Patents Assigned to Intermec IP
  • Bar code reader or imager using controlled deformation of flexible optics
    Patent number: 7896249
    Abstract: A flexible optic or optical system is deformed using a non-overlapping iris or any of several deformable ring or polygon shapes. In some examples, the deformation of the flexible optic is controlled by one or more actuators comprising a shape memory material. The flexible optic may be used in, e.g. a bar code reader or imager.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Intermec IP Corp.
    Inventor: Daniel C. Perreault
  • Automatic data collection device, method and article
    Patent number: 7893813
    Abstract: A radio frequency identification system comprises a radio-frequency identification substrate and an interrogator. In one embodiment, the radio-frequency identification substrate comprises a plurality of radio-frequency identification devices. In one embodiment, a controller on the substrate controls a first one of the plurality of radio-frequency identification devices based on a state of a second one of the plurality of radio-frequency identification devices. In one embodiment, an antenna system includes an S-shaped portion electrically coupled to an integrated circuit along a central portion of the S-shaped portion. Adjusting the parameters of the segments making up the S-shaped portion controls performance characteristics of a radio-frequency identification device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Intermec IP Corp.
    Inventors: Pavel Nikitin, Venkata Kodukula, For Sander Lam, Andrew Reynolds, Rene Martinez
  • Extensible method and system for performing management operations on known and unknown targets
    Patent number: 7895267
    Abstract: This invention provides an extensible method for performing management operations on known and unknown targets. The extensible method is implemented on a fully extensible system where management software and triggers that cause these management operations to be run are easily extended in the field. The triggers may include information indicating a change in inventory, product state, or an event, and may originate directly from a product or from an information store containing information about installed products. The management software facilitates mining this information, parsing the information through a manifest of the triggers, and selecting functions to determine if a management operation should be executed, and if so, which management operation. Generally, the management software executes the selected management operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation
    Inventors: Arthur Millican, Jonathan Fletcher
  • Smart battery charger
    Patent number: 7888913
    Abstract: A smart battery charger is provided that includes one or more sensors to identify a particular battery, generate a usage profile for the battery over time, and develop a charging strategy that maximizes the useful life of the battery. The useful life of the battery may be maximized by minimizing the charge on the battery over the course of the battery's life. The charge may be minimized by delayed charging and undercharging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Intermec IP Corp.
    Inventors: William A. Marty, Dean Jeffrey Bidwell
  • System, devices, and method for selectively wirelessly energizing passive wireless data communications devices
    Patent number: 7868586
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices wirelessly energize passive wireless data communication devices. In one embodiment, remotely powered wireless transmission power sources are actuated by a user. Upon actuation, a selected wireless transmission power source transmits electromagnetic energization energy into a volume of space, thereby energizing passive wireless data communication devices therein. The user may use a hand-held portable automatic data collection device to interrogate the wireless data communication devices and may use the automatic data collection device to remotely actuate the selected wireless transmission power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Intermec IP Corp.
    Inventors: Mike Petterson, Andy Reynolds
  • METHOD AND SYSTEM TO DETERMINE THE POSITION, ORIENTATION, SIZE, AND MOVEMENT OF RFID TAGGED OBJECTS
    Publication number: 20100328073
    Abstract: A method and system of determining spatial identification of an object, such as orientation, size, location, range, and/or movement, using an RFID system is disclosed. An RFID system can comprise one or more RFID reader receiving antennas that query one or more RFID tags coupled to the object. The measurement of the phase of the tag responses at the reader antennas and phase differentials as a function of distance, frequency, and time are the basis of spatial identification. The system can work with conventional Gen 2 tags and readers without modification of the tags or protocol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Applicant: Intermec IP Corp.
