Patent Application
20080097724
The present invention may be further understood with reference to the following description and the appended drawings, wherein like elements are provided with the same reference numerals. The present invention relates to wearable data acquisition devices. An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to a ring scanner, however those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention may be implemented with any type of wearable data acquisition device, such as a wrist-mounted scanner, a glove scanner, etc. It will also be understood that the present invention is not limited to barcode scanners, but may also include RFID readers, laser-/image-based scanners, card readers and other types of data acquisition devices.
The trigger 130 may be a pushbutton, a slide switch, a rocker switch, or any other conventional manual switching device. As would be understood by those skilled in the art, the trigger 130 may comprise mechanical and/or electrical components. Although the term “trigger” is used herein to refer to a pushable trigger, the trigger may, in other embodiments, be any input mechanism such as a gun-style trigger, a button, a touch sensitive device, a piezoelectric switch, etc. In an exemplary embodiment, the trigger 130 comprises a substantially convex flexible membrane (e.g., plastic, rubber, etc.) encasing a trigger mechanism. The trigger 130 may be activated by depressing the membrane, thereby engaging the trigger mechanism.
The data acquisition device 100 may also include a strap, a band, or other attachment arrangement 140, whereby the device 100 can be worn by a user. In an exemplary embodiment, the strap 140 is sized to fit around an index finger of the user, such that when the device 100 is worn, the trigger 130 is positioned on a medial side of the finger, facing a thumb of the user. Thus, the trigger 130 may be thumb-activated. Those of skill in the art will understand that scanning of an item (e.g., a bar-coded item) may require the user to pickup the item and move the item in front of the scanning arrangement 120 (e.g., by swiping the item). Thus, both of the user's hands may be occupied by the scanning procedure.
The processing device may be, for example, a dedicated computer running a scanning application, which accesses a database for storing and retrieval of scanned data. The scanning application may include a user interface (e.g., a graphical user interface) for interacting with the user. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the scanning application enables the user to modify a functionality of the trigger 130. For example, the trigger 130 may initially be configured to initiate a scan when engaged. As will be discussed below, the functionality may be modified by adding, removing, and editing a manner in which the functions are accessed (e.g., triggering patterns). In an exemplary embodiment, the modification may only be performed while in a training mode. However, other embodiments may allow the user to perform the modification at any time. The training mode may be initiated using either the processing device or the device 100.
The functional portions may be activated by a thumb touch. In addition, two or more functional portions can be used in combination to enable additional functions (e.g., closing a scanning application, toggling a scanning application, etc.). For example, if the user touches the Up arrow 250 and moves his thumb to the Down arrow 255 while continuing to engage the triggering surface 233, this may correspond to a scrolling operation. Thus, the trigger 230 may be used to navigate a particular scanning application. Other motions and/or combinations (e.g., clockwise, counterclockwise, a quarter-circle, etc.) may also be possible.
As would be understood by those skilled in the art, the first set of functions may be predetermined functions. That is, the first function set may include functions that are essential to a basic functionality of the device 100, and are therefore preprogrammed or hard-wired into the processing device and/or the device 100. For example, the scanning application may include a default configuration that includes the “scan item” function and “press and hold” as a corresponding default triggering pattern.
