Portable transaction terminal

To increase the efficiency of personnel conducting inventory management operations, including data entry of products and information as to their absence, presence or location, the user is provided with a headset having a band extending around the head from which a microphone projects and also on which a bar code reader is located, preferably on the portion of the band which extends around the top of the head of the user. Electronics for processing signals from the microphone and from the reader and for operating a display to indicate either visually or audibly the codes which are read by the reader or are entered by pronouncing the names of alphanumeric characters is also mounted on the headset. The electronics includes a microprocessor and a speech recognition unit which translates the names and words into data stored in the memory associated with the microprocessor. This data can be read out into the visual or audible display (earphones in the headset providing the audible display or a heads up display on a screen in the field of view of the user). The data may also be transmitted to a remote location via a modem and transmitter. A transceiver may be associated with the modem for receiving instructions which are applied as digital data to the microprocessor and used to operate the display. The messages may also be preset messages which are contained in the memory associated with the microprocessor and read out into the display upon the pronouncement of voice commands by the user. The commands also actuate the code reader. The user, therefore, has his or her hands free for conducting inventory management operations including picking and placing of products as well as entry of product data either by optical code reading or by pronouncement of characters which are printed on the products.