EP0449634A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Omnidirectional bar code reader
Assignee: Omniplanar Inc
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Filing: 1991-03-28
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2011-03-28
Abstract
Abstract A bar code reader (10) includes an image capture means (26-30) for storing a two dimensional image of a bar code symbol (12) in memory (32). The apparatus operates to determine the location and orientation (16;18) of the bar code symbol (12) within the field of view of the image captive means (26-30), and then filters (20) the located and oriented bar code symbol (12) along an axis perpendicular to the detected orientation. Thereafter, the filtered bar code symbol (12) is scanned and applied to a decoder (38) to produce a decoded bar code output (44). <IMAGE> <IMAGE>
Inventors
- 👤 Donald G. Chandler
- 👤 Eric P. Batterman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 16:52
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K7/00; G06K7/10; G06K7/10544; G06K7/10821; G06K7/1093; G06K7/14; G06K7/1404; G06K7/1439; G06K7/1443; G06K7/1456; G06K7/146; G06K7/1491
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
137 words
A method for reading a bar code symbol, said method comprising: capturing a two dimensional image for storage in a memory, said stored two dimensional image containing an image of a bar code symbol anywhere within the field of view of said stored two dimensional image; locating an area within the field of view of said stored two dimensional image, said located area being likely to contain a bar code image; examining the image within said located area to determine the orientation of said located bar code image within said located area of said stored two dimensional image; filtering said located bar code image along an axis substantially perpendicular to said detected orientation of said located bar code image; and scanning said filtered bar code image to read out information contained in said located bar code image.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
128 words
A method for reading a bar code symbol, said method comprising: capturing a two dimensional image for storage in a memory, said stored two dimensional image containing an image of a bar code symbol anywhere within the field of view of said stored two dimensional image; locating an area within the field of view of said stored two dimensional image, said located area being likely to contain a bar code image; examining the image within said located area to determine the orientation of said located bar code image within said located area of said stored two dimensional image; and scanning said located area along an angle substantially equal to said determined orientation of located bar code image to read out information contained in said located bar code image.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
119 words
A method for reading a bar code symbol, said method comprising: capturing a two dimensional image for storage in a memory, said stored two dimensional image containing an image of a bar code symbol anywhere within the field of view of said stored two dimensional image; a first image processing phase including locating an area within the field of view of said stored two dimensional image, wherein said located area is more likely to contain a bar code image as compared to the other areas of said stored two dimensional image; and a second image processing phase including scanning said located area of said stored two dimensional image to read out information contained in said located bar code image.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
75 words
A method for reading a bar code symbol, said method comprising: capturing a two dimensional image for storage in a memory, said stored two dimensional image containing an image of a bar code symbol anywhere within the field of view of said stored two dimensional image; and scanning said stored two dimensional image in an omnidirectional manner in order to read out information contained in said stored two dimensional image of said bar code symbol.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
47 words
A method in accordance with claim 4, wherein said step of scanning said stored two dimensional image in an omnidirectional manner includes: locating an area within the field of view of said stored two dimensional image, said located area being likely to contain a bar code image.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
50 words
A method in accordance with claim 5, wherein said step of scanning said stored two dimensional image in an omnidirectional manner further includes: examining the image within said located area to determine the orientation of said located bar code image within said located area of said stored two dimensional image.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method in accordance with claim 6, wherein said step of scanning said stored two dimensional image in an omnidirectional manner further includes: filtering said located bar code image along an axis substantially perpendicular to said detected orientation of said located bar code image.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
48 words
A method in accordance with claim 7, wherein said step of scanning said stored two dimensional image in an omnidirectional manner further includes: extracting sequential values from said located, oriented, and filtered bar image to read out information contained in said located, oriented, and filtered bar code image.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
147 words
An apparatus for reading a bar code symbol, said apparatus comprising: means for capturing a two dimensional image for storage in a memory, said stored two dimensional image containing an image of a bar code symbol anywhere within the field of view of said stored two dimensional image; means for locating an area within the field of view of said stored two dimensional image, said located area being likely to contain a bar code image; means for examining the image within said located area to determine the orientation of said located bar code image within said located area of said stored two dimensional image; means for filtering said located bar code image along an axis substantially perpendicular to said detected orientation of said located bar code image; and means for scanning said filtered bar code image to read out information contained in said located bar code image.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
136 words
An apparatus for reading a bar code symbol, said apparatus comprising: means for capturing a two dimensional image for storage in a memory, said stored two dimensional image containing an image of a bar code symbol anywhere within the field of view of said stored two dimensional image; means for locating an area within the field of view of said stored two dimensional image, said located area being likely to contain a bar code image; means for examining the image within said located area to determine the orientation of said located bar code image within said located area of said stored two dimensional image; and means for scanning said located area along an angle substantially equal to said determined orientation of located bar code image to read out information contained in said located bar code image.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
126 words
