Patents Assigned to Symbol Technologies
  • AUTOMATED VOICE CONNECTION TO A BEST-DETERMINED TARGET
    Publication number: 20130322613
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for initiating a voice communication to a best-determined target includes associating a plurality of workers in a worker list with a skills profile for each worker. Upon receiving an assistance request for a task, the worker list can be searched automatically for target contacts having the skill profile best-matching the assistance request. Further search criteria can be compared between the task and the matched target contacts to facilitate the proper selection of the best-matched target contacts. Upon a match, a voice communication is automatically initiating between the requestor to the best-determined target contact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2012
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Clayton, Lexie Spiro
  • Method and apparatus for identifying bluetooth connection between cradle and handheld data capture device
    Patent number: 8600407
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for identifying a Bluetooth connection between a cradle and at least one handheld data capture device that includes a barcode reading arrangement or an RFID reader. The apparatus includes a cradle configured to accommodate a handheld data capture device detachably settled therein. The apparatus also includes a connection indicator configured to be activated, in response to a find-connection command, if a Bluetooth connection between the cradle and the handheld data capture device is identified. In some implementations, the connection indicator is on the cradle and it can be a light emitting diode, a speaker, or a vibration generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Mariya Wright, Robert J. Pang
  • Delimited read command for efficient data access from radio frequency identification (RFID) tags
    Patent number: 8598990
    Abstract: Methods, and systems for efficiently reading data stored in an RFID tag memory are described. A delimited read command is issued by an RFID reader, causing a tag to truncate the data read-out process when a delimiter data pattern is detected in the stored data. Upon receipt of a delimited read command, a tag reads data until a delimiter pattern is detected. The tag determines whether the detected pattern is a valid delimiter pattern or a spurious one. If the detected pattern is a valid delimiter, the tag terminates the read process and transmits the data to the reader. The format of the delimiter pattern may be modified based on needs of a particular communications protocol or specific implementations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Frederick Schuessler
  • SYSTEM FOR AND METHOD OF EXPEDITING CHECKOUT AT POINT-OF-SALE STATIONS
    Publication number: 20130313316
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for expediting checkout at a point-of-sale station, employ a mobile electronic device, e.g., a cellular phone, having a customer interface for enabling a customer to enter personal textual information that identify the customer and/or financial textual information that identify how the customer intends to pay for items to be purchased at the station. A device controller generates a two-dimensional symbol from the entered textual information. The two-dimensional symbol is displayed on a display screen of the device. An electro-optical scanner electro-optically reads the displayed two-dimensional symbol by image capture to retrieve the entered textual information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2012
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: David A. Jones
  • System and method for monitoring a mobile device
    Patent number: 8594742
    Abstract: Described is a system and method for monitoring a mobile device. The device comprises a plurality of sensors and a processor. The sensors detect first data including spatial orientation data and motion data of the device, and the processor compares the first data to second data to determine an occurrence of an event related to at least one of a communications functionality and a power setting of the device. The second data includes predetermined threshold ranges of changes in the spatial orientation data and the motion data. If the event is detected, the processor selects a predetermined procedure for execution as a function of the first data and executes the predetermined procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Wulff
  • Thermal management of a mobile device with ventless housing
    Patent number: 8595517
    Abstract: A mobile device includes a housing having a plurality of surfaces. A processor is located within the housing. The processor heats a portion of one or more of the surfaces of the housing. A temperature sensor detects a temperature of the portion of the surface. The rate of energy consumption by the processor is adjusted based on the temperature of the portion of the surface of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick S. Riechel, Timothy B. Austin, Thomas E. Wulff
  • Imaging-based barcode readers having curved window
    Patent number: 8590793
    Abstract: An apparatus operative to decode a barcode on a target object includes a mirror located within the housing at a position generally facing both the curved window and the imaging lens arrangement of the scan engine. The curved window is configured to operate together with the mirror to direct any of the illumination light reflected by the curved window away from the imaging lens arrangement to avoid the detrimental hot spots in the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Caihua (Lucy) Chen, Igor Vinogradov
