Intermec IP Corporation

Norand Corporation

Robert J Grabon

Paul F Beard

Robert J Traeger

John K Rohde

Joseph Jay Kubler

Daniel E Alt

Daniel Joseph Klostermann

Patrick R Erb

Steven R Kunert

A wireless communication system having a terminal unit operates in a reduced noise state during receipt of a wireless transmission from a control unit. The terminal unit includes terminal circuitry, a radio and noise management circuitry. The noise management circuitry partially or fully disables operation of the terminal circuitry during a receipt by the radio. Noise management circuitry may disable a terminal processor, disable interrupts, buffer interrupts and otherwise modify operation of the terminal circuitry to reduce generated radio noise that would otherwise interfere with receipt of data by the radio. The wireless communication system includes noise management circuitry located in a control unit that operates in conjunction with noise management circuitry in a first terminal unit and a second terminal unit to schedule transmissions from the control unit. These scheduled transmissions allow the terminal units to perform required processing functions outside of the reduced noise period.

Wireless communications system having reduced noise mode operation capability

A remote system includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag specifically identified by an RF identification signal. The specific RFID tag is associated with a particular remote data transfer device. When identified, the specific RFID tag changes the state of the associated remote data transfer device from a zero power state to an operational state. Limited power-capacity of a remote power supply is used solely for data transfer between the data transfer device and an administrator. Although many RFID signals may be transmitted over time to the location of many remote systems, each of which has an RFID tag, an RFID signal is only infrequently sent to a specific one of the RFID tags. Such an RFID signal is transmitted only to request a data transfer operation with the particular remote data transfer device that is associated with that specific RFID tag. At the end of the data transfer state of that particular remote data transfer device, the state of that data storage device is returned to the zero power state. Each RFID tag may be a passive beam-powered tag. The zero power state, the specificity and periodicity of the RFID signal, the return to the zero power state, and the use of the specific selected passive beam powered RFID tag, combine so that the zero power state is the primary state from a temporal standpoint and for substantial periods of time no power is drawn from the limited power-capacity of the remote power supply. The data storage device may be provided in many different electronic units, all of which may involve data transfer.

Radio frequency identification systems and methods for waking up data storage devices for wireless communication

A battery capacity monitoring system readily indicates the remaining capacity of an uninserted battery pack upon an operator's request. Such request may involve the touching of one or more contacts disposed on the battery pack. The battery pack also includes a display and a communication means for communicating capacity information to the device in which it may be installed. The communication means may also be used to display status when the battery pack is not inserted. When inserted a device, the battery pack and device participate to determine time estimates for remaining battery life based on known device loading characteristics and current battery capacity. An operator viewing such information may more adequately determine the usage value of the current battery charge. Moreover, the battery pack and corresponding device are configured to detect the beginning of the process of removing a battery pack. In response, the device saves operational states and data before losing power. Such stored information may be restored upon insertion of another battery pack into the device, permitting the operator to continue where they left off.

Battery pack with capacity and pre-removal indicators

A portable hand-held data terminal having a curvilinear cross-sectional keypad capable of operation by one hand. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention the keys may extend to various heights above the keypad depending on their function. For example, a scan trigger key may extend the farthest from the terminal, numeric keys may extend the next farthest, and alphabetic keys may extend the least. The data terminal may also provide a quick release pistol grip to terminal attachment which utilizes, in an exemplary embodiment, a pair of removably receivable compressible O-rings, a pair of removably receivable guides, and a lever-type latch mechanism. The invention may also provide an interface between the pistol grip assembly's trigger mechanism and the data terminal which does not require that the housing of the data terminal be pierced. In an exemplary embodiment this interface utilizes a reed switch, mounted inside the data terminal's housing, and a magnetic trigger assembly wherein the reed switch is held closed by the magnet when the trigger is depressed.

Ergonomic hand-held data terminal and data collection system

A hand-held portable data collection system having an optical control link is described. A reflective sensor detects the actuation of a trigger by sensing when a cantilevered extension member of the trigger interposes the operational range of the sensor upon actuation of the trigger. The optical control link of the present invention may be utilized to provide a data communications link between a hand-held portable data terminal and a docking apparatus. The optical control link of the present invention may be further utilized as an optical character reader to read optically readable data files such as bar codes.

Hand-held portable data collection system having optical control link

A data processing system (100) includes a data processor or CPU (102) having decompression circuitry (208, 212) and decryption circuitry (210, 214) that operates on compressed/encrypted data to produce decompressed and decrypted data. The data processing system includes memory (104) in which instructions and data are stored in a compressed (110) and/or encrypted (114) format. The CPU (102) retrieves the compressed/encrypted data over a system bus (106). A bus interface unit (200) within the CPU (102) receives the compressed/encrypted data, decompresses and decrypts the data and stores the data in cache memory (202). An execution unit (204) and other components within the CPU (102) retrieve the decompressed and decrypted data and operate upon it. Alternatively, upon retrieval of compressed/encrypted data from memory (104) the data is stored in cache memory (202) in its compressed/encrypted format. Upon retrieval by the execution unit (204), the data is decompressed and decrypted in preparation for execution by the execution unit (204). A data processing system (400) of the present invention requires that the CPU (402) decrypt encrypted data. Thus, any devices accessing data in the system (400) over a network (426) without decryption by the CPU (402) retrieve encrypted data that cannot otherwise be decrypted.

Processor having compression and encryption circuitry

A user-wearable docking system includes docking receptacles on a belt for receiving a plurality of electronic devices such as a hand-held personal data terminal, code reader, printer, etc. The plurality of electronic devices that are docked share power pursuant to one of several power management schemes. A power bus, disposed within a belt, connects all docks to supply power therebetween. Sharing battery power resources involves providing battery power for both device operation and for battery to battery recharging. In some embodiments, the power management system first selects one of the available replacement batteries or the batteries of any of the docked electronic devices as the source of power for recharging purposes or for providing power on the power bus, and coordinates periodic selection of other batteries as the source to balance power consumption of the system as a whole, prolonging operational life between stationary recharging of all of the battery powered devices as an interworking system as a whole.

Power sharing in computing systems with a plurality of electronic devices

A battery charging method in an environment of variable temperatures provides for a temperature correction to determine an onset of an overcharge phase which is detected by a discernible thermal energy output of a charging battery. The method comprises a precursory operation of determining time period required for effecting a temperature change in the battery in response to a temperature change of an ambient space about the battery. The temperature of the battery is then monitored throughout the charging process by measuring the temperature of the battery at timed, predetermined intervals. Over the same timed intervals the temperature of the ambience is measured. A measured difference in the temperature of the ambience with respect to a prior temperature of the ambience is applied to a measured temperature of the battery as modified by a predetermined time delay factor. The temperature is thereby corrected to reflect a change which would have occurred as a result of a temperature change of the ambient space about the battery. The corrected temperature, consequently, represents a temperature of the battery which is the result of the charging process. An apparatus for determining the onset of an overcharge phase of a battery charging cycle includes a control temperature sensor, a battery temperature sensor and a provision for determining when the battery temperature deviates from an anticipated temperature in response to a temperature change of the environment of the battery.

Growing community of inventors

Cedar Rapids, IA, United States of America

Robert J Grabon