Patent Abstract:
A media scanner scans information disposed on a media such as a business card or envelope. The media scanner requires no moving parts and may be incorporated in a portable, hand held, battery powered information handling system such as an electronic address book or personal digital assistant. The scanner includes a scanning element such as a linear CCD element for scanning the information stored on the medium, which is converted into a graphical image or text file. As the medium is fed past the scanning element, a detector detects the movement of the medium as the medium is fed through the scanner. Any variation of the movement of the medium, for example due to inconsistent movement or pausing caused by hand scanning, etc., is detected by detector, and scanning is executed according to the detected movement so that optimal scanning is maintained. The accommodation of the varying movement of the medium past the scanning element thereby minimizes or eliminates any errors or artifacts in the resulting scanned information (e.g., skewing) that would otherwise be caused by variable scanning movement. The detector may include an array of light detecting elements such as photodiodes or phototransistors, light detecting resistors, etc. such that light blocked from the array by the medium may be detected as a movement signal proportional to the movement of the medium. The detector may be utilized to determine the rate (relative scanning) or the position (absolute scanning) of the medium during scanning.

Full Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/385,610, filed Aug. 30, 1999 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,297,491. Said U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/385,610 is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to the field of information handling systems, and particularly to media scanners. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In today&#39;s fast paced, high-technology business world, it is often desirable to be able to quickly obtain contact information for business associates encountered in the field whereby contact information is transferred between individuals. Traditionally, contact information such as name, business name, title, address and telephone number is printed on a smaller sized business card that is handed out to new contacts. However, the number of business cards that a person obtains may accumulate such that important business cards may be lost or misplaced. A paper based solution of this problem is to transcribe the information in a portable sized address book. A disadvantage of this solution, however, is the requirement that the information of each business card must be tediously transcribed by hand into the address book and which may result in transcription errors. With the advent of portable electronic computer devices that are battery powered, that are smaller sized and that provide ever greater information processing capabilities, the paper address book is being rapidly replaced by portable data assistant or portable digital assistance (PDA) devices that provide the functionality of the paper based address book while also providing other useful features (e.g., calendar, expense tracking, to do list, notepad, etc.). However, these powerful hand-held information handling systems still require the user to transcribe information received on a business card into the information handling system, a tedious and error prone task. 
     One solution to the transcription problem is to utilize an information reader or scanner to electronically obtain the information printed on a medium such as a standard business card. However, the moving scanning elements of traditional flatbed scanners are too large and too complex to be practical in a smaller sized, portable device. Scanning systems that are used in document feed type devices (e.g., fax machines) require some form of motorized, mechanical drive mechanism for feeding a document past a scanning element at a constant rate. However, a mechanical document feeding system is also to bulky and too impractical to implement in a hand-held portable device. Further, any mechanical system will require too much power to be practical in a smaller sized, battery powered device, and mechanical parts tend to wear out and are prone to failure. Additionally, motorized systems tend to consume too much power for a battery powered device. A linear scanning element could be contemplated in which the user feeds the document or information containing medium past the scanning element by hand. However, it is difficult for a human to provide a constant scanning rate so that skewing of the information due to a varying data input rate and other errors will inevitably occur. A two-dimensional type scanning element may be utilized to scan the entirety of the document at once, however two-dimensional scanning elements are too costly and require complex control software and focussing elements and are thus not a practical solution for fast, simple scanning of smaller sized documents such as business cards with a portable electronic address book device. Thus, there lies a need for a simple, electronic scanner for scanning information containing media and having no mechanical moving parts that is not prone to rate skewing and other problems associated with a manual feed scanner. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a media scanner for scanning information disposed on a medium. In one embodiment, the media scanner includes a scanning element capable of scanning information disposed on a medium when the medium is caused to move past the scanning element, and a detector capable of detecting the movement of the medium as the medium is caused to be moved past the scanning element wherein the scanning element scans the information according to the movement of the medium. 
