Importance

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Abstract

An improved way to add a wireless peripheral to existing digital systems is taught. A small lightweight and low-cross-section adapter is illustrated that is suitable for use suspended inline with the cables attached to it. The adapter has an embedded wireless port for receiving decoded data from a wireless peripheral, such as a handheld scanner. The adapter is applicable to all wireless peripheral types. For use with handheld scanners, the adapter is applicable to all scanner types, including those where the scan head (scan engine) is based on optical or radio frequency techniques. Hence the scanner data may correspond to optically-scanned printed-codes (e.g., bar codes) or RF-scanned RFID tags. The adapter further has an input connector for communicating with an existing wired peripheral and an output connector for communicating with the existing system unit. To add a wireless peripheral, the adapter is merely inserted between a wired peripheral and the system unit. The adapter may be plugged directly into the system unit where the cable of the wired peripheral formerly attached. Compared to prior art solutions, the concepts taught ease the installation of the wireless peripherals, lower the cost of the addition, and expand the placement freedom for the wireless peripheral's charging cradle.

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First Claim