System and method of data entry utilizing a scanning printer

1. A system for data input into a data processing system, said system comprising:

a host computer; and

a multi-function terminal, coupled to said host computer, wherein said multi-function terminal further includes:

a non-planar document-guidance track;

only one scanner for retrieving data from a document and sending said data to said host computer for processing; and

a print module, located adjacent to said document-guidance track, wherein said print module further includes:

a print head track situated orthogonally to said non-planar document-guidance track; and

at least one print head coupled to said print head track, wherein a position of said at least one print head can be altered, by moving said at least one print head to one side of said print head track, to accommodate documents of different thickness, sizes, and rigidity to facilitate data retrieval of said scanner, wherein said at least one print head can be situated in a first position during a normal scanning operation and a second position during a card scanning operation, wherein responsive to a request to scan data utilizing said card scanning operation, said at least one print head of said scanning printer is capable of moving, relative to said non-planar document guidance track, from said first position to said second position.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said non-planer document guidance track has a radial bend of at least 81.5 mm.

3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said print module further comprises:

a platen for guiding said document while said document is being printed by said at least one print head, wherein a position of said platen may be altered to accommodate documents of different thickness, sizes, and rigidity to facilitate data retrieval of said scanner.

4. The system according to claim 3 , wherein said position of said print head is altered by adjusting said position of said platen relative to said position of said at least one print head.

5. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said documents are a rigid card and a flexible document.

6. The system according to claim 5 , wherein said rigid card is a credit-card sized card.

7. A multi-function terminal, comprising:

a non-planar document-guidance track;

only one scanner for retrieving data from a document and sending said data to said host computer for processing; and

a print module, located adjacent to said document-guidance track, wherein said print module further includes:

a print head track situated orthogonally to said non-planar document-guidance track; and

at least one print head coupled to said print head track, wherein a position of said at least one print head can be altered, by moving said at least one print head to one side of said print head track, to accommodate documents of different thickness, sizes, and rigidity to facilitate data retrieval of said scanner, wherein said at least one print head can be situated in a first position during a normal scanning operation and a second position during a card scanning operation, wherein responsive to a request to scan data utilizing said card scanning operation, said at least one print head of said scanning printer is capable of moving, relative to said non-planar document guidance track, from said first position to said second position.

8. The multi-function terminal according to claim 7 , wherein said document-guidance track has a radial bend of at least 81.5 mm.

9. The multi-function terminal according to claim 7 , further including:

a platen for guiding said document while said document is being printed by said at least one print head, wherein a position of said platen may be altered to accommodate documents of different thickness, sizes, and rigidity to facilitate data retrieval of said only one scanner.

10. The multi-function terminal according to claim 9 , wherein said position of said print head is altered by adjusting said position of said platen relative to said position of said at least one print head.

11. The multi-function terminal according to claim 7 , wherein said documents are a rigid card and a flexible document.

12. The multi-function terminal according to claim 11 , wherein said rigid card is a credit-card sized card.

13. A method for data input into a data processing system, said method comprising:

in response to detecting a request to scan data from a document with a scanning printer into a data processing system, altering a position of at least one print head coupled to a print head track of said scanning printer, by moving said at least one print head to one side of said print head track situated orthogonally to a non-planar document-guidance track, to accommodate documents of different thickness, sizes, and rigidity to facilitate data retrieval, wherein in response to a request to scan data utilizing a card scanning operation, moving said at least one print head of said scanning printer, relative to said non-planer document guidance track, from a first position to a second position, wherein said at least one print head can be situated in said first position during a normal scanning operating and said second position during a card scanning operation.

14. The method of claim 13 , further including:

determining whether a document sensor of said scanning printer is blocked; and

in response to said determining, pulling said document through said scanning printer.

15. The method of claim 13 , further including:

guiding said document with a platen while said document is being printed by said at least one print head, wherein a position of said platen may be altered to accommodate documents of different thickness, sizes, and rigidity to facilitate data retrieval of said scanner.

16. The method of claim 15 , further including:

altering said position of said at least one print head by adjusting said position of said platen relative to said at least one print head.