     The invention is further directed to a method for scanning a medium. In one embodiment, the method includes steps for moving a medium on which information is disposed past a scanning element, detecting movement of the medium as the medium is moved past the scanning element, optimally scanning the information with the scanning element according to the detected movement of the medium, determining whether the detected movement of the medium changes during scanning, and in the event it is determined that the detected movement changes during scanning, adjusting the scanning step whereby the scanning step is executed optimally according to the detected movement of the medium. 
     It is to be understood that both the forgoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention and together with the general description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     The numerous advantages of the present invention may be better understood by those skilled in the art by reference to the accompanying figures in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an information handling system operable to tangibly embody the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a top plan view schematic diagram of a media scanner in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is an elevation view schematic diagram of the media scanner of FIG. 3; and 
     FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of a method for scanning a medium having information disposed thereon in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of a method for scanning information stored on a medium in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a diagram of an alternative embodiment of the media scanner of the present invention; 
     FIG. 7 is diagram of a scanning caddy for facilitating the scanning of a medium in association with the media scanner of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 8 is a diagram of a further embodiment of a media scanner in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
     FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an information handling system  100  in accordance with the present invention. In this embodiment, processor  102 , system controller  112 , cache  114 , and data-path chip  118  are each coupled to host bus  110 . Processor  102  is a microprocessor such as a 486-type chip, a Pentium®, Pentium II®, Pentium III®, or the like suitable microprocessor. Cache  114  provides high-speed local-memory data (in one embodiment, for example, 512 KB of data) for processor  102 , and is controlled by system controller  112 , which loads cache  114  with data that is expected to be used soon after the data is placed in cache  112  (i.e. in the near future). Main memory  116  is coupled between system controller  112  and data-path chip  118 , and in one embodiment, provides random-access memory of between 16 MB and 128 MB of data. In one embodiment, main memory  116  is provided on SIMMs (Single In-line Memory Modules), while in another embodiment, main memory  116  is provided on DIMMs (Dual In-line Memory Modules), each of which plugs into suitable sockets provided on a motherboard holding these components and many of the other components shown in FIG.  1 . Main memory  116  includes standard DRAM (Dynamic Random-Access Memory), EDO (Extended Data Out) DRAM, SDRAM (Synchronous DRAM), or the like suitable memory technology. System controller  112  controls PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) bus  120 , a local bus for system  100  that provides a high-speed data path between processor  102  and various peripheral devices, such as video, disk, network, etc. Data-path chip  118  is also controlled by system controller  112  to assist in routing data between main memory  116 , host bus  110 , and PCI bus  120 . 
     In one embodiment, PCI bus  120  provides a 32-bit-wide data path that runs at 33 MHz. In another embodiment, PCI bus  120  provides a 64-bit-wide data path that runs at 33 MHz. In yet other embodiments, PCI bus  120  provides 32-bit-wide or 64-bit-wide data paths that run at higher speeds. In one embodiment, PCI bus  120  provides connectivity to I/O bridge  122 , graphics controller  127 , and one or more PCI connectors  121 , each of which accepts a standard PCI card. In one embodiment, I/O bridge  122  and graphics controller  127  are each integrated on the motherboard along with system controller  112 , in order to avoid a board-to-connector-to-board signal crossing interface and thus provide better speed and reliability. In the embodiment shown, graphics controller  127  is coupled to a video memory  128  that includes memory such as DRAM, EDO DRAM, SDRAM, or VRAM (Video Random-Access Memory), and drives VGA (Video Graphics Adapter) port  129 . VGA port  129  can connect to VGA-type or SVGA (Super VGA)-type displays or the like. Other input/output (I/O) cards having a PCI interface can be plugged into PCI connectors  121 . 
