Patents Assigned to Symbol Technologies
  • Methods and apparatus for locationing emergency personnel
    Patent number: 7737850
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for determining the location of an individual (e.g., emergency personnel) within an environment. A system includes a wearable RFID tag removably attached to the individual (e.g., on his/her wrist, or uniform), wherein the wearable RFID tag is configured to send data to one or more access ports positioned external to the environment (e.g., on a fire truck or other such vehicle). A locationing module is communicatively coupled to the access port and is configured to determine the location of the individual within the site based on the data acquired from the wearable RFID tag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Ajay Malik
  • Apparatus and method for wireless local area networks of different countries
    Patent number: 7738865
    Abstract: Described are apparatus and methods for adapting a mobile unit to communication requirements of a particular country or geographic region. A wireless local area network communications system may include access points and remote terminals. Remote terminals may use country-specific information in messages from an access point to adapt to the communications requirements of the country in which the access point is operating. The country-specific information may be in a broadcast transmission or a message sent in reply to a remote terminal probe message. The country-specific information may include operating requirements such as channel information, power information, country name, modulation information, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: John K. Hughes, Gurpreet Singh
  • RFID tag receive signal strength indicator
    Patent number: 7733218
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses for detecting a reader signal strength in a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag is described. A tag is configured to monitor an attribute of a reader transmitted signal, such as the signal strength. The tag generates an indication of the signal attribute, and transmits the indication of the signal attribute to the reader.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Randall Allen Drago, Ming-Hao Sun, Theodore Hockey, Joseph White
  • Frames-based advertising service with response and activity reporting
    Patent number: 7734475
    Abstract: An advertising service divides a consumer transaction at a POS location into multiple time frames. The service then determines an advertisement (ad) for display in one of the time frames and displays the ad in one of the time frames. One of the time frames spans one of the following activities: waiting for a consumer to begin a transaction, greeting a consumer, beginning a transaction, selecting a form of payment, swiping a card for a form of payment, entering a security code for the form of payment, identifying a product for purchase, displaying a total cost for products identified for purchase, signing for a purchase, thanking a consumer his purchase, surveying a consumer, promoting an event, applying for a credit card, informing a consumer, identifying a consumer, interacting with a consumer, and passing through an interstitial period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott T. Allan, Tiffany Pai, J. Gregory Stout, Xin Zhao
  • System and method for bar code decoding
    Patent number: 7726571
    Abstract: Described is a system and method for bar code decoding. The system comprises first and second digitizers and a processor. The first digitizer outputs a first digitized representation of a bar code. The second digitizer outputs a second digitized representation of the bar code. The processor compares the first and second digitized representations to yield a set of parameters. The processor selects one of the first and second digitized representations to be decoded as a function of the set of parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Dariusz Madej
  • Rotatable/removable keyboard
    Patent number: 7726576
    Abstract: A system that facilitates desirable orientation of a display on a machine data reader comprises a keypad that is moveable with respect to a body of the machine data reader, the keypad utilized to relay information to the machine data reader. The system further comprises a component that senses a position of the keypad, and a component that orients the display based at least in part upon the sensed position of the keypad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Dominick H. Salvato
  • Bar code scanning decoding
    Patent number: 7726572
    Abstract: A two dimensional symbol is decoded by forming a binary image that includes the symbol. The binary is used to generate symbol margins for use in digitization. By using the binary image to determine the symbol margins, margins can be located efficiently and in the presence of symbol contrast variation caused by irregularities in the marked surface or light source angles. Digitization proceeds based on the determined margins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Duanfeng He, Eugene Joseph
  • Compact autofocus bar code reader with moving mirror
    Patent number: 7726573
    Abstract: The disclosed bar code reader includes an auto-focusing component for rapidly producing in focus images. An imaging system makes use of an aiming pattern that impinges upon the coded indicia of a target. The imaging system includes a light monitoring pixel array and a focusing lens that is fixed with respect to the pixel array for transmitting an image of the target object onto the pixel array. The imaging system also includes a movable mirror mounted for movement along a path of travel to reflect light passing through the focusing lens onto the pixel array. A drive motor moves the mirror relative the lens to adjust a focus of an image of the object formed at the pixel array. An automatic focusing component of the imaging system analyzes the aiming pattern reflected from the target object and projected onto the pixel array by the lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Vladimir Gurevich, Igor Vinogradov, Tsi David Shi, Duanfeng He
  • Imaging system having anamorphic magnification
    Patent number: 7729061
    Abstract: A method and imaging system (10) is disclosed having a lens assembly (40) adapted for reading a target object (18) comprising an anamorphic lens assembly with first (L3) and second (L4) toroidal lenses adapted for positioning between a target object (18) and a sensor array (32) of an imaging system (10) such that an image received from the target object (18) is anamorphically magnified before impinging onto the sensor array along first and second directions by the anamorphic lens assembly (L3, L4). The anamorphic magnification in the first direction differs from the magnification in the second direction such that the image of the target object (18) projected onto the sensor array (32) appears elongated along the first direction relative to the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Igor Vinogradov
  • Wireless network system with wireless access ports
    Patent number: 7729326
    Abstract: A communication system comprises a wireless switch, a plurality of wired access ports and a plurality of wireless access ports. The plurality of wired access ports are coupled to the wireless switch via a wired connection and are configured to receive data over the wired connection and over a wireless connection. The plurality of wireless access ports are configured to receive data over the wireless connection from the wireless access port and to send data over the wireless connection to the wired access port. The wireless access ports are further configured to receive and encapsulate first wireless data packets in to first wired data packets based on a wired transmission protocol and encapsulate the first wired data packets into second wireless data packets based on a wireless transmission protocol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Ramesh Sekhar
  • Method and system for presenting item information using a portable data terminal
    Patent number: 7725326
    Abstract: An improved portable shopping system with improved data presentation system for presenting customer desired data on a portable terminal. The portable terminal includes audio as well as video presentation components that are used to provide customer specific marketing files to promote the sale of identified items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: William X. Tracy, Thomas K. Roslak, Judith Murrah, Francis Riso, Robert Beach, Robert Sandler
  • System for a mobile unit charging and connection
    Patent number: 7722388
    Abstract: A system provides a charging and a connection for a mobile unit. The system includes a housing of a mobile unit that couples to a latch. The housing comprises a loop and a panel. The loop is disposed on a top portion of the housing and receives a hook of the latch. The panel is disposed on a back portion of the housing and receives a corresponding panel of the latch. The panel includes a first set of electrical contacts that couple to a second set of electrical contacts of the corresponding panel to establish an electrical connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ben Michaeli, Bob Kowalski, Quintin Morris, Mark Palmer, Carl Theleman
  • Transmit power control for mobile unit
    Patent number: 7720500
    Abstract: In a wireless local area network which includes access point having variable transmitter power levels, transmitter power data is sent from the access points to the mobile units and used by the mobile units in order to provide a corresponding variation in the transmitter power of the mobile unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: John Klein, Richard Montgomery, Dong Nguyen, Andrew Werback, William Kellogg, Wayne Ouchida, Graham Melville
  • System and method for providing differentiated service levels to wireless devices in a wireless network
    Patent number: 7720464
    Abstract: Described is a system and method for providing differentiated service levels to wireless devices in a wireless network. The method comprises receiving, on a first network arrangement connected to a network, an authentication request from a wireless device. The network uses a first access protocol having a plurality of access categories and the wireless device uses a second access protocol. The authentication request including one of the plurality of access categories. The wireless device is verified to ensure that it is authorized to communicate at the one of the plurality of access categories. When the wireless device is verified as authorized, a response is communicated to a second network arrangement that indicates the one of the plurality of access categories is used for communications with the wireless device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Puneet Batta
  • Modular access point
    Patent number: 7720445
    Abstract: Described is a modular access point for wireless communications. The access point includes a housing which has at least one module receiving slot and a first wireless communication radio. The radio communicates with a first wireless device via a first frequency band. The access point also includes a removable module configured for insertion into the module receiving slot. The module includes a second communication radio utilizing a second frequency band so that, when the removable module is inserted into the slot, the access point is capable of communicating with a second wireless device via at least one of the first and second frequency bands. The access point includes a plurality of antenna connectors which are connected to the first and second radios. The access pint may utilize external antennas or internal antenna modules which interchangeably attachable to the antenna connectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hui-Leng Lim, Pat Wallace, Ed Geiger, Phil Ballai, Curt Croley
  • Convertible point-of-sale checkout terminal
    Patent number: 7717235
    Abstract: A convertible checkout terminal includes a housing having a window and a data capture device for capturing through the window data associated with products to be checked out at the terminal, a customer interface supported by the housing for enabling a customer to interact with the terminal in a self-service mode of operation, a clerk interface supported by the housing for enabling a clerk to interact with the terminal in a full-service mode of operation, and a mode selector for selecting either the self-service mode in which the customer interface is operational, or the full-service mode in which the clerk interface is operational.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Graham Marshall, Shane MacGregor, Alistair Hamilton
  • METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LOCATIONING AN OBJECT IN A COMMUNICATION NETWORK
    Publication number: 20100118858
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for locationing an object in a communication network. The method includes transmitting by a wireless transceiver fixed to the object of unknown location a plurality of radio frequency (RF) packets to a plurality of locationing receivers (LRs) in the communication network. The method further includes determining by each locationing receiver the local time of arrival of the RF packet and places a time stamp on the received RF packet based on a corresponding local clock, wherein the local clocks of the locationing receivers are synchronized based on a plurality of RF beacon packets transmitted by at least one reference transmitter at a known location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2008
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Applicant: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Mohan PISHARODY
  • IDENTIFICATION OF NON-BARCODED PRODUCTS
    Publication number: 20100116887
    Abstract: The present disclosure concerns a bar code reader 10 that can both interpret bar codes and determine a feature of a target object 230 not having a bar code affixed thereto. The bar code reader includes a housing including one or more transparent windows H, V and defining a housing interior region. As a target object is swiped or presented in relation to the transparent windows an image of the target object is captured. A camera C1-C6 has an image capture sensor array positioned within the housing interior region for capturing an image of a bar code within a camera field of view. An image processing system has a processor for decoding a bar code carried by the target object. If the target object has no bar code, the image processing system determines a feature such as a dimension of the target object from images captured by the imaging system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2008
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Applicant: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward D. Barkan, Robert Sanders
  • RFID antenna design that can selectively enable and disable the antenna
    Patent number: 7714727
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for assembling and implementing tamper indicating RFID devices are presented. An RFID device includes a substrate, an electrically conductive pattern formed on the substrate configured to operate as an antenna by separating a portion of a first device section from a second device section, and an electrical circuit mounted on the substrate that is electrically coupled to the antenna. The electrical circuit stores an identification code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph White, Michael Sloan, Eric Heineman, Hai Tran, Wayne E. Shanks
  • Token passing protocol for RFID systems
    Patent number: 7714697
    Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatuses for RFID readers forming a reader network are described. In an aspect of the present invention, a plurality of RFID readers are configured to interrogate tags. Furthermore, the readers are configured to communicate with one another by transferring a token, represented by a signal. Possession of the token enables the reader to access a RF communications medium. Readers can be arranged in a ring configuration, and interconnected via wired links. A secondary token may circulate in the ring in addition to the primary token, to ensure redundancy in the system. A reader waits for a predetermined time interval before accessing the RF communications medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Mohammad Soleimani, Victor Hugo Molina, Martin Strzelczyk, Mark Duron, Ron Boschini, Jens Arnold, Darrell Pinson