Patent Document

TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001]     This invention is related to dataform scanning devices, and more specifically, to a scanning device with scan head that swivels for optimum scanning.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Dataform scanning is a process that is widely used in many areas of product development, manufacture, and sale. From the individual parts to the overall product itself, systems and employees can be utilized to scan dataforms throughout all processes. Handheld scanning systems continue to evolve in order to provide the most efficient and ergonomic designs for use over longs periods of time.  
         [0003]     For example, one enhancement in data capture for retail environments combines improved ergonomics and single-line capabilities of small “point-and-scan” handheld scanners with the productivity benefits of high-performance “can&#39;t miss-first pass” omni-directional scan pattern. Such features find application in high-volume retail environments to provide a versatile, handheld scanner that increases throughput at the point of sale. Other handheld scanning products can work in any of three operating modes, including full-time omni-directional scanning with triggered single-line scanning, triggered omni-directional scanning, or triggered single-line scanning, for example, which are provided to optimize scanning success and user ergonomics.  
         [0004]     Conventional optimizations of scanning angles for side scanning ergonomics and front scanning ergonomics still has room for improvement can include the use of a single rotational pivot point scan head. However, a single rotational pivot point does not give the best solution. One or the other of side scanning or front scanning ergonomics gets compromised, resulting in driving the user to an undesired ergonomics, and increases fatigue during an intensive application.  
         [0005]     What is needed is an improved scanning mechanism.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     The following presents a simplified summary of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is not intended to identify key/critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.  
         [0007]     The present invention disclosed and claimed herein, in one aspect thereof, comprises a scan head that is rotated according to a user&#39;s preferred mode and mechanically adjusts the scan engine angle to provide an optimum ergonomic angle for scanning a dataform. In support thereof, a cam assembly provides sufficient action to give the optimum angle. The cam assembly includes a rotating cam pin that is utilized through the cam path in accordance with a predetermined height that adjusts to specific angles of the scan engine.  
         [0008]     In another aspect of the present invention, the cam height is also adjustable by replacing a fixed bracket in which the cam feature is built.  
         [0009]     In yet another aspect thereof, a handheld scanning device is provided that incorporates the scan head.  
         [0010]     To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects of the invention are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention can be employed and the present invention is intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]      FIG. 1  illustrates an isometric of an adjustable scan head assembly in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  illustrates a cross sectional view of the scan head assembly of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  illustrates a flow chart of a process of utilizing the ergonomic adjustments in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 4A  illustrates a portable scanning device with the adjustable scan head assembly attached thereto.  
         [0015]      FIG. 4B  illustrates a left scanning perspective for scan head rotation in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0016]      FIG. 4C  illustrates a front scanning perspective for scan head rotation in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0017]      FIG. 5A  illustrates an isometric of the portable scanning device with the scan head assembly mounted inside a scan head housing adjusted for scanning in a forward direction.  
         [0018]      FIG. 5B  illustrates an isometric of the portable scanning device with the scan head assembly mounted inside the scan head housing adjusted for scanning in a rightward direction.  
         [0019]      FIG. 5C  illustrates an isometric of the portable scanning device with the scan head assembly mounted inside the scan head housing adjusted for scanning in a rightward direction.  
         [0020]      FIG. 6A  illustrates a frontal view of the portable scanning device that accommodates the adjustable scan head assembly in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0021]      FIG. 6B  illustrates a side view of the portable scanning device that accommodates the adjustable scan head housing in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0022]      FIG. 6C  illustrates a back view of the portable scanning device that accommodates the adjustable scan head housing in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0023]      FIG. 7  illustrates a schematic block diagram of a portable hand-held terminal device according to one aspect of the present invention, in which a processor is responsible for controlling the general operation of the device. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0024]     The present invention is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It may be evident, however, that the present invention can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate describing the present invention.  
         [0025]     As used in this application, the terms “component” and “system” are intended to refer to a computer-related entity, either hardware, a combination of hardware and software, software, or software in execution. For example, a component can be, but is not limited to being, a process running on a processor, a processor, an object, an executable, a thread of execution, a program, and/or a computer. By way of illustration, both an application running on a server and the server can be a component. One or more components can reside within a process and/or thread of execution, and a component can be localized on one computer and/or distributed between two or more computers.  
         [0026]     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , there is illustrated an isometric of an adjustable scan head assembly  100  in accordance with the present invention. The assembly  100  includes a scan engine assembly  102  mounted on an adjustable assembly that includes an engine-mounting base  104 , which base  104  is coupled under tension with an angle adjustment cam  106 . The cam  106  is an annular member (or pipe) that includes a locking groove  108  and a resting groove  110  at a distal end  112 , and whose proximal end  114  is affixed to a modular bracket  116 . The modular bracket  116  mounts to a main housing (not shown) of a portable scanning device on which the scan head assembly  100  is mounted. The scan engine  102  is housed in a scan head housing (not shown), a bottom portion  118  of which is shown.  
