EP0353842A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Technique for reading bar codes
Assignee: Image Business Systems Corp
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Filing: 1989-05-22
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-05-22
Abstract
Abstract A technique for reading a bar code representative of message information is stored electronically in bit-map form. The bit map is obtained by optically scanning a document carrying non-bar code information also to convert pixel information into bit information. A row is identified in the bit map which is the most likely one to pass through an area in the bit map containing bar code information. The data stored in the bit map is compared with assigned data corresponding to designated bar code components. Once such a row is identified, processing of rows above and below it in the bit map reveals whether rows more likely to agree with the coded message information can be found. Initially, a fast processing mode is selected involving processing of only a few rows to maximize processing speed in case acceptable data can be found. If acceptable bar code data is not found, then the processing is switched into a slow processing mode which involves processing of a greater number of rows. Once a row likely to contain the bar code data of interest is identified, the information it contains is converted into signals which are used for converting the coded bar code data into the message represented thereby.
Inventors
- 👤 David E.Y. Sarna
- 👤 Daniel Mailick
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 18:21
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K7/00; G06K7/10; G06K7/10544; G06K7/10821; G06K7/1093; G06K7/14; G06K7/1404; G06K7/1439; G06K7/1443; G06K7/146; G06K7/1491
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
285 words
A bar code apparatus for processing digitized bar code data stored electronically in bit map form and representative of a bar code having parallel bar code components including alternating dark bars and blank spaces carried on a light reflective surface, said bar code data being obtained by scanning said surface in lines along a primary scanning direction substantially perpendicular to the bar code components and at a resolution of a predetermined number of pixels per unit length to generate for a line of said pixels respective bar code signals having values related to the amount of light reflected by said dark bars and blank spaces, respectively, and scanning in a secondary scanning direction substantially perpendicular to said primary scanning direction to traverse a plurality of said scanning lines at a resolution of a predetermined number of lines per unit length, said bit map being produced from said bar code signals and having a plurality of bits arranged in rows, said rows corresponding, respectively, to the scanning lines, and the bits in each row corresponding to the pixels in a corresponding one of said scanning lines, the bit map bits having a bit value related to the bar code signal value of the corresponding pixels; said apparatus comprising: memory means for storing assigned bar code component data related to a number of bits allotted, respectively, in a row of said bit map to said bar code components; means for comparing the bit map with the stored bar code component data to identify said bar code components in said bit map; and conversion means for providing from said identified bar code components a bar code reading result for converting the bar code to the message it represents.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
285 words
A bar code apparatus for processing digitized bar code data stored electronically in bit map form and representative of a bar code having parallel bar code components including alternating dark bars and blank spaces carried on a light reflective surface, said bar code data being obtained by scanning said surface in lines along a primary scanning direction substantially perpendicular to the bar code components and at a resolution of a predetermined number of pixels per unit length to generate for a line of said pixels respective bar code signals having values related to the amount of light reflected by said dark bars and blank spaces, respectively, and scanning in a secondary scanning direction substantially perpendicular to said primary scanning direction to traverse a plurality of said scanning lines at a resolution of a predetermined number of lines per unit length, said bit map being produced from said bar code signals and having a plurality of bits arranged in rows, said rows corresponding, respectively, to the scanning lines, and the bits in each row corresponding to the pixels in a corresponding one of said scanning lines, the bit map bits having a bit value related to the bar code signal value of the corresponding pixels; said apparatus comprising: memory means for storing assigned bar code component data related to a number of bits allotted, respectively, in a row of said bit map to said bar code components; means for comparing the bit map with the stored bar code component data to identify said bar code components in said bit map; and conversion means for providing from said identified bar code components a bar code reading result for converting the bar code to the message it represents.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
246 words
