Abstract: An intelligent portable interactive personal data system is disclosed. A microprocessor with memory is containted with a transaction card-shaped housing. An alphanumeric keypad and alphanumeric display is located on a surface of the housing. At least one port within the housing is provided for the input and output of information. An operating system is stored in the memory to control the operation of the system through the microprocessor. The operating system provides a means for generating a plurality of messages on the display that prompts the user during the operation of the system.

Abstract: An entirely field-portable laser scanning system for reading boar code symbols includes a light-weight and small-sized laser scanning head. The laser source, power supply component, optics, scanning elements, sensor circuit, and signal processing circuitry are specially designed for minimal size and weight and volume such that they can all be mounted in the head. The head can be bracket-mounted or hand-held. The housing for the head can be provided with a handle grip, or can be gun-shaped. High-speed oscillating scanning motors and/or penta-bimorph scanners are used as scanning elements. A trigger initiates repetitive scanning of each object bearing a symbol, and an indicator indicates when the scanning of that particular object has been terminated. A body harness supports the remaining scanner system circuitry. A non-bulky, freely-movable cable interconnects the head to the body harness. Methods of scanning the symbol and of operating the system are also disclosed.

Abstract: An entirely field-portable laser scanning system for reading bar code symbols includes a light-weight and small-sized laser scanning head. The laser source, power supply component, optics, scanning elements, sensor circuit, and signal processing circuitry are specially designed for minimal size and weight and volume such that they can all be mounted in the head. The head can be bracket-mounted or hand-held. The housing for the head can be provided with a handle grip, or can be gun-shaped. High-speed oscillating scanning motors and/or penta-bimorph scanners are used as scanning elements. A trigger initiates repetitive scanning of each object bearing a symbol, and an indicator indicates when the scanning of that particular object has been terminated. A body harness supports the remaining scanner system circuitry. A non-bulky, freely-movable cable interconnects the head to the body harness. Methods of scanning the symbol and of operating the system are also disclosed.

Abstract: An entirely field-portable laser scanning system for reading bar code symbols includes a light-weight and small-sized laser scanning head. The laser source, power supply component, optics, scanning elements, sensor circuit, and signal processing circuitry are specially designed for minimal size and weight and volume such that they can all be mounted in the head. The head can be bracket-mounted or hand-held. The housing for the head can be provided with a handle grip, or can be gun-shaped. Highspeed oscillating scanning motors and/or penta-bimorph scanners are used as scanning elements. A trigger initiates repetitive scanning of each object bearing a symbol, and an indicator indicates when the scanning of that particular object has been terminated. A body harness supports the remaining scanner system circuitry. A non-bulky, freely-movable cable interconnects the head to the body harness. Methods of scanning the symbol and of operating the system are also disclosed.

Abstract: A portable, stand-alone, desk-top, laser scanning workstation includes a laser scanning head mounted above a support base. Objects bearing bar code symbols to be scanned are passed underneath the head for overhead scanning, or are passed along one side of the head for sideward scanning. The symbols are oriented face-up towards the handler all during their passage through the workstation to facilitate sighting and registration of the symbol with the laser light beam generated by the head. The workstation is self-supporting, is fully portable, can process objects of different sizes, and grants access to objects from either side of the workstation. The workstation is connected to a microprocessor-based microcomputer which is mounted within a desk-top console, as well as to a variety of peripheral devices such as a printer, a keyboard, a communications port, audio-visual annunciators and a data display.

Abstract: Laser light reflected from a bar code symbol pattern is detected by a photodetector mounted in a portable scanning head of a laser scanning system. By selecting appropriate threshold values on the analog signal generated by the photodetector, the analog signal is converted to a series of pulses, each pulse width accurately corresponding to the width of a bar from the scanned pattern. A plurality of functions can be determined from the series of pulses, each function being independently selected by keyboard entry from the head, displayed on the head, and/or recorded by a printer remote from the head. Single line or multiple line scans in two orthogonal directions relative to the pattern may be selected. A bimorph or speaker-type oscillatory element may be utilized as a miniature scanning element. Circuitry for synchronizing scanning along both axes, and for generating a signal to drive the bimorph in a uniform, constant velocity manner is also disclosed.

Abstract: Laser light reflected from a bar code symbol pattern is detected by a photodetector mounted in a portable scanning head of a laser scanning system. By selecting appropriate threshold values on the analog signal generated by the photodetector, the analog signal is converted to a series of pulses, each pulse width accurately corresponding to the width of a bar from the scanned pattern. A plurality of functions can be determined from the series of pulses, each function being independently selected by keyboard entry from the head, displayed on the head, and/or recorded by a printer remote from the head. Single line or multiple line scans in two orthogonal directions relative to the pattern may be selected. A bimorph or speaker-type oscillatory element may be utilized as a miniature scanning element. Circuitry for synchronizing scanning along both axes, and for generating a signal to drive the bimorph in a uniform, constant velocity manner is also disclosed.