IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
UP-0978526
(2007-10-29)
|
등록번호 |
US-7686225
(2010-04-23)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Schmidt, Mark
- Russell, Garrett
- Wilz, Sr., David M.
- Blake, Robert
- Hudrick, Donald T.
- Colavito, Stephen J.
- Knowles, C. Harry
- Rockstein, George
- Zhu, Xiaoxun
- Bonanno, John
- Byun, Sung
- Xu, Congwei
- Jiang, Min
- Wang, Lin
- Hu, Meng
- Jin, Hongjian
- Ji, MingQing
- Shi, Shamei
- Au, Ka Man
- Giordano, Patrick
|
출원인 / 주소 |
- Metrologic Instruments, Inc.
|
대리인 / 주소 |
Perkowski, Esq. PC, Thomas J.
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
2 인용 특허 :
121 |
초록
▼
A wireless code symbol reading system including a wireless hand-supportable code symbol reader in two-way RF communication with a base station operably connected to a host system, by way of an RF-based wireless data communication link having a predetermined RF communication range over which two-way
A wireless code symbol reading system including a wireless hand-supportable code symbol reader in two-way RF communication with a base station operably connected to a host system, by way of an RF-based wireless data communication link having a predetermined RF communication range over which two-way communication of data packets can occur. The wireless hand-supportable code symbol reader is programmed to automatically detect when it is located inside and outside of the predetermined RF communication range. When the wireless reader is inside the RF communication range, then symbol character data is automatically transmitted to the base station, and when the wireless reader is located outside of the RF communication range, then symbol character data is automatically collected and stored in a data packet buffer, until the wireless reader has re-entered its RF communication range.
대표청구항
▼
What is claimed is: 1. A wireless code symbol reading system, comprising: (A) a wireless hand-supportable code symbol reader in two-way RF communication with a base station operably connected to a host system, by way of an RF-based wireless data communication link having a predetermined RF communic
What is claimed is: 1. A wireless code symbol reading system, comprising: (A) a wireless hand-supportable code symbol reader in two-way RF communication with a base station operably connected to a host system, by way of an RF-based wireless data communication link having a predetermined RF communication range over which two-way communication of data packets can occur, said wireless hand-supportable code symbol reader including (1) a hand-supportable housing; (2) a code symbol reading mechanism, disposed in said hand-supportable housing, for reading a code symbol on an object, and producing a symbol character data string representative of said read code symbol; (3) a first RF-based transceiver circuit, disposed in said hand-supportable housing, for transmitting to said base station, groups of data packets associated with each produced symbol character data string; (4) a data packet group buffer, disposed in said hand-supportable housing, for buffering one or more groups of data packets associated with produced symbol character data strings; (5) a data transmission circuit, disposed in said hand-supportable housing, for transmitting a selected one of said produced symbol character data strings to either said first RF-based transceiver circuit or said data packet group buffer, depending on the location of the wireless hand-supportable symbol reader in said RF communication range; and (6) a device controller, disposed within said hand-supportable housing, for controlling the operation of said wireless hand-supportable code symbol reader and said first RF-based transceiver circuit; and (B) said base station including (1) a base station housing, (2) a second RF-based transceiver circuit, disposed within said base station housing, for receiving groups of data packets corresponding to the symbol character data strings transmitted from said first RF-based transceiver circuit, and (3) a base station controller mounted in said base station housing, for controlling the operation of said base station; wherein said first and second RF-based transceiver circuits enable the RF-based wireless data communication link between said wireless hand-supportable code symbol reader and said base station; wherein said first and second RF-based transceiver circuits cooperate to enable the communication of data packets between said wireless hand-supportable code symbol reader and said base station, over said RF-based wireless data communication link; wherein said second RF-based transceiver automatically generates and transmits a reference signal to said first RF-based transceiver circuit over said RF-based wireless data communication link; wherein said first RF-based transceiver circuit automatically receives said reference signal and detects the strength of said reference signal; wherein said device controller is programmed to (i) automatically detect when said wireless hand-supportable code symbol reader is located inside of said predetermined RF communication range based on measuring the strength of said detected reference signal, and thereupon (ii) automatically transmit the selected symbol character data string to said first RF-based transceiver for transmission to said second RF-based transceiver circuit, while said wireless hand-supportable code symbol reader is located inside of said predetermined RF communication range; and wherein said device controller is programmed to (i) automatically detect when said wireless hand-supportable code symbol reader is located outside of said predetermined RF communication range based on measuring the strength of said detected reference signal, and thereupon (ii) automatically collect and store the selected symbol character data string in said data packet group buffer, while said wireless hand-supportable code symbol reader is located outside of said predetermined RF communication range. 2. The wireless code symbol reading system of claim 1, wherein said wireless hand-supportable code reader further comprises an out-of-communication range indicator, integrated within said hand-supportable housing, for generating an audible and/or visual signal indicative that said wireless hand-supportable code symbol reader is located outside said predetermined RF communication range; and wherein said device controller controls said data transmission circuit, said data packet group buffer and said out-of-communication range indicator. 