0233 Including a rotatable display body part

Abstract

A system that facilitates desirable orientation of a display on a machine data reader comprises a keypad that is moveable with respect to a body of the machine data reader, the keypad utilized to relay information to the machine data reader. The system further comprises a component that senses a position of the keypad, and a component that orients the display based at least in part upon the sensed position of the keypad.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A system that facilitates orientation of a display on a machine data reader, comprising:

a removable keypad that is removed from the machine data reader and replaced at a disparate orientation in relation to the machine data reader;

one or more keys not movable with respect to a body of the machine data reader;

a multi-position connector that enables connection of the removable keypad in four disparate positions;

a component that senses a disparate position of the removable keypad by monitoring a physical connection between the multi-position connector and the removable keypad; and

a component that automatically orients the display based upon the sensed disparate position of the removable keypad.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the one or more keys that are not movable with respect to the body of the machine data reader are employed to enter information into the machine data reader, the operability of the one or more keys depending upon the sensed position of the removable keypad.

23. The system of claim 21, further comprising a customization component that facilitates user-customization of the display based upon the sensed disparate position of the removable keypad.

24. The system of claim 23, the customization component customizes size of at least one of text and imagery of the display.

25. The system of claim 23, the customization component associated with an artificial intelligence component that infers a desirable display orientation based upon one or more of user identification, user history, and current application.

26. The system of claim 21, the machine data reader being a wearable barcode scanner.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the wearable barcode scanner includes a scanning component that facilitates emitting and/or receiving light in connection with reading a barcode symbol.

28. The system of claim 21, further comprising a mechanism that locks the keypad in a desirable position.

29. The system of claim 28, the keypad inoperative when the keypad is not locked in a desirable position.

30. The system of claim 21, further comprising a data store that contains one or more profiles, the profiles related to individual users and comprising information related to user preferences, and the display oriented based at least in part upon a profile.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the data store stores information related to items scanned.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the information related to the items scanned includes at least one of product identification information, price information, or inventory information.

33. A method for displaying data on a machine data reader, comprising:

providing a removable keypad that is removed from the machine data reader and replaced at a disparate orientation in relation to the machine data reader;

providing one or more keys that are not movable with respect to a body of the machine data reader;

providing a multi-position connector that enables connection of the removable keypad in four disparate positions;

sensing a disparate position of the removable keypad by monitoring a physical connection between the multi-position connector and the removable keypad; and

orienting a display based upon the sensed disparate position of the removable keypad.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising customizing the display based upon user-preference.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising customizing the display based on one or more of user history, user identification, and current application.

36. The method of claim 33, further comprising storing one or more profiles in a data store, the profiles related to individual users and comprise information related to user preferences, and the display oriented based at least in part upon a profile.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the data store stores information related to items scanned, wherein the information related to the items scanned includes at least one of product identification information, price information, or inventory information.

38. The method of claim 33, the machine data reader being a wearable barcode scanner that includes a scanning component that facilitates emitting and/or receiving light in connection with reading a barcode symbol.

39. The method of claim 33, further comprising altering operability of the non-movable keys based upon the sensed disparate position of the removable keypad.

40. A system that facilitates orientation of a display on a machine data reader, comprising:

means for providing a removable keypad that is removed from the machine data reader and replaced at a disparate orientation in relation to the machine data reader;

means for providing one or more keys that are non-movable with respect to a body of the machine data reader;

means for providing a multi-position connector that enables connection of the removable keypad in four disparate positions;

means for sensing a disparate position of the removable keypad by monitoring a physical connection between the multi-position connector and the removable keypad;

means for orienting a display based upon the sensed disparate position of the removable keypad; and

means for storing one or more profiles in a data store, the profiles related to individual users and comprise information related to user preferences, and the display oriented based at least in part upon a profile.