EP0385478A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Bar code reader
Assignee: Symbol Technologies LLC
•
Filing: 1990-03-01
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2010-03-01
Abstract
Abstract In a bar code reader, a field of view which includes a symbol to be read is imaged upon a light-responsive array such as a CCD imager device (12). The output of this array is transferred to a memory (20) array to provide a bit-mapped type of binary representation of the image including the symbol. The memory is scanned (instead of the field of view itself being mechanically scanned) to recognize and decode the symbol. Because the angular orientation of the symbol is variable, this binary representation may be interpreted to determine how the memory array is to be scanned to recognize the bar code symbol. For example, the distinctive patterns of characters used in bar codes may be found by scanning the memory and the relative positions of these patterns interpreted to determine the position, size and shape of the symbol in the memory (20), thereby defining at what angular displacement the memory array need be addressed to traverse the rows of the bar code symbol. Or, the memory array may be simply scanned using preselected scan lines (beginning with a raster-type scan) until code recognition is obtained.
Inventors
- 👤 Boris Metlitsky
- 👤 Mark J. Krichever
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 17:00
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K7/00; G06K7/10; G06K7/10544; G06K7/10821; G06K7/1092; G06K19/00; G06K19/06; G06K19/06009; G06K19/06037; G06K7/10712; G06K7/10722; G06K7/14; G06K7/1404; G06K7/1439; G06K7/1443; G06K7/1456
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
62 words
A method of reading a bar code symbol or the like comprising the steps of: (a) optically imaging upon a light-detector array a field of view including a symbol to be read; (b) transferring to a memory array a binary representation of light impinging upon the light-detector array; (c) scanning the memory array to produce electrical data output including bar code information.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
62 words
A method of reading a bar code symbol or the like comprising the steps of: (a) optically imaging upon a light-detector array a field of view including a symbol to be read; (b) transferring to a memory array a binary representation of light impinging upon the light-detector array; (c) scanning the memory array to produce electrical data output including bar code information.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said step of optically imaging includes directing light onto said field of view and focusing reflected light onto said light-detector array.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
68 words
A method of reading bar code symbols or the like comprising the steps of: (a) generating in a memory array a binary representation of a two-dimensional field of view including a symbol to be read; (b) scanning said memory array including rotating an effective scan line or lines based upon angular orientation of a symbol included within said representation to produce electrical data output including bar code information.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
68 words
A method of reading bar code symbols or the like comprising the steps of: (a) generating in a memory array a binary representation of a two-dimensional field of view including a symbol to be read; (b) scanning said memory array including rotating an effective scan line or lines based upon angular orientation of a symbol included within said representation to produce electrical data output including bar code information.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 3 including the step of optically imaging said field of view onto a light-responsive array.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
83 words
Apparatus for reading bar code symbols or the like, comprising: (a) optical means for imaging upon a light-responsive array a field of view which includes a symbol to be read; (b) a memory array receiving a binary representation of light impinging upon said light-responsive array; (c) means accessing the memory array to determine the orientation of a symbol included within said binary representation and producing electrical data output including bar code definition derived from said memory array by scanning based upon said orientation.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
83 words
Apparatus for reading bar code symbols or the like, comprising: (a) optical means for imaging upon a light-responsive array a field of view which includes a symbol to be read; (b) a memory array receiving a binary representation of light impinging upon said light-responsive array; (c) means accessing the memory array to determine the orientation of a symbol included within said binary representation and producing electrical data output including bar code definition derived from said memory array by scanning based upon said orientation.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said optical means directs a light beam onto said field of view and focuses reflected light onto said light-responsive array.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
66 words
Apparatus for reading bar code symbols or the like comprising: (a) means generating in a memory array a binary representation of a two-dimensional symbol to be read; (b) means accessing the memory array to determine the position and angular orientation of said symbol in said binary representation and producing an electrical data output including bar code information by scanning said memory array based upon said determination.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
66 words
Apparatus for reading bar code symbols or the like comprising: (a) means generating in a memory array a binary representation of a two-dimensional symbol to be read; (b) means accessing the memory array to determine the position and angular orientation of said symbol in said binary representation and producing an electrical data output including bar code information by scanning said memory array based upon said determination.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus according to claim 7 including means for optically imaging said symbol onto said memory array, said memory array being light-responsive and randomly accessible.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
83 words
A method of scanning a bar code symbol, comprising the steps of: (a) optically imaging the bar code symbol onto an array of light sensitive elements, each element producing a signal related to light impinging thereon; (b) storing a bit-mapped binary representation of said signals in an array of memory elements; (c) scanning said array of memory elements along selected paths corresponding to the orientation of the binary representation of said symbol to produce an electrical output related to the bar code symbol.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
83 words
A method of scanning a bar code symbol, comprising the steps of: (a) optically imaging the bar code symbol onto an array of light sensitive elements, each element producing a signal related to light impinging thereon; (b) storing a bit-mapped binary representation of said signals in an array of memory elements; (c) scanning said array of memory elements along selected paths corresponding to the orientation of the binary representation of said symbol to produce an electrical output related to the bar code symbol.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 9 including the step of illuminating a field of view including said symbol with a light beam.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.