As shown in
The function table 500 also includes a code representation list 512, which, compared to the description of the triggering patterns previously discussed with reference to the activation sequence list 412, is a lower-level representation of the triggering patterns. The code representation list 512 may, for example, be the same as, or substantially similar to, a representation of the triggering patterns as presented to the user by the scanning application. For example, the user interface may represent a hold with a first symbol (e.g., an asterisk) and a click with a second symbol (e.g., a dashed line). When the user enters a custom triggering pattern (e.g., a custom triggering pattern for the custom function 520), the processing device determines whether the user is entering a hold or a click, and displays this accordingly using the first and/or the second symbol. Thus, the user can enter a series of one or more symbols representing the custom triggering pattern. For example, as seen in
In an exemplary embodiment, the entering of the custom triggering patterns may be performed using the device 100 and the processing device. For example, the user may initiate the training mode using the device 100, access the function table 500 via the scanning application, and enter the triggering patterns using the device 100. In other embodiments, it may be possible to enter the triggering patterns using the processing device in addition, or in alternative, to the device 100. Additionally, although
The scanning application may perform a check on any custom triggering pattern entered by the user. When a new triggering pattern is entered (either as a new custom function, or a modification of an existing function), a determination may be made whether the new triggering pattern conflicts with one or more existing triggering patterns. For example, a conflict may occur if part or all of the new triggering pattern is substantially similar to the existing triggering pattern(s). However, a conflict need not always be resolved. For example, as shown in
If a conflict cannot be avoided, the scanning application may indicate this to the user (e.g., via the user interface) and prompt for a new triggering pattern. In an exemplary embodiment, the scanning application may present the user with one or more alternative triggering patterns that do not cause a conflict. The alternative triggering patterns may be determined by modifying the new triggering pattern.
The first trigger 330 may function in substantially the same manner as the trigger 130. That is, the triggers 330, 333 may both be capable of producing clicks and holds. However, the triggers 330, 333 may have different purposes. For example, the trigger 330 may be used to initiate a scan and the trigger 333 may be used to accept and/or confirm the scan. Thus, the functions comprising the function lists 410 and 510 may be divided between the triggers 330, 333.
One exemplary method of dividing the functions between the triggers 330, 333 according to the present invention is, as previously discussed, to assign individual functions to each of the triggers 330, 333. Another exemplary method of dividing the functions is to assign portions of the triggering patterns to each trigger 330, 333. For example, the holds may be entered via the first trigger 330 and clicks may be entered via the second trigger 333. Thus, according to the function list 500 shown in
As seen from the examples described above, both triggers 330, 333 may be programmable. That is, both triggers 330, 333 may be used to enter the custom triggering patterns. However, in other embodiments, one of the triggers (e.g., the trigger 333) may not be programmable. For example, the trigger 333 may only be used for confirming a scan/selection while the trigger 330 is used to initiate a scan and enter the custom trigger patterns.
In addition, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that data acquisition devices according to the present invention need not be limited to two triggers, and other embodiments may utilize any number of triggers. Furthermore, the exemplary embodiments of the devices 100-300 have been described with reference to an entering of triggering patterns via a plurality of input types (e.g., holds and clicks). However, in other embodiments, the triggering patterns may be entered using only a single input type (e.g., a click). In these other embodiments, the triggering patterns may be entered by, for example, engaging a single trigger, a individual functional portion, or multiple triggers one or more times each, depending on a function to be entered.
The present invention allows the user to complete the scanning procedure using only the data acquisition device. Interaction between the user and the processing device may not be necessary. The advantages of the present invention can readily be seen in scenarios in which accessing the processing device is inconvenient (e.g., the processing device is in a remote location, the user must drop the item, the user is occupied with another activity such as writing) or dangerous (e.g., the user is handling hazardous materials, performing a critical operation, etc.).
Additionally, the customized triggering patterns enable function access in an easily remembered manner. The user can add, remove, or edit the triggering patterns as desired, increasing a likelihood that the user will recall the triggering patterns. Furthermore, the present invention provides access to an enhanced set of functions (e.g., the second function set). In addition to accessing a set of functions larger than that which could be accessed via a conventional data acquisition device, the user can define custom functions, thus simplifying complex procedures that require use of a plurality of functions. If the complex procedures are performed often (e.g., routinely), this may result in a substantial reduction in usage time.
The present invention has been described with reference to the above exemplary embodiments. One skilled in the art would understand that the present invention may also be successfully implemented if modified. Accordingly, various modifications and changes may be made to the embodiments without departing from the broadest spirit and scope of the present invention as set forth in the claims that follow. The specification and drawings, accordingly, should be regarded in an illustrative rather than restrictive sense.
