Patent Application
20080128499
None.
The present invention relates to a programmable trigger for activating various functions associated with a handheld device, such as barcode or image scanning, radio frequency identification (RFID), voice communications, data communications, global positioning system (GPS) functions, or others.
Handheld computing and data collection devices are commonly used in a number of different applications. In many applications, a handheld device is equipped with one or more data collection functions that allow the device to acquire information from an external source. Examples of equipment for performing these functions are barcode readers, image scanners, RFID readers, voice communication devices (walkie-talkies, voice over IP, and others), data communication devices, GPS devices, and others.
These types of handheld devices are useful for a number of purposes. When the devices are used for data collection, it is often useful for a handle accessory to be employed for comfort and ease of use of the device. The handle accessory is typically configured with a trigger for activating a data collection function of the device. For handheld devices that do not have integrated data collection capability, the handle may be equipped with separate data collection functionality that is activated by a trigger, with the results of the data collection being communicated to the handheld device.
As the demands on handheld devices increase, it is desirable for devices to be increasingly versatile and to have the capability of performing many different functions with as few accessories as possible.
The present invention provides a handle for receiving a portable data collection terminal. The handle includes a trigger mechanism activatable to provide a trigger signal to the portable data collection terminal. A trigger functionality selector has at least first and second states representing different functions of the portable data collection terminal that are to be activated by the trigger signal.
Device holder 12 is a portion of handle 10 that is configured to receive a handheld terminal such as terminal 20. Device holder 12 receives terminal 20 mechanically by the mating configuration of device holder 12 and the bottom surface of terminal 20, and also makes a communicative connection between handle 10 and terminal 20 (e.g., electrically, magnetically, by a wireless communication interface utilizing radio frequency communication, infrared communication or optical communication, for example, or by other means). The manner of receiving terminal 20 mechanically and communicatively is known in the art.
The functions performed by trigger 14 are programmable. In a first embodiment, selective positioning of switch 18 on handle 10 controls the function performed by trigger 14. For example, in a first position of switch 18, trigger 14 may be operable to initiate laser scanning by terminal 20, while in a second position of switch 18, trigger 14 may be operable to initiate reading of an RFID tag by an RFID reader in terminal 20. In some versions, switch 18 may have three or more positions to provide additional options for functions initiated by trigger 14. Examples of functions that may be initiated by trigger 14 include image scanning, voice communications, data communications, global positioning system (GPS) functions, or others.
In a second embodiment, programming of terminal 20 may be performed in order to control the functions performed by trigger 14 of handle 10. The programming may be done by the manufacturer, or in some versions may be performed dynamically by a user. For example, a software or hardware button may be provided on terminal 20 to select a certain function for trigger 14, such as a button labeled “scan” and a button labeled “RFID” in order to allow a user to select between those functions. Other programming variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
As described above, the present invention provides a handle with a trigger having programmable functions for operating certain capabilities of a portable data collection terminal received by the handle. The programming of the trigger may be achieved by manipulation of the handle (such as by a physical mechanism such as a switch), by manipulation of the portable data collection terminal (such as by programming and operation of hardware or software buttons), or by other programming of software associated with the handle, the terminal, or both. The invention therefore allows a user to comfortably activate a number of different capabilities of the terminal with a single, ergonomically located trigger.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