  • Apparatus for and method of reading printed and electronic codes
    Patent number: 8590792
    Abstract: An apparatus for, and method of, imaging printed and electronic codes associated with transactions or objects to be processed, support a window on a housing, illuminate the codes through the window with illumination light from an energizable illumination system, capture return illumination light from the illuminated codes through the window with an array of light sensors looking at a field of view of a solid-state, exposable imager, and process the captured return illumination light. A printed code is read by exposing the imager for a first exposure time and by also energizing the illumination system during the first exposure time. An electronic code is read by exposing the imager for a second exposure time that is longer than the first exposure time and by also deenergizing the illumination system during the second exposure time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Chinh Tan, Edward Barkan, Mark Drzymala
  • OPTICAL SLOT SCANNER HAVING COAXIAL ILLUMINATON
    Publication number: 20130306735
    Abstract: An optical slot scanner (10) and method includes a housing (12) supporting a scanning arrangement (22) within an interior region (14) of the housing. The scanning arrangement (22) includes an imaging camera (26) and light source (24) disposed within a recess compartment (80) located in the interior region of the housing. The imaging camera defines an imaging field (40) of view for reading indicia located on a target object. The light source defines an illumination field (42) for illuminating indicia located on a target object, such that the illumination field is substantially coaxial with the imaging field during a reading of indicia located on a target object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2012
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Igor Vinogradov, Edward D. Barkan, Mark E. Drzymala, Yuly Mitelman, Eric S. Trongone
  • Tamper-resistant keypad for mobile device
    Patent number: 8586884
    Abstract: A tamper-resistant keypad is described. The keypad includes a keycap for actuation by a user. An actuator includes a first end that is coupled to the keycap. A frame having an aperture is adapted to receive the actuator such that the second end of the actuator is captured by the frame. The actuator is prevented from being removed from the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward M. Voli, Frank Gong
  • Electronic article surveillance systems, apparatus, and methods
    Patent number: 8587432
    Abstract: Embodiments include methods and apparatus for detecting proximity of an electronic article surveillance (EAS) tag. A proximity detection system (e.g., a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag reader) detects a presence of an object within a first area. In response to detecting the proximity of the object, an EAS tag reader alters characteristics of an EAS tag detection signal that is produced by the EAS tag reader in order to detect an EAS tag within range of the EAS tag reader.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Altaf Mulla
  • APPARATUS FOR AN METHOD OF READING INDICIA BY USING NON-READILY VISIBLE ILLUMINATION LIGHT
    Publication number: 20130299581
    Abstract: Infrared light, which is non-readily visible, illuminates at least part of a field of view containing indicia to be electro-optically read. Visible light illuminates another field of view containing the same indicia. The indicia is read by image capture by the illumination light from one of the illuminated fields of view. The use of IR light minimizes an adverse reaction due to only using bright visible light. The use of visible light enables thermally printed indicia, which is not readily readable by IR light, to be read.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2012
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Darran M. Handshaw, Mark E. Drzymala, Eric S. Trongone
  • Enhanced laser barcode scanning
    Patent number: 8579198
    Abstract: A laser scanning device is described. The device includes a laser for projecting a light beam. A mirror is optically coupled to the laser. The mirror reflects the light beam onto a target. A detector generates an analog signal in response to detecting a reflection of the light beam from the target. A processor is capable of modifying a scanning parameter of the laser scanning device. The processor processes the analog signal to generate a digital bar pattern and can embed the scanning parameter in the digital bar pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Dariusz Madej, Bruno Vande Vyvre
  • Point-of-transaction workstation for electro-optically reading one-dimensional and two-dimensional indicia by image capture
    Patent number: 8579197
    Abstract: A solid-state imager is mounted at a point-of-transaction workstation for capturing images of one- and two-dimensional indicia and is operated at high speed to resist image blurring due to relative movement between the target and the imager. Dedicated hardware assistance and computation resources are allocated to decode multiple, continuous and simultaneous video streams from multiple imagers at the workstation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Mehul M Patel, Duanfeng He, Howard Shepard, Eugene Joseph, Edward Barkan
  • APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF ELECTRO-OPTICALLY READING DIRECT PART MARKING INDICIA BY IMAGE CAPTURE
