Patent ID: 7540423

Claim:
A method for implementing presence detection using a scanner via a tri-modal application, comprising: implementing a first mode of the tri-modal application, comprising: monitoring a field-of-view via a presence detection function of a scanner; implementing a second mode of the tri-modal application when a change to the field-of-view is detected and a specified threshold of change is met, the second mode comprising: activating selected system components of a terminal device, the selected system components including a processor and the presence detection function, the presence detection function determining the presence of an individual at the terminal device and communicating the presence to the processor; and activating a bar code sensing function of the scanner; and monitoring the field-of-view for determining bar code characteristics via ambient light provided to the scanner; and initiating a third mode of the tri-modal application when the bar code characteristics are detected at the scanner, the third mode comprising: activating an illumination component of the scanner; reading a bar code image; deactivating the illumination component when the bar code image has been read; and returning to the second mode of the tri-modal application.