Abstract: A system and method of the type for aiding a user in navigating a route through a facility so as too efficiently locate specific items within a facility is provided. The system includes a facility processor having a database and software stored thereon for mapping an interactive route from selected location to selected location within a facility, a label located proximate individual items, the label electronically communicating information specific to the item it is associated with, and a digital device having the interactive route electronically stored thereon, the digital device electronically communicating with the facility processor and the labels for tracking movement of the digital device along the route via communication with the labels and communicating a direction to move to follow the route.

Abstract: A USB device centric agent is associated with an operating system. The agent software is only required to be loaded once and then it will function with multiple compatible USB devices. A standard interface is established between the device agent and any compatible USB device. This enables any compatible USB device to control the agent which in turn controls the host computer. This is opposite the standard practice where the host controls the USB device.

Abstract: Within a network of computers, a system administrator function controls the backing up of data of client machines to selected other client machines within the network by removing control of and access to portions of the hard files within those machines to the local user. The freed up storage space within the client's local hard files is then used for backup purposes to backup data from other machines within the network. Agents in the server and client machines perform this task making it possible to distribute the backup workload across the network. There are three modes of backup: source initiated, target initiated, and server communal backup (CB) agent initiated. All are coordinated by the server CB agent.

Abstract: The disclosed method and system enables the acquisition and capture of consumer information at the time of purchase, such that a product's bar code (UPC) label and a consumer's response are concurrently read at the time of purchase, so as to obtain timely consumer information of high integrity. In one embodiment, a method is provided where the consumer may respond individually to inquiries on a plurality of products such that the consumer's responses are captured at the check-out counter at the time of purchase, and a resulting set of information containing responses to a plurality of specific products can be generated.

Abstract: A system and method of the type for aiding a user in navigating a route through a facility so as too efficiently locate specific items within a facility is provided. The system includes a facility processor having a database and software stored thereon for mapping an interactive route from selected location to selected location within a facility, a label located proximate individual items, the label electronically communicating information specific to the item it is associated with, and a digital device having the interactive route electronically stored thereon, the digital device electronically communicating with the facility processor and the labels for tracking movement of the digital device along the route via communication with the labels and communicating a direction to move to follow the route.

Abstract: A system and method of the type for aiding a user in navigating a route through a facility so as too efficiently locate specific items within a facility is provided. The system includes a facility processor having a database and software stored thereon for mapping an interactive route from selected location to selected location within a facility, a label located proximate individual items, the label electronically communicating information specific to the item it is associated with, and a digital device having the interactive route electronically stored thereon, the digital device electronically communicating with the facility processor and the labels for tracking movement of the digital device along the route via communication with the labels and communicating a direction to move to follow the route.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and system for controlling a system display from the processor controlling a fiscal printer. The system display is controlled by generating an overlay image in a storage device along with overlay image selector data. The overlay image selector data is used to control modifying circuits that can substitute or otherwise modify, with overlay image data, all or a portion of the system display image generated by application software. Since the fiscal printer hardware and firmware is not a part of the particular application software running on a point of sale device the control function of the fiscal printer need not require modification of application software or hardware.

Abstract: A method and system for brokering a transaction between a plurality of wireless communication devices is disclosed. The method and system includes enabling a plurality of wireless devices to communicate with one another, allowing a user to enter a request related to an object to be brokered into a first enabled wireless device, and exchanging the request with a plurality of enabled wireless devices. The system and method also includes receiving a response to the request by a third party facilitator from a user of a wireless device interested in completing the transaction. The third party facilitator will then complete the transaction between users of the first wireless device and the wireless device interested in completing the transaction. In another aspect of the present invention, at least one wireless broker device helps disseminate the request from the first wireless device to the wireless device interested in completing the transaction.

Abstract: The disclosed method and system enables the acquisition and capture of consumer information at the time of purchase, such that a product's bar code (UPC) label and a consumer's response are concurrently read at the time of purchase, so as to obtain timely consumer information of high integrity. In one embodiment, a method is provided where the consumer may respond individually to inquiries on a plurality of products such that the consumer's responses are captured at the check-out counter at the time of purchase, and a resulting set of information containing responses to a plurality of specific products can be generated.

Abstract: A point of sale terminal includes an input device, for reading information to be stored as part of a financial transaction, and a storage device in which data derived from the information is stored, with the amount of data stored being determined by the financial value of the transaction. The terminal may include a document scanner providing an image of a check or of another form of identification associated with a check, and a digitizing tablet, which provides an indication of movement of a pen or stylus to form a signature. The terminal may also include optical character recognition, which is used to obtain a name and address from the check, which is also stored according to the value of the check.

