Wireless VIDEOPAD Provides Electronic Replacement for Service Workers’ Notepads
AMHERST, N.H. — May 8, 1992 — Granite Communications, Inc. has introduced a wireless personal data communications system designed to replace the notepads now used by nurses, waitstaff and other service workers who move about constantly in their jobs.
The Granite LINKS(tm) System features a hand-held VIDEOPAD(tm) with an easy-to-use touch screen. It provides rapid and robust two-way data communications at approximately one-third the price and one-quarter the weight of competing wireless technologies.
"We begin with the assumption that waiters, hospital attendants and other service workers who move about constantly in their jobs, need primarily to communicate short bursts of data in real time. We are not trying to put a personal computer in their hand; only an extremely easy-to-use electronic replacement for their notepads," said Pierre Dogan, Granite chief executive officer.
The Granite LINKS System consists of many hand-held wireless personal data communicators which transmit and receive data from a central base station via spread spectrum RF signals. The number of personal data communicators is application dependent and can range from five to 100.
The main components of the system are the hand-held personal data communicator, the base station, and a proprietary software protocol for managing the spread spectrum RF communications. Transmission is omnidirectional, within line-of-sight distances up to 1,000 feet.
Applications
The Granite LINKS system is primarily for in-building use by workers who move about constantly at their jobs. Examples are restaurant waiters, nurses and other hospital attendants, warehouse clerks, vehicle maintenance staff and stock exchange floor traders. Granite LINKS can also be used in outdoor applications such as crowd monitoring, rental car check-in and construction site management. Extreme Ease of Use: The VP5 VIDEOPAD
Users send and receive information via Granite's VP5 personal data communicator. The VP5 features a 120 x 96 pixel screen for display of data or graphics. There is no keyboard or keypad. Touch-selected menus, on-screen keyboards, "reverse video," flashing messages, and fill-in-the-blank forms enable dynamic, two-way communications. Proprietary application development tools enable customization of menus to exact requirements and jargon of each worker's job. The VP5 weighs 18 ounces.
Pricing/Availability
End-user pricing will vary from site to site and complexity of applications. Granite estimates that the average cost for setting up a site will vary from $15,000 for a site with five users to $50,000 for a site with 30 users. Developmental starter systems for OEMs, VARs and Systems Integrators will be shipping this summer. Full production systems will be available in September.
Granite Communications, Inc. is located in Amherst, N.H. It was incorporated in 1991 when its founders purchased a company and its technologies previously owned by Murata Machinery Limited, of Kyoto, Japan. Granite is now backed by IDEAS Inc., a Columbia, Md.-based systems integrator who develops, integrates and supports complex telecommunications and computer systems for the government.
In addition to Granite LINKS system, Granite also manufactures the VP4, a hand-held portable data communicator designed for store and forward applications. The company's future plans call hand-held communicators with built-in interconnects to the ARDIS long-range communications networks and to cellular telephone networks.
For more information, contact Granite Communications, Inc., 9 Columbia Dr., Amherst, N.H. 03031, Tel: 603-881-8666;
Fax 603-881-4042.
—
Note: Granite LINKS, VIDEOPAD and Granite Protocol are trademarks of Granite Communications, Inc.
CONTACT:
John Nero of Brodeur & Partners, 617-894-0003, for Granite Communications