Abstract: A vehicle for transport, fork lift or delivery route operations, for example, includes on-board peripherals which are coupled through a Local Area Network (LAN) into a data system. A LAN data bus provides selective access to the peripherals or data devices such as, for example, a large area display, a keyboard, a printer and a data terminal. The data system controls or provides data on tasks executed by or in connection with the operation of the vehicle. To increase the versatility of the vehicle, the data terminal, multiple data terminals, or any of the other data devices may be removably coupled to the LAN to be operable externally of the vehicle. A mobile mount adapter provides a secure electrical connection of a respective data terminal to the LAN to removably incorporate the data terminal into the data system, and provide a common supply of both data and power to the data device.

Abstract: An improved data collection system utilizing at least partially integrated data collection and gathering devices and related peripherals. The system includes an at least partially wearable data collection terminal, associated peripherals, and a communication system. The data collection system may utilize a wearable data collection terminal having a computer processor, associated memory, inputs, and outputs. Associated peripheral devices may include voice inputs and outputs, an optically readable information set reader, a keyboard and/or touch-panel, intelligent-body-conforming battery packs, mass storage devices, user position and next task location device, a display, a printer, and a data communication system for both local area and wide area communication.

Abstract: A portable data collection terminal has an elongate housing with a hand grip conforming rear surface. A front surface features a numerical keyboard adjacent a lower end of the housing and an LCD screen adjacent the keyboard toward an upper end of the housing. The display screen is of elongate rectangular shape, its length extending longitudinally of the housing of the data terminal. The active area of the display screen is covered by a touch sensitive overlay screen which is configured in one mode of operation of the data terminal into an alphabetical keyboard. The orientation of the display is switchable between orientations in which the line direction of the displayed data extends across or longitudinally of the data terminal. The keys of the numerical keyboard are identified by indicia disposed on a template. The orientation of the template may be sensed to switch the orientation of the displayed data and touch sensitive key identifiers to correspond to the orientation of the indicia on the template.

Abstract: Data collection apparatus includes an assemblage of a data collection terminal and a carrying case which is a combination of a printer module and a docking module which are joined and combined into a unitary structure. The carrying case has an attached handle which is preferably attached to the printer module. The carrying case further includes a holder for temporarily grasping an data collection accessory, such as a bar code scanner. The data terminal is quickly insertible and removable from the docking module. Communication connectors and communication wiring becomes coupled to the data collection terminal upon insertion of the data collection terminal into the docking module.

Abstract: A portable data collection terminal system has a housing having a display screen with coincident graphic data input and a keyboard on the frontal side thereof. An accessory pod, having a width less than the width of the display screen and a handgrip extension adapted to hold a selected accessory device, such as a laser scanner, is disposed on the housing, opposite said frontal side. The accessory pod has one or two activation, diaphragm-type switches disposed in a pod wall disposed transversely to the handgrip extension and extending outwardly from, opposite the frontal side, the housing. The switch or switches are connected in parallel, if more than one, and are disposed near an end of the pod wall such that they are operable by either a user's thumb or finger.

Abstract: A portable, hand-held data collection terminal unit is of modular structure including among other modules a display screen module, a keyboard module and a base module, each of which may be chosen from a plurality of modules available for assembly into the terminal unit. Consequently, a wide combination of terminal units may be assembled from a comparatively limited number of modular choices, such that the cost of assembly of a terminal unit with specific functions may be minimized A particular selected module is a scanning module including a pivotable scanning head to permit a user to adjust the scanning head to a convenient position for operating the scanning module without sacrifice of visual access to a display screen of the display screen module. The display screen module may be selected from modules of standard width equal to the width of the terminal unit, of extended width extending when assembled to a selected keyboard module beyond either or both lateral edges of the terminal unit.

Abstract: A communication module for use with a portable terminal. The module includes a housing, mounting apparatus, a radio frequency transceiver and an indicia reader connector. The module can enable real-time, on-line communication with a remote host. The system can also include an antenna.

Abstract: In an exemplary embodiment, the reader unit has a pistol configuration with the automatic scan components in a barrel portion and a battery pack therefor in a handgrip portion. A display may be directed upwardly and rearwardly in the normal hand-held disposition of the reader unit during scanning, and may be of relatively large area, e.g., so as to be adaptable to direct store delivery transactions. A smart card receptacle may facilitate use of the integrated reader and terminal unit for complex transactions. A base station for the hand-held unit may include an interface such that the memory of the hand-held unit appears as a disk drive during downloading to a personal computer.

Abstract: A portable data collection terminal system has a housing having a display screen with coincident graphic data input and a keyboard on the frontal side thereof. An accessory pod, having a width less than the width of the display screen and a handgrip extension adapted to hold a selected accessory device, such as a laser scanner, is disposed on the housing, opposite said frontal side. The accessory pod has one or two activation, diaphragm-type switches disposed in a pod wall disposed transversely to the handgrip extension and extending outwardly from, opposite the frontal side, the housing. The switch or switches are connected in parallel, if more than one, and are disposed near an end of the pod wall such that they are operable by either a user's thumb or finger.

Abstract: A vehicle for transport, fork lift or delivery route operations, for example, includes on-board peripherals which are coupled through a Local Area Network (LAN) into a data system. A LAN data bus provides selective access to the peripherals or data devices such as, for example, a large area display, a keyboard, a printer and a data terminal. The data system controls or provides data on tasks executed by or in connection with the operation of the vehicle. To increase the versatility of the vehicle, the data terminal, multiple data terminals, or any of the other data devices may be removably coupled to the LAN to be operable externally of the vehicle. A mobile mount adapter provides a secure electrical connection of a respective data terminal to the LAN to removably incorporate the data terminal into the data system, and provide a common supply of both data and power to the data device.

Abstract: A hand-held terminal for receiving, storing and transmitting information is disclosed. The terminal has a keyboard, a display and is powered by internal, rechargeable batteries. An internal battery charging circuit includes a fixed voltage power supply which is controlled to provide a constant current charging current. A low-power radio frequency transceiver, for example, of a spread spectrum technology (SST) device is provided for receiving and transmitting information between the terminal and a base radio transceiver. A modular, magnetic credit card reader is operably and removably attached to the terminal and is interchangeable with a scanner of the type which can read bar codes or the like. Modules display screens, processor/memory modules, modular keyboards, and operating handles are also shown. A modular, compact printer can also be attached to the hand held terminal. Interactive pen based display screens can be used to allow information to be input directly on the screen.

Abstract: In an exemplary embodiment, the reader unit has a pistol configuration with the automatic scan components in a barrel portion and a battery pack therefor in a handgrip portion. A display may be directed upwardly and rearwardly in the normal hand-held disposition of the reader unit during scanning, and may be of relatively large area, e.g., so as to be adaptable to direct store delivery transactions. A smart card receptacle may facilitate use of the integrated reader and terminal unit for complex transactions. A base station for the hand-held unit may include an interface such that the memory of the hand-held unit appears as a disk drive during downloading to a personal computer.

Abstract: An improved device for docking a first electrical apparatus, having a first apparatus connector, such as a portable interchangeable data terminal, to a second electrical apparatus having a second apparatus connector, such as a vehicle mount. The device includes a portable dock for selectively receiving the data terminal. The dock includes a laterally extending base having a first dock connector, a second dock connector, and first guides extending transversely from each end of the base. Similarly, the second electrical apparatus has transversely extending second guides.

Abstract: In an exemplary embodiment, a hand-held data terminal has external electrical contact pads which mate with resilient contacts of a docking receptacle for the interchange of data and possibly the supply of charging current to the terminal. The terminal may be loaded into and removed from the docking receptacle in a single motion with one hand. Keyboard and display (user interface) of the terminal are fully accessible while in the docking receptacle. The terminal may be fully sealed and be completely free of the conventional pin and socket type electrical connector fittings at its exterior.