Abstract: Provided is an electrical circuit that provides a boosting circuit that all in one provides a regulated step-up voltage to a non-linear device such as an array of light emitting diodes (LEDs) used in a liquid crystal display (LCD). The unique placement of the current sensing circuit within the boosting circuitry eliminates the need for a separate current regulating circuit, thus minimizing the circuitry needed to provide a constant back lighting LED array of constant luminosity.

Abstract: A system and method of the type for aiding a user in navigating a route through a facility so as too efficiently locate specific items within a facility is provided. The system includes a facility processor having a database and software stored thereon for mapping an interactive route from selected location to selected location within a facility, a label located proximate individual items, the label electronically communicating information specific to the item it is associated with, and a digital device having the interactive route electronically stored thereon, the digital device electronically communicating with the facility processor and the labels for tracking movement of the digital device along the route via communication with the labels and communicating a direction to move to follow the route.

Abstract: A keyboard is placed into a suspend mode. Upon the detection of the pressing of a key, the keyboard processor is wakened from the suspend mode. No power is consumed during the suspend mode, sine the keyboard processor is not scanning the key matrix. The key matrix drive circuitry may also be tested by monitoring a signal emanating from the key matrix drive circuitry and scanning each of the drive lines in the key matrix. If the signal is altered, then the associated drive line in the keyboard drive circuitry is defective. Testing of sense circuitry is performed by changing pull-up resistors to pull-down resistors and then reading sense lines.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a contrast control method and circuitry for setting and compensating the contrast of a liquid crystal display (LCD). The present invention has circuitry for generating a contrast voltage normally applied to a control pin. Normally the actual contrast of the LCD is a sensitive function of the difference between the applied contrast voltage and the display power supply voltage. The present invention generates a reference voltage that is adjustable and made to vary inversely with temperature. The contrast control circuitry uses a feedback loop to make the difference voltage between the display power supply voltage and the contrast voltage equal to twice the reference voltage. A contrast setting made using the circuitry of the present invention now becomes independent of the display power supply voltage and compensated for variations in the temperature of the LCD. A high gain amplification method for reducing error voltages and providing wide dynamic range is also disclosed.

Abstract: A wearable computer communicates with its display device via an optical link. The optical link may utilize different colored LEDs and corresponding photodetectors for transmitting and receiving the video and control signals to and from the computer and the hand-held display package. The wearable computer may communicate with a local area network by a radio communications link. The use of two antennas mounted and associated with the wearable computer eliminates any notch within a propagation pattern emanated from the antennas.

Abstract: A wearable computer communicates with its display device via an optical link. The optical link may utilize different colored LEDs and corresponding photodetectors for transmitting and receiving the video and control signals to and from the computer and the hand-held display package. The wearable computer may communicate with a local area network by a radio communications link. The use of two antennas mounted and associated with the wearable computer eliminates any notch within a propagation pattern emanated from the antennas.

Abstract: A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag includes a photodetector which is receptive to a predefined wavelength and a control circuit which is receptive to a flash pattern of a light source. The RFID tag responds to a predefined command from RFID base station only if the photodetector included in the tag was activated by a light signal having an appropriate wavelength and flash pattern. During or after the photodetector circuit is activated, an operator of a pulsed light source then interrogates a single RFID tag with an unknown identification by using a pulsed light source to illuminate the particular tag. Only the tag illuminated by the pulsed light source responds to the reader.

Abstract: A data processing system and method are implemented for determining when a portion of RFID tags in a read volume cannot be fully accessed by a RFID tag reader. In the data processing system, multiple known RFID tags are placed around a perimeter of a three-dimensional read volume. A RFID tag reader interrogates each of the RFID tags to determine whether all the perimeter RFID tags can be accessed before the reader attempts to access the contents of the read volume. If the reader is unable to interrogate all of the perimeter RFID tags, then it is likely that a blockage of radio frequency signals within the read volume exists. Therefore, an RFID tag within the read volume cannot be accessed because the RF signals are unable to reach the RFID tag due to blockage. In this situation, a system operator would be alerted that an RFID reader is unable to accurately access a number of RFID tags within the read volume. The system operator would also be alerted as to a location of the blockage within the read volume.