     In one embodiment, I/O bridge  122  is a chip that provides connection and control to one or more independent IDE connectors  124 - 125 , to a USB (Universal Serial Bus) port  126 , and to ISA (Industry Standard Architecture) bus  130 . In this embodiment, IDE connector  124  provides connectivity for up to two or more standard IDE-type devices such as hard disk drives, CD-ROM (Compact Disk-Read-Only Memory) drives, DVD (Digital Video Disk or Digital Versatile Disk) drives, or TBU (Tape-Backup Unit) devices. In one similar embodiment, two IDE connectors  124  are provided, and each provide the EIDE (Enhanced IDE) architecture. In the embodiment shown, SCSI (Small Computer System Interface) connector  125  provides connectivity for preferably up to seven or fifteen SCSI-type devices (depending on the version of SCSI supported by the embodiment). In one embodiment, I/O bridge  122  provides ISA bus  130  having one or more ISA connectors  131  (in one embodiment, three connectors are provided). In one embodiment, ISA bus  130  is coupled to I/O controller  152 , which in turn provides connections to two serial ports  154  and  155 , parallel port  156 , and FDD (Floppy-Disk Drive) connector  157 . In one embodiment, FDD connector  157  is connected to FDD  158  that receives removable media (floppy diskette)  159  on which is stored data and/or program code  160 . In one such embodiment, program code  160  includes code that controls programmable system  100  to perform the method described below. In another such embodiment, serial port  154  is connectable to a computer network such as the internet, and such network has program code  160  that controls programmable system  100  to perform the method described below. In one embodiment, ISA bus  130  is connected to buffer  132 , which is connected to X bus  140 , which provides connections to real-time clock  142 , keyboard/mouse controller  144  and keyboard BIOS ROM (Basic Input/Output System Read-Only Memory)  145 , and to system BIOS ROM  146 . 
     FIG. 1 shows one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, however other bus structures and memory arrangements are specifically contemplated. In one embodiment, I/O bridge  122  is a chip that provides connection and control to one or more independent IDE connectors  124 - 125 , to a USB (Universal Serial Bus) port  126 , and to ISA (Industry Standard Architecture) bus  130 . In this embodiment, IDE connector  124  provides connectivity for up to two standard IDE-type devices such as hard disk drives or CD-ROM (Compact Disk-Read-Only Memory) drives, and similarly IDE connector  125  provides connectivity for up to two IDE-type devices. In one such embodiment, IDE connectors  124  and  125  each provide the EIDE (Enhanced IDE) architecture. In one embodiment, I/O bridge  122  provides ISA bus  130  having one or more ISA connectors  131  (in one embodiment, three connectors are provided). In one embodiment, ISA bus  130  is coupled to I/O controller  152 , which in turn provides connections to two serial ports  154  and  155 , parallel port  156 , and FDD (Floppy-Disk Drive) connector  157 . In one embodiment, ISA bus  130  is connected to buffer  132 , which is connected to X bus  140 , which provides connections to real-time clock  142 , keyboard/mouse controller  144  and keyboard BIOS ROM (Basic Input/Output System Read-Only Memory)  145 , and to system BIOS ROM  146 . It should be appreciated that modification or reconfiguration of information handling system  100  of FIG. 1 by one having ordinary skill in the art would not depart from the scope or the spirit of the present invention. 
     Referring now to FIG. 2, a top plan view schematic diagram of a media scanner in accordance with the present invention will be discussed. In a preferred embodiment, the media scanner  200  is integrated within a portable information handling system  100  that may be battery powered and of a size and shape to be carried and operated in a hand of a user. However, media scanner  210  may be utilized in conjunction with any suitable information handling system, alone or in combination therewith, and need not be limited to a portable, battery powered device. A medium  214  containing information printed or written thereon may be passed through media scanner  200  by causing medium  214  to move along in a direction as indicated by the arrow. Medium  214  may be any type of medium having optically readable information disposed thereon such as a business card, envelope, etc. A guide  216  may be utilized so that medium may be guided along a prescribed path when passed through media scanner  200  so that medium  214  is juxtaposed in a proper alignment and orientation with respect to scanning element  210 . Scanning element  210  optically scans the information printed on medium  214  as medium  214  passes by scanning element  210 . In a preferred embodiment, scanning element  210  is a linear charge-coupled device (CCD) array that is capable of optically scanning the information contained on medium  214  into a memory of information handling system  100 . Although scanning element  210  is preferably a linear CCD array, any suitable scanning element or device having properties similar to a CCD array may be utilized (e.g., laser diode scanner, spatial light modulator, etc.). As medium  214  is passed through media scanner  200  for scanning information contained thereon, media  214  passes over rate detector  212  for determining the rate at which media  214  is passed through media scanner  200  and by scanning element  214 . In a preferred embodiment, rate detector  212  is capable of instantaneously determining the rate at which medium  214  is passed by scanning element  210  such that the electronic scanning rate at which information disposed on medium  214  is scanned may be dynamically adjusted to accommodate the movement rate of medium  214 . Thus, for example, if the movement rate of medium  214  past scanning element  210  is increased during the scanning process, rate detector  212  detects the rate increase and sends a signal to information handling system  100  indicative of the increased rate, and the scanning rate is increased in response thereto. Conversely, if the movement of medium  214  past scanning element  210  is decreased during the scanning process, rate detector  212  detects the rate decrease and sends a signal to information handling system  100  indicative of the decreased rate, and the scanning rate is decreased in response thereto. 
