US5710416A — Price verifier

Claim 1

Independent Claim 171 words

A price verifier comprising: a housing attached to an immovable mounting surface including a first housing portion and a second housing portion detachably mounted to the first housing portion, wherein the second housing portion comprises first and second substantially orthogonal sides, and wherein the second side contains a window; a hands-free operated bar code reader within the second housing portion for reading a bar code label on an item whose price is to be verified through the window; a display within the second housing portion, on the first side facing a user, for displaying the price of the item; control circuitry within the first housing portion and coupled to the bar code reader and the display, which obtains the price of the item from a host terminal after the bar code reader has read the bar code label; a storage medium coupled to the control circuitry for storing program commands executed by the control circuitry; and communications circuitry within the first housing portion linking the control circuitry to the host terminal.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 171 words

A price verifier comprising: a housing attached to an immovable mounting surface including a first housing portion and a second housing portion detachably mounted to the first housing portion, wherein the second housing portion comprises first and second substantially orthogonal sides, and wherein the second side contains a window; a hands-free operated bar code reader within the second housing portion for reading a bar code label on an item whose price is to be verified through the window; a display within the second housing portion, on the first side facing a user, for displaying the price of the item; control circuitry within the first housing portion and coupled to the bar code reader and the display, which obtains the price of the item from a host terminal after the bar code reader has read the bar code label; a storage medium coupled to the control circuitry for storing program commands executed by the control circuitry; and communications circuitry within the first housing portion linking the control circuitry to the host terminal.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 36 words

The price verifier as recited in claim 1, wherein the program commands may be received by the control circuitry through the bar code reader prior to being stored by the control circuitry in the storage medium.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 35 words

The price verifier as recited in claim 1, wherein the program commands may be received by the control circuitry from the host terminal prior to being stored by the control circuitry in the storage medium.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 45 words

The price verifier as recited in claim 1, wherein the program commands are received by the control circuitry from the bar code reader and from the host terminal and wherein the program commands received from the bar code reader and the host terminal are similar.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 15 words

The price verifier as recited in claim 1, wherein the storage medium comprises an EEPROM.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 16 words

The price verifier as recited in claim 1, wherein the storage medium comprises an EEFLASH memory.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 20 words

The price verifier as recited in claim 1, wherein the communications circuitry provides support for a plurality of different protocols.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 17 words

The price verifier as recited in claim 7, wherein one of the protocols comprises a wireless protocol.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 17 words

The price verifier as recited in claim 7, wherein one of the protocols comprises a network protocol.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 17 words

The price verifier as recited in claim 7, wherein one of the protocols comprises a serial protocol.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 20 words

The price verifier as recited in claim 1, further comprising: a printer coupled to the control circuitry for printing coupons.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 18 words

The price verifier as recited in claim 1, further comprising: a card reader coupled to the control circuitry.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 30 words

The price verifier as recited in claim 1, further comprising: a sensor which activates the bar code reader when a person comes within a predetermined distance of the price verifier.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 115 words

The price verifier as recited in claim 1, wherein the bar code reader comprises: a scan module including a laser which produces a laser beam; a plurality of stationary pattern mirrors; and an optical transceiver rotated by a first motor, for directing the laser beam towards the pattern mirrors to produce a plurality of different scan lines forming a multi-line scan pattern, and for collecting light from the item having the bar code label to be read; and a single tilted mirror assembly, having a second motor for rotating a drive shaft and a mirror mounted at an angle to the drive shaft for reflecting the scan lines from the scan module towards the item.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 36 words

The optical scanner as recited in claim 13, wherein the scan lines form a star-shaped pattern having a center which is rotated by the single tilted mirror assembly to form a highly dense multi-line scan pattern.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 68 words

The price verifier as recited in claim 13, wherein the bar code reader comprises: a scan module for producing a scan pattern having a center and for collecting light reflected from the bar code label; and a tilted mirror assembly, including a tilted mirror and a motor for rotating the tilted mirror, which rotates the center of the scan pattern to form a highly dense multi-line scan pattern.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 144 words

The price verifier as recited in claim 1, wherein the bar code reader comprises: a scan module, having a plurality of stationary pattern mirrors and an optical transceiver rotated by a first scanner motor for directing a laser beam towards the pattern mirrors, for producing a plurality of different scan lines which form a star-shaped pattern having an effective center and collecting light from the item having the bar code label to be read; and a single tilted mirror assembly, having a second scanner motor for rotating a drive shaft and a mirror mounted at an angle to the drive shaft for reflecting the scan lines from the scan module and for rotating the effective center of the star-shaped pattern to form a highly-dense multi-line scan pattern for scanning the item having the bar code label which is swiped past the bar code reader.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 33 words

The price verifier as recited in claim 1, wherein the bar code reader produces a multi-line scan pattern having an effective center and moves the multi-line scan pattern by moving the effective center.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 16 words

The price verifier as recited in claim 1, wherein the display also displays item location information.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 14 words

The price verifier as recited in claim 1, wherein the display also displays advertisements.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 20 words

The price verifier as recited in claim 1, wherein the first housing portion is mounted to a substantially vertical surface.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 22 words

The price verifier as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second housing portions are electrically coupled by a wire cable.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 150 words

A price verifier comprising: a bar code reader for reading a bar code label on an item whose price is to be verified; a display for displaying the price of the item; control circuitry coupled to the bar code reader and the display, and coupled to a host terminal which provides the price of the item; a storage medium coupled to the control circuitry for storing program commands executed by the control circuitry; a first housing portion containing the control circuitry, and the communications circuitry; and a second housing portion detachably mounted to the first housing portion and containing the display and the bar code reader, including first and second substantially orthogonal sides, wherein the display is located on the first side facing a user, and wherein the second housing portion further comprises a window in the second side through which the bar code reader reads the bar code label.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 150 words

A price verifier comprising: a bar code reader for reading a bar code label on an item whose price is to be verified; a display for displaying the price of the item; control circuitry coupled to the bar code reader and the display, and coupled to a host terminal which provides the price of the item; a storage medium coupled to the control circuitry for storing program commands executed by the control circuitry; a first housing portion containing the control circuitry, and the communications circuitry; and a second housing portion detachably mounted to the first housing portion and containing the display and the bar code reader, including first and second substantially orthogonal sides, wherein the display is located on the first side facing a user, and wherein the second housing portion further comprises a window in the second side through which the bar code reader reads the bar code label.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 20 words

The price verifier as recited in claim 23, wherein the first housing portion is mounted to a substantially vertical surface.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 22 words

The price verifier as recited in claim 23, wherein the first and second housing portions are electrically coupled by a wire cable.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2001-01-19	2001-07-21	2002-01-20	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2005-01-19	2005-07-21	2006-01-20	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2009-01-19	2009-07-21	2010-01-20	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Price verifier

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