Apparatus for determining a bar code from a bit map obtained by a plurality of optically scanned lines of a light reflective surface area, at least part of which carried said bar code having components including alternating dark bars and blank spaces representative of selected message information, and scanned with a resolution of a predetermined number of pixels per unit length to input data into said bit map related to light reflected by respective pixels of said surface, said bit map having a plurality of bits arranged in rows, said rows corresponding, respectively, to the scanning lines, and the bits in each row corresponding to the pixels in a corresponding one of said scanning lines, comprising: means for storing assigned bar code component data related to a number of bits allotted, respectively, in a row of said bit map to said bar components; means for designating at least two rows in said bit map; means for comparing the at least two designated rows with said assigned bar code component data to provide an identified bar code component signal; means coupled to the comparing means for identifying the longest string of consecutive bar code components for each of said designated rows; means for selecting whichever of said designated rows has the longest string of consecutive bar code components; and means coupled to the selecting means for obtaining a bar code reading result from the selected designated row for converting the bar code to said selected message information.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
246 words
Apparatus for determining a bar code from a bit map obtained by a plurality of optically scanned lines of a light reflective surface area, at least part of which carried said bar code having components including alternating dark bars and blank spaces representative of selected message information, and scanned with a resolution of a predetermined number of pixels per unit length to input data into said bit map related to light reflected by respective pixels of said surface, said bit map having a plurality of bits arranged in rows, said rows corresponding, respectively, to the scanning lines, and the bits in each row corresponding to the pixels in a corresponding one of said scanning lines, comprising: means for storing assigned bar code component data related to a number of bits allotted, respectively, in a row of said bit map to said bar components; means for designating at least two rows in said bit map; means for comparing the at least two designated rows with said assigned bar code component data to provide an identified bar code component signal; means coupled to the comparing means for identifying the longest string of consecutive bar code components for each of said designated rows; means for selecting whichever of said designated rows has the longest string of consecutive bar code components; and means coupled to the selecting means for obtaining a bar code reading result from the selected designated row for converting the bar code to said selected message information.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
292 words
A bar code reading apparatus comprising: means for optically detecting a bar code with which selected message information has been converted into a coded version, said bar code having parallel bar code components including alternating dark bars and blank spaces carried on a light reflective surface, said detecting means scanning said surface in lines along a primary scanning direction substantially perpendicular to the bar code components and at a resolution of a predetermined number of pixels per unit length to generate for a line of said pixels respective bar code signals having values related to the amount of light reflected by said dark bars and blank spaces, respectively, said detecting means moving in a secondary scanning direction substantially perpendicular to said primary scanning direction to traverse a plurality of said scanning lines at a resolution of a predetermined number of lines per unit length; means coupled to the detecting means for producing from said bar code signals a bit map having a plurality of bits arranged in rows, said rows corresponding, respectively, to the scanning lines, and the bits in each row corresponding to the pixels in a corresponding one of said scanning lines, the bit map bits having a bit value related to the bar code signal value of the respective corresponding pixels; memory means for storing assigned bar code component data related to a number of bits allotted, respectively, in a row of said bit map to said bar code components; means for comparing the bit map with the stored bar code component data to identify said bar code components in said bit map; and conversion means for providing from said identified bar code components a bar code reading result for converting the bar code to said selected message information.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
292 words
A bar code reading apparatus comprising: means for optically detecting a bar code with which selected message information has been converted into a coded version, said bar code having parallel bar code components including alternating dark bars and blank spaces carried on a light reflective surface, said detecting means scanning said surface in lines along a primary scanning direction substantially perpendicular to the bar code components and at a resolution of a predetermined number of pixels per unit length to generate for a line of said pixels respective bar code signals having values related to the amount of light reflected by said dark bars and blank spaces, respectively, said detecting means moving in a secondary scanning direction substantially perpendicular to said primary scanning direction to traverse a plurality of said scanning lines at a resolution of a predetermined number of lines per unit length; means coupled to the detecting means for producing from said bar code signals a bit map having a plurality of bits arranged in rows, said rows corresponding, respectively, to the scanning lines, and the bits in each row corresponding to the pixels in a corresponding one of said scanning lines, the bit map bits having a bit value related to the bar code signal value of the respective corresponding pixels; memory means for storing assigned bar code component data related to a number of bits allotted, respectively, in a row of said bit map to said bar code components; means for comparing the bit map with the stored bar code component data to identify said bar code components in said bit map; and conversion means for providing from said identified bar code components a bar code reading result for converting the bar code to said selected message information.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