     Referring now to FIG. 3, an elevation view schematic diagram of the media scanner of FIG. 3 will be discussed. As medium  214  is passed through media scanner  200 , medium  214  passes by scanning element  210  such that information disposed on a surface  312  of medium  314  is optically detected by scanning element  210  and sent to information handling system  100  as a signal containing scan data  320 . Information handling system  100  is thereby able to save the information in a memory (e.g., main memory  116 ) or on an information storage medium (e.g., medium  159 ) as an optical or image file (e.g., graphical image file), or to decode the information and save the image is a text file, for example using optical character reader (OCR) software. Since the rate at which medium  214  moves past scanning element  210  may vary over time during the scanning process, for example due to non-constant movement of the user&#39;s hand when the user manually passes medium  214  through media scanner  200 , information handling system  100  varies the rate at which scanning element  210  scans the information disposed on medium  214 . The rate at which medium  214  passes by scanning element  210  is detected with rate detector  212 . In a preferred embodiment, rate detector  212  comprises an array of light detecting or photosensitive elements. For example, each of the light detecting elements of rate detector  212  may comprise a photosensitive semiconductor device such as a photosensitive diode or transistor whereby the light detecting element produces a “HIGH” or “ON” signal when light impinges thereon, and produces a “LOW” or “OFF” signal in the absence of a sufficient level of impinging light. Alternatively, each of the light detecting elements of rate detector  212  may comprise any suitable device for detecting the presence or absence of light. For example, each of the light detecting elements may comprise a light detecting resistor wherein the resistance of the device varies with the amount of light impinging thereon such that an “OFF” signal may be produced when the level of light is less than a predetermined level, and an “ON” signal may be produced when the level of light is greater than a predetermined level. In one embodiment of the invention, a light source  310  is utilized to provide a predetermined level of light to rate detector  212  for operably detecting the movement rate of medium  214 . Light source  310  may be turned on or off by a light control signal  318  provided by information handling system  100  to light source  310 . 
     As medium  214  is passed through media scanner  200 , medium  214  will be transiently interposed between rate detector  212  and light source  310 . When medium  214  is interposed between rate detector  212  and light source  310 , light  314  emanating from light source  310  is blocked from impinging upon the elements of rate detector  212  by medium  214 . Thus, when light is blocked by medium  214  from impinging upon a light detecting element, that particular element provides an “OFF” signal. As the trailing edge  218  of medium  214  passes by the elements of rate detector  212 , the elements over which trailing edge  218  has passed become unblocked by medium  214  so that light  314  emanating from lighting element  310  may impinge upon those elements and thereby produce an “ON” signal. Thus, during the course of scanning as medium  214  passes through media scanner  200 , the instantaneous position of medium  214  in media scanner  200  may be known since trailing edge  218  of medium  214  corresponds to the position along rate scanner  200  where there is a transition point  322  from an “OFF” element to an “ON” element. Furthermore, since “OFF-ON” transition point  322  moves along rate detector  212  at a rate proportional to the movement rate of medium  214  through media scanner  200 , rate detector  212  provides a signal that contains rate data  316  to information handling system  100 . Information handling system  100  receives movement rate data  316  from rate detector  212  and thereby controls the scanning rate of scanning element  210  in accordance with the detected movement rate of medium  214 . In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the length of rate detector  212  is at least as long as the length of medium  214  to be scanned, or longer, so that the instantaneous rate of movement of medium  214  through media scanner  200  may be detected for the entire duration that information disposed on medium  214  is scanned with scanning element  210 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 4, a flow diagram of a method for scanning a medium having information disposed thereon in accordance with the present invention will be discussed. Method  400  may be implemented as a program of instructions executed by processor  102  of information handling system  100  that is stored in a memory such as main memory  116  or on an information storage medium such as medium  159 . Method  400  initiates with the feeding of medium  214  through media scanner  200  