Portable scanning device for scanning product item

• US 7,918,399 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2008
• Issued: 04/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia, Lapstun, Paul, Rusman, Jan
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Thien M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Taylor; April A
• Application Number:
  US12/276,385
• Publication Number:
  US 20090084857A1
• Time in Patent Office: 863 Days
• Field of Search: 235/454, 235/462.01, 235/462.43, 235/462.44, 235/462.45, 235/472.01, 235/435, 235/462.08, 235/462.09
• US Class Current: 235/462.45
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0321 by optically sensing the absolute position with respect to a regularly patterned surface forming a passive digitiser, e.g. pen optically detecting position indicative tags printed on a paper sheet constructional details of pen-shaped pointing devices G06F3/03545, G06F3/03542, G06F3/037
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10554 Moving beam scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10623 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10693 for omnidirectional scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10772 Moved readers, e.g. pen, wand
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0217 involving input on products or services in exchange for incentives or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0259 based on store location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/59 by controlling the amount of charge storable in the pixel, e.g. modification of the charge conversion ratio of the floating node capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/671 for non-uniformity detection or correction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/745 : Circuitry for generating timing or clock signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/75 : Circuitry for providing, modifying or processing image signals from the pixel array
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/767 : Horizontal readout lines, multiplexers or registers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/778 : comprising amplifiers shared between a plurality of pixels, i.e. at least one part of the amplifier must be on the sensor array itself
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 3/1568 : for disturbance correction or prevention within the image-sensor, e.g. biasing, blooming, smearing correction circuits H04N25/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 : Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20

Abstract

A portable scanning device for scanning a product item is provided. The product item has visible information relating thereto and a plurality of tags disposed thereon. Each tag encodes data on an identity of the product item and the location of that tag on the product item. The scanning device has a sensor for sensing the data encoded by at least one tag, and a processor for determining, from the sensed data, product identity data indicative of the identity of the product item and location data indicative of a location of said at least one tag on the product item.

Claims

1. A portable scanning device for scanning a product item, the product item having visible information relating thereto and a plurality of tags disposed thereon, each tag encoding data on an identity of the product item and the location of the tag on the product item, the scanning device comprising:

a depressible trigger for operation of the scanning device;

a sensor for sensing the data encoded by at least one tag by scanning the at least one tag with a moving sensing beam within a patch containing the product item and by scanning the patch with a moving sensing beam within a scan volume upon depression of the trigger; and

a processor for determining, from the sensed data, product identity data indicative of the identity of the product item and location data indicative of a location of said at least one tag on the product item.

2. The scanning device of claim 1, wherein the tags encode data on an EPC associated with the product item, and wherein the processor determines the EPC.

3. The scanning device of claim 1, wherein the product identity data uniquely distinguishes the product item.

4. The scanning device of claim 1, wherein the processor generates scan data representing the identity of the product item.

5. The scanning device of claim 1, wherein the scanning device further comprises a memory for storing the product identity.

6. The scanning device of claim 1, wherein the visible information and tags are disposed on at least one of product item packaging, product item labeling, and a surface of the product item.