The Singer Company

Daniel J Weaver

Robert Treiber

Avner Wolanow

Gerald R Wald

James B McLaughlin

Joseph Pernyeszi

Michael J Piccardo

A hand-held data-gathering unit is formed by removably connected control and power modules: The control module contains a keyboard, a display device, a data input probe, and a microprocessor. The power module contains a rechargeable battery with a converter and associated power logic, and a memory system with associated memory control logic. The hand-held unit has a normal low-power standby mode which is maintained during the absence of input data from either the keyboard or the data probe, and an operation mode which is initiated by the arrival of input data. During the operation mode, input data enters the control module and is forwarded to the memory in the power module. As data is gathered during portable operation, the memory may reach capacity or the battery voltage may drop, or both. The power module may be removed from the control module and replaced by a fresh power module with a fully charged battery and an empty memory. The expired power module is inserted into a service module for charging the battery or transmitting the data to a remote terminal, or both. The control module may also be inserted into the sevice module where it is activated by a stationary power supply and interfaced with the memory in the power module for stationary operation. In addition to transmitting the contents of the memory, the service module may receive data from the remote terminal and for storage in the memory. This received data may then be accessed and displayed through the control module.

Portable data-gathering apparatus formed by modular components having

Input and output switching transistors are alternatively activated to form a charging path and a discharging path for an inductor. The inductor periodically charges through the input transistor from an unregulated rechargeable battery, and discharges through the output transistor into an output capacitor. The output voltage taken across the output capacitor is regulated by negative feedback which varies the inductor charging period through the input transistor. The converter regulation is bidirectional. The voltage from the battery is initially greater than the regulated output voltage, but decreases to a value less than the output voltage as the battery discharges. When the battery is fully charged the converter regulates the battery voltage down to the output voltage. As the battery voltage drops through discharge, the converter regulates the lower battery voltage up to the output voltage. When the output voltage is not required by the data gathering apparatus, the output transistor is deactivated terminating the output voltage and establishing a residual standby mode in the power converter.

Efficient bidirectional power converter for portable data gathering

A light pen is scanned across a bar coded label to produce a reflected light signal having a modulated intensity. The average peak-to-peak value of the plus and minus peaks of the return signal is continuously generated to provide a reference for detecting each subsequent positive and negative transistion. The instantaneous average peak-to-peak reference permits the positive transistions to be distinguished from the negative transistions in spite of large deviations in the amplitude modulation and large shifts in the signal to ambient light level ratio of the return signal. Initially the light pen is operated in a low power pulsed mode. The initial transistions in the return signal cause the pen to temporarily illuminate the bar coded label with a continuous light, and activate plus and minus peak detectors.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Daniel J Weaver