    Inventors: Pavel Nikitin, Rene Martinez, Shashi Ramamurthy, KVS Rao
  • DYNAMIC FOCUS CALIBRATION, SUCH AS DYNAMIC FOCUS CALIBRATION USING AN OPEN-LOOP SYSTEM IN A BAR CODE SCANNER
    Publication number: 20100314448
    Abstract: A system and method for recalibrating a bar code scanner or other optical system is described. In some cases, the system dynamically adjusts the focal length of a lens assembly based on open-loop process, such as based on feedback related to a distance between the lens assembly and an imaged object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2010
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Applicant: Intermec IP Corp.
    Inventors: Serge Thuries, Jean-Louis Massieu
  • Tool belt with smart cell technology
    Patent number: 7839625
    Abstract: A tool belt worn by an operator comprises a processor and a plurality of smart sockets. The smart sockets connect various smart cells that perform various functions. The smart cells have a uniform interface to connect to different locations of smart sockets. The smart cells communicate with the processor or each other over a wireless technology or through a data path embedded in the tool belt. Functionality of the tool belt may be extended with an extender that has antennas, lights, speakers, microphones, and additional smart sockets. A data glove extends the functionality of the tool belt further with a glove, smart socket, and smart cell integrated together and used at the operator's hand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Intermec IP Corp.
    Inventors: Brian Gunning, Tom Coppa, Jeremiah Lehr
  • RFID TAG SYSTEM WITH BLOCK CODING, SUCH AS SPACE-TIME BLOCK CODING
    Publication number: 20100277318
    Abstract: An apparatus for use in an RFID data collection system includes an antenna portion for wirelessly exchanging signals and a memory portion for storing RFID data. A signal processing portion is coupled among the antenna portion and the memory portion. The signal processing portion is configured to receive RFID data and to at least encode or decode the received RFID data via space-time block codes (STBC). For example, an RFID tag employs two spatially separated antennas and circuitry for transmitting to an RFID reader data stored in tag memory as STBC encoded data. Other configurations are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Applicant: INTERMEC IP CORP.
    Inventor: Paul A. Maltseff
  • Device and Method for Suppressing a Transmitted Signal in a Receiver of an RFID Writing/Reading Device
    Publication number: 20100277289
    Abstract: A device for operating an RFID writing/reading device with transmitted signal suppression includes the RFID writing/reading device and a reflection modulator. The RFID writing/reading device includes a transmitter, a receiver with a signal processor, a directional coupler with a first, a second, a third and a fourth port, and an antenna. The reflection modulator is connected to the fourth port of the directional coupler. The reflection modulator includes a first setting element and a second setting element. The reflection modulator is configured to reflect a copy of a transmitted signal from the RFID writing/reading device, the amplitude and phase of which copy have been weighted, to the directional coupler. The directional coupler is configured to add the weighted copy of the transmitted signal to a received signal from the antenna in the directional coupler.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2009
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Applicant: Intermec IP Corp.
    Inventors: Thomas Martin Brauner, Roland Küng
  • METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GEOMETRICAL MEASUREMENT USING AN OPTICAL DEVICE SUCH AS A BARCODE AND/OR RFID SCANNER
    Publication number: 20100220894
    Abstract: A system and method are described for determining the dimensions of items using an optical device, such as a barcode and/or RFID tag reader, for example. The dimensions of the field of view of the optical device are established, indexed by distance, and the dimensions of items in the field of view of the optical device are determined as a percentage of the full field of view of the optical device at the appropriate distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: INTERMEC IP CORP.
    Inventors: H. Sprague Ackley, Christophe Lopez
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOFOCUSING AN OPTICAL SYSTEM THROUGH IMAGE SPECTRAL ANALYSIS
    Publication number: 20100200727
    Abstract: A system and method of autofocusing an optical system uses transforms of images or portions of images formed by the optical system. A detector is used to capture images at different positions relative to the optical system. Transforms and blur spread parameters are calculated for the images for use in determining a position to which the detector should be moved to autofocus the system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2010
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: Intermec IP Corp.
    Inventors: Paul A. Maltseff, Jean-Louis Massieu, Ronald D. Payne
  • Systems and methods for moving a lens using shape memory materials
    Patent number: 7773322
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus comprises an image pickup and a lens. A shape memory actuator is coupled to the lens and configured to move the lens relative to the image pickup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Intermec IP Corp.
