WO2001013623A1

WO2001013623A1 - Data transmission device and data reader

Info

Publication number: WO2001013623A1
Application number: PCT/DE2000/002835
Authority: WO
Inventors: Elmar Hartmut Will
Original assignee: Elmar Hartmut Will
Priority date: 1999-08-18
Filing date: 2000-08-18
Publication date: 2001-02-22
Also published as: DE10082425D2; DE19938548A1; AU7770100A

Abstract

The invention relates to a data transmission device (1) with a facsimile transmission device (2) or the like which induces the display of text/images or a print-out of text/images and the long-distance transmission of data. Said data transmission device is provided with a data reader (3) that is operated individually and spatially separately from the facsimile transmission device (2). Said data reader (3) communicates with a receiving device (4) that is allocated to the facsimile transmission device (2) and that receives the data from the data reader (3). Said data reader (3) is provided with a scan reader, especially a bar code reader (6), and communicates wirelessly with the receiving device (4) that is allocated to the facsimile transmission device (2). The communication between the data reader (3) and the receiving device (4) proceeds via light beams (9). The receiving unit (4) comprises a reception area (10) onto which the light beams (9) emitted by the data reader (3) are projected.

Description

Data transmission device and data reading device

The invention relates to a data transmission device with a facsimile device or the like, both a text / image display or a text / image printout and a remote transmission of data-effecting device, and a data reading device for use in such a data transmission device.

The use of a fax facility to place a written order is well known; The data of the goods to be ordered must be written down in writing, the order is signed by hand and sent to the supplier by fax. The disadvantage of this procedure is that the order data must be fixed in writing, be it with the help of a computer with a text program or a typewriter, and a text printout of the order must be created.

The invention has for its object to provide a data transmission device and a data reading device for use in such a data transmission device, which enables the task of a written order using a fax device without the aid of another tool to create or print out the order text.

This object is achieved by a data transmission device according to claim 1 and a data reading device according to claim 16.

According to the invention, it is provided that the data transmission device has a data reading device to be operated separately and spatially separate from the telefax device, which is connected to a receiving device assigned to the fax device. catching device for receiving data from the data reading device communicates.

The invention enables a written order to be submitted solely by means of the facsimile device and the associated data reading device. The data required for the order are read in and processed by the data reading device and sent to the fax machine, which then creates and prints a written order form. The order form can now be signed by hand by the ordering party and sent to the supplier by fax. Additional tools for creating the written order form, such as a computer with word processor and printer or a typewriter, are not required.

In accordance with the principle of the invention, the data reading device comprises a scan reading device, in particular a bar code reader, by means of which the order data, in particular in the form of a bar code, can be read. The data reading device communicates wirelessly with the receiving device assigned to the fax device; In this way, the ordering data can also be recorded at remote locations by the fax device and initially stored temporarily in the data reading device, and then - also advantageously in wireless form - transmitted to the receiving device of the fax device. The transmitted order data are processed in the receiving device and sent to the fax machine for printing out the order form.

Further advantages, special features and expedient developments of the invention result from the subclaims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is explained below with reference to the drawing. It shows: Figure 1 is a schematic overall view of the data transmission device with a data reading device according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a plan view of a receiving device or a receiving area according to the preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 shows a schematic sectional view of the receiving device or the receiving area according to FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 shows a schematic overall view of the data transmission device with a data reading device according to a further preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a data transmission device 1 according to the invention with a commercially available fax device 2 (or the like both a text / image display or a text / image printout and a remote transmission of data-causing device), and with a separate and spatially separate device from the fax device 2 Data reading device 3 to be operated, which communicates with a receiving device 4 associated with the fax device 2 and belonging to the invention for receiving data from the data reading device 3. The data reading device 3 has on the one hand a scan reading device, in particular a bar code reader 6, and on the other hand a transmission element 7, the transmission element 7 and the bar code reader 6 of the data reading device 3 being structurally combined in a single housing 8 which can be carried comfortably in one hand of an operator ,

With the bar code reader 6 of the data reading device 3, the data of a bar code or bar code 5 are per se known read by means of an optoelectronic element and buffered and further processed in an electronic circuit (not shown) of the data reading device 3. The barcode 5 bears in coded form, for example, the order data of the article to be ordered, in particular, for example, the article number, article description, article price and the like. The order data read in and further processed in this way is then forwarded to the reception area 10 of the reception device 4 by means of the transmission element 7, which is also controlled by the electronic circuit provided in the data reading device 3. The transmission element 7 is advantageously formed by a laser pointer, which is known per se in its basic mode of operation and therefore does not need to be explained in more detail. With the data transmission device 1 according to the exemplary embodiment, data can be transmitted in the manner according to the invention with the aid of such a laser pointer. For this purpose, the user points the laser pointer at the desired target object with his hand, according to the invention at the reception area 10 of the reception device 4 assigned to the fax device 2. This naturally results in a trembling movement of the light spot, which the laser beam of the laser Executes pointers on the target object. Especially at larger distances, it can be difficult to direct the laser beam onto a small receiving area. According to the principle of the invention, this problem is solved in that the sensitive area of the receiving device 4 is formed by a receiving area 10, which will be explained in more detail below.

By means of the transmitting element 7, the data reading device 3 can thus preferably communicate wirelessly with the receiving device 4 assigned to the fax device 2, specifically the communication between the data reading device 3 and the receiving device 4 takes place via (pulsed) light beams 9, the receiving device 4 covering the receiving area 10, in which the light beams 9 emitted by the data reading device 3 can be irradiated, and includes an evaluation circuit 11 which is connected to the electronic control part 2A of the fax device 2 and processes the read data thereon.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show a top view or a sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the receiving device 4 assigned to the fax device 2 or its receiving area 10.

FIG. 2 shows the top view of the reception area 10 of the reception device 4 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The reception area 10 is accommodated in a frame or housing 12. The housing 12 has a square plan. However, a rectangular, triangular, circular or elliptical plan of the housing 12 is also conceivable. Photosensitive sensors 13 are arranged on a diagonal of the plan square of the housing 12. The interior of the housing or reception area 10 is filled with a filling material 14. The light-sensitive surface then corresponds to the surface of the receiving area 10. The light-sensitive surface of the receiving device 4 shown is thus significantly larger than the light-sensitive surface of the individual sensors 13 combined. The costs of the receiving device can thus be reduced, since correspondingly large sensors, for example based on silicon, are considerably more expensive. In principle, the size and shape of the light-sensitive surface can be chosen arbitrarily. For reasons of cost, the light-sensitive area of the reception area should be at least twice as large as that of the sensors 13. There is only an upper limit for the area of an individual sensor element 13 in such a way that the sensitivity to the edge of the impact area decreases (see FIG 3). With a corresponding number of sensor elements 13, the impact area of the reception area 10 can be made as large as desired. Zweckmäßigerwei- UJ oo ι o \ co P> g Hj Pi tr ¹ N Ω h "d ⁾ hh ^ 3 ^ tr ¹ t- ¹ φ Pi td Hi CO hh n <α Hi oo" d tr h CO rt H-: J φ , tT H- t- ¹ h- ¹ : H- H- o H- μ- 3 Φ P> Φ φ μ- μ- tr φ μ- Φ o P): Hi O μ- Φ tf co co H- Φ a HH iQ rt Ω Ω "dadaa Ω μ- Hi φ P> μ- CO O: CO φ Ω

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photosensitive sensor 13 is directed. The diffuser material is mixed in a ratio of 2 to 50% by volume, preferably 5 to 30% by volume, into the filler or base material consisting of epoxy material or the like. The proportion of the diffuser material must be high enough to ensure a sufficient diffuser effect, and on the other hand the proportion must not be too high so that excessive light attenuation does not occur. The diffuser therefore ensures that the bundled light beam is fanned out, so that the beam energy is distributed in a planar fashion. As a rule, fractions of this radiation energy, which are directed onto the sensor 13, then suffice in order to generate a sufficient photocurrent by opto-electrical conversion. A filter material can also be mixed into the filler material 14 consisting of the base material and the diffuser material. By means of this filter material, the receiving device can be designed selectively with respect to the light to be detected. If the filter material is precisely matched to the wavelength to be received or the wavelength range to be received, ambient light from the surroundings can be suppressed and the signal-to-noise ratio of the receiving device can be increased. For example, it is expedient to mix a red light filter into the filling material in order to selectively receive the laser light from a pointer 7 with a wavelength of 650 nm. Epoxy material is selected as the filling material, which at the same time guarantees mechanical protection for the sensors 13 and the sensor circuit 15, 16 after curing. This means that an additional cover in the light path is not required, which would have a negative effect on the beam input or the sensitivity. Such mechanical protection is generally desirable, but nevertheless, for example, scratch marks on the surface of the filler material 14 have a rather negative effect, since they increase the diffuser effect.

Of course, as explained above, the diffuser does not have to be mixed into a filler, but a diffuser plate can also be placed above the photosensitive sensor. sensors 13 are used, which scatters the incident light onto the sensors 13. In the same way, the filter material mentioned above does not have to be mixed into the filling material, but instead a thin-film filter can be attached above the sensors 13, for example.