at step  410 . A determination is made at step  412  whether light is required so that rate detector  212  has a sufficient level of light to properly detect the rate of movement of medium  214  through media scanner  200 . In the event it is determined that light is required, light source  310  is activated at step  414 . As medium  214  passes through media scanner  200 , the rate of movement of medium  214  is detected by rate detector  212  at step  416 . Information disposed on medium  214  is scanned at step  418  according the detected rate of movement of medium  214  such that the scanning rate is optimized. A determination is made at step  420  whether rate detector  212  detects any change in the rate of movement of medium  214  though media scanner  200 . In the event that a change in the movement rate of medium  214  is detected by rate detector  212 , information handling system  100  adjusts the rate at which scanning element  210  scans information disposed on medium  214  according to the detected rate change so that the optimal scanning rate is maintained, and any detrimental scanning effects or artifacts (e.g., skewing) due to a varying rate of movement of medium  214  are minimized or eliminated altogether. The position of medium  214  in media scanner  200  is determined from rate detector data  316  by information handling system at step  424  such that a determination may be made at step  426  whether medium  214  has completely passed through media scanner  200 . For example, information handling system  100  may determine that the trailing edge  218  of medium  214  has passed the end of rate detector  212  in the event the “OFF-ON” transition point  322  of the light detecting elements of rate detector  212  has reached an end of the rate detector and all of the elements are producing an “ON” signal. If medium  214  is not yet determined to have passed through media scanner  200 , method  400  may continue with step  418  such that information disposed on medium  214  is continued to be scanned. In the event it is determined that medium  214  has passed through media scanner  200 , scanning may be terminated at step  428 . In addition, if light source  310  had been previously activated at step  414 , light source  310  is deactivated at step  430 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 5, a flow diagram of a method for scanning information stored on a medium in accordance with the present invention will be discussed. The scanning method discussed with respect to FIG. 4 may be considered to be a relative scanning method in which the rate at which scanning element  210  is activated is set to be proportional to the rate at which medium  214  is detected to be passed through media scanner  200 , i.e., the scanning rate is adjusted relative to the rate of movement of medium  214  through scanner. In an alternative embodiment as shown in FIG. 5, information handling system  100  may be configured to implement an absolute scanning method in which scanning element  210  is activated to perform a scan at each detected change in position of medium  214  over successive elements of detector  212 . Thus, in such an embodiment, rate detector  212  is configured to function as an absolute position detector rather than as a rate detector by detecting the position of medium  214  in scanner  200 . Each time at least one or more elements of detector  212  is occluded, a scan event occurs by sampling the output of scanning element  210 , and the output may be appropriately acted upon (e.g., stored to memory). In such an embodiment, scanning method  500  does not rely upon the rate at which medium  214  is passed through scanner  200 . For example, if a user momentarily pauses during scanning, elements of scanning element  210  will not be occluded during the pause, and scanning element  210  is not sampled. Even if the user transiently moves medium  214  in a reverse direction, a scan event will not occur. In one embodiment, information handling system  100  is capable of detecting which elements of scanning element  210  have previously been occluded; in the event those elements are occluded again during scanning, information handling system  100  will either disregard any inadvertent scans caused by occlusion of previously occluded elements, or will not activate scanning element  210  in the event previously occluded elements are reoccluded. When the next element that has not been previously occluded is occluded for the first time, scanning element  210  is activated to scan medium  214 . Furthermore, as medium  214  is caused to be removed from scanner  200 , either by passing completely through a unidirectionally capable scanning system, or when passing back out of scanner  200  in a bidirectionally capable scanning system, rate detector  212  is capable of detecting the absolute position of medium  214  and thus is capable of detecting when medium  214  has been removed from scanner  200 . In such an event, information handling system  100  is capable of detecting that scanning of medium  214  has been completed or aborted. 
