Electronics Barcode Scanner & Motion Sensor

Hey all, I have a good idea in my head that I would like to see come true. I recently bought a Flic Barcode Scanner that hooks up to a comm port. Now if you do not know what a Flic looks like then please visit there wed site at http://www.flicscanner.com/tethered.html

Now this is what i want to do with it. I am setting up scanning software that users will have a barcode (like Bi-Lo has on their Bonus Cards) that they scan to access different menus in a program I coded in visual basic. I need to be able to:

1) Hook up the computers power to the Flic itself so it does not have to run off the 3 AAA batteries. I will also need power to the motion sensor as well prob.

2) Hook up a motion sensor to it so that it won’t be on all the time, only when the user holds his/her barcode in front of the flic will it come on. Right now the Flic will stay on for 4-5 seconds before it turns itself off after u hold down the button.

That’s pretty much all I need it to do. The problem is though is that the Flic needs to be pushed (held) to scan... It doesn’t have a "Button" for say that turns it on, it looks like it when u mash the button on top (holding it down), it lowers a leaver inside that in turn, turns the scanner on. In the picture, the black bar in the middle at the top is what is pressed when the button is pushed (and held down).

So I would appreciate any input about my idea.

Here is the picture of the Flic inside:


If you need any more pictures of the Flic, just ask, ill make more (better quality ones at that)

P>S> This link << Link >> Will show u how it turns on when the user pushes and holds the button on top of the Flic.

Thanks for your time,
David

 

modify a spare usb port because you can pull 5V from the connector (too hard with the rs-232)

but if you do the rs-232 method, you must resistor array because of the 12V line, so with some creative soldeing and some heat tubing you can run some small guaged wires from the rs-232 port with the scanners cable into the battery compartments housing the small resistor array and provide power to the scanner


good luck with the project

 

I will use the 5v coming off the power supply of the computer. That’s not a problem. Only problem with me is the motion sensor & the turning on of the scanner itself.

There is a nice kit << Link >> that seems would work well with what i need to do. So is that kit good enough for the motion sensor for my idea? The output (12v?) would work i guess with resisters for the scanner to turn the 12v to 5v. All i need now is a way to eliminate the push button on the Flic scanner so that the motion sensor will turn it on automatically without the user having to push and hold down the button for it to turn on and scan.

David

 

Since you only want it to trigger when the user is directly in front of the scanner you would need to block the view of the sensor with something, the only thing i can think of right now would be window-glass made to not let the IR light through. Maybe let it point a bit downward?

As for the turning on with the mechanics i can't really recommend anything. I don't fully understand how it works. Is there a motor on the spinning thingy? If so maybe you culd just lock the magnet in it's lower position and cut power to the other stuff when not in use.

 

why don't u dismantle one of those night lights and use the photoelectric sensor so when you are just holding the scanner it'll work

 

I will get a higher-quality camera tomorrow to take some pics of the board and such, and also make a few movies of how it works when i press the button and all so u all can totaly get the idea of how it works.

Im hoping it will work. But right now when you hold the button down, it scans for 4-5 secs and then turns off and you unable to scan any more until u release the button and hold it again.

And this is the tricky part... when i hold the button down and take out the batterie and then (while still holding the buttton down) place the batterie back in and it does not scan.... i have to release the button and mash and hold it again for it to scan.

So it looks like it will be some work to see if it can stay on all the time.

David

 

that's the way the scanner is built, unavoidable, some scanners have a built in calibration process in them which is very quick and is done every scan

 

ok, i got more quality images of my flic and 2 videos of how it works when i press the button... i also noticed that it touches two pads on the board itself (i guess as a caution if its open i wont project lazer light) when you press and hold the button down.

Its a switch of some kind (micro switch?) that "clicks" when the black bar is held all the way down.. Then it turns on the scanner for 4-5 secs. then it goes off.

pics:
















Moves:
Movie of Flic #1
Movie of Flic #1

Any ideas on this would be great...
David

 

You could use a set of infared diodes/transistors to turn the device on when someone puts the card in the way of the beam... Just a thought.

 

This is what i got back from the Flic people:

So is it do-able?

David

 

How about a, what is it in english???, oh lets call it an electro-magnet?
You know, a coil with a metal bar in it. Run power though it and you get a magnet moving the metal bar...

 

I assume the mirror is part of some kind of light switch. Take the mirror out and put some kind of LED there, OR just short the phototransistor which will keep it on. If you want a normal switch, put one where the photo transistor is...

 

I don't get it. Isn't the mirror a rather important piece of the scanner, directing the laser?

 

The mirror rotates back and forth with the force of the button when it is pushed. Nothing is powering the mirror to make it spin, only the user pushing the button does that. IF the mirror does not spin then the scan light does not "scan" as it should.

It sounds like this will be hard....
David

 

What are you putting the bar codes on?

If they were on a credit card type thing then you could have a groove set up. Swiping the card through the groove would mechanically operate the switch/mirror mechanism.

Might be difficult to do

Max

 

If you mount the electro-magnet under, or over, the button you would get the same action as when pushing the button. You might be able to get rid of most of the mechanichs involved in the putton-pushing process thereby saving space.

 

ive never worked with electro-magnets.. how do they work Vigfus? ive played the game over at http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/electromagnets/ but i dont see how somthing like that will make a mirror turn???

David

 

Well, i'm not so hot on the science behind them but... A loop of wire with current running through it creates a magnetic field inside itself, the more loops the stronger force. If you stick a magnet in there you can move it to either poles, if you stick a metal bar in there, slightly offset, you can pull it towards your magnet. All i have ever done with this is wrap some wire, insulated, around a nail and played with iron filings. Oh, i have made a alarmbell too. Basically the same thing, you just turn the magnet on and off.
I'm sure someone has better explainations. Try google!

 

Oh yes, prob. an important thing... the mirror only has so far until it needs to be turned the other way... in other words it doesnt continue in just one direction... it goes back and forth..

David

 

I meant to use it to pull, or push, the button so you get the same functions as when pushing the button.