Hand-held data capture system with interchangeable modules and side-mounted function key

• US 5,530,619 A
• Filed: 01/31/1995
• Issued: 06/25/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Norand Corporation (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Cargin, Keith K. Jr., Mahany, Ronald L., Danielson, Arvin D., Geers, Robert G., Hanson, George E., Miller, Phillip, Koenck, Steven E., Durbin, Dennis A., Kelly, Stephen J., Schultz, Darald R., Boatwright, Darrell L., Gibbs, William T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phillips, Michael W.
• Application Number:
  US08/382,777
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• Field of Search: 235/1 D, 235/145 R, 235/146, 235/432, 235/462, 235/472, 364/708.1, 364/709.1, 364/709.12, 361/679-681, 361/683, 361/728-731
• US Class Current: 361/679.3
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/02 for radio sets, television sets, telephones, or the like; Arrangement of controls thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0241 for telephones
• 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 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1647 including at least an additional display G06F1/1692 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1671 Special purpose buttons or auxiliary keyboards, e.g. retractable mini keypads, keypads or buttons that remain accessible at closed laptop G06F1/1666 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1683 for the transmission of signal or power between the different housings, e.g. details of wired or wireless communication, passage of cabling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3228 Monitoring task completion, e.g. by use of idle timers, stop commands or wait commands
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0231 Cordless keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisious for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10574 Multiple sources
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10584 Source control
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10702 Particularities of propagating elements, e.g. lenses, mirrors G06K7/10831 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10732 Light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10811 : Focalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10841 : Particularities of the light-sensitive elements semiconductor devices H01L
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10851 : Circuits for pulse shaping, amplifying, eliminating noise signals, checking the function of the sensing device basic electronic circuitry H03
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 : constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1093 : sensing, after transfer of the image of the data-field to an intermediate store, e.g. storage with cathode ray tube
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1098 : the scanning arrangement having a modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/12 : using a selected wavelength, e.g. to sense red marks and ignore blue marks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 : Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/343 : Cards including a counter
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/02 : by keys or other credit registering devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0045 : with a code reader for reading of an identifying code of the article to be registered, e.g. barcode reader or radio-frequency identity [RFID] reader
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/005 : using a power saving mode for copiers G03G15/5004
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3883 : Arrangements for mounting batteries or battery chargers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/0085 : using test signal generators
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 : Received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/3894 : Waterproofing of transmission device
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0025 : Transmission of mode-switching indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0032 : Without explicit signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/403 : with centralised control, e.g. polling
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0206 : Portable telephones comprising a plurality of mechanically joined movable body parts, e.g. hinged housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 : Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0235 : Slidable or telescopic telephones, i.e. with a relative translation movement of the body parts; Telephones using a combination of translation and other relative motions of the body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 : including more than one display unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/18 : including more than one keyboard unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices

Abstract

A portable, hand-held data collection terminal unit is of modular structure including among other modules a display screen module, a keyboard module and a base module, each of which may be chosen from a plurality of modules available for assembly into the terminal unit. Consequently, a wide combination of terminal units may be assembled from a comparatively limited number of modular choices, such that the cost of assembly of a terminal unit with specific functions may be minimized. A particular selected module is a scanning module including a pivotable scanning head to permit a user to adjust the scanning head to a convenient position for operating the scanning module without sacrifice of visual access to a display screen of the display screen module. The display screen module may be selected from modules of standard width equal to the width of the terminal unit, of extended width extending when assembled to a selected keyboard module beyond either or both lateral edges of the terminal unit. The selected display screen module may include one of different sized screens, function keys and alphabetical keys. A display and a keyboard with function keys is mounted on a first side of the terminal unit and a function key is mounted on a second, laterally disposed, side of the terminal unit.

Claims

1. A hand-held data collection terminal comprising:

(a) a data collection terminal unit having;

(1) an elongate body forming a hand-grip portion for use of said data collection terminal unit in a hand-held operating position,

(2) a first side and a second side disposed laterally to each other, and

(3) a manually operated key arrangement comprising numerical keys and function keys, and a display screen, said numerical keys and display screen being supported at said first side of the terminal unit with the exception that at least one of said function keys is disposed on said second side of said terminal unit; and

(b) a scanner unit; and

(c) wherein said at least one of said function keys is capable of selectively operating said scanner unit and entering data.

2. The data collection terminal according to claim 1, wherein said key arrangement comprises a row of said function keys disposed adjacent said display screen along a longitudinal axis of said terminal unit.

3. The data collection terminal according to claim 1, wherein said key arrangement comprises an array of said numerical keys, said function keys other than said at least one of said function keys which is disposed on said second side of said terminal unit being disposed between said display screen and said numerical keys.

4. The data collection terminal according to claim 1, wherein said key arrangement, with the exception of said at least one of said function keys disposed on said second side of said terminal unit, comprises an array of said numerical keys, an array of said function keys and a cursor control key cluster.

5. The data collection terminal according to claim 1, comprising an exchangeable battery.

6. The data collection terminal according to claim 1, further comprising shock absorbing means mounted externally of said data collection terminal unit and extending peripherally of said terminal unit for protecting said data collection terminal unit.

7. The data collection terminal according to claim 1, wherein said data collection terminal unit further comprises a radio frequency communications system.

8. The data collection terminal according to claim 1, wherein said scanner unit comprises a laser scanner.

9. A hand-held data collection terminal comprising:

(a) a data collection terminal unit having a first side and a second side disposed laterally to each other;

(b) a display screen area at said first side of said terminal unit having a display screen located therein;

(c) said data collection terminal unit having an elongate body forming a hand-grip portion for use of said data collection terminal unit in a hand-held operating position, and having a function key disposed at said second side and adjacent an outer end of said hand-grip portion;

(d) a keyboard disposed at said first side of said terminal unit; and

(e) said function key at said second side of said terminal unit being selectively capable of operation as a scanner operation control key when said terminal unit is equipped with a scanner unit and of entering data.

10. The data collection terminal according to claim 9, wherein said keyboard comprises an array of said numerical keys and further function keys, said further function keys being arranged between said numerical keys and said display screen.

11. The data collection terminal according to claim 9, further comprising shock absorbing material mounted peripherally about said data collection terminal unit to protect said data collection terminal unit from damage.

12. The data collection terminal according to claim 9, comprising a radio frequency communications system.

13. The data collection terminal according to claims 9, comprising a scanner unit controllable by said function key.

14. The data collection terminal according to claim 9, wherein, in addition to said function key disposed on said second side, another said function key is disposed on a side opposite said second side such that when said terminal unit is equipped with a scanner unit, said scanner unit is selectively activated by manual activation of a respective one of said function keys.