278 words
A method for processing digitized bar code data stored electronically in bit map form and representative of a bar code having parallel bar code components including alternating dark bars and blank spaces carried on a light reflective surface, said bar code data being obtained by scanning said surface in lines along a primary scanning direction substantially perpendicular to the bar code components and at a resolution of a predetermined number of pixels per unit length to generate for a line of said pixels respective bar code signals having values related to the amount of light reflected by said dark bars and blank spaces, respectively, and scanning in a secondary scanning direction substantially perpendicular to said primary scanning direction to traverse a plurality of said scanning lines at a resolution of a predetermined number of lines per unit length, said bit map being produced from said bar code signals and having a plurality of bits arranged in rows, said rows corresponding, respectively, to the scanning lines, and the bits in each row corresponding to the pixels in a corresponding one of said scanning lines, the bit map bits having a bit value related to the bar code signal value of the corresponding pixels; said method comprising the steps of: storing assigned bar code component data related to a number of bits allotted, respectively, in a row of said bit map to said bar code components; comparing the bit map with the stored bar code component data to identify said bar code components in said bit map; and providing from said identified bar code components a bar code reading result for converting the bar code to the message it represents.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
278 words
A method for processing digitized bar code data stored electronically in bit map form and representative of a bar code having parallel bar code components including alternating dark bars and blank spaces carried on a light reflective surface, said bar code data being obtained by scanning said surface in lines along a primary scanning direction substantially perpendicular to the bar code components and at a resolution of a predetermined number of pixels per unit length to generate for a line of said pixels respective bar code signals having values related to the amount of light reflected by said dark bars and blank spaces, respectively, and scanning in a secondary scanning direction substantially perpendicular to said primary scanning direction to traverse a plurality of said scanning lines at a resolution of a predetermined number of lines per unit length, said bit map being produced from said bar code signals and having a plurality of bits arranged in rows, said rows corresponding, respectively, to the scanning lines, and the bits in each row corresponding to the pixels in a corresponding one of said scanning lines, the bit map bits having a bit value related to the bar code signal value of the corresponding pixels; said method comprising the steps of: storing assigned bar code component data related to a number of bits allotted, respectively, in a row of said bit map to said bar code components; comparing the bit map with the stored bar code component data to identify said bar code components in said bit map; and providing from said identified bar code components a bar code reading result for converting the bar code to the message it represents.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
228 words
A method for determining a bar code from a bit map obtained by a plurality of optically scanned lines of a light reflective surface area, at least part of which carries said bar code having components including alternating dark bars and blank spaces representative of selected message information, and scanned with a resolution of a predetermined number of pixels per unit length to input data into said bit map related to light reflected by respective pixels of said surface, said bit map having a plurality of bits arranged in rows, said rows corresponding, respectively, to the scanning lines, and the bits in each row corresponding to the pixels in a corresponding one of said scanning lines, comprising the steps of: storing assigned bar code component data related to a number of bits allotted, respectively, in a row of said bit map to said bar components; designating at least two rows in said bit map; comparing the at least two designated rows with said assigned bar code component data to provide an identified bar code component signal; identifying the longest string of consecutive bar code components for each of said designated rows; selecting whichever of said designated rows has the longest string of consecutive bar code components; and obtaining a bar code reading result from the selected designated row for converting the bar code to said selected message information.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
228 words
