US 4,897,865 A · Telephone data collection device

Abstract

A telephone data terminal and data collection network for communicating data over a telephone system using DTMF tone dialing. A telephone data terminal (10) includes an optical bar code reader wand (16) and a slot (22) in which a magnetic field sensor is disposed for reading variations in magnetic field intensity on a magnetic strip (24) applied to a card (24). Data encoded as a bar code, or stored in the magnetic strip, are converted to ASCII data by a CPU (50), and are transmitted either as a DTMF signal to a remote location over the telephone system, or as a data link signal that is incompatible with the telephone system, to a data processor (252). The telephone data terminal can be operated in either a voice prompted data collection mode or a display prompted data collection mode. It includes a two-by-twenty character alphanumeric LCD display (14) in which a prompt message is displayed to a user. The display also may be used in a message mode for displaying a message that the user enters by scanning an appropriate encoded data bar code or magnetic strip. When operating in the display prompted data collection mode, a telephone line controller (110) disconnects the telephone data terminal from the telephone system, and causes a local telephone line connected to it to appear "busy," with respect to any incoming telephone calls.

Claims23

Dependent claims

Apparatus operable in a plurality of modes, including a program mode for reading encoded data that are stored in a nonvolatile medium, so that they may be transmitted from one location to another over a telephone system, comprising:

(a) means for scanning the encoded data, producing a data signal;
(b) processor means, connected to the means for scanning encoded data, for converting the data signal to ASCII data;
said processor means including means for operating the processor means in the program mode that permits ASCII data converted from scanned encoded data to be stored, in response to an operator scanning a first predefined encoded data sequence with the means for scanning said first predefined encoded data scanned by the operator thus determining in which mode the apparatus operates;
(c) nonvolatile memory means, connected to the processor means, for digitally storing the ASCII data in an addressable register as it is scanned by the operator, independent of the operation of the telephone system, for later transmission over the telephone system.

1 more element

Apparatus for reading encoded data that are stored in a nonvolatile medium and transmitting the data to a remote terminal over a telephone system when operating in a data communications mode, and, when operating in a message mode and not actively connected into the telephone system, displaying a message, said apparatus comprising:

(a) scanning means for scanning the encoded data, producing a data signal that is transmitted to a remote terminal during operation of the apparatus in a data communication mode;
(b) processor means, connected to the scanning means, for converting the data signal into ASCII data, said processor means including an addressable register in which the ASCII data are selectively stored for display in the message mode;
and
(c) display means, connected to the processor means, for displaying the ASCII data as a plurality of alphanumeric characters in response to an operator scanning a first predefined encoded data sequence with the scanning means, said processor means including means for recalling the ASCII data stored in the addressable register of the apparatus to be displayed in the message mode in response to the first predefined encoded data sequence and independent of the operation of the telephone system specific encoded data sequences stored in the nonvolatile medium that are scanned by the operator thus determining in which mode the apparatus operates.

1 more element

Apparatus operable in a plurality of modes, including a mode for selectively communicating encoded data that are stored in a nonvolatile medium over an analog telephone system that uses DTMF tone dialing, comprising:

(a) a plurality of local data terminals, each including:
(i) scanning means for scanning the encoded data, producing a data signal;
(ii) processor means, connected to the scanning means, for converting the data signal into ASCII data;
and
(iii) tone generator means, connected to the processor means and to a local telephone line, for converting the ASCII data into a DTMF signal that is transmitted over the local telephone line;
(b) a local data processor connected to the local telephone lines and operative to bidirectionally receive and transmit data using a data link signal;
and
(c) telephone line controller means, connected to each of the local data terminals by their respective local telephone lines and to the local data processor by a data line, and to a remote location by the telephone system, for selectively controlling the flow of data link signals between any one of the local data terminals and the local data processor, and of DTMF signals between any one of the local data terminals and the remote location over the telephone system in response to an operator scanning predefined encoded data sequences at said one of the local data terminals, using the scanning means said first predefined encoded data sequence scanned by the operator thus determines in which mode the apparatus operates.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Telephone data collection device

Life of this patent

Telephone data collection device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims23