Patent US3627992A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3627992A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Reading encoded devices
Assignee: Bio Logics Inc
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Filing: 1969-08-18
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Granted: 1971-12-14
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Expires: 1989-08-18
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus and methods for reading a device presenting rows of encoded and unencoded sites, each row having a control site and coded information at the other sites, the apparatus including a reading head, with a plurality of fluidic sensors, and a devicereceiving lift assembly for relatively displacing the reading head and the encoded device. The rows of sites are successively fluidically sensed, with a given row being sensed after the control site of the row is correctly positioned in the reading head and electrical signals, derived from the fluidic signals and representing the code of each row, are converted to Binary Coded Decimal (BCD) data format and stored in a circulating shift register in a row-by-row fashion so that the stored information can be subsequently converted into human readable form, if desired. A fluidic circuit governs the timing and rate of relative displacement of the reading head and the encoded device and sequences the fluid flow to the fluidic sensors.
Inventors
- 👤 Ronald C Davies
- 👤 Franklin D Wareham
- 👤 Floyd L Larson
- 👤 Stephen L Stumph
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 03:04
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01L; B01L3/00; B01L3/54; B01L3/545; B01L3/5453; F; F15; F15C; F15C1/00; F15C1/001; G; G06; G06K; G06K7/00; G06K7/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
96 words
Code reading apparatus comprising: an encoded device formed with at least one row of code sites and having holes formed therethrough at appropriate ones of said code sites to represent the data to be read, a source of pressurized fluid, reading means connected to said source and formed with a plurality of fluid passages, each registerable with a respective one of said code sites, transducer means mounted to sense fluid pressure in each of said passages and operable to establish electrical signals having magnitudes indicative of the sensed pressure, and display means for displaying said signals.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
96 words
Code reading apparatus comprising: an encoded device formed with at least one row of code sites and having holes formed therethrough at appropriate ones of said code sites to represent the data to be read, a source of pressurized fluid, reading means connected to said source and formed with a plurality of fluid passages, each registerable with a respective one of said code sites, transducer means mounted to sense fluid pressure in each of said passages and operable to establish electrical signals having magnitudes indicative of the sensed pressure, and display means for displaying said signals.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
57 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: said encoded device having a plurality of said rows of code sites, and positioning means providing relative movement between said encoded device and said reading means to sequentially place each of said rows of code sites of said encoded device in registry with said fluid passages of said reading means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: storage means connected to receive the signals from said transducer means and serving to store said signals in row-by-row fashion until all of said rows have been read before passing said signals to said display means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: means for generating a warning signal if an incorrect number of rows is read by said reading means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: parity means for generating a warning signal if an improper number of holes have been formed in any given row of said encoded device.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
60 words
The method of reading data encoded by forming holes at appropriate ones of a row of coder sites on an encoded device, said method comprising the steps of: directing respective streams of pressurized fluid at each of said code sites, sensing the fluid pressure in each of said streams, and establishing electrical signals indicative of the magnitude of said pressure.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
60 words
The method of reading data encoded by forming holes at appropriate ones of a row of coder sites on an encoded device, said method comprising the steps of: directing respective streams of pressurized fluid at each of said code sites, sensing the fluid pressure in each of said streams, and establishing electrical signals indicative of the magnitude of said pressure.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
166 words
Code reading apparatus comprising: a container; an encoded identification plate situated eccentric to the container and carrying representations in the form of code sites arranged in rows; a collar fitted around the container and bridging between the container and the identification plate; carriage means comprising a receiving station in which the container and collar are held by force of gravity, the carriage means comprising means for radially and vertically orienting the identification plate in relation to the carriage means; a reading head comprising a slot situatable in direct vertical alignment with and adapted to receive the oriented identification plate, the reading head further comprising an array of sensors for simultaneously being disposed in registry with and reading the code representations row by row; power means selectively imparting direct vertical movement to one of the carriage means and the reading head to cause relative vertical reciprocation therebetween; means causing the sensors of the reading head to operate during only essentially one-half of the relative vertical reciprocation cycle.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
166 words
Code reading apparatus comprising: a container; an encoded identification plate situated eccentric to the container and carrying representations in the form of code sites arranged in rows; a collar fitted around the container and bridging between the container and the identification plate; carriage means comprising a receiving station in which the container and collar are held by force of gravity, the carriage means comprising means for radially and vertically orienting the identification plate in relation to the carriage means; a reading head comprising a slot situatable in direct vertical alignment with and adapted to receive the oriented identification plate, the reading head further comprising an array of sensors for simultaneously being disposed in registry with and reading the code representations row by row; power means selectively imparting direct vertical movement to one of the carriage means and the reading head to cause relative vertical reciprocation therebetween; means causing the sensors of the reading head to operate during only essentially one-half of the relative vertical reciprocation cycle.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
178 words
A method of identifying the origin of biological matter contained within a tube, the steps of: mounting a blank having a plurality of code sites arranged in rows to one side of the tube by using a bridging collar; providing a control code in each row of code sites; encoding the blank by altering selected ones of the code sites to create representations identifying the origin of the biological matter within the tube; placing the tube, collar and encoded blank in a holder; causing the holder to orient the encoded blank in respect to the holder so that the encoded blank extends vertically in a single predetermined plane; relatively jointly displacing the encoded blank, the collar, the tube and the holder up and down in said predetermined plane in respect to a code-reading head, the head comprising a plurality of sensors and a blank-receiving slot contained in said predetermined plane; sensing the altered ones of the encoded sites of the blank during either the up or down potion of said displacement; translating information sensed into human readable form.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
178 words
A method of identifying the origin of biological matter contained within a tube, the steps of: mounting a blank having a plurality of code sites arranged in rows to one side of the tube by using a bridging collar; providing a control code in each row of code sites; encoding the blank by altering selected ones of the code sites to create representations identifying the origin of the biological matter within the tube; placing the tube, collar and encoded blank in a holder; causing the holder to orient the encoded blank in respect to the holder so that the encoded blank extends vertically in a single predetermined plane; relatively jointly displacing the encoded blank, the collar, the tube and the holder up and down in said predetermined plane in respect to a code-reading head, the head comprising a plurality of sensors and a blank-receiving slot contained in said predetermined plane; sensing the altered ones of the encoded sites of the blank during either the up or down potion of said displacement; translating information sensed into human readable form.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-12-13 | 1975-06-14 | 1975-12-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-12-13 | 1979-06-14 | 1979-12-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-12-13 | 1983-06-14 | 1983-12-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |