Looking for USB/Serial Device

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03jh01

New Member
Hello everyone,

I have been looking for a certain piece of hardware, but cannot find what I need anywhere. In fact, I don't even know if it exists! I shall explain what I need briefly if I can...

We are a laundry, and the check in workstations are where the garments are checked into the plant. Basically, the workers scan the garments (an RFID chip is present in each garment), the details for that garment appear on screen, the screen is locked, they then have to press an unlock button on the touch screen monitors before they can scan the next garment.

I am after a device that can be connected to each workstation's PC via usb or serial port connection, of which will do the job of the unlock button. Ideally, this should be a light barrier type system where by the workers can pass there hand through the light beam (thereby breaking it), a signal is sent to the PC, the program inteprets it and unlocks the screen.

Having said that, I would very much welcome hearing about any mechanical systems that involve physical contact from the workers, as long as they can be connected to the computer, and perform the simple function of unlocking the screen. Any system that does the job is a welcomed idea!

If anybody knows of a device that is capable of doing this, if you could let me know, I would very much appreciate it . It is an extremely simple device in theory, so there must be something out there somewhere. I justr cannot seem to find it

Thank you very much,
Jason.
 
Thanks for the reply.

There must be something out there surely?!? All the device needs to do is send a signal to the computer when the user presses a button or breaks a light beam etc. It cannot be anymore simple.

Having said that, i'm stuggling to find much, but I don't really no what to search for!

Does anyone else know of any such/similar device?

Thanks a lot.
 
Thanks very much for the reply.

It seems I inadvertantly missed a key piece of information from my orginal post. The screens are touch screens. The reason we want to scrap the unlock button is because it's too harsh on the touch screens. There are no keyboards or mice to be seen.

It really is a strange issue. It seems such a simple device in concept, but it's proving so difficult to find. Basically what needs to happen is that the very basic code that unlocks the screen is run in response to the incoming signal from this mystery device, instead of being run in response to the current button's click event.

I think the finger print idea is moving in the right direction for what I need. Different people use different stations every day though...

Any further ideas or specific products would be much appreciated.

Thanks a lot for your time.
Jason.
 
Why not just disable the locking feature then? I don't totally understand what you mean by the unlock button

Only other thing I can think of is a smartcard reader. Just buy some smartcards for the employees and program them for access. Then the employee just leaves their card in the machine until they walk away.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...49004&cm_re=smart_card-_-20-149-004-_-Product

My easiest and final solution: Disable the locking feature.
 
Thanks again for the reply.

Disabling the locking button was the first solution that was suggested. That was suggested back in 2007 (don't know how it's taken this long; I am new to the company). However, that is NOT an option. It will lead to garments not being checked in properly.


Basically, the idea of the unlock system is as follows:

The user scans one garment, details are displayed on screen and a green light on screen indicates a successful scan. The screen is then locked so that no more garments can be scanned in without pressing the unlock button.

If that wasn't there, the workers could just rush through moving multiple garments over the scanners at once and all sorts. It would lead to garments not being checked in.

In fact, it HAS lead to garments not being checked in. I think that was the reason the unlock system was introduced.

I shall explore the card idea you proposed there and sdiscuss it with the rest of the IT team. Thanks a lot for that idea, I may be able to do something with it...

Has anyone else heard of any other device that can do this job? I need as many different solutions as possible to explore.

Thanks a lot.
Jason.

Thanks.
 
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Demand and supply, if there is no demand there is no supply. Are you try to protect the touch screen from damage? If so talk to the supplier of the equipment to see what they can do. or may be buy a extended warranty as such. Every function in an equipment have its purppose, if it's not broke maybe you shouldn't try to fix it. just a thought.
 
paulcheung said:
Demand and supply, if there is no demand there is no supply. Are you try to protect the touch screen from damage? If so talk to the supplier of the equipment to see what they can do. or may be buy a extended warranty as such. Every function in an equipment have its purppose, if it's not broke maybe you shouldn't try to fix it. just a thought.
Click to expand...

I think you should read the above posts before spewing out crap that doesn't help.
 
voyagerfan99 said:
I think you should read the above posts before spewing out crap that doesn't help.
Click to expand...

I would like to know what I said wrong? He said the unlock button is too hash for the touch screen, so I am asume that he is try to protect the touch screen.

