Terminal including imaging assembly

• US 8,561,895 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2011
• Issued: 10/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Gomez, Garrison, Fitch, Timothy R., McCall, Melvin D., O'Donnell, James F., Smith, George S., Sperduti, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thien M
• Assistant Examiner(s): TAYLOR, APRIL ALICIA
• Application Number:
  US13/225,103
• Publication Number:
  US 20120223140A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 235/439, 235/454, 235/462.01, 235/462.45, 235/472.01, 235/472.02, 235380-383, 23546243-46246
• US Class Current: 235/383
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0013 by galvanic contacts, e.g. card connectors for ISO-7816 compliant smart cards or memory cards, e.g. SD card readers connectors in general H01R13/00; connectors for SIM cards used in mobile phones or the like H04B1/3816
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/01 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/00 Payment architectures, schemes or protocols apparatus for performing or posting payment transactions G07F7/08, G07F19/00; electronic cash registers G07G1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1306 non-optical, e.g. ultrasonic or capacitive sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/23 by means of a password
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/205 Housing aspects of ATMs
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/10 together with a coded signal , e.g. in the form of personal identification information, like personal identification number [PIN] or biometric data
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0018 Constructional details, e.g. of drawer, printing means, input means

Abstract

A terminal includes a housing, a touch screen, and an imaging assembly. The imaging assembly in one embodiment is disposed in the housing so that an imaging axis extends externally from the housing. The imaging assembly can be utilized for capture of images disposed externally to the housing. In one embodiment a frame of image data captured utilizing an imaging assembly can be processed for attempting to decode a decodable indicia. In one embodiment a frame of image data captured utilizing an imaging assembly can be stored.

Claims

1. A terminal for use in capture of data, the terminal including:

a housing having top, a first end, a second end, and a bottom;

a display having an associated touch panel disposed at said top of said housing, the display extending in a first plane;

a first color imaging assembly disposed in the housing for use in capture of images corresponding to objects disposed external to the housing, the first color imaging assembly having a first two dimensional color image sensor, the first color imaging assembly having a first associated lens assembly, the first color imaging assembly having a first imaging axis, wherein the terminal is operative for storing of frames of image data captured with use of the first color imaging assembly;

a second color imaging assembly disposed in the housing for use in capture of images corresponding to objects disposed opposite the top of the housing, the second color imaging assembly having a second two dimensional color image sensor, the second color imaging assembly having a second associated lens assembly, the second color imaging assembly having a second imaging axis extending in a direction generally perpendicular to the first plane, wherein the terminal is operative for display of a displayed manual trigger button on the display, the displayed manual trigger button for actuation of the second color imaging assembly;

wherein the terminal includes a radio communication interface for providing wireless communication;

wherein the terminal includes a power supply for use in powering the terminal, the power supply in communication with a battery power source.

2. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the terminal is operative for display of a virtual keypad on the display.

3. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the second imaging axis extends along a line that intersects the housing at a position between the display and the second end.

4. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the second imaging axis extends along a line that intersects the housing at a position between the display and the second end and centered with respect to the display.

5. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the first imaging axis extends along a first line, wherein the second imaging axis extends along a second line, wherein the second line is generally parallel to the first line.

6. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the second associated lens assembly of the second color imaging assembly is a variable focus lens assembly for use in changing a best focus distance of the second color imaging assembly.

7. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the terminal includes first and second radio communication interfaces, each of the first and second radio communication interfaces for providing wireless communication.

8. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the terminal is operative to attempt to decode a decodable indicia utilizing a frame of image data captured with use of the second color imaging assembly.

9. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the terminal is operative in an operating mode in which the terminal stores a frame of image data captured with use of the second color imaging assembly.

10. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the terminal includes a visible indicator and wherein the terminal is operative in an operating mode in which the terminal, (a) captures a frame of image data utilizing the second color imaging assembly;

(b) responsively to execution of the captures a frame function (a) transmits data to an external computer for processing;

(c) receives a signal from the external computer responsively to a result of the processing by the external computer and (d) responsively to a receipt of the signal activates the visible indicator.

11. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the terminal is operative in a fixed position mode in which the terminal is detachably attached to an apparatus external to the terminal and wherein the terminal further operates in a mode in which the terminal is not attached to an apparatus external to the terminal.

12. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the first color imaging assembly includes a light source.

13. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the terminal further includes a card reader disposed at the first end of the housing, the card reader being operative for reading of cards selected from the group consisting of credit cards, debit cards, and customer loyalty cards.