         [0027]     Attached to the mounting base  104  is a mounting rod  120 , a distal end  122  of which extends through the cam  106  along a central axis  124 . The distal end  122  of the rod  120  includes a rotating pin  126  that extends substantially perpendicular to the mounting rod  120  and through the distal rod end  122 . The rotating pin  126  is urged into contact with the surface of the distal end  112  of the cam  106  by a tension spring (not visible here).  
         [0028]     The distal end  112  of the cam  106  is curved to facilitate a first (higher angle) position of the scan engine  102  when in the resting groove  110 , and a second (low angle) position for adjusting the scan engine  102  to a lower angle of scanning when positioned in the locking groove  108 .  
         [0029]     It is to be appreciated by one skilled in the art that although there are illustrated two different angle adjustments designed into the cam  106 , the cam  106  can be designed to accommodate one or more additional locking grooves along the curved distal end  112  of the cam  106 , such that, for example, an additional locking groove then facilitates three different angles to which the scan engine  102  can be adjusted. In order to accommodate such as capability, the user need only replace the cam/bracket assembly ( 106 / 116 ) with an assembly where the cam  106  has the desired rise differential between the locking steps, which translates to the desired scan head angles. Here, there are two steps shown, where the rise from the current position of the rotating pin  124  to the locking groove  108  translates respectively from the high angle position of the scan engine  102  to the low angle position of the scan engine  102 . In the current implementation, the locking groove  108  and the resting position are ninety degrees out of phase. In a three-angle implementation where the scan engine  102  can be adjusted to three different angles, the resting position and other two locking grooves would each be sixty degree out of phase with one another.  
         [0030]     The cam/bracket assembly ( 106 / 116 ) is currently oriented such that the resting groove  110  aligns along a longitudinal axis  128  of the bracket  116 . However, it is to be appreciated that the cam  106  can be affixed in the bracket  116  such that the locking groove aligns with the axis  128 .  
         [0031]     In operation, the user of the device to which the scan head assembly  100  is attached, manually grasps the scan engine assembly  102  (or a housing thereabout), and rotates the scan engine  102  ninety degrees in either the clockwise or counter clockwise direction to the desired position. Of course, if the user is satisfied with the current position, no rotation is needed.  
         [0032]     In another implementation, the assembly  100  can include an electromechanical drive mechanism (not shown) whereby rotation of the engine  102  occurs in response to the user pressing a button on the device panel.  
         [0033]     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , there is illustrated a cross sectional view of the scan head assembly of  FIG. 1 . The scan engine  102  is mounted on the engine base  104 . The engine base  104  further includes a coupling  200  that facilitates coupling the base  104  to the mounting rod  120 . The coupling  200  includes a coupling pin  202  that extends through the coupling  200  and a proximal end  204  of the mounting rod  120  to secure the base  104  thereto. The scan head housing bottom portion  118  of the engine housing includes a recess  206  in which one end of a tension spring  208  is recessed. The other end of the tension spring  208  is in tension against the coupling  200 .  
         [0034]     The coupling  200  is designed to be off center of the base  104  such that the coupling pin  202  serves as an off-centered pivot point for the base  104 . When pivoted, the base  104  contacts the housing bottom portion  118  at a resting point  210 , which serves as the apex of a pivot angle (θ)  212  one side of which is a surface of the housing bottom portion  118  and the other side of which is a bottom of the engine base  104 . Thus, by rotating the scan engine  102  such that the rotating pin  126  is positioned in the resting groove ensures that the scan engine  102  will operate at the greatest ergonomic angle. Alternatively, rotating the scan engine  102  such that the rotating pin rests in the locking groove ensures that the scan engine  102  can move only the minimal ergonomic angle.  
         [0035]     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , there is illustrated a flow chart of a process of utilizing the ergonomic adjustments in accordance with the present invention. While, for purposes of simplicity of explanation, the one or more methodologies shown herein, e.g., in the form of a flow chart, are shown and described as a series of acts, it is to be understood and appreciated that the present invention is not limited by the order of acts, as some acts may, in accordance with the present invention, occur in a different order and/or concurrently with other acts from that shown and described herein. For example, those skilled in the art will understand and appreciate that a methodology could alternatively be represented as a series of interrelated states or events, such as in a state diagram. Moreover, not all illustrated acts may be required to implement a methodology in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0036]     At  300 , the scan head assembly is mounted on a portable device for scanning dataforms. At  302 , the user chooses the desired ergonomic orientation for the device and the scan head. At  304 , the user can choose to adjust the scan engine angle. If so, at  306 , the user adjusts the scan angle by rotating the scan head to the desired orientation. At  308 , the user determines if the adjustment is satisfactory for the given scanning application. If still not ergonomically correct for the user, at  312 , the user can again rotate the scan head and/or replace the cam/bracket assembly to get to the desired ergonomic angle. At  312 , the user then operates the scan head accordingly. The process then reaches a Stop block.  