The system his company run is a custom built system, it is not something that marketed in general. so therefore there is no demand for manufactures to spend money to built what he wants. He need to talk to the people who built that system to see if they can do something for him.

He said the unlock bottun is there for a puppose, to check the stock properly, If he is messing around with the software without the proper device, he might get what he didn't planned for.
So smarty pan, can you find something for him?
 
I would have thought you could use digital I/O modules that are typically designed for home automation or robotics. The modules have multiple inputs that are connected to your pushbuttons. The module is connected to the PC via serial or USB. You could choose whatever device you wanted for operator initiation, pushbutton, optical switch, footswitch. All that device needs is to close a contact. Presumably you would need software to interface with the existing program.
 
Here's another possibility. Although this is probably not what you need, this would work with a PC, perhaps with a workstation, and is only practical if you don't normally need a mouse.

Part 1
Take a corded mouse, mount upside down in a box with a thin top. Mouse mounted upside down on the underside of the top and hole where the laser normally shines. As you sweep your hand along or close to the top of the box, it will cause the mouse to see movement. I've tried this with my cheapo $20 mouse and it works fine.

Part 2
Take an application like Macro Express or the Pro version (network capable), AutoIt or other advanced keystroke program.
Write a macro to do the following:
Move mouse position/pointer to centre of Unlock button every second
Every 200msecs in between, check position of mouse
If mouse not within say 5 pixels of centre of Unlock button, simulate mouse click
This will "click" the Unlock button, mouse pointer moves back to centre of button within 1 sec
 
paulcheung said:
I would like to know what I said wrong? He said the unlock button is too hash for the touch screen, so I am asume that he is try to protect the touch screen.

The system his company run is a custom built system, it is not something that marketed in general. so therefore there is no demand for manufactures to spend money to built what he wants. He need to talk to the people who built that system to see if they can do something for him.

He said the unlock bottun is there for a puppose, to check the stock properly, If he is messing around with the software without the proper device, he might get what he didn't planned for.
So smarty pan, can you find something for him?
Click to expand...

That's not what he was asking about.

First off, it's a touch screen. They're meant to be TOUCHED! So what makes you think they'd break?

Second, what does supply and demand have to do with this?

Third, extended warranties don't make a difference.

Fourth, I did suggest some things for him, if you'd read my posts.

Finally, if you're gonna insult me, do it right.
 
03jh01 said:
Hello everyone,

I have been looking for a certain piece of hardware, but cannot find what I need anywhere. In fact, I don't even know if it exists! I shall explain what I need briefly if I can...

Thank you very much,
Jason.
Click to expand...

He has said himself that he can't find these piece device, Tha t is why I said demand and supply, because it is a custom built program and not much people use it that is why he has problem to find it readily available.

03jh01 said:
Thanks very much for the reply.

It seems I inadvertantly missed a key piece of information from my orginal post. The screens are touch screens. The reason we want to scrap the unlock button is because it's too harsh on the touch screens. There are no keyboards or mice to be seen.

Thanks a lot for your time.
Jason.
Click to expand...

He said the reason they want to scrap the unlock button because it's too harsh on the touch screen. that is why I said extended warranty.
 
voyagerfan99 said:
That's not what he was asking about.

First off, it's a touch screen. They're meant to be TOUCHED! So what makes you think they'd break?

Second, what does supply and demand have to do with this?

Third, extended warranties don't make a difference.

Fourth, I did suggest some things for him, if you'd read my posts.

Finally, if you're gonna insult me, do it right.
Click to expand...

We are here to get help and give help when ever we can. I don't have the will and the time to insult you. It seems it is you don't read the posts properly.
Cheers
 
A touch screen is meant to be touched. It can withstand the pressure of being touched.
 
Without getting into the personal stuff, there are good reasons why standard touch screens may not be ideal in an industrial environment (which this is). Corrosive, abrasive, sticky substances or solvents in the air or the hands of the operators may damage the screens, rendering them unreadable or non-touchscreen. The best cure is usually industrial-strength hardware but solutions such as those requested in this thread may do the trick.
 
May he can try the laser beam that used in the alarm system. This should be a custom built system, the best bet is to goback to the system manufacture if they didn't gone out of business.
 
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