US6144976A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Hand-held data collection computer terminal having power management architecture including switchable multi-purpose input display screen
Assignee: Intermec IP Corp
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Filing: 1996-09-27
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Granted: 2000-11-07
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Expires: 2016-09-27
Abstract
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. As a further embodiment an electromagnetic activation by a pen may be used to enter data into a data terminal. Power saving shutdown extends the battery life of the data terminal. A shutdown mode permits resumption of operations by depression of a key. During operations power consumption is reduced by efficient distribution of operations control between microprocessors. The microprocessors have shared access to and control of system operations.
Inventors
- 👤 Dennis Silva
- 👤 Paul Beard
- 👤 Steven Darren Friend
- 👤 Arvin D. Danielson
- 👤 Darrell L. Boatwright
- 👤 Rickey G. Austin
- 👤 Daniel E. Alt
- 👤 Darald R. Schultz
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 14:11
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K7/00; G06K7/10; G06K7/10544; G06K7/10821; G06K7/10881; G06F; G06F1/00; G06F1/16; G06F1/1613; G06F1/1626; G06F1/1632; G06F1/1633; G06F1/1656; G06F1/26; G06F1/28; G06F1/32; G06F1/3203; G06F1/3206; G06F1/3228; G06F1/3234; G06F1/3293; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/02; G06F3/023; G06F3/0231; G06F9/00; G06F9/06; G06F9/44; G06F9/4401; G06F9/4418; G06F2200/00; G06F2200/16; G06F2200/163; G06F2200/1632; Y; Y02; Y02D; Y02D10/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
257 words
A method for controlling the power consumption of a battery powered data terminal having a higher power processor and a lower power processor, comprising: operating the data terminal in a higher power mode by controlling the data terminal with the higher power processor; sharing information processed by one of the higher and lower power processors with the other of the higher and lower power processors such that either of the higher and lower power processors may control the data terminal; monitoring for the occurrence of a predetermined condition; upon the occurrence of the predetermined condition, saving the states of the data terminal in a memory such that the states may be subsequently retrieved to restore the data terminal to a condition of operation at the time of the occurrence of the predetermined condition; operating the data terminal in a lower power mode by removing power from the data terminal including removing power from the higher power processor while maintaining power for the lower power processor such that the data terminal is controlled by the lower power processor; monitoring for the occurrence of a predetermined event with the lower power processor; and upon the occurrence of the predetermined event, restoring the operation of the data terminal to the condition of operation at the time of the occurrence of the predetermined condition by restoring power to the data terminal including applying power to the higher power processor and retrieving the states from memory whereby the data terminal is controlled by the higher power processor in a higher power mode.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
257 words
A method for controlling the power consumption of a battery powered data terminal having a higher power processor and a lower power processor, comprising: operating the data terminal in a higher power mode by controlling the data terminal with the higher power processor; sharing information processed by one of the higher and lower power processors with the other of the higher and lower power processors such that either of the higher and lower power processors may control the data terminal; monitoring for the occurrence of a predetermined condition; upon the occurrence of the predetermined condition, saving the states of the data terminal in a memory such that the states may be subsequently retrieved to restore the data terminal to a condition of operation at the time of the occurrence of the predetermined condition; operating the data terminal in a lower power mode by removing power from the data terminal including removing power from the higher power processor while maintaining power for the lower power processor such that the data terminal is controlled by the lower power processor; monitoring for the occurrence of a predetermined event with the lower power processor; and upon the occurrence of the predetermined event, restoring the operation of the data terminal to the condition of operation at the time of the occurrence of the predetermined condition by restoring power to the data terminal including applying power to the higher power processor and retrieving the states from memory whereby the data terminal is controlled by the higher power processor in a higher power mode.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, the predetermined condition being a low power condition.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, the predetermined condition being a predetermined duration during which no activity of the data terminal occurs.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, the predetermined condition being a low battery voltage level.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, said saving step including storing the states in a non-volatile memory.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, said saving step including storing the states in a power-backed memory.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, the predetermined event being the reception of a predetermined input.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, the predetermined event being the reception of power from an alternate power source.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of, prior to said restoring step, determining the output level of the battery, in the event output level is sufficient, executing said restoring step, and otherwise maintaining the data terminal in a lower power mode.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of, prior to said retrieving step, performing a memory test to determine the integrity of the states stored therein, in the event the integrity is sufficient, executing said retrieving step, and otherwise performing a full reset of the data terminal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