An apparatus for reading a bar code symbol, said apparatus comprising: means for capturing a two dimensional image for storage in a memory, said stored two dimensional image containing an image of a bar code symbol anywhere within the field of view of said stored two dimensional image; first phase image processing means including means for locating an area within the field of view of said stored two dimensional image, wherein said located area is more likely to contain a bar code image as compared to the other areas of said stored two dimensional image; and second phase image processing means including including means for scanning said located area of said stored two dimensional image to read out information contained in said located bar code image.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
79 words
An apparatus for reading a bar code symbol, said apparatus comprising: means for capturing a two dimensional image for storage in a memory, said stored two dimensional image containing an image of a bar code symbol anywhere within the field of view of said stored two dimensional image; and means for scanning said stored two dimensional image in an omnidirectional manner in order to read out information contained in said stored two dimensional image of said bar code symbol.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
49 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 12, wherein said means for scanning said stored two dimensional image in an omnidirectional manner includes: means for locating an area within the field of view of said stored two dimensional image, said located area being likely to contain a bar code image.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method in accordance with claim 13, wherein said means for scanning said stored two dimensional image in an omnidirectional manner further includes: means for examining the image within said located area to determine the orientation of said located bar code image within said located area of said stored two dimensional image.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
46 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 14, wherein said means for scanning said stored two dimensional image in an omnidirectional manner further includes: means for filtering said located bar code image along an axis substantially perpendicular to said detected orientation of said located bar code image.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
51 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 15, wherein said means for scanning said stored two dimensional image in an omnidirectional manner further includes: means for extracting sequential values from said located, oriented, and filtered bar code image to read out information contained in said located, oriented and filtered bar code image.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
112 words
A method for reading a bar code symbol, said method comprising: capturing a two dimensional image for storage in a memory, said stored two dimensional image containing an image of a bar code symbol anywhere within the field of view of said stored two dimensional image; locating and coarsely orienting an area within the field of view of said stored two dimensional image, said located and coarsely oriented area being likely to contain a bar code image; and examining the image within said located and coarsely oriented area to determine the fine orientation of said located bar code image within said located and coarsely oriented area of said stored two dimensional image.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method for reading a bar code symbol in accordance with claim 17, further comprising: filtering said fine oriented and located bar code image along an axis substantially perpendicular to said detected fine orientation of said located bar code image.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
50 words
A method for reading a bar code symbol in accordance with claim 17, further comprising: scanning said fine oriented and located bar code image along an angle substantially equal to said determined fine orientation of located bar code image to read out information contained in said located bar code image.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
76 words
A method for reading a bar code symbol, said method comprising: capturing a two dimensional image for storage in a memory, said stored two dimensional image containing an image of a bar code symbol anywhere within the field of view of said stored two dimensional image; and locating and orienting an area within the field of view of said stored two dimensional image, said located and oriented area being likely to contain a bar code image;
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method for reading a bar code symbol in accordance with claim 20, further comprising: filtering said located and oriented bar code image along an axis substantially perpendicular to said detected orientation of said located bar code image.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method for reading a bar code symbol in accordance with claim 20, further comprising: scanning said located and oriented area along an angle substantially equal to said determined orientation of located bar code image to read out information contained in said located bar code image.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
118 words
An apparatus for reading a bar code symbol, said apparatus comprising: means for capturing a two dimensional image for storage in a memory, said stored two dimensional image containing an image of a bar code symbol anywhere within the field of view of said stored two dimensional image; means for locating and coarsely orienting an area within the field of view of said stored two dimensional image, said located and coarsely oriented area being likely to contain a bar code image; and means for examining the image within said located and coarsely oriented area to determine the fine orientation of said located bar code image within said located and coarsely oriented area of said stored two dimensional image.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
42 words
An apparatus for reading a bar code symbol in accordance with claim 23, further comprising: means for filtering said fine oriented and located bar code image along an axis substantially perpendicular to said detected fine orientation of said located bar code image.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
52 words
An apparatus for reading a bar code symbol in accordance with claim 23, further comprising: means for scanning said fine oriented and located bar code image along an angle substantially equal to said determined fine orientation of located bar code image to read out information contained in said located bar code image.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
80 words
An apparatus for reading a bar code symbol, said apparatus comprising: means for capturing a two dimensional image for storage in a memory, said stored two dimensional image containing an image of a bar code symbol anywhere within the field of view of said stored two dimensional image; and means for locating and orienting an area within the field of view of said stored two dimensional image, said located and oriented area being likely to contain a bar code image.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
40 words
An apparatus for reading a bar code symbol in accordance with claim 26, further comprising: means for filtering said located and oriented bar code image along an axis substantially perpendicular to said detected orientation of said located bar code image.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
48 words
An apparatus for reading a bar code symbol in accordance with claim 26, further comprising: means for scanning said located and oriented area along an angle substantially equal to said determined orientation of located bar code image to read out information contained in said located bar code image.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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