     As shown in FIG. 5, scanner  200  is activated at step  510 . A determination is made at step  512  whether a succeeding element of detector  212  (configured as a position detector) is occluded. In the event a succeeding element is occluded, a succeeding pixel or line of medium  214  is scanned at step  514 , and the scanned information is saved to memory at step  516 . In the event a succeeding element is not occluded, the succeeding pixel or line of medium  214  is not scanned, and a determination is made whether medium  214  has been removed from scanner  200 . In the event it is not determined that medium  214  has been removed, method  500  continues at step  512 . In the event that it is determined that medium  214  has been removed from scanner  518 , the scanning process has been completed or has been aborted, and scanner  200  is deactivated at step  520 . A prompt for action is provided at step  522  (i.e., a user or software is queried for the next action to occur), and based upon the result of the prompt, any one or more of the following steps may be executed. The scan information is saved to an information storage medium at step  524 , optical character recognition is performed on the scan information at step  525 , and the scan information is saved in a database for later retrieval. Further steps may also be executed by information handling system  100  on the scan information if so configured. For example, the resulting scan information may be displayed on a display of information handling system  100  as a graphical or image file such that an operator may review the scan information to determine whether scanning was successful, etc. 
     Referring now to FIG. 6, an alternative embodiment of the media scanner of the present invention will be discussed. Scanner  600  as shown in FIG. 6 is particularly suitable for scanning larger sized media, for example letter or A4 sized paper, however the embodiment of FIG. 6 need not be limited to any specific sized medium or media. Scanner  600  includes a bed  610  upon which a medium may be laid and a lip  612  formed on a side of bed that is disposed at a predetermined distance above bed  610 . The inside region of bed  610  that supports lip  612  may be a guide region for aiding the positioning of a medium on bed  616  and for guiding the movement of the medium as it is scanned. Scanning element  210  is preferably disposed at an end of bed  616  on an upper surface  616  thereof. Detector (rate or position)  212  is disposed underneath lip  612  and is disposed opposite light source  310  for rate and/or position sensing of medium  214  as described with respect to FIGS. 2 and 3. 
     Referring now to FIG. 7, a scanning caddy for facilitating the scanning of a medium in association with the media scanner of the present invention will be discussed. In order to accommodate media of varying dimensions (e.g., length, width, etc.), scanning caddy  700  may be utilized. Scanning caddy comprises first and second sheaths  710  and  712  that are preferably light transmissive (i.e., clear) so that light may pass through at least one of sheaths  710  and  712 . A medium to be scan is inserted into region  716  in between sheaths  710  and  712 . Sheaths  710  and  712  may be, for example, clear plastic panes hingeably attached along a common edge thereof so that sheaths  710  and  712  may be opened apart to allow the insertion of a medium into region  712  and then closed together. An array of scanning indicia  716  is disposed along an edge of scanning caddy for facilitating the detection of the movement of scanning caddy  700  through a media scanner such as scanner  600 . The size of scanning caddy  700  is such that, regardless of the medium inserted into region  712  of scanning caddy, detector  212  will be properly and optimally actuated for scanning a medium. For example, the size of scanning caddy  700  may be on the order of a sheet of letter or A4 sized paper designed to be utilized with scanner  600 . In the event a user desires to scan a smaller sized medium such as a standard business card, the business card may be inserted into scanning caddy  700  to be properly scanned with scanner  600 . Thus, scanning caddy  700  may be utilized to ensure proper and complete scanning with various sized media. Scanning indicia may be at least one or more windows that intermittently allow light to pass therethrough as scanning caddy  700  is caused to be moved through the scanner (e.g., scanner  600 ), thereby intermittently activating one or more elements of detector  212 . In an alternative embodiment, scanning indicia may be regions of higher and lower reflectivity (e.g., light and dark) similar to a standard bar code array such that detector  212  is capable of detecting the varying intensity of light reflected from scanning indicia  716  as scanning caddy  700  is moved through the scanner. In such an embodiment, light source  310  may be disposed adjacent to or proximal to detector such that light emanating from light source  310  may be reflected off of scanning indicia  716  and onto detector  212 . In a further alternative embodiment, scanning indicia  716  may comprise a strip of a magnetic medium having regions of varying magnetic flux density for indicating the position and movement of scanning caddy  700  as it is passed through the scanner. In this embodiment, detector  212  may comprise at least one or more pick up heads or inductors that are capable of detecting the varying magnetic flux densities disposed on scanning indicia  716  and convert the varying magnetic flux densities into an electrical signal, interpretable by information handling system as being representative of the position and movement of scanning caddy  700  through the scanner. Other various scanning indicia  716  and detector  212  systems may be contemplated that achieve the same result as those systems indicated herein without departing from the scope of the invention. 
