Hand-held computerized data collection terminal with rechargeable battery pack sensor and battery power conservation

In a data collection system,

• a hand-held computerized data collection terminal having a longitudinal axis and having user interface means providing for interaction with a user of the terminal during data collection operation, said terminal having computer processor means and control circuitry connected with said user interface means and with said computer processor means for controlling operation of said terminal, said terminal having rechargeable battery means removably received therewith and supplying operating power to said terminal, and said control circuitry including detection means actuatable to detect the presence of rechargeable battery means, said rechargeable battery means comprising an arrangement of a plurality of rechargeable battery cells forming a battery pack with longitudinal axes of the battery cells extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the terminal, the terminal having a battery receiving chamber into which the battery pack is longitudinally inserted, and the battery receiving chamber and the battery pack having cross sections with three rounded corners and one somewhat squared corner so that the batten pack can only be inserted into the battery receiving chamber with a correct longitudinal end of the battery pack first and with a correct side of the battery pack facing one wall of the battery receiving chamber, the battery pack having an electrically conductive short circuit element only at the correct side of the battery pack, and being operative when the battery pack is inserted with its correct longitudinal end first and with the electrically conductive short circuit element facing said one wall of the battery receiving chamber to actuate said detection means.

In a data collection system, a hand-held computerized data collection terminal comprising:

• (a) user interface means providing for interaction with a user of the terminal during data collection operation;
• (b) computer processor means and control circuitry connected therewith and with said user interface means for controlling operation of said terminal;
• (c) battery means for supply of operating power to said computer processor means and said control circuitry;
• (d) a terminal housing having a housing end portion at an end of said terminal housing;
• and
• (e) an end cap releasably and selectively engaged with said end of said terminal housing for cooperation therewith,
• (f) said housing end portion having an exterior boundary wall defining the external cross sectional perimeter of the terminal at said end of said terminal housing,
• (g) said end cap having an external wall with external perimeter for mating with the exterior boundary wall of the housing end portion to enclose the end of said terminal housing, and thereby protect the interior of the terminal,
• (h) the releasability of the end cap providing for the selective assemblage within the interior of the housing of differently functioning components which serve to selectively change the functioning of the data collection terminal.

In a data collection system, a hand-held computerized data collection terminal comprising:

• (a) a user interface proving for interaction with a user of the terminal during data collection operation;
• (b) computer processor and control circuitry connected with said user interface for controlling operation of said terminal;
• (c) battery means for supply of operating power to said computer processor and control circuitry;
• (d) a terminal housing having a housing end portion having an access opening;
• and
• (e) an end cap releasably and connectively engaged with said housing end portion and containing a memory device for coupling to said computer processor and control circuitry.

In a data collection system, a hand-held computerized data collection terminal having user interface means providing for interaction with a user of the terminal during data collection operation, said terminal having computer processor means and control circuitry connected therewith and with said user interface means for controlling operation of said terminal, said terminal having battery means for supply of operating power to said computer processor means and said control circuitry, said terminal comprising a terminal housing end portion with peripheral device electrical connector means therein accessible from the exterior of said housing end portion, an end cap releasably engaged with said housing end portion, and peripheral device circuit means electrically coupled with the peripheral device electrical connector means,

• said peripheral device electrical connector means being coupled with said computer processor means via said peripheral device circuit means,
• said end cap being removable from the housing end portion for operative access to said peripheral device electrical connector means to enable a peripheral coupling to be received by said peripheral device electrical connector means thereby to provide peripheral access to said computer processor means via said peripheral device circuit means, said peripheral device electrical connector means having a cavity frontally thereof for accommodating a peripheral coupling, said end cap overlying said cavity.

In a data collection system, a hand-held computerized data collection terminal having user interface means providing for interaction with a user of the terminal during data collection operation, said terminal having computer processor means and control circuitry connected therewith and with said user interface means for controlling operation of said terminal, said terminal having battery means for supply of operating power to said computer processor means and said control circuitry, said terminal comprising a terminal housing end portion with peripheral device electrical connector means therein accessible from the exterior of said housing end portion, an end cap releasably engaged with said housing end portion, and peripheral device circuit means electrically coupled with the peripheral device electrical connector means,

• said peripheral device electrical connector means being coupled with said computer processor means via said peripheral device circuit means,
• said end cap being removable from the housing end portion for operative access to said peripheral device electrical connector means to enable a peripheral coupling to be received by said peripheral device electrical connector means thereby to provide peripheral access to said computer processor means via said peripheral device circuit means, said peripheral device electrical connector means having electrical conductor means, and a peripheral device contact means being insertable into engagement with the electrical conductor means of said peripheral device electrical connector means with the end cap removed from said housing end portion.

In a data collection system, a hand-held computerized data collection terminal having user interface means providing for interaction with a user of the terminal during data collection operation, said terminal having computer processor means and control circuitry connected therewith and with said user interface means for controlling operation of said terminal, said terminal having batten means for supply of operating power to said computer processor means and said control circuitry, said terminal comprising a terminal housing end portion with peripheral device electrical connector means therein accessible from the exterior of said housing end portion, an end cap releasably engaged with said housing end portion, and peripheral device circuit means electrically coupled with the peripheral device electrical connector means,

• said peripheral device electrical connector means being coupled with said computer processor means via said peripheral device circuit means,
• said end cap being removable from the housing end portion for operative access to said peripheral device electrical connector means to enable a peripheral coupling to be received by said peripheral device electrical connector means thereby to provide peripheral access to said computer processor means via said peripheral device circuit means, said peripheral device electrical connector means having electrical conductor means connecting with said peripheral device circuit means, and having an access space providing access to said electrical conductor means, and peripheral device means insertable into the access space when the end cap is removed from said housing end portion and having contact means for coupling with said electrical conductor means so as to provide for communication with the computer processor means via said peripheral device circuit means.