3. The wireless code symbol reading system of claim 2, wherein said device controller is further programmed to cause said out-of-communication range indicator to automatically generate an audible and/or visual signal when said wireless hand-supportable code symbol reader is detected as being located outside of said predetermined RF communication range based on measuring the strength of said detected reference signal. 4. The wireless code symbol reading system of claim 2, wherein said base station further comprises a cradle portion adapted for receiving said hand-supportable housing. 5. The wireless code symbol reading system of claim 4, wherein said cradle portion includes a radio antenna. 6. The wireless code symbol reading system of claim 1, wherein said data packet group buffer is realized as a memory chip installed aboard said hand-supportable housing. 7. The wireless code symbol reading system of claim 1, wherein said reference signal is a heartbeat-type signal generated from said second RF-based transceiver circuit. 8. The wireless code symbol reading system of claim 1, wherein said first RF-based transceiver circuit and said device controller are realized as a first RF-based chipset disposed within said hand-supportable housing. 9. The wireless code symbol reading system of claim 8, wherein said second RF-based transceiver circuit and said base station controller are realized as a second RF-based chipset disposed within said base station housing. 10. The wireless code symbol reading system of claim 1, wherein said device controller is further programmed so that said device controller automatically tests said RF-based wireless data communication link prior to transmitting symbol character data, stored in said data packet group buffer, to said first RF-based transceiver circuit when said wireless hand-supportable code symbol reader is once again located inside of said predetermined RF communication range. 11. The wireless code symbol reading system of claim 1, wherein said wireless hand-supportable code symbol reader further comprises an indicator supported by said hand-supportable housing, and wherein said device controller is programmed so that said indicator indicates that said wireless hand-supportable code symbol reader is located outside of said predetermined RF communication range out of range. 12. The wireless code symbol reading system of claim 1, wherein said wireless hand-supportable code symbol reader further an indicator supported said hand-supportable housing, and wherein said device controller is programmed so that said indicator indicates that symbol character data is stored in said data packet group buffer waiting to be transmitted to said base station by way of said RF-based wireless data communication link. 13. The wireless code symbol reading system of claim 1, wherein said code symbol reading mechanism comprises a laser scanning code symbol reading mechanism producing a laser scanning pattern for scanning said code symbol on the object and generating a scan data signal which is processed so as to decode said code symbol and generate symbol character data for the read code symbol. 14. The wireless code symbol reading system of claim 1, wherein said code symbol on said object is a code symbol selected from the group consisting of a 1D bar code symbol, 2D bar code symbol and data matrix symbol. 15. A wireless code symbol reading system having automatic range-dependent data transmission control, comprising: a wireless hand-supportable code symbol reading device for reading code symbols on objects and generating symbol character data representative of each read code symbol, and wherein said wireless hand-supportable code symbol reading device has memory storage for storing symbol character data; a base station operably connected to a host computer system; and a 2-way RF-based data communication link arranged between said wireless hand-supportable code symbol reading device and said base station, and having an RF communication range over which symbol character data can be transmitted wirelessly from said wireless hand-supportable code symbol reading device to said base station; wherein said 2-way RF-based data communication link is controlled by automatically detecting whether or not said wireless hand-supportable code symbol reading device is located within said RF communication range by (i) said base station automatically transmitting reference signals to said wireless hand-supportable code symbol reading device, and (ii) said wireless hand-supportable code symbol reading device automatically detecting the strength of said reference signals and determining whether or not said wireless hand-supportable code symbol reading device is located within the RF communication range of said 2-way RF communication link; wherein in the event said wireless hand-supportable code symbol reading device is located inside of said RF communication range, then symbol character data generated by said wireless hand-supportable code symbol reading device is automatically transmitted over said 2-way RF-based data communication link to said base station; and wherein in the event said wireless hand-supportable code symbol reading device is located outside of said RF communication range, then symbol character data generated by said wireless hand-supportable code symbol reading device is automatically buffered within said memory storage until said wireless hand-supportable code symbol reading device moves into said RF communication range at a later time. 16. The wireless code symbol reading system of claim 15, wherein in the event said wireless hand-supportable code symbol reading device re-enters said RF communication range, symbol character data stored in said memory storage is transmitted to said base station. 17. The wireless code symbol reading system of claim 15, wherein said wireless hand-supportable code symbol reading device is a wireless automatically-activated laser scanning code symbol reading device. 18. The wireless code symbol reading system of claim 15, wherein an audible and/or visual indication is automatically generated when said wireless hand-supportable code symbol reading device is located outside of said RF communication range. 19. The wireless bar code symbol reading system of claim 15, wherein said code symbol is a bar code symbol. 20. The wireless code symbol reading system of claim 15, wherein said reference signals are heartbeat-type reference signals.
※ AI-Helper는 부적절한 답변을 할 수 있습니다.