Abstract:
An apparatus and method for expediting self-checkout at a point-of-sale station, employ a mobile electronic device, e.g., a cellular phone, held and operated by each customer. The device images one-dimensional symbols identifying items to be purchased, decodes the one-dimensional symbols to form decoded data, combines the decoded data to form one or more two-dimensional symbols, and displays each two-dimensional symbol on a display screen. Each displayed two-dimensional symbol is presented to a window of an electro-optical scanner at the point-of-sale station. The scanner images and decodes each displayed two-dimensional symbol to form a series of decoded data indicative of all the one-dimensional symbols, and sends the series of decoded data to a host network.
Abstract:
A system for, and method of, enhancing product selection and purchase in a retail environment, utilizes a handheld device that includes a cellular telephone operative for long-range, mobile, wireless communication over a wide cellular network, a solid-state imager having an array of image sensors for capturing return light from a target, and a communications interface operative for short-range, mobile, wireless communication over a local network associated with the retail environment. A controller is operatively connected to the telephone, the imager and the interface, and is operative for automatically pairing the handheld device with the local network by operating the imager to capture the return light from a command target code associated with the retail environment.
Abstract:
Working range and laser beam cross-section are adjusted in an electro-optical reader (20) for reading indicia (24) by applying control voltages to a pair of variable lenses to change the shape of a liquid therein. An aperture stop (82) maintains a constant beam cross-section as an input to one of the lenses.
Abstract:
A solid-state imager is mounted at a point-of-transaction workstation for capturing images of one- and two-dimensional indicia and is operated at high speed to resist image blurring due to relative movement between the target and the imager. Dedicated hardware assistance and computation resources are allocated to decode multiple, continuous and simultaneous video streams from multiple imagers at the workstation.
Abstract:
Eine Vorrichtung und ein Verfahren zum elektrooptischen Lesen von in einer Arbeitsstation, wie zum Beispiel einer Doppelfenster-Arbeitsstation, arbiträr ausgerichteten Zielen, die mit einer Festkörper-Bildgabevorrichtung zum Auffangen von zurückgeworfenem Licht von den Zielen über ein Sichtfeld arbeiten. Die Bildgabevorrichtung hat eine Gruppierung von Sensoren, die entlang zueinander senkrecht verlaufender Gruppierungsachsen angeordnet sind. Ein optisches System teilt die Sichtfelder in mehrere Teilsichtfelder, die sich durch ein Arbeitsstationsfenster zu einem Ziel erstrecken. Ein Teilfeld ist optisch dafür konfiguriert, es der Bildgabevorrichtung zu ermöglichen, Licht von dem Ziel entlang einer Gruppierungsachse aufzufangen. Ein weiteres Teilfeld ist optisch dafür konfiguriert, es der Bildgabevorrichtung zu ermöglichen, Licht von dem Ziel entlang der anderen Gruppierungsachse aufzufangen. Ein Controller verarbeitet das aufgefangene Licht sowohl in dem einen als auch in dem anderen Teilfeld, um das Lesen des arbiträr ausgerichteten Ziels in der Arbeitsstation unabhängig von der Ziel-Ausrichtung relativ zu den Gruppierungsachsen zu ermöglichen.
Abstract:
A data transfer system for an LCD price tagging arrangement includes an electro-optical scanner and one or more LCD price tags. Each LCD price tag is associated with a given product in a retail outlet and carries price or other information relating to that product. The LCD price tag includes an electro-optical detector for detecting a beam generated by the scanner. The scanner light beam generating source is modulated such that the beam carries product information. Accordingly the price or other product information on the LCD price tag can be quickly and efficiently updated.
Abstract:
A data collection module for a personal digital assistant includes data collection means such as a barcode scanner and is arranged to complement the capabilities of the personal digital assistant whilst incorporating enhanced data collection capability.
Abstract:
An optical scanning system for reading indicia of differing light reflectivity has an optical scan module which is adapted to be mounted on a finger of a user. A first peripheral module, preferably in the form of a wrist watch, has a receiver which detects the reflected light. A second peripheral module, mounted on the other arm of the user, communicates with the first module by radio frequency transmission. According to other aspects of the invention, the light detector may be mounted in a housing which is separate and apart from the optical scan module. According to another aspect, a laser pointer or scanner is mounted to a ring which is arranged to be worn on a single finger of the user.