     Referring now to FIG. 8, a further embodiment of a media scanner in accordance with the present invention will be discussed. Scanner  800  may be integrated in a housing of an information handling system in which access to a medium inserted into scanner  800  may be limited by the housing itself. Scanner  810  includes a housing  810  that may be itself a part of a housing of an information handling system  100 . A medium is inserted edgewise into a slot  812  disposed at an end of housing  812 . One or more rollers  814  may be disposed in slot  814  for facilitating the insertion and removal of a medium through slot  812  and into and out of housing  812 . Alternatively, one or more rollers  814  may be one or more slides that are a fixed part of housing  810  and allow a medium to slidably pass against the slides and guide the movement of medium in a manner similar to rollers, however without requiring any moving parts. To further guide and position a medium as it is inserted into or removed out of housing  812 , at least one or more guides  816  and  814  may be disposed in the interior of housing  810 . Guides  816  and  818  may be rigidly disposed, or alternatively may be flexibly disposed so as to provide a spring bias against the medium when inserted into housing  810  to further enhance the positioning and guiding of the medium. For example, housing  810  may be fabricated from a plastic material and at least one of guides  816  and  818  may also be fabricated from a plastic material and may be an integral extension of housing  810 . As such, at least one of guides  816  or  818  may form a cantilevered extension from housing  810  such that a bias force is applied against a medium when inserted into housing due to the plastic material from which guides  816  and  818  are fabricated. An ejector  820  may be included in housing  810  for causing a medium inserted into housing  810  to be easily ejected therefrom. Ejector  822  may include a lever that extends from housing  810  such that a user may easily operate ejector  820 . In operation, a user inserts a medium to be scanned into housing  810  via slot  812 . A user may then remove medium from housing  810  by actuating ejector  820  to at least partially or wholly eject the medium from housing  810 . The medium may be scanned at least in part or completely as it is inserted into housing, scanned at least in part or completely as it is removed from housing  810 , or a combination thereof. Housing  810  includes scanning element  210 , detector  212 , and, if required, light source  210  (not shown) disposed opposite detector  212  for performing scanning operations. 
     Although the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it should be recognized that elements thereof may be altered by persons skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. One of the embodiments of the invention can be implemented as sets of instructions resident in the main memory  116  of one or more computer information handling systems configured generally as described in FIG.  1 . Until required by the computer system, the set of instructions may be stored in another computer readable memory such as information storage medium  159  of FIG. 1, for example in a hard disk drive or in a removable memory such as an optical disk for utilization in a CD-ROM drive, a floppy disk for utilization in a floppy disk drive, a floptical disk for utilization in a floptical drive, or a personal computer memory card for utilization in a personal computer card slot. Further, the set of instructions can be stored in the memory of another computer and transmitted over a local area network or a wide area network, such as the Internet, when desired by the user. Additionally, the instructions may be transmitted over a network in the form of an applet (a program executed from within another application) or a servlet (an applet executed by a server) that is interpreted or compiled after transmission to the computer system rather than prior to transmission. One skilled in the art would appreciate that the physical storage of the sets of instructions, applets or servlets physically changes the medium upon which it is stored electrically, magnetically, chemically, physically, optically or holographically so that the medium carries computer readable information. 
     It is believed that the media scanner of the present invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood by the forgoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the components thereof without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention or without sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form herein before described being merely an explanatory embodiment thereof. It is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7