Abstract: An electronic payment card includes a support of standardized thickness and an electronic module having a semiconductor component, the module being designed to be incorporated in the support. The electronic module is included in a miniature card of thickness equal to the standardized thickness, the support having an opening for receiving the miniature card. The opening and the miniature card have complementary parts for removably installing the miniature card in the opening and suitable, firstly, for preventing the miniature card from being positioned incorrectly in the opening and, secondly, for integrating the miniature card exactly in the thickness of the support. The card is applicable to the field of electronic transactions requiring the use of a memory card.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an antenna module for installation on a wireless telecommunications tower at a transceiver site. The antenna module comprises a frame adapted to be installed on the upper end of the tower, containing a means for mounting, and adjusting the alignment of, one or more panel antennas for optimal signal transmission and reception. A radio frequency energy transparent cover surrounds the antenna module, extending height-wise of the frame, enclosing it, the mounting means, and the panel antennas mounted thereon, thereby reducing wind loading on the antenna module.

Abstract: A system for filling orders, such as prescriptions for patients, having a generally cylindrical storage area for holding packages in known locations. Each location has a unique (r,.theta.,Y) coordinate. The system also has a computer controlled device for picking packages from selected locations in the storage area. The picker can also be provided with a sensor for detecting rods which hold the packages and relaying the coordinates of the selected locations to the control system. The system may also include a conveyor and a transfer device from the storage area to the conveyor. The picking device deposits the picked packages in the transfer device which directs the packages into a tray on the conveyor. In one embodiment, the contents of each package is a single dosage of medicine.

Abstract: A portable automatic code symbol reading system having a laser scanning engine mounted upon the hand of its operator to provide hands-free automatic laser scanning capabilities. The automatic code symbol reading system includes a battery power supply aboard its hand-mounted housing, and a power-conserving control subsystem for conserving the consumption of electrical power during automatic portable laser scanning operations. The control subsystem of the present invention has a plurality of control centers which control the operation of the system components in accordance with preselected system control operations. Each of the control centers is responsive to control activation signals generated by certain of the system components upon the occurrence of predefined conditions. Certain of the control centers are capable of overriding other control centers to provide diverse control capabilities.

Abstract: An antenna and antenna feed assembly for a communication handset is constructed as a unitary assembly in which each of the antenna and antenna feed, suitably a balun, conform to a cylindrical geometry and is small enough in size for handset applications.

Abstract: A spacecraft of a set of spacecraft has an antenna support frame defining square apertures, which are the same size in all spacecraft of the set of spacecraft. The set also includes a plurality of radiating tiles for various operating frequencies. The tiles all have the same dimensions, so that any combination of tiles may be mounted in the apertures of the frames of any spacecraft to form antenna arrays of various sizes, depending upon the customer's requirements. Each tile includes plural beamformers and power amplifiers, and remotely controllable phase shifters and level controls, for ready reconfiguration of the antennas while the spacecraft is in operation. The preferred dimension of each radiating tile is a one-foot square.

Abstract: In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a telescoping deployable mesh antenna reflector for space communication applications and a method of deployment is provided. The antenna reflector includes a plurality of telescoping radially extending ribs between which a plurality of interconnected guylines are secured to form a wire truss structure. The telescoping radially extending ribs include pivotally coupled inner and outer ribs that are collapsed and folded to stow the antenna. A highly reflective wire woven mesh is connected to the front surface of the wire truss structure with flexible radially extending strip members allowing for folding and telescoping of the antenna reflector.

Abstract: A hand-held optical reader for reading printed indicia on a remote target includes a light source for generating a scanning light beam and a detector for detecting the light reflected from the printed indicia. The light source and detector are housed within a housing having a window through which the light beam passes from the source to the target for reflection from the target to the detector. The housing includes parallel front and rear faces, each being generally rectangular in shape and having a lower portion and upper portion. The front and rear faces are joined by a substantially planar base face at their lower edges. The window is disposed in the front face with the reader being ergonomically configured so as be comfortably held in the hand of a user, with the user's palm adjacent the rear face to enable the user to direct the scanning light beam at a remote target.

Abstract: A system evaluates the data derived from scanning a circular bar code element. The elements in the circular bar code extend radially outwardly from a center of the label, and their width varies along the radial direction. For that reason, should a circular bar code reader be offset relative to the center of the label, it is possible that the circular bar code reader would develop analog signals of the width of elements that vary within a single scan. At one location on the label, an offset reader may read one analog signal for a wide element, and at another location may read a wholly different signal for a wide element with an identical width. To address this problem, an element under evaluation is compared to adjacent elements, and a determination is made of whether the particular element is wide or narrow. Any offset will cause minimal variation in adjacent elements. Several methods for using this basic concept are disclosed.

Abstract: A universal financial data card for compiling and storing financial transaction records pertaining to a plurality of financial accounts. The financial transaction records are compiled from financial transaction data communicated between the universal financial data card and a card reader. The universal financial data card includes a memory circuit for storing holder data pertaining to a holder of the universal financial data card. The memory circuit further stores account data pertaining to the plurality of financial accounts and the financial transaction records pertaining to the plurality of financial accounts. Further, the universal financial data card includes a processor coupled to the memory circuit. There is also provided a data exchange circuit coupled to the processor.

