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US 8,474,724 B2Granted
Reader with swappable power/communication module
AssigneeCognex Corporation
InventorsHorst Theile, Richard Reuter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A power/communication kit for use with a reader module where the code reader module includes a reader connector and a reader housing, the power/communication kit comprising a plurality of different power/communication modules wherein each module communicates via a different communication protocol and each includes a power source and a communication component suitable for communicating via an associated communication protocol, wherein, each of the modules is securable to the reader module in a similar fashion such that any one of the power/communication modules can be swapped for any other of the power/communication modules so that the reader can be used with different communication systems.
Claims24
A reader module comprising:
- a housing structure that includes a barrel portion and a handle portion, the handle portion having a bottom end that is distal to the barrel portion and a to end that is proximate to the barrel portion, the handle portion forming a cavity opening at the bottom end of the handle portion and extending up into the handle portion toward the top end of the handle portion;
- a reader connector residing at a top end of the cavity proximate the to end of the handle portion;
- a removable power/communication module that is configured to be inserted through the opening at the bottom end of the cavity into the cavity, the removable module comprising:
- a power/communication module connector for releasable connection to the reader connector;
- a power supply linked to the module connector for providing power to the reader module via the reader connector;
- a communication component for communicating with an external computing device;
- an interface controller linked between the module connector and the communication component and programmed to translate data between the communication component and the reader module;
- and
- a module support structure securable to the reader housing and configured to support all of the module connector, power supply, communication component and interface controller such that the module support structure and components supported thereby are removable from the reader module as a single assembly.
6 more elements
A power/communication kit comprising:
- a housing structure that includes a barrel portion and a handle portion, the handle portion having a bottom end that is distal to the barrel portion and a to end that is proximate to the barrel portion, the handle portion forming a cavity opening at the bottom end of the handle portion and extending up into the handle portion toward the top end of the handle portion;
- a reader connector residing at a top end of the cavity proximate the top end of the handle portion;
- a first removable power/communication module that is configured to be inserted into the cavity, the first removable module including:
- a first power/communication module connector for releasable connection to the reader connector;
- a first power supply linked to the module connector for providing power to the reader module via the reader connector;
- a first communication component for communicating with an external computing device wherein the first communication component communicates using a first communication protocol;
- and
- a first interface controller linked between the first module connector and the first communication component and programmed to translate data between the first communication component and the reader module;
- a first module support structure securable to the reader housing and configured to support all of the first module connector, first power supply, first communication component and first interface controller such that the module support structure and components supported thereby are removable from the reader module as a single assembly;
- a second removable power/communication module that is configured to be inserted into the cavity, the first removable module including:
- a second power/communication module connector for releasable connection to the reader connector;
- a second power supply linked to the module connector for providing power to the reader module via the reader connector;
- a second communication component for communicating with an external computing device wherein the second communication component communicates via a second communication protocol that is different than the first communication protocol;
- and
- a second interface controller linked between the second module connector and the second communication component and programmed to translate data between the second communication component and the reader module;
- and
- a second module support structure securable to the reader housing and configured to support all of the second module connector, second power supply, second communication component and second interface controller such that the module support structure and components supported thereby are removable from the reader module as a single assembly;
- wherein each of the first and second modules may be secured to the reader to facilitate commutation via the first and second communication protocols, respectively.
15 more elements
A power/communication kit comprising:
- a housing structure that includes a barrel portion and a handle portion, the handle portion having a bottom end that is distal to the barrel portion and a to end that is proximate to the barrel portion, the handle portion forming a cavity opening at the bottom end of the handle portion and extending up into the handle portion toward the top end of the handle portion;
- a reader connector residing at a top end of the cavity proximate the to end of the handle portion;
- a plurality of different power/communication modules wherein each module communicates via a different communication protocol and each includes a power source and a communication component suitable for communicating via an associated communication protocol, wherein, each of the modules is configured to be inserted through the opening at the bottom end of the cavity into the cavity such that any one of the power/communication modules can be swapped for any other of the power/communication modules so that the reader can be used with different communication systems.
A code reader module comprising:
- a handle portion with a cavity formed in the handle portion;
- a reader connector residing at a top end of the cavity proximate a top end of the handle portion;
- a power/communication module that is removably coupled to the cavity, the power/communication module comprising:
- a power/communication module connector for releasable connection to the reader connector;
- a communication component for communicating with an external computing device;
- and
- an interface specific power supply linked to the module connector for providing power to the reader module via the reader connector.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.