Hand-held data capture system with interchangable modules

In a data capture system, a hand-held data terminal of size and weight to be held in one hand during use, said data terminal being of the type comprising

• (a) user interface means providing for user interaction with the data terminal,
• (b) data transducing means for transducing data signals in the furtherance of data capture operations,
• (c) control means operatively interconnected with the user interface means and with said data transducing means for controlling data capture operations of the data terminal, and
• (d) portable power supply means for powering the data terminal;
• wherein said data capture system further comprises:
• at least three terminal modules, each module of said three modules receiving selected of said means (a)-(d) and being selectively displaceable and replaceable to form said hand-held data terminal, a first terminal module extending longitudinally in a first layer and having a length generally comparable to the overall length of the data terminal, and second and third terminal modules extending longitudinally and having aligned longitudinal axes, said second and third terminal modules lying generally in a second layer adjoining said first terminal module along a juncture plane which is located between said first terminal module, and said second and third terminal modules.

In a data capture system, a hand-held data terminal of size and weight to be held in one hand during use, said data terminal being of the type comprising

• (a) user interface means providing for user interaction with the data terminal,
• (b) data transducing means for reading data code indicia to generate data signals indicative thereof,
• (c) control means operatively interconnected with the user interface means and with said data transducing means for controlling data capture operations of the data terminal, and
• (d) portable power supply means for powering the data terminal;
• wherein said data capture system further comprises:
• said user interface means extending longitudinally in a first layer and constructed for modular attachment with said data transducing means lying in a second layer on an opposite side of a juncture plane from said user interface means.

In a data capture system,

• a data terminal of size and weight to be held in one hand in a normal user operating orientation, and having a frontal side providing user interface means accommodating user interaction with said data terminal,
• said data terminal comprising a terminal module providing said user interface means at the frontal side of said data terminal and having an underside opposite said frontal side, and accommodating modular attachment therewith, and
• removable and replaceable code scanner module means for directing radiation on and reading reflected radiation from a complete code symbol without relative movement of the code symbol and said scanner module means, and having an upper side in mating engagement with said underside of said terminal module to form a unitary hand-held data capture device, with independent means for transmitting code data from said code scanner module means to said terminal module,
• said code scanner module means being removable as a unit from said terminal module, said terminal module and said code scanner module means so arranged that when disposed in said mating engagement with each other and held in said normal user operating orientation, said terminal module and its user interface means is oriented for unobstructed viewing and convenient interaction by the user and said code scanner is simultaneously oriented by the orientation of said terminal module for scanning the code symbol.

In a data capture system, a data terminal of size and weight to be held in one hand during use, said data terminal comprising

• a terminal module having a frontal side providing user interface means accommodating user interaction with said data terminal,
• said terminal module having an underside opposite said frontal side, and accommodating modular attachment therewith, and
• data source scanner module means operative during a scanning operation for scanning essentially instantaneously a complete data source,
• said scanner module means having an upper side mated with said underside of said data terminal module to form a unitary hand-held data capture device,
• said unitary hand-held data capture device being manually held in a normal user disposition such that said terminal module and its user interface means are oriented for unobstructed viewing by the user holding said unitaty hand-held device and said scanner module is simultaneously oriented for said scanning operation, and said data source scanner module means being removable as a unit from said terminal module.

In a data capture system, a hand-held portable data terminal of a size and weight to be held within only one hand of a user, said data terminal comprising:

• a) data entry means for receiving and converting data into signals of a selected one of a plurality of signal standards;
• b) control means connectable with said data entry means for controlling the data capture operations of said data terminal;
• c) portable power supply means for powering said data terminal;
• and
• d) a housing comprising a plurality of integratable modules, and conductor means for receiving and transmitting electrical signals of a given signal standard between each of said plurality of modules and said data terminal, selected of said plurality of modules receiving selected of said means (a)-(c) and comprising means for converting said electrical signals of said selected one signal standard to said electrical signals of said given standard to permit one module to be replaced by a like or different module in an integrated fashion within said housing.

In a data capture system, a hand-held portable data terminal of a size and weight to be held in only one hand of a user, said data terminal comprising:

• a) first and second modules, each of said first and second modules comprising opposing front and rear sides;
• b) user interface means disposed at said front side of said first module for permitting the user to interact with said data terminal, whereby said first module has a balance when held by itself done by the user;
• c) bar code scanner means for directing radiation on and reading reflected radiation from a complete code symbol without movement of the code symbol and said scanner means;
• and
• d) said second module constructed to receive said scanner means and being selectively disposed in a separated state and a connected state wherein said rear side of said first module is connected to said front side of said second module in a manner to maintain said balance of said first module.