         [0037]     Alternatively, at  304 , if the ergonomic angle is satisfactory, no adjustment is necessary, and flow is to  312  to simply operate the system. At  306 , if the ergonomic angle is satisfactory after the adjustment, flow is to  312  to operate the scanning head and device is needed of the application.  
         [0038]     Referring now to  FIG. 4A , there is illustrated a portable scanning device  400  with the adjustable scan head assembly  100  attached thereto. The device  400  has a front  402 , a back  404 , and a right side  406 . In this illustration, the left side is not visible. The scan head assembly  100  includes the bottom portion  118  of the head housing (not shown) that seats firmly against the housing of the portable scanning device  400 . The assembly  100  has been adjusted to a front scanning position to scan a dataform  408  (e.g., 2-D and 3-D), using a maximum ergonomic pivot angle.  
         [0039]     Referring now to  FIG. 4B , there is illustrated a left scanning perspective  410  for scan head rotation in accordance with the present invention. Here, the viewing perspective is that where the front of the page is the front  402  of the device  400 , and the scan assembly  100  has been adjusted to scan a dataform positioned to the left. The scan head engine  102  includes scan electronics  412  mounted according to the shape of the scan engine  102 . The scan head assembly  100  is shown to be adjusted to the minimum ergonomic pivot angle, since the rotating pin  126  is in the locking groove  108  of the cam  106 .  
         [0040]     Referring now to  FIG. 4C , there is illustrated a front scanning perspective  414  for scan head rotation in accordance with the present invention. Here, the viewing perspective is that where the front of the page is the front  402  of the device  400 , and the scan assembly  100  has been adjusted to scan a dataform positioned to the front. The scan head assembly  100  is shown to be adjusted to the maximum ergonomic pivot angle, since the rotating pin  126  is in the resting groove  110  of the cam  106 .  
         [0041]     Referring now to  FIG. 4D , there is illustrated a right scanning perspective  414  for scan head rotation in accordance with the present invention. Here, the viewing perspective is that where the front of the page is the front  402  of the device  400 , and the scan assembly  100  has been adjusted to scan a dataform positioned to the right. The scan head assembly  100  is shown to be adjusted to the minimum ergonomic pivot angle, since the rotating pin  126  is in the locking groove  108  of the cam  106 .  
         [0042]     Referring now to  FIG. 5A , there is illustrated an isometric of the portable scanning device  400  with the scan head assembly  100  mounted inside a scan head housing  500  adjusted for scanning in a forward direction. The housing  500  is adjusted manually by the user to orient a scanning window  502  to the forward direction, which direction is generally to the back  404  of the device  400 .  
         [0043]     Referring now to  FIG. 5B , there is illustrated an isometric of the portable scanning device  400  with the scan head assembly  100  mounted inside the scan head housing  500  adjusted for scanning in a rightward direction. The housing  500  is adjusted manually by the user to orient the scanning window  502  to the rightward direction, which direction is also generally to the right side  406  of the device  400 .  
         [0044]     Referring now to FIG. SC, there is illustrated an isometric of the portable scanning device  400  with the scan head assembly  100  mounted inside the scan head housing  500  adjusted for scanning in a leftward direction. The housing  500  is adjusted manually by the user to orient the scanning window  502  to the leftward direction, which direction is also generally to a left side  504  of the device  400 . The housing  500  also includes an indicator  506  that is viewable by the user to indicate any of a number of different statuses, e.g., that the scan was a successful scan (a first color) and the scan was an unsuccessful scan (a second color), and so on.  
         [0045]     Referring now to  FIG. 6A , there is illustrated a frontal view of the portable scanning device  400  that accommodates the adjustable scan head assembly  100  in accordance with the present invention. The assembly  100  includes the housing bottom portion  118  that interfaces to the housing of the device  400  to provide a stable mechanical and electrical coupling between the scanning assembly  100  and the device  400 . The device  400  includes a display  600  for the presentation of information related to at least configuration and scanning of dataforms. The device  400  also includes a keypad  602  as part of a handle portion  604  to accommodate input and configuration of the device  400  and other features thereof. User selectable buttons  606  are included to at least allow the user to trigger the scanning electronics. Indicators  608  provide indication as to various operations of the device  400 , including power on/off, battery status, etc.  
         [0046]     Referring now to  FIG. 6B , there is illustrated a side view of the portable scanning device  400  that accommodates the adjustable scan head housing  500  in accordance with the present invention. The device  400  includes a battery cover  610  that covers a battery compartment.  
