Patent EP0200882A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0200882A2
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Method of inhibiting processing of duplicative coded label signals
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1986-03-11
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2006-03-11
Abstract
Abstract A system is disclosed for preventing processing of duplicative coded label signals generated by a scanner lacking item detectors. The system establishes a variable lockout time as a function of operator performance. Any detected label candidate which duplicates a candidate received within the lockout time is assumed to be duplicative. Any transfer to the terminal is inhibited. Operator performance is tracked by measuring the inter-item arrival times for candidates acutally transferred to the terminal. The inter-item arrival times are averaged over a given number of items. The average value is used to select a lockout time which is generally proportional to the average inter-item arrival time.
Inventors
- 👤 Douglas Charles Antonelli
- 👤 Patricia Mcginnis Branscomb
- 👤 Eric Charles Broockman
- 👤 Leroy David Dickson
- 👤 Caralee Pruitt Koppel
- 👤 Richard Ossowski
- 👤 Olen Lee Stokes, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 17:19
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K7/00; G06K7/10; G06K7/10544; G06K7/10821; G06K7/10861; G06K7/10871; G06K7/01; G06K7/016; G06Q; G06Q20/00; G06Q20/08; G06Q20/20; G06Q20/208
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
164 words
method of inhibiting the transfer to an associated terminal of duplicative signals produced by a label carried on a single item in a scanner capable of scanning and decoding labels on items, characterized in that it comprises the steps of : recording the time of arrival and the values of a - plurality of-different decoded label candidates; calculating inter-item arrival times (IAT) for successive pairs of candidates actually transferred to the terminal; calculating an average IAT for the last N transferred candidates where N is a positive integer; selecting a lockout time as a function of the calculated average IAT; calculating the elapsed time between a current label candidate and the most recent recorded candidate where the current candidate does not match a recorded candidate or between the current candidate and a recorded candidate matching the current candidate; and inhibiting the transfer of the current candidate when it matches the previously transferred candidate and the calculated elapsed time is within the selected lockout time.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
164 words
method of inhibiting the transfer to an associated terminal of duplicative signals produced by a label carried on a single item in a scanner capable of scanning and decoding labels on items, characterized in that it comprises the steps of : recording the time of arrival and the values of a - plurality of-different decoded label candidates; calculating inter-item arrival times (IAT) for successive pairs of candidates actually transferred to the terminal; calculating an average IAT for the last N transferred candidates where N is a positive integer; selecting a lockout time as a function of the calculated average IAT; calculating the elapsed time between a current label candidate and the most recent recorded candidate where the current candidate does not match a recorded candidate or between the current candidate and a recorded candidate matching the current candidate; and inhibiting the transfer of the current candidate when it matches the previously transferred candidate and the calculated elapsed time is within the selected lockout time.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
109 words
Method of adjusting the minimum time to reflect operator performance, in a scanner capable of scanning and decoding labels on items, said scanner being a type which will transfer decoded label candidates to an associated terminal only where a minimum time has elapsed between the current candidate and the last candidate having the same value as the current candidate, characterized in that it comprises the steps of : recording the time of arrival of each candidate transferred to the terminal; calculating an average inter-item arrival time over a given number of successive transferred candidates; and adjusting the minimum time as a function of the calculated average inter-item arrival time.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
109 words
Method of adjusting the minimum time to reflect operator performance, in a scanner capable of scanning and decoding labels on items, said scanner being a type which will transfer decoded label candidates to an associated terminal only where a minimum time has elapsed between the current candidate and the last candidate having the same value as the current candidate, characterized in that it comprises the steps of : recording the time of arrival of each candidate transferred to the terminal; calculating an average inter-item arrival time over a given number of successive transferred candidates; and adjusting the minimum time as a function of the calculated average inter-item arrival time.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
Method as defined in Claim 2 including the step of inhibiting the transfer to the terminal of any candidate which matches the previously transferred candidate and which is received within the previously calculated minimum time.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
Method as defined in Claim 3 including the additional 'step of inhibiting the transfer of any candidate which is received within a fixed minimum time from the most recent candidate, regardless of whether such received candidate matches the most recent candidate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
Method as defined in Claim 4 wherein the average inter-item arrival time is calculated on a rolling basis with each new recorded time of arrival replacing the oldest previously recorded time of arrival.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
Method as defined in Claim 5 wherein the calculated minimum time is adjusted on a rolling basis as a function of each newly calculated average inter-item arrival time.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
98 words
Method as defined in Claim 6 wherein the step of adjusting the minimum time further includes the steps of : determining which of several possible ranges of values the calculated average inter-item arrival time is within; and selecting a single minimum time for any calculated average inter-item arrival time falling within that range, the minimum time being different for each of the several possible ranges. 8. Method as defined in either of Claims 4 or 7 including the additional step of adjusting the calculated average inter-item arrival time as a function of the type of scanner being used.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
119 words
Method of adjusting the minimum time to reflect operator performance, in a scanner capable of scanning and decoding labels, said scanner being a type which will transfer decoded candidates to an associated terminal only where a minimum time between matching candidates has elapsed, characterized in that it comprises the following steps : establishing the time of arrival of each candidate; calculating inter-item arrival times for successive pairs of candidates actually transferred to the terminal; assigning a fixed inter-item arrival time whenever the actual inter-item arrival time exceeds a predetermined value; calculating the average inter-item arrival time over a given number of successive transferred candidates; and adjusting the minimum time as a function of -the calculated average inter-item arrival time.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
119 words
Method of adjusting the minimum time to reflect operator performance, in a scanner capable of scanning and decoding labels, said scanner being a type which will transfer decoded candidates to an associated terminal only where a minimum time between matching candidates has elapsed, characterized in that it comprises the following steps : establishing the time of arrival of each candidate; calculating inter-item arrival times for successive pairs of candidates actually transferred to the terminal; assigning a fixed inter-item arrival time whenever the actual inter-item arrival time exceeds a predetermined value; calculating the average inter-item arrival time over a given number of successive transferred candidates; and adjusting the minimum time as a function of -the calculated average inter-item arrival time.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
Method as defined in Claim 9 including the initial step of inhibiting the transfer 6f any current candidate which is received within a previously calculated minimum time after an earlier matching candidate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
40 words
Method as defined in Claim 9 including the additional step of inhibiting the transfer of any candidate which is received within a fixed minimum time after the last candidate regardless of whether the current candidate matches the last transferred candidate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
Method as defined in Claim 10 wherein the average inter-item arrival time is calculated on a rolling basis with each new time of arrival replacing the oldest previously recorded time of arrival.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
Method as defined in Claim 12 wherein the minimum time is adjusted on a rolling basis as a function of each newly calculated average inter-item arrival time.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
65 words
Method as defined in Claim 12 wherein the step of adjusting the minimum time further includes the steps of : determining which of several possible ranges of values the calculated average inter-item arrival time is within; and selected a single minimum time for any calculated average inter-item arrival time falling within that range, the minimum time being different for each of the several possible ranges.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
32 words
Method as defined in either of Claims 9 or 14 including the additional step of adjustirg the calculated average inter-item arrival time as a function of the type of scanner being used.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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