    Publication number: 20130292478
    Abstract: An apparatus and method electro-optically read indicia, such as a direct part marking (DPM) code, that is raised or sunken relative to a target surface on a target. A solid-state, distance imaging sensor captures a target image comprised of a first set of pixels having first distance values that correspond to a first distance of the code from the sensor, and a second set of pixels having second distance values that correspond to a second distance of the target surface from the sensor. A controller reads the indicia by distinguishing between the first set of pixels and the second set of pixels within the image, by determining abrupt changes in the distance values among neighboring pixels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2012
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Applicant: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Michelle X. Wang, Dariusz J. Madej
  • DIFFUSER ENGINE FOR BARCODE IMAGING SCANNER
    Publication number: 20130284809
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a diffusive plate that is substantially perpendicular to the optical axis of an imaging lens arrangement and covers a side face of a solid rectangular defining a volume space within which parts of a scan engine are deposited. The parts of the scan engine including at least the illumination light source, the imaging lens arrangement, an imaging sensor, and a controller for controlling both the illumination light source and the imaging sensor. The diffusive plate includes a first opening to allow light enter the imaging lens arrangement through the first opening. The area enclosed by the boundary of the diffusive plate substantially equal to the area of the side face of the solid rectangular.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Applicant: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Eugene B. Joseph, Mark E. Drzymala, Duanfeng He
  • DUAL FREQUENCY ULTRASONIC LOCATIONING SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20130279295
    Abstract: A dual frequency ultrasonic locationing system includes an emitter operable to emit two different ultrasonic frequencies simultaneously in one ultrasonic burst. A receiver with at least two microphones is operable to receive the ultrasonic burst. A correlator is operable to correlate the signals obtained from each microphone to derive a time difference of arrival of the ultrasonic burst at each microphone. The time difference of arrival of the ultrasonic signal from the emitter impinging on each microphone of the receiver is utilized to determine a location of the emitter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2012
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Russell E. Calvarese, Richard J. Lavery
  • METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REPRESENTING STATE OF CHARGE ON BATTERY
    Publication number: 20130277431
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a battery in the housing, a first light indicator operative to emit light in a first color with the duration of a first time period after a predetermined triggering event, and a second light indicator operative to emit light in a second color with the duration of a second time period after the predetermined triggering event. The ratio between the first time period and the second time period monotonically depends upon a state of charge on the battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert W. DiGiovanna
  • ORIENTATION OF AN ULTRASONIC SIGNAL
    Publication number: 20130279297
    Abstract: A system and method for orientation of an ultrasonic signal includes at least two emitters in a mobile device that includes an orientation sensor that can determine a device orientation. A receiver at a fixed, known point includes at least two microphones operable to receive an ultrasonic signal from the device. The mobile device can drive the emitters to produce an ultrasonic signal that is oriented towards the receiver. A location engine can establish a location of the mobile device using the time delay of arrival of an ultrasonic burst from the mobile device impinging on each microphone of the receiver. In response to the location and/or the orientation, the mobile device operable to drive the emitters to produce a signal that is oriented towards the receiver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2012
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas E. Wulff, Russell E. Calvarese, Richard J. Lavery
  • Methods and apparatus for WAN/WLAN unicast and multicast communication
    Patent number: 8565139
    Abstract: IP unicast communication is provided between mobile devices in a wide area network and a wireless local area network coupled by a gateway component. Data communication is established between a mobile device and the wireless local area network, thereby receiving a first unicast IP address associated with the mobile device. A multicast group is joined within the wireless local area network and registering with that multicast group using a predetermined multicast IP address as a destination IP address and the first unicast IP address as a source address. The device disconnects from data communication within the wireless local area network, thereby releasing the first unicast IP address. Data communication is established between the mobile device and the wide area network, thereby receiving a second unicast IP address associated with the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kaustubh Kale, William J. Sakoda