Scanning Point-of-Sale Terminal

Reference is hereby made to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 386,377 filed Jul. 27, 1989 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,971,410 and assigned to the assignee of the present invention.

This invention relates to optical scanning systems and more particularly to an optical scanning unit associated with a data terminal device utilized in merchandising checkout, transaction processing or self-service sale operations.

Present-day merchandising checkout systems found in supermarkets and the like normally employ an optical scanning unit located in a checkout counter and a data terminal device positioned adjacent the checkout counter. There has arisen a need to have the checkout system cover the smallest area possible while reducing the time it takes to check out a customer. It would also be desirable if the optical scanner could easily accommodate left or right-handed checkout operators.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, there is provided an optical scanning device mounted in one of the side walls of a data terminal device. The scanning device is mounted in a socket for rotational movement to provide a plurality of scanning positions. In a second embodiment of the invention, one or more scanning units are mounted in the data terminal device flush with the surface of one or more walls of the data terminal cabinet to provide a vertical and/or horizontal orientation of the scanning unit.

It is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide a data terminal device having a scanning unit mounted within the cabinet structure of the terminal device.

It is another object of this invention to provide a data terminal device having a scanning unit mounted within the cabinet structure of the terminal device which is adapted for movement to a plurality of scanning positions.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention, as well as the invention itself, will become more apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the following detailed description taken in consideration with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a data terminal device showing a scanning unit extending outwardly from a side wall of the terminal device;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a data terminal device showing a scanning unit mounted flush with one of the walls of the terminal device;

FIG. 3 is a partial side sectional view of the scanning unit of FIG. 1 showing the socket member mounted to the side wall of the terminal device enabling the scanning unit to be rotated to a plurality of scanning positions;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4--4 of FIG. 3 showing an end view of the socket member and the scanning unit; and

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the data processing system of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a partial side sectional view of one of the scanning units of FIG. 2 which is mounted flush with one of the walls of the terminal device.

Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a terminal device generally indicated by the numeral 20 and includes a side wall 22 in which is mounted an optical scanning unit 24. The scanning unit 24 projects outwardly from the wall 22. As will be described hereinafter, the scanning unit is mounted for rotational movement enabling the checkout operator to manually position the scanning unit in a number of scanning positions depending on the needs of the operator.

FIG. 2 of the drawings is a similar view of the terminal device 20 shown in FIG. 1 but with the scanning unit 24 mounted within the terminal device with the face 26 of the scanning unit 24 flush with a wall of the terminal device. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, the face 26 of the scanning unit 24 is mounted flush with the surface of a top wall member 28. It is obvious that the scanning unit 24 may also be located in any of the wall members of the terminal device as is indicated by the scanning unit 30 shown located on the side wall 22. If required, two or more scanning units may be mounted within the terminal device as shown in FIG. 2. Further, it is obvious that the rotatable scanning unit 24 shown in FIG. 1 may be located in any of the wall members of the terminal device as indicated in FIG. 2 and that two or more of such scanning units may be mounted in the terminal device if desired.

Referring now to FIGS. 3, 4 and 6, there are shown views of the scanning unit 24 (FIG. 1) mounted within the terminal device 20. The scanning unit 24 comprises an elongated hollow casing member 32 within which is mounted a compact scanning unit 34 whose construction is fully disclosed in the previously cited patent application Ser. No. 386,377 which application is fully incorporated herein by reference. Secured to the outer surface of the casing member 32 is an annular shaped bearing member 36 having a circular surface 38 which slidably engages the correspondingly configured socket 40 of a support member 42 secured to the side wall member 22 by any conventional means such as screws 44 (FIG. 4). It will be seen that this construction enables the scanning unit 24 to be manually rotated in any direction within the socket 40.

The support member 42 includes a pair of opposed recessed annular surfaces 46 which are orientated to enable the scanning unit 24 to be rotated from a horizontal position to an angular position. In the present embodiment, the scanning unit can be rotated through 60 degrees. Secured to the rear wall member 48 of the scanning unit 24 is a plug member 50 to which is attached a power cable 52. A connecting cable 54 secured to the plug member 50 is connected to a printed circuit board 56 for supplying power to the scanning unit. In FIG. 6, the scanning unit 24 is shown mounted flush with the top wall member 28 (FIG. 2).

Referring to FIG. 5, there is shown a block diagram of the data processing system associated with the present invention. As shown, the data terminal device 20 receives data from the optical scanning unit 24 and the keyboard 58 (FIGS. 1 and 2) and controls the operation of the printer 60 and the display 62 (FIGS. 1 and 2) associated with the terminal device in a manner that is well known in the art. A remote processor (CPU) 66 is coupled over a cable 64 to the terminal device. During a checkout operation, the scanning unit 24 will scan a coded label (not shown) located on the purchased merchandise item thereby generating data identifying the purchased merchandise item. This data is transmitted to the terminal device 20. If the coded label is unreadable, the checkout operator will enter the same data utilizing the keyboard 58. The generated data is then transmitted from the terminal device 20 to the processor 66 over the cable 64. The processor 66 will look up the price of the purchased merchandise item using the received data. This price information is transmitted to the terminal device 20 which operates the printer 60 to print the price on a receipt record and operates the display 62 to display the price.

It will thus be seen that the data terminal device together with the scanning unit can be located anywhere in the supermarket to provide a checkout operation with the scanning unit being adjusted to provide the most convenient scanning position for the operator enabling the operator to checkout the purchased merchandise items in the minimum amount of time. While the terminal device has been described with respect to a supermarket environment, it is obvious that the the present embodiment of the terminal device may be used in other checkout environments such as fast food restaurants or in self-service environments in which the customer utilizes the scanning unit to read bar coded labels on purchased merchandise items or coded merchandising coupons.

While the principles of the invention have now been made clear in an illustrated embodiment, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many modifications of structure, arrangements and components can be made which are particularly adapted for specific environments and operating requirements without departing from those principles. The appended claims are therefore intended to cover and embrace any such modifications, within the limits only of the true spirit and scope of the invention.