    Inventor: Daniel C. Perreault
  • FINDING SENSOR DATA IN AN RFID NETWORK
    Publication number: 20100188197
    Abstract: A system and method of selectively reading sensor data from a memory device is able to search the memory device for an indicator that identifies the sensor data, and read only the sensor data identified by the indicator from the memory device. In this way, interrogating devices are able to sort through sensor data stored in a network of memory devices, such as an RFID network, and report specific data of interest despite the existence of a variety of data types in the network. In some embodiments, flags are stored and associated with specific types of data, such as various sensor data, thereby allowing numerous memory devices and sensors to operate and be read efficiently in the same environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2009
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Applicant: INTERMEC IP CORP.
    Inventor: H. Sprague Ackley
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD OF READING RFID TAGS AT HIGH SPEEDS
    Publication number: 20100188225
    Abstract: Processing a transponder signal received from a transponder may include providing a first signal that is in-phase with the transponder signal and a second that is off-phase with the first signal. A first transformed signal is generated using the first signal, where the first transformed signal has a first characteristic equal to the first characteristic of the first signal and a second characteristic different from the second characteristic of the first signal. A second transformed signal is generated using the second signal, where the second transformed signal has a first characteristic equal to the first characteristic of the second signal and a second characteristic different from the second characteristic of the second signal. Information incorporated in the transponder signal is obtained using a combination of the first transformed signal and the second transformed signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Applicant: INTERMEC IP CORP.
    Inventor: Vijay Pillai
  • Method, apparatus and article to load new instructions on processor based devices, for example, automatic data collection devices
    Patent number: 7761864
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus and articles facilitate the loading of a set of new instructions to replace set of existing instructions on a processor based device, for example an automatic data collection device. For example, a new operating system may replace an existing operating system using an executable that disables interrupts and/or exceptions. The new operating system may execute with, or without booting. The set of new instructions may be fragmented to fit the block size of a nonvolatile programmable memory, and/or may be compressed. Validation values such as check sums and/or error correction may be employed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Intermec IP Corp.
    Inventors: Allen S. White, Art Millican, Joel Dale
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LASER RANGE-FINDING
    Publication number: 20100153062
    Abstract: A system and method is described for determining a distance to a desired target via correlating a pulse modulated signal with its corresponding reflected signal, while compensating for noise error in the reflected signal to allow for a more precise distance determination. Further details and features are described herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: Intermec IP Corp.
    Inventor: Paul A. Maltseff
  • Systems and methods for wirelessly marking media
    Patent number: 7724142
    Abstract: A media marking transponder system includes a media fastener and a wireless transponder circuit coupled to the media fastener. The antenna for the wireless transponder circuit has a first effective length when no piece of media is fastened to the media fastener and a second, different effective length when at least one piece of media is fastened to the media fastener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Intermec IP Corp.
    Inventors: Pavel Nikitin, Venkata Kodukula, For Sander Lam
  • Optical scanning and imaging applications using deformable mirrors
    Patent number: 7710633
    Abstract: A deformable mirror changes configuration in response to a change of the configuration of a shape memory material. In some examples, the deformable mirror is formed of the shape memory material. In other examples, the deformable mirror changes configuration under the control of actuators comprising shape memory materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Intermec IP Corp.
    Inventor: Daniel C. Perreault
  • State storage with defined retention time
    Patent number: 7710798
    Abstract: A state storage device for use in an RFID tag includes, in at least one embodiment, a capacitor coupled to a high impedance node. The storage device can be configured to indicate a high or low bit condition. The high impedance node can be designed to dissipate the stored electrical charge at a user-controlled, predefined, or known rate. The state storage device can be configured to store the bit condition for no more than four seconds. In some embodiments, the high impedance node can be formed from an electrically trimmed transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Intermec IP Corp.
    Inventor: Vijay Pillai