Indicia reader with synchronized light source and associated methods and computer program product

Abstract

The present invention provides systems, methods and computer program-product of obtaining information from radio frequency identification (RFID) transponder tags with a mobile device having a radio frequency (RF) transceiver incorporated therein. The mobile device uses one or more visible light sources that may illuminate the RFID transponder tag under consideration, assist in the orientation and position of the RF transceiver, and provide indication to the user that information has been obtained from the RF transponder tag under consideration, by use of the one or more visible light sources. Control of the one or more visible light sources occurs through an application operating on a controller within the mobile device.

1 . A terminal for interacting with a radio frequency identification (RFID) transponder tag comprising: 
 a controller capable of receiving information regarding at least one RFID transponder tag having information encoded therein;    a radio frequency (RF) transceiver for communicating with at least one RFID transponder tag in order to obtain said information; and    one or more sources of visible light, wherein said RF transceiver and said one or more sources of visible light are operable by said controller such that while said RF transceiver is positioned with respect to said at least one RFID transponder tag and further while said RF transceiver is obtaining said information of said at least one RFID transponder tag, at least a first one of said one or more sources of visible light remains consistently illuminated such that at least the first one of said one or more sources of visible light facilitates the RF transceiver in obtaining the information of said at least one RFID transponder tag until said controller is capable of detecting and decoding the obtained information, wherein at least the first one of said one or more sources of visible light is turned off or otherwise visually altered once said controller is capable of detecting and decoding the obtained information.    
   
   
       2 . A terminal according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more sources of light are light-emitting diodes (LEDs).  
   
   
       3 . A terminal according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more sources of light have an adjustable field of illumination.  
   
   
       4 . A method of obtaining information from a radio frequency identification (RFID) transponder tag with a terminal having a radio frequency (RF) transceiver and a controller, comprising: 
 illuminating one or more sources of visible light associated with said terminal;    positioning said terminal proximate to said RFID transponder tag to facilitate communication between said RF transceiver in said terminal and said RFID transponder tag, wherein said terminal is positioned such that said RFID transponder tag is illuminated in a field of illumination of said one or more sources of visible light;    receiving information from said RFID transponder tag with said RF transceiver while said terminal is positioned proximate to said RFID transponder tag, wherein at least a first one of said one or more sources of visible light remains consistently illuminated while said terminal is positioned and further while said information is received; and    turning off or otherwise providing a visual indication with at least said first one of said one or more sources of visible light when said information that has been obtained from said RFID transponder tag is detected and decoded by said controller.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein positioning said terminal proximate to said RFID transponder tag such that said position facilitates communication between said RF transceiver and said RFID transponder tag comprises positioning said terminal such that said RFID transponder tag is illuminated in a field of illumination of said one or more sources of visible light.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein positioning said terminal proximate to said RFID transponder tag such that said position facilitates communication between said RF transceiver and said RFID transponder tag comprises positioning said terminal such that said RFID transponder tag is illuminated in a field of illumination of said one or more sources of visible light and said field of illumination corresponds to the area in which the RF transceiver is able to communicate with the RFID transponder tag.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein illuminating one or more sources of visible light associated with said terminal comprises illuminating one or more light-emitting diodes.  
   
   
       8 . A computer program product for controlling a terminal having a radio frequency (RF) transceiver for communicating with a radio frequency identification (RFID) transponder tag and one or more sources of visible light and a controller, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising: 
 a first executable portion for illuminating the one or more sources of visible light when said terminal is set to communicate with an RFID transponder tag with the RF transceiver;    a second executable portion for enabling the terminal to be positioned with respect to the RFID transponder tag while at least a first one of the one or more sources of visible light remains consistently illuminated;    a third executable portion for obtaining information from said RFID transponder tag with said RF transceiver while at least the first one of said one or more sources of visible light remains consistently illuminated; and    a fourth executable portion for turning off at least the first one of said one or more sources of visible light when said terminal has obtained information from said RFID transponder tag and said controller has detected and decoded said information.    
   
   
       9 . A computer program product according to  claim 8 , wherein the fourth executable portion is adapted to switch off at least the first one of said one or more sources of visible light when said terminal has obtained information from said RFID transponder tag into an actively-operating application on a controller in said terminal and said application decodes and recognizes said information  
   
   
       10 . A computer program product according to  claim 8 , wherein the third executable portion is adapted to obtain information to the terminal when the terminal is actively operating an application in a state of receiving data.