274 words
A computer readable medium having computer readable code embodied thereon for causing a computer to execute steps for controlling the power consumption of a battery powered data terminal having a higher power processor and a lower power processor, the steps comprising: operating the data terminal in a higher power mode by controlling the data terminal with the higher power processor; sharing information processed by one of the higher and lower power processors with the other of the higher and lower power processors such that either of the higher and lower power processors may control the data terminal; monitoring for the occurrence of a predetermined condition; upon the occurrence of the predetermined condition, saving the states of the data terminal in a memory such that the states may be subsequently retrieved to restore the data terminal to a condition of operation at the time of the occurrence of the predetermined condition; operating the data terminal in a lower power mode by removing power from the data terminal including removing power from the higher power processor while maintaining power for the lower power processor such that the data terminal is controlled by the lower power processor; monitoring for the occurrence of a predetermined event with the lower power processor; and upon the occurrence of the predetermined event, restoring the operation of the data terminal to the condition of operation at the time of the occurrence of the predetermined condition by restoring power to the data terminal including applying power to the higher power processor and retrieving the states from memory whereby the data terminal is controlled by the higher power processor in a higher power mode.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
274 words
A computer readable medium having computer readable code embodied thereon for causing a computer to execute steps for controlling the power consumption of a battery powered data terminal having a higher power processor and a lower power processor, the steps comprising: operating the data terminal in a higher power mode by controlling the data terminal with the higher power processor; sharing information processed by one of the higher and lower power processors with the other of the higher and lower power processors such that either of the higher and lower power processors may control the data terminal; monitoring for the occurrence of a predetermined condition; upon the occurrence of the predetermined condition, saving the states of the data terminal in a memory such that the states may be subsequently retrieved to restore the data terminal to a condition of operation at the time of the occurrence of the predetermined condition; operating the data terminal in a lower power mode by removing power from the data terminal including removing power from the higher power processor while maintaining power for the lower power processor such that the data terminal is controlled by the lower power processor; monitoring for the occurrence of a predetermined event with the lower power processor; and upon the occurrence of the predetermined event, restoring the operation of the data terminal to the condition of operation at the time of the occurrence of the predetermined condition by restoring power to the data terminal including applying power to the higher power processor and retrieving the states from memory whereby the data terminal is controlled by the higher power processor in a higher power mode.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 11, the predetermined condition being a low power condition.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 11, the predetermined condition being a predetermined duration during which no activity of the data terminal occurs.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 11, the predetermined condition being a low battery voltage level.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 11, said saving step including storing the states in a non-volatile memory.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 11, said saving step including storing the states in a power-backed memory.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 11, the predetermined event being the reception of a predetermined input.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
22 words
A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 11, the predetermined event being the reception of power from an alternate power source.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
50 words
A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 11, the steps further comprising the steps of, prior to said restoring step, determining the output level of the battery, in the event output level is sufficient, executing said restoring step, and otherwise maintaining the data terminal in a lower power mode.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
55 words
A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 11, the steps further comprising the steps of, prior to said retrieving step, performing a memory test to determine the integrity of the states stored therein, in the event the integrity is sufficient, executing said retrieving step, and otherwise performing a full reset of the data terminal.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-11-07 | 2004-05-08 | 2004-11-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-11-07 | 2008-05-08 | 2008-11-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-11-07 | 2012-05-08 | 2012-11-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |