Claims
- 1. A moded scanning pen, wherein the pen has an active input mode selected from a plurality of modes, comprising:
a processor; an optical scanning head; a data interface; and a user feedback device local to the pen and responsive to the active input mode.
- 2. The scanning pen of claim 1, wherein the feedback device comprises a display screen.
- 3. The scanning pen of claim 2, wherein the display screen is adapted to display information representative of the active input mode.
- 4. The scanning pen of claim 1, wherein the feedback device comprises an audio feedback generator.
- 5. The scanning pen of claim 4, wherein the audio feedback generator is adapted to generate audio codes representative of the active input mode.
- 6. The scanning pen of claim 5, wherein audio codes are generated when a mode change occurs.
- 7. The scanning pen of claim 1, wherein the feedback device comprises an tactile feedback generator.
- 8. The scanning pen of claim 7, wherein the tactile feedback generator is adapted to generate vibratory codes representative of the active input mode.
- 9. The scanning pen of claim 8, wherein vibratory codes are generated when a mode change occurs.
- 10. The scanning pen of claim 7, wherein the tactile feedback generator is adapted to simulate a texture representative of the active input mode.
- 11. The scanning pen of claim 10, wherein texture is simulated while a scanning operation is being performed.
- 12. The scanning pen of claim 1, further comprising a user control.
- 13. The scanning pen of claim 1, wherein the user control comprises a button.
- 14. The scanning pen of claim 1, wherein the active input mode is selected by manipulating the user control.
- 15. The scanning pen of claim 1, wherein the active input mode is selected by scanning a machine-readable data field on a mode card.
- 16. The scanning pen of claim 1, wherein the active input mode is automatically selected.
- 17. A method for using a moded scanning pen to input a data record having a plurality of values including a first value and a second value, comprising the steps of:
depressing a button to indicate the start of the data record; scanning the first value; interpreting the first value in a manner defined by a first mode of the scanning pen; scanning the second value; and interpreting the second value in a manner defined by a second mode of the scanning pen.
- 18. A method for using a moded scanning pen to input a data record having a plurality of values including a first value and a second value, comprising the steps of:
indicating the start of a data record; setting a first mode corresponding to the first value; scanning the first value; setting a second mode corresponding to the second value; and scanning the second value.
- 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:
interpreting the first value in a manner defined by the first mode; and interpreting the second value in a manner defined by the second mode.
- 20. The method of claim 18, wherein the indicating step comprises manipulating a control on the pen.
- 21. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of setting the first mode comprises scanning a machine-readable data field on a mode card.
- 22. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of setting the second mode comprises scanning a machine-readable data field on a mode card.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/219,087 filed Dec. 22, 1998.
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09219087 |
Dec 1998 |
US |
Child |
09974013 |
Oct 2001 |
US |