14. A method for capture of data, the method comprising:

providing a terminal including a housing having top, a first end, a second end, and a bottom;

a display having an associated touch panel disposed at said top of said housing, the display extending in a first plane, a first color imaging assembly disposed in the housing for use in capture of images corresponding to objects disposed external to the housing, the first color imaging assembly having a first two dimensional color image sensor, the first color imaging assembly having a first associated lens assembly, the first color imaging assembly having a first imaging axis extending along a first line, wherein the terminal is operative for storing of frames of image data captured with use of the first color imaging assembly, a second color imaging assembly disposed in the housing for use in capture of images corresponding to objects disposed external to the housing, the second color imaging assembly having a second two dimensional color image sensor, the second color imaging assembly having a second associated lens assembly, the second color imaging assembly having a second imaging axis extending along a second line, the second line being generally in parallel with the first line, wherein the terminal is operative for storing of frames of image data captured with use of the second color imaging assembly, and a displayed actuator displayed on the display for actuating the first color imaging assembly, wherein the terminal is operative so that when the first color imaging assembly is actuated to capture an image of an object disposed at a location in a first direction relative to the housing, the second color imaging assembly is oriented for capture of an image of an object at a location in a second direction relative to the housing that is opposite the first direction; and

actuating the displayed actuator to capture an image of a face of a person performing the actuating, the second color imaging assembly at a time of the actuating being oriented for capture of images corresponding to an object disposed at a location in a direction relative to the housing opposite the direction relative to the housing of the person performing the actuating.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the method includes attempting to decode decodable indicia utilizing image data captured with use of the second color imaging assembly.

16. A terminal for use in capture of data, the terminal including:

a housing having top, a first end, a second end, and a bottom;

a display having an associated touch panel disposed at said top of said housing, the display extending in a first plane;

a first color imaging assembly disposed in the housing for use in capture of images corresponding to objects disposed external to the housing, the first color imaging assembly having a first two dimensional color image sensor, the first color imaging assembly having a first associated lens assembly, the first color imaging assembly having a first imaging axis extending along a first line, wherein the terminal is operative for storing of frames of image data captured with use of the first color imaging assembly;

a second color imaging assembly disposed in the housing for use in capture of images corresponding to objects disposed external to the housing, the second color imaging assembly having a second two dimensional color image sensor, the second color imaging assembly having a second associated lens assembly, the second color imaging assembly having a second imaging axis extending along a second line, the second line being generally parallel with the first line, wherein the terminal is operative for storing of frames of image data captured with use of the second color imaging assembly;

wherein the terminal is operative so the each of the first color image sensor assembly and the second color image sensor assembly can be actuated by actuation of a displayed actuator displayed on the display;

wherein the terminal is operative so that when an image corresponding to an object disposed at a location in a first direction relative to the housing is captured utilizing the first color imaging assembly, the second color imaging assembly is oriented for capture of an image of an object at a location in a second direction relative to the housing, the second direction being opposite relative to the first direction;

wherein the terminal includes a radio communication interface for providing wireless communication with an external device;

wherein the terminal includes a power supply for use in powering the terminal, the power supply in communication with a battery power source.

17. The terminal of claim 16, wherein the terminal includes a first manually displayed actuator for actuation of the first color imaging assembly and a second manually displayed actuator for activation of the second imaging assembly.

18. The terminal of claim 16, wherein the first associated lens assembly of the first color imaging assembly is a variable focus lens assembly for use in changing a best focus distance of the first color imaging assembly.

19. The terminal of claim 16, wherein the terminal is operative to attempt to decode a decodable indicia utilizing image data captured with use of the first color imaging assembly.

20. The terminal of claim 16, wherein the terminal includes a visible indicator and wherein the terminal is operative in an operating mode in which the terminal, (a) captures a frame of image data utilizing the second color imaging assembly;

(b) responsively to execution of the captures a frame function (a) transmits data to an external computer for processing;

(c) receives a signal from the external computer responsively to a result of the processing by the external computer and (d) responsively to a receipt of the signal activates the visible indicator.

21. The terminal of claim 20, wherein the visible indicator is a light source.

22. The terminal of claim 20, wherein the visible indicator is the display, and wherein for activation of the visible indicator the terminal displays a message on the display.

23. The terminal of claim 20, wherein the data transmitted by execution of function (b) is a decoded message.

24. The terminal of claim 16, wherein the terminal is operative in a mode in which the terminal is attached to an apparatus external to the terminal.

25. The terminal of claim 16, wherein the terminal further includes a card reader disposed at the first end of the housing, the card reader being operative for reading of cards selected from the group consisting of credit cards, debit cards, and customer loyalty cards.