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US 6,212,401 B1Granted
Data acquisition using telephone connection
AssigneeIntermec Corporation
InventorH. Sprague Ackley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hand-held scanner incorporates a cellular telephone module. The scanner communicates with a host which serves as a reading or data distribution device. This permits the use of a cableless scanner for low powered and secure wireless transmission. The scanner is able to take advantage of the existing design features of a local cellular network. One mode of operation allows the connection to be limited to an amount of time corresponding to that required for transferring of the data.
Claims25
A device for scanning symbology and transmitting information contained therein to a remote host connected to a telephone system, said device comprising:
- a) a housing having a handle portion configured to be gripped by an operator;
- b) an optical scanner carried by said housing and capable of reading symbology when an operator gripping said handle portion moves said device into proximity of said symbology;
- c) a cellular telephone module mounted in said housing and connectable to a cellular telephone network;
- and
- d) a modem mounted in said housing and interconnecting said scanner and said module to enable transmission of information contained in said symbology through said network;
- e) a battery mounted in said housing to power said scanner, said module, and said modem;
- and
- f) a detection circuit for detecting an initial operation of the scanner to read symbology and obtain information contained in said symbology, and responding by opening a cellular connection to a pre-established telephone number.
5 more elements
Apparatus for scanning codes comprising:
- a) a scanning device for detecting symbology;
- b) a modem;
- c) a cellular telephone module;
- and
- d) a controller connected to the cellular telephone module and causing the cellular telephone module to initiate a cellular telephone call to a pre-established telephone number in response to performance of a data retrieval operation, the data retrieval operation including positioning the scanning device into a position for obtaining a scan of data from the symbology, obtaining said scan and transmitting a signal corresponding to said scan to the modem.
2 more elements
Method for reading and storing data comprising:
- a) providing data in a format for scanning as a symbology image;
- b) obtaining an optical scan of said data;
- c) transmitting a signal corresponding to the optical scan to a modem;
- d) establishing a cellular telephone connection, whereby a host is addressed and accessed through the cellular telephone connection;
- and
- e) transmitting the signal corresponding to the optical scan from the modem to the cellular telephone connection and thence to the host;
- wherein establishing the cellular telephone connection includes opening the cellular telephone connection to a pre-established telephone number in response to an initial operation of a scanning device to obtain said scan and;
- wherein the method further comprises detecting termination of use of the scanning device;
- and closing the cellular telephone connection upon detection of termination of use of the scanning device.
6 more elements
Method for reading and storing data comprising:
- a) providing data in a format for scanning;
- b) performing a data retrieval operation including positioning a scanner into a position for obtaining a scan of said data, obtaining said scan and transmitting a signal corresponding to the scan to a modem;
- d) establishing a cellular telephone connection to a pre-established telephone number in automatic response to said data retrieval operation, whereby a host is addressed and accessed through the cellular telephone connection;
- and
- e) transmitting the signal corresponding to the scan from the modem to the cellular connection and thence to the host.
2 more elements
A device for scanning data and transmitting information contained therein to a remote host connected to a telephone system, said device comprising:
- a) a housing having a handle portion configured to be gripped by an operator;
- b) a scanner carried by said housing and capable of reading data in a transmission pattern from a radio frequency identification (RFID) transponder when an operator gripping said handle portion moves said device into proximity of said data;
- c) a cellular telephone module mounted in said housing and connectable to a cellular telephone network;
- d) a modem mounted in said housing and interconnecting said scanner and said module to enable transmission of said data through said network;
- e) a battery mounted in said housing to power said scanner, said module, and said modem;
- and
- f) a detection circuit for detecting an initial operation of the scanner to read data in a transmission pattern from an RFID transponder, and responding by opening a cellular connection to a pre-established telephone number.
4 more elements
A device for scanning data and transmitting information contained therein to a remote host connected to a telephone system, said device comprising:
- a) a housing having a handle portion configured to be gripped by an operator;
- b) a scanner carried by said housing and capable of reading data on a magnetic strip when an operator gripping said handle portion moves said device into proximity of said data;
- c) a cellular telephone module mounted in said housing and connectable to a cellular telephone network;
- d) a modem mounted in said housing and interconnecting said scanner and said module to enable transmission of said data through said network;
- e) a battery mounted in said housing to power said scanner, said module, and said modem;
- and
- a detection circuit for detecting an initial operation of the scanner to read data on a magnetic strip, and responding by opening a cellular connection to a pre-established telephone number.
4 more elements
Apparatus for scanning comprising:
- a) a scanning device for reading data in a transmission pattern from an RFID transponder;
- b) a modem;
- c) a cellular telephone module;
- and
- d) a controller connected to the cellular telephone module and responding to a signal over a cellular telephone connection from a pre-established telephone number to initiate performance of a data retrieval operation, the data retrieval operation including activating the scanning device to read data in a transmission pattern from at least one RFID transponder and transmitting a signal corresponding to the data from said at least one RFID transponder to the modem and then to the pre-established telephone number.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.