         [0047]     Referring now to  FIG. 6C , there is illustrated a back view of the portable scanning device  400  that accommodates the adjustable scan head housing  500  in accordance with the present invention. The device includes a slidable thumb switch  612  that facilitates adjusting the scan head assembly and housing  500 .  
         [0048]     Referring now to  FIG. 7 , there is illustrated a schematic block diagram of a portable hand-held terminal device  700  (similar to the portable scanning device  400 ) according to one aspect of the present invention, in which a processor  702  is responsible for controlling the general operation of the device  700 . The processor  702  is programmed to control and operate the various components within the device  700  in order to carry out the various functions described herein. The processor  702  may be any of a plurality of suitable processors. The manner in which the processor  702  can be programmed to carry out the functions relating to the present invention will be readily apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art based on the description provided herein.  
         [0049]     A memory  704  connected to the processor  702  serves to store program code executed by the processor  702 , and also serves as a storage means for storing information such as receipt transaction information and the like. The memory  704  may be a non-volatile memory suitably adapted to store at least a complete set of the information that is displayed. Thus, the memory  704  may include a RAM or flash memory for high-speed access by the processor  702  and/or a mass storage memory, e.g., a micro drive capable of storing gigabytes of data that comprises text, images, audio, and video content. According to one aspect, the memory  704  has sufficient storage capacity to store multiple sets of information, and the processor  702  could include a program for alternating or cycling between various sets of display information.  
         [0050]     A display  706  is coupled to the processor  702  via a display driver system  708 . The display  706  may be a color liquid crystal display (LCD), plasma display, or the like. In this example, the display  706  is a ¼ VGA display with sixteen levels of gray scale. The display  706  functions to present data, graphics, or other information content. For example, the display  706  may display a set of customer information, which is displayed to the operator and may be transmitted over a system backbone (not shown). Additionally, the display  706  may display a variety of functions that control the execution of the device  700 . The display  706  is capable of displaying both alphanumeric and graphical characters.  
         [0051]     Power is provided to the processor  702  and other components forming the hand-held device  700  by an onboard power system  710  (e.g., a battery pack). In the event that the power system  710  fails or becomes disconnected from the device  700 , a supplemental power source  712  can be employed to provide power to the processor  702  and to charge the onboard power system  710 . The processor  702  of the device  700  induces a sleep mode to reduce the current draw upon detection of an anticipated power failure.  
         [0052]     The terminal  700  includes a communication subsystem  714  that includes a data communication port  716 , which is employed to interface the processor  702  with a remote computer. The port  716  can include at least one of USB and IEEE 1394 serial communications capabilities. Other technologies may also be included, for example, infrared communication utilizing an IrDA port.  
         [0053]     The device  700  can also include an RF transceiver section  718  in operative communication with the processor  702 . The RF section  718  includes an RF receiver  720 , which receives RF signals from a remote device via an antenna  722  and demodulates the signal to obtain digital information modulated therein. The RF section  718  also includes an RF transmitter  724  for transmitting information to a remote device, for example, in response to manual user input via a user input device  726  (e.g., a keypad) or automatically in response to the completion of a transaction or other predetermined and programmed criteria. The transceiver section  718  facilitates communication with a transponder system, for example, either passive or active, that is in use with product or item RF tags. The processor  702  signals (or pulses) the remote transponder system via the transceiver  718 , and detects the return signal in order to read the contents of the tag memory. In one implementation, the RF section  718  further facilitates telephone communications using the device  700 . In furtherance thereof, an audio I/O section  728  is provided as controlled by the processor  702  to process voice input from a microphone (or similar audio input device) and audio output signals (from a speaker or similar audio output device). In another implementation, the device  700  may provide voice recognition capabilities such that when the device  700  is used simply as a voice recorder, the processor  702  may facilitate high-speed conversion of the voice signals into text content for local editing and review, and/or later download to a remote system, such as a computer word processor. Similarly, the converted voice signals may be used to control the device  700  instead of using manual entry via the keypad  726 .  
         [0054]     Onboard peripheral devices, such as a printer  730 , signature pad  732 , and a magnetic strip reader  734  can also be provided within the housing of the device  700  or accommodated eternally through one or more of the external port interfaces  716 .  
         [0055]     The device  700  can also include an image capture system  736  such that the user can record images and/or short movies for storage by the device  700  and presentation by the display  706 . Additionally, a dataform reading system  738  is included for scanning dataforms associated with articles of commerce. It is to be appreciated that these imaging systems ( 736  and  738 ) can be a single system capable of performing both functions.  
         [0056]     What has been described above includes examples of the present invention. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the present invention, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the present invention are possible. Accordingly, the present invention is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.

Technology Category: 3