Accessory for Personal Electronic Device Bar Code Scanning
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Personal electronic devices often struggle to reliably communicate encoded information to bar code scanners due to insufficient contrast ratios and physical limitations on their displays, and the widespread adoption of Near Field Communications (NFC) technology is hindered by its limited incorporation into these devices.
Innovation Solution
An accessory that receives encoded data from personal electronic devices and generates signals to simulate a scanning beam across a static bar code image or NFC protocol signals, allowing communication with bar code scanners and NFC terminals, either attached to or separate from the device, using light pulses, sound, or RF emissions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If bar codes are displayed on personal electronic device screens, then information can be communicated to bar code scanners, but the contrast ratio between bars and spaces is insufficient for reliable scanning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an accessory device that acts as an intermediary between the personal electronic device and the bar code scanner. The accessory receives data from the device, generates a visual bar code representation, and presents it to the scanner. This mediator overcomes the contrast ratio limitation by using dedicated bar code generation capabilities rather than relying on the device's display screen.
Solution Approach 2:
The accessory creates a visual copy of the bar code data received from the personal electronic device. Instead of directly using the device's display output, the accessory generates a new visual representation optimized for scanning, effectively copying the data into a more scanner-friendly format with proper contrast and visual characteristics.
2Reliability
If bar codes are displayed on personal electronic device screens, then information can be communicated, but the physical dimension and resolution of the display limit the bar code size that can be displayed
Solution Approach 1:
The accessory serves as an intermediary that decouples the bar code presentation area from the personal electronic device's display constraints. It receives data from the device and presents the bar code in an optimized format with sufficient size and resolution for reliable scanning, independent of the original device's screen limitations.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution moves the bar code presentation to a different physical dimension or medium - from the small device screen to the accessory's dedicated display or optical output interface. This dimensional transition allows for larger, higher-resolution bar code presentation without being constrained by the original device's display area.
3Adaptability or versatility
If NFC technology is incorporated into personal electronic devices, then secure short-range communication is enabled, but the technology is not yet widely incorporated into devices
Solution Approach 1:
The accessory acts as an intermediary that provides NFC communication capability without requiring the personal electronic device itself to be modified. The accessory interfaces with the device and handles NFC protocol signals, enabling NFC functionality while keeping the device's core architecture unchanged and avoiding the complexity of integrating NFC hardware and software into the device.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution segments the NFC communication functionality from the personal electronic device itself, placing it in a separate accessory. This segmentation allows NFC capability to be added without increasing the device's complexity, as the NFC functions are isolated in the accessory module that can be attached or removed independently.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables reliable communication of information to bar code scanners and facilitates the use of NFC technology without requiring manufacturers to integrate these features into personal electronic devices, enhancing transaction efficiency and compatibility with existing commercial infrastructure.
Implementation Method 1
transmitting the signal as light pulses from the accessory to the bar code scanner
Data Source
AI summary
An accessory for a personal electronic device detects data encoded into light, sound, vibration energy, radio frequency energy, or a combination thereof, and provides the encoded data either to a bar code scanner using light, or to an NFC terminal using NFC protocols. The accessory may be stand-alone, or attachable to the personal electronic device from a suitable housing or integrated into a housing component of the personal electronic device.