The carrier material, i.e. H. the circuit board 15, which carries the sensors 13, is framed according to FIG. 3 by the side walls of the housing 12. This frame is preferably made of a material that reflects the incident light. The light incident on the side wall of the housing 12 from the inside is thus reflected back into the filler material 14 or into the reception area of the receiving device 4. In addition, the inside of the side walls of the housing 12 can be roughened or sawtooth-shaped to have a

To achieve a diffuser effect even when reflecting on the side walls. In addition, in the case of an elliptical configuration of the housing 12, it is advantageous to arrange sensors 13 in the two focal points of the ellipse so that the light reflected from the side walls is focused in the vicinity of the sensors. Furthermore, the side walls of the housing 12 in the reception area 14 can be removed so that there is a possibility of irradiation from the side. In this respect, the receiving device 4 could also be designed as a spherical epoxy structure.

FIG. 4 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a data transmission device 1 according to the invention with a commercially available fax device 2 (or the like both a text / image display or a text / image printout and a remote transmission of data effecting device), and with a separate and spatially separate device from the fax device 2 operating data reading device 3, which communicates with a receiving device 4 associated with the fax device 2 and belonging to the invention for receiving data from the data reading device 3. 7. The embodiment shown in FIG. 4 is characterized by that the facsimile device 2 (or the like both a text / image display or a text / image printout as well as a remote transmission of data effecting device) is housed in a portable mobile phone ("cell phone"). The data reading device 3 in turn has a scan reading device, in particular a bar code reader 6 and, on the other hand, a transmission element 7, the transmission element 7 and the bar code reader 6 of the data reading device 3 being structurally combined in a single housing 8 that can be carried comfortably in one hand of an operator 10 and an evaluation circuit 11, the mode of operation of which is the same as in the exemplary embodiments according to FIGS. 1 to 3.

In a further exemplary embodiment of the invention, not shown in the figures, the data reading device can communicate with the mobile phone via a cable connection.

Finally, according to the present invention, it is also possible for the data reading device to be structurally fixed or removable in an integrated manner in the mobile telephone (not shown in more detail in the figures).

Claims

claims

1. Data transmission device with a fax device (2) or the like both a text / image display or a text / image printout as well as a remote transmission of data-effecting device, characterized in that the data transmission device is a data reading device to be operated separately and spatially separate from the fax device (2) (3), which communicates with a receiving device (4) assigned to the fax device (2) for receiving data from the data reading device (3).

2. Data transmission device according to claim 1, characterized in that the data required for the order are read in and processed with the data reading device (3) and sent to the fax device (2), which then creates an order form.

3. Data transmission device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the data reading device (3) has a scan reading device, in particular a bar code reader (6).

4. Data transmission device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the data reading device (3) communicates wirelessly with the receiving device (4) assigned to the telefax device (2).

5. Data transmission device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the communication between the data reading device (3) and the receiving device (4) via light beams (9), and the receiving device (4) a reception area (10), into which the light beams (9) emitted by the data reading device (3) can be irradiated.

6. Data transmission device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the receiving device (4) has at least one light-sensitive component which is optically coupled to the receiving area (10) and the light beam (9) which can be irradiated into the receiving area (10) converts an electrical signal, the impact area of the receiving area (10) on which the light beam (9) can effectively strike is at least twice as large as the effective area of the at least one light-sensitive component.

7. Data transmission device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the fax device (2) or the like accommodates both a text / image display or a text / image printout and a remote transmission of data-causing device in a portable mobile phone (Figure 4) ,

8. Data transmission device according to claim 7, characterized in that the data reading device (3) communicates with the mobile phone via a cable connection or the data reading device (3) is structurally fixed or removable in the mobile phone.

9. Data transmission device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the receiving area (10) has a diffuser which scatters incident light, and the receiving area (10) with an optically transparent filler material (14) to which the diffuser is added, is filled so that parts of the emerging light beam (9) are directed to the at least one light-sensitive component.

10. Data transmission device according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the receiving area (10) additionally has an optical filter which is essentially transparent to the incident light and essentially impervious to ambient light.

11. Data transmission device according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that at least one light-sensitive component of the receiving device (4) consists of a semiconductor element, photothermal or photoacoustic transducer element.

12. Data transmission device according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the at least one light-sensitive component is suitable for data transmission by means of a pulsed light beam.

13. Data transmission device according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the receiving device (4) further comprises an electrical signal processing device which taps an electrical signal from the light-sensitive component and processes it for further processing.

14. Data transmission device according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the reception area (10) has the shape of a rectangular, triangular, circular or elliptical cylinder, a sphere or another three-dimensional structure.

15. Data transmission device according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that that the transmitting element and the bar code reader (6) of the data reading device (3) are structurally combined in a single housing (8).

16. Data reading device for use in a data transmission device according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that it has a data transmission element (7) and a scan reading device structurally combined in a single housing (8).

17. Data reading device according to claim 16, characterized in that the data transmission element (7) is formed by an optical transmitter, in particular a laser pointer, and the scan reading device is formed by a bar code reader (6).