Abstract: A customer information terminal for use in a retail grocery store includes a housing defining an interior region, electronic circuitry including a microprocessor supported within the housing interior region, and a display screen supported by the housing and electrically coupled to the electronic circuitry. The customer information terminal further includes a dataform reader module supported by the housing and electrically coupled to the electronic circuitry for reading a dataform having encoded data relating to at least one of the following; an item offered for sale in the retail grocery store, a coupon for an item offered for sale in the retail grocery store, a customer identification number of a customer of the retail grocery store, and a recipe utilizing one or more items offered for sale in the retail grocery store.

Abstract: A bar code scanning apparatus in which the visual field of a lens system is extended as outwardly exceeding the width of an opening of a case body in which the apparatus is housed, such that a bar code wider than the width of the opening can be scanned. A bar code wider than the width of the opening can be scanned with the opening coming in contact with the bar code. Thus, a wide bar code can be scanned without the bar code scanning apparatus increased in width and length.

Abstract: A bar code scanner system includes a laser light source that periodically produces a light beam that is swept across a bar code label. The laser light source is periodically turned "on" and "off" according to a duty cycle. A detector produces a first electric signal representative of received bar code label reflected light and ambient light when the laser light source is on, and produces a second electric signal representative of received ambient light when the light source is "off". A demodulator circuit, coupled to the detector, provides a first gain to the first electric signal and provides a second gain to the second electric signal. The gains applied are selected such that the signal and signal component produced solely as a result of the ambient light will significantly cancel out one another when the signals are combined. A filter, coupled to the demodulator circuit, receives the electric signals from the demodulator circuit and reduces out-of-band signal components such as noise.

Abstract: To reduce the size, the weight, and the production cost and to improve the reliability of an optical device for a code reader for reading a code (24) imprinted on the package of an article, a light emitting element (21), a prism (22) and a light receiving element (15) are all fixed to a semiconductor substrate (14), so that the assembly at the semiconductor chip level of these elements (15, 21 and 22) is possible. This device can be used for an optical apparatus for reading various codes used in POS systems, physical distribution/management systems, production control systems, and so forth.

Abstract: Verification patterns are associated with barcodes to provide rapids visual confirmation that a barcode is printed within acceptable tolerances. A master of a barcode to be produced includes at least one verification pattern including a wedge formed by an unprinted area or areas bounded by a printed area or areas. During reproduction, an anticipated degree of ink-spread will cause a predetermined degree of shortening of the wedge, while abnormal degrees of shortening are an indication of press and/or pre-press errors and/or an inappropriately specified master. With a suitably dimensioned wedge, compliance with bar and space width tolerances can be assessed. Two types of verification patterns may be used in conjunction with a single bar code to enable detection of different types of errors.

Abstract: Various optical components of an electro-optical system for reading coded indicia are mounted on a chassis snap-mounted in a housing. The optical components are supported by the chassis at an elevation relative to a printed circuit board snap-mounted to the chassis. The optical components are automatically adjusted in a test fixture.

Abstract: A velocity detecting radar unit that is easy to operate and to view so as to minimize distraction to the operator, particularly when in use in a moving vehicles includes a spotlight unit having a housing with a lens, a light source within the housing and a control wand pivotally mounting the housing for rotation about an axis and including an elongated tube adapted to extend through the windshield pillar of a vehicle. A radar antenna is mounted in the housing to be movable therewith and has a radar transmitting and receiving end extending from the housing oppositely of the spotlight lens. A display module is adapted to display velocity data and other information and is adjustable mounted to the tube at a location thereon remote from the spotlight housing. Similarly, an input or control module including function switches for providing function commands to a controller for the unit is provided and is adjustable mounted to the tube at a location thereon remote from the housing.

Abstract: A printed monopole antenna is disclosed having a printed circuit board with a first side and a second side, a monopole radiating element comprising a first conductive trace formed on the printed circuit board first side, and a conductive element comprising a second conductive trace formed on the printed circuit board adjacent the first conductive trace. The second conductive trace defines an extended ground plane which prevents the radiation of currents from that portion of the first conductive trace aligned with the second conductive trace. The second conductive trace may be formed on either side of the printed circuit board. The printed monopole antenna may be modified to operate within two separate frequency bandwidths.

Abstract: A casing of a data symbol reader has a grip portion and head portion. A signal processing circuit is housed in the grip portion. A light source for illumination, an image sensing device, and an optical system for imaging the symbol reading area on the light receiving surface of the image sensing device are housed in the head portion. A housing extends from the head portion towards a symbol reading area, and the symbol reading area is formed as a front opening of the housing. A trigger switch for initiating the reading operation and a trigger button for actuating the trigger switch are positioned at the side of casing. The trigger switch and trigger button are supported by a supporting structure in a manner enabling movement with respect to casing.

Abstract: A fully automatic bar code symbol reading system comprising an automatic (i.e., triggerless) portable bar code symbol reading device with an omnidirectional projection laser scanning engine mounted within the head portion of its hand-supportable housing, and an associated base unit positioned within the data transmission range thereof without a physical wiring connection thereto. The hand-supportable bar code symbol reading device produces a narrowly confined scanning volume for omnidirectional scanning of code symbols presented therein, while preventing unintentional scanning of code symbols on nearby objects located outside thereof.