Inventory locating device
OwnerVernon D. Lepore, Gerald R. Bakerinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An inventory locating device including an optical scanner for reading bar code labels containing product identifying information. A pair of measuring wheels, one positioned on each side of the scanner, is provided for running along a supporting surface as the optical scanner reads bar code labels on the surface. By means of an endless belt, rotational motion of the measuring wheels is transmitted to a shaft encoder permitting the distance traveled by the device to a given label to be calculated and tracked. Information gathered by the optical scanner and shaft encoder is relayed by a radio frequency transmitter to a remote receiver for storage and processing.
Claims7
An inventory locating device, comprising:
- an optical scanner for reading optically encoded information from an object;
- a decoder, coupled to said optical scanner for receiving and processing the optically encoded information to generate a set of optical scanner transmission data;
- at least one measuring wheel of known circumference having an axle positioned adjacent said optical scanner, said wheel being capable of maintaining said optical scanner at a predetermined distance from said object as optically encoded information is being read;
- a shaft encoder connected to said axle for generating a set of dimensional transmission data in response to rotational movement of said axle as said wheel is rolled along said object;
- and,
- a transmitter coupled to said decoder for receiving said set of optical scanner transmission data and coupled to said shaft encoder for receiving said set of dimensional transmission data and for broadcasting said set of optical scanner transmission data and said set of dimensional transmission data via radio waves.
An inventory locating device, comprising:
- an optical scanner for reading optically encoded information from an object;
- a decoder coupled to said optical scanner for receiving and processing the optically encoded information to generate a set of optical scanner transmission data;
- a pair of measuring wheels of known circumference having axles positioned on opposite sides of said optical scanner, said measuring wheels being capable of maintaining said optical scanner at a predetermined distance from said object as optically encoded information is being read;
- a shaft encoder connected to said axles for generating a set of dimensional transmission data in response to rotational movement of said axles as said measuring wheels are rolled along said object;
- and,
- a transmitter coupled to said decoder for receiving said set of optical scanner transmission data and coupled to said shaft encoder for receiving said set of dimensional transmission data and for broadcasting said set of optical scanner transmission data and said set of dimensional transmission data via radio waves.
An inventory locating device, comprising:
- an optical scanner for reading optically encoded information from an object;
- a decoder coupled to said optical scanner for receiving and processing the optically encoded information to generate a set of optical scanner transmission data;
- a pair of measuring wheels of known circumference having axles positioned on opposite sides of said optical scanner, said measuring wheels being capable of maintaining said optical scanner at a predetermined distance from said object as optically encoded information is being read;
- a shaft encoder connected to said axles for generating a set of dimensional transmission data in response to rotational movement of said axles as said measuring wheels are rolled along said object;
- an endless belt coupling said measuring wheels to said shaft encoder;
- and,
- a transmitter coupled to said decoder for receiving said set of optical scanner transmission data and coupled to said shaft encoder for receiving said set of dimensional transmission data and for broadcasting said set of optical scanner transmission data and said set of dimensional transmission data via radio waves.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.