In a data capture system, a hand-held portable data terminal of a size and weight to be held within only one hand of a user, said data terminal comprising:

• a) user interface means for permitting the user to interact with said data terminal;
• b) data transducing means for reading code data and transducing it into signals;
• c) control means connectable to said user interface means and said data transducing means for controlling the data capture operations of said data terminal;
• d) portable power supply means for powering said data terminal;
• and
• e) a housing of a given configuration comprising a plurality of discrete exterior surfaces integratable with each other to define a composite exterior surface, and a plurality of integratable modules, each of said plurality of modules having a module casing for enclosing selected of said means (a)-(d), each module casing comprising at least one of said plurality of discrete exterior surfaces, each of said plurality of modules being selectively disconnected from and connected to said data terminal whereby said discrete exterior surfaces of said connected modules form said composite exterior surface, said housing having a hand grip portion to be gripped by a user to orient said data terminal in a normal user operating position, a selected one of said plurality of modules for receiving said data transducing means and oriented when connected to said data terminal to read the code data disposed remote from the user.

In a data capture system,

• a data terminal of a size and weight to be held in one hand in a normal user operating orientation, having a frontal side providing user interface means accommodating user interaction with said data terminal,
• said data terminal comprising a terminal module providing said user interface means at said frontal side of said data terminal and having an underside opposite said frontal side, and accommodating modular attachment therewith, and
• a removable and replaceable code reader module for directing radiation on and reading reflected radiation from a complete code symbol without relative movement of the code symbol and said code reader module, and having an upper side in mating engagement with said underside of said data terminal to form a unitary hand-held data capture device, with means for transmitting code data from said code reader module to said data terminal,
• said code reader module being removable as a unit from said terminal module, and
• a handle secured to said data terminal such that a user grasping said handle supports said data terminal with said user interface means oriented for unobstructed viewing and convenient interaction by the user and said reader module is simultaneously oriented for reading the code symbol.

In a data capture system, a hand-held portable data terminal capable of operator adaptation from a first configuration to an augmented configuration, said data terminal comprising:

• a) data entry means for receiving and converting data into electrical signals;
• b) control means connectable to said data entry means for controlling the data capture operations of said data terminal;
• c) portable power supply means for powering said data terminal;
• d) a housing comprising a plurality of discrete exterior surfaces integratable with each other to form a composite exterior surface about said data terminal;
• e) a plurality of modules including in said initial configuration a dummy module, each of the remaining of said plurality of modules for receiving selectively said means (a)-(c) and including an interface means to permit one of said plurality of modules to be replaced by a like or different module, each of said plurality of modules has an enclosed module casing, each module casing comprising at least one of said plurality of discrete exterior surfaces, each of said plurality of modules being selectively withdrawn from or incorporated in an integrated fashion within said housing whereby said discrete exterior surfaces of said incorporated modules form said composite exterior surface;
• f) means for performing an augmented function;
• and
• g) said plurality of modules further including an augmented module for containing said augmented means, said augmented module adapted to replace said dummy module whereby said data terminal is disposed to its augmented configuration.

In a data capture system, a hand-held data terminal of a size and weight to be held in one hand during use and having a frontal side, said data terminal comprising

• (a) user interface means providing for user interaction with said data terminal,
• (b) a terminal module orienting said user interface at said frontal side of said data terminal and having an underside opposite said frontal side, said underside accommodating modular attachment therewith,
• (c) data transducing means for transducing data signals in the furtherance of data capture operations,
• (d) control means operatively interconnected with said user interface means and with said data transducing means for controlling data capture operations of said data terminal,
• (e) portable power supply means for powering said data terminal, and
• (f) a transducer module receiving said data transducer means and constructed for removable attachment from said underside of said terminal module.

In a data capture system, a hand-held portable data terminal of a size and weight to be held within only one hand of a user, said data terminal comprising:

• a) data entry means for receiving and converting data into signals;
• b) control means connectable with said entry means for controlling the data capture operations of said data terminal;
• c) portable power supply means for powering said data terminal;
• and
• d) a housing of a given configuration comprising a plurality of integratable modules, selected of said plurality of modules receiving selected of said means (a)-(c) in an integrated fashion within said given configuration of said housing, at least one of said plurality of modules comprises memory means adapted to be connected to said control means when said one module is replaced within said housing.