A method for determining a bar code from a bit map obtained by a plurality of optically scanned lines of a light reflective surface area, at least part of which carries said bar code having components including alternating dark bars and blank spaces representative of selected message information, and scanned with a resolution of a predetermined number of pixels per unit length to input data into said bit map related to light reflected by respective pixels of said surface, said bit map having a plurality of bits arranged in rows, said rows corresponding, respectively, to the scanning lines, and the bits in each row corresponding to the pixels in a corresponding one of said scanning lines, comprising the steps of: storing assigned bar code component data related to a number of bits allotted, respectively, in a row of said bit map to said bar components; designating at least two rows in said bit map; comparing the at least two designated rows with said assigned bar code component data to provide an identified bar code component signal; identifying the longest string of consecutive bar code components for each of said designated rows; selecting whichever of said designated rows has the longest string of consecutive bar code components; and obtaining a bar code reading result from the selected designated row for converting the bar code to said selected message information.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
278 words
A method for reading a bar code comprising the steps of: optically detecting a bar code with which selected message information has been converted into a coded version, said bar code having parallel bar code components including alternating dark bars and blank spaces carried on a light reflective surface, said surface being scanned in lines along a primary scanning direction substantially perpendicular to the bar code components and at a resolution of a predetermined number of pixels per unit length to generate for a line of said pixels respective bar code signals having values related to the amount of light reflected by said dark bars and blank spaces, respectively, said scanning also moving in a secondary scanning direction substantially perpendicular to said primary scanning direction to traverse a plurality of said scanning lines at a resolution of a predetermined number of lines per unit length; producing from said bar code signals a bit map having a plurality of bits arranged in rows, said rows corresponding, respectively, to the scanning lines, and the bits in each row corresponding to the pixels in a corresponding one of said scanning lines, the bit map bits having a bit value related to the bar code signal value of the respective corresponding pixels; storing assigned bar code component data related to a number of bits allotted, respectively, in a row of said bit map to said bar code components; comparing the bit map with the stored bar code component data to identify said bar code components in said bit map; and providing from said identified bar code components a bar code reading result for converting the bar code to said selected message information.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
278 words
A method for reading a bar code comprising the steps of: optically detecting a bar code with which selected message information has been converted into a coded version, said bar code having parallel bar code components including alternating dark bars and blank spaces carried on a light reflective surface, said surface being scanned in lines along a primary scanning direction substantially perpendicular to the bar code components and at a resolution of a predetermined number of pixels per unit length to generate for a line of said pixels respective bar code signals having values related to the amount of light reflected by said dark bars and blank spaces, respectively, said scanning also moving in a secondary scanning direction substantially perpendicular to said primary scanning direction to traverse a plurality of said scanning lines at a resolution of a predetermined number of lines per unit length; producing from said bar code signals a bit map having a plurality of bits arranged in rows, said rows corresponding, respectively, to the scanning lines, and the bits in each row corresponding to the pixels in a corresponding one of said scanning lines, the bit map bits having a bit value related to the bar code signal value of the respective corresponding pixels; storing assigned bar code component data related to a number of bits allotted, respectively, in a row of said bit map to said bar code components; comparing the bit map with the stored bar code component data to identify said bar code components in said bit map; and providing from said identified bar code components a bar code reading result for converting the bar code to said selected message information.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
75 words
A method of processing bit map data to read a bar code recorded in the bit map, the bit map having rows representing lines generally transverse to the direction of the bars of the bar code, in which one or more rows of the bit map are analysed to identify a row containing bar code data, and one or more identified rows are used to identify the coded value or message of the bar code.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
75 words
A method of processing bit map data to read a bar code recorded in the bit map, the bit map having rows representing lines generally transverse to the direction of the bars of the bar code, in which one or more rows of the bit map are analysed to identify a row containing bar code data, and one or more identified rows are used to identify the coded value or message of the bar code.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
8 words
Apparatus operating by the method of claim 7.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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