Abstract: A portable data collection terminal has an elongate housing with a hand grip conforming rear surface. A front surface features a numerical keyboard adjacent a lower end of the housing and an LCD screen adjacent the keyboard toward an upper end of the housing. The display screen is of elongate rectangular shape, its length extending longitudinally of the housing of the data terminal. The active area of the display screen is covered by a touch sensitive overlay screen which is configured in one mode of operation of the data terminal into an alphabetical keyboard. The orientation of the display is switchable between orientations in which the line direction of the displayed data extends across or longitudinally of the data terminal. The keys of the numerical keyboard are identified by indicia disposed on a template. The orientation of the template may be sensed to switch the orientation of the displayed data and touch sensitive key identifiers to correspond to the orientation of the indicia on the template.

Abstract: A hand held body for receiving, storing and transmitting information having a keyboard in the top thereof for manually entering information therein. A display is disposed on the top of such body for displaying information which has either been manually entered or scanned in or received from a base radio transceiver. A radio frequency transceiver is also disposed in the hand held body for receiving and transmitting information between the hand held body and the base radio transceiver. A scanner is provided for optically reading information and transmitting such information. A modular housing is provided for holding the scanner and a mechanism is provided for selectively attaching or detaching the housing to a bottom portion of the hand held body whereby the external portions of hand held body in the housing when attached together are small enough to be received in a shirt pocket, whereby the user can store the apparatus in such shirt pocket when not in use.

Abstract: A portable, hand-held data terminal of modular structure includes a base module with a keyboard and a display screen. A data and communications module may be selected from a number of different data and communications modules, each having different types of data communications transceivers, or including in addition data collection devices, such as shelf label readers or bar code readers. The base module includes a microprocessor-controlled data communications and control interface having a predetermined protocol. To adapt the various types of data and communications modules for selection of any one thereof to become attached to the base module and function therewith, each of the data and communications modules includes a microprocessor operable to function as an emulator to interact with the microprocessor of the base module and communicate with the microprocessor of the base module in accordance with the protocol of the data communications and control interface of the base module.

Abstract: A data system includes a portable printer unit and a portable data collection terminal. The printer unit and the data collection terminal are communicatively coupled by a data link which may be a low power radio frequency data link, or it may be a standard communications cable. The portable printer unit is distinguished over other portable printers by, among other features, having the capability of printing a check routing data block in magnetic ink and in a manner which conforms to MICR (Magnetic Ink Character Recognition) standards. Coding and decoding of data may be provided based on printer unit or printer cartridge specific data which may be transmitted from the printer unit to the data collection terminal. The portable printer unit is also adapted to receive a paper supply from either a roll paper supply cartridge or a sheet paper supply cartridge, having the capability to distinguish between the two types of cartridges.

Abstract: An improved device for docking a first electrical apparatus, having a first apparatus connector, such as a portable interchangeable data terminal, to a second electrical apparatus having a second apparatus connector, such as a vehicle mount. The device includes a portable dock for selectively receiving the data terminal. The dock includes a laterally extending base having a first dock connector, a second dock connector, and first guides extending transversely from each end of the base. Similarly, the second electrical apparatus has transversely extending second guides.

Abstract: A hand held data entry apparatus having a body for receiving, storing and transmitting information, including a camming mechanism for quickly sealingly attaching an accessory such as a scanner to the top of a hand held data entry apparatus. Additionally, a similar camming mechanism is utilized to hold a battery pack in place with the additional feature of not only pulling the battery pack securely against the housing, but also pushing the battery pack contacts into abutment with complementary contacts disposed within the housing. A keypad is provided for permitting information to be manually entered into the hand held body and this keypad is encased in a layer of elastomeric material such as silicone. A pair of LED's are utilized, one to indicate a "good scan" and the other to indicate something else, such as a "bad scan." Additionally, these LED's can be encased in operative or dummy keys in order to save keyboard space. A mechanism is provided for pivoting the scanner about either of two perpendicular axes.