In a data collection system, a user supported computerized data collection terminal comprising:

• (a) user interface means providing for interaction with a user of the terminal during data collection operation;
• (b) computer processor means and control circuitry connected therewith and with said user interface means for controlling operation of said terminal;
• (c) battery means for supply of operating power to said computer processor means and said control circuitry;
• (d) a terminal housing having a housing open end portion which is open at an end of said terminal housing;
• (e) an end cap releasably engaged with said end of said terminal housing for closing said housing open end portion;
• (f) said terminal having an interior space and having interior electrical connector means within said interior space and coupled with said computer processor means;
• and
• (g) means comprising the releasability of the end cap providing for the connection with said interior electrical connector means, while the end cap is released from its closing relationship to said housing open end portion and said end of said terminal housing is open, of a peripheral device for enabling the terminal to perform a new function.

In a data collection system, a user supported computerized data collection terminal comprising:

• (a) user interface means providing for interaction with a user of the terminal during data collection operation;
• (b) computer processor means and control circuitry connected therewith and with said user interface means for controlling operation of said terminal;
• (c) battery means for supply of operating power to said computer processor means and said control circuitry;
• (d) a terminal housing having a housing open end portion which is open at an end of said terminal housing;
• (e) an end cap releasably engaged with said end of said terminal housing for closing said housing open end portion;
• (f) said housing open end portion having an exterior boundary wall defining the external cross sectional perimeter of the terminal at said end of said terminal housing;
• (g) said end cap having an external wall with external perimeter for mating with the exterior boundary wall of the housing open end portion to enclose the end of said terminal housing, and thereby protect the interior of the terminal;
• and
• (h) means comprising the releasability of the end cap providing for the selective assemblage at the housing open end portion of radio frequency communication components.

In a data collection system, a user supported computerized data collection terminal comprising:

• (a) user interface means providing for interaction with a user of the terminal during data collection operation;
• (b) computer processor means and control circuitry connected therewith and with said user interface means for controlling operation of said terminal;
• (c) battery means for supply of operating power to said computer processor means and said control circuitry;
• (d) a terminal housing having a housing open end portion which is open at an end of said terminal housing;
• (e) an end cap releasably engaged with said end of said terminal housing for closing said housing open end portion;
• (f) said terminal having an interior and having interior electrical connector means within said interior and coupled with said computer processor means;
• (g) said housing end portion having an exterior boundary wall defining the external cross sectional perimeter of the terminal at said end of said terminal housing;
• (h) said end cap having an external wall with external perimeter for mating with the exterior boundary wall of the housing open end portion to enclose the end of said terminal housing and thereby protect the interior of the terminal;
• and
• (i) said end cap having radio frequency communication components protectively enclosed thereby, with said radio frequency communication components being releasably coupled with said interior electrical connector means for the transmission of data from the terminal to an external peripheral device.

In a data collection system, a user supported computerized data collection terminal comprising:

• (a) user interface means providing for interaction with a user of the terminal during data collection operation;
• (b) computer processor means and control circuitry connected therewith and with said user interface means for controlling operation of said terminal;
• (c) battery means for supply of operating power to said computer processor means and said control circuitry;
• (d) a terminal housing having a housing open end portion which is open at an end of said terminal housing;
• (e) an end cap releasably engaged with said end of said terminal housing for closing said housing open end portion;
• (f) said housing open end portion having peripheral device electrical connector means therein accessible from the exterior of said housing open end portion when the end cap is released from its closing relationship to said housing open end portion;
• and
• (g) peripheral device circuit means releasably electrically coupled with said peripheral device electrical connector means and protectively enclosed by said end cap, said peripheral device circuit means being removable from coupling relationship with said peripheral device electrical connector means after the end cap is released from its closing relationship to said housing open end portion.

In a data collection system, a user supported computerized data collection terminal comprising:

• (a) user interface means providing for interaction with a user of the terminal during data collection operation;
• (b) computer processor means and control circuitry connected therewith and with said user interface means for controlling operation of said terminal;
• (c) battery means for supply of operating power to said computer processor means and said control circuitry;
• (d) a terminal housing having a housing end portion with an access opening and a cavity in said terminal housing accessible from exteriorly of said housing end portion via said access opening;
• (e) said terminal housing having peripheral device electrical connector means coupled with said computer processor means and accessible from exteriorly of said housing end portion via said access opening and said cavity;
• (f) a removable circuitry carrying element in said cavity and releasably engaged with said peripheral device electrical connector means and coupled via said electrical connector means with said computer processor means;
• and
• (g) an end cap overlying said access opening and protectively enclosing said removable circuitry carrying element, said end cap being releasably engaged with said housing end portion and being releasable to uncover said access opening and allow removal of the circuitry carrying element after the access opening is uncovered.