US3671718A — Method and apparatus for identifying articles and…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 145 words

In a method of identifying an article having an identification sign containing at least one code portion and information of the article thereon, the steps comprising moving the article through a scanning path of a scanning unit with said identification sign moving through said scanning path in a non-parallel path relative to said scanning path, scanning said identification sign within said scanning path in at least one direction of a forward direction and a backward direction of said scanning path to produce a series of signals corresponding to different scanned portions of said identification sign, recognizing at least one of said signals as a valid signal of the information stored in said identification sign from a predetermined position of said code portion in said signal, and releasing said valid signal as a signal representative of the information stored in said identification sign for subsequent evaluation.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 145 words

In a method of identifying an article having an identification sign containing at least one code portion and information of the article thereon, the steps comprising moving the article through a scanning path of a scanning unit with said identification sign moving through said scanning path in a non-parallel path relative to said scanning path, scanning said identification sign within said scanning path in at least one direction of a forward direction and a backward direction of said scanning path to produce a series of signals corresponding to different scanned portions of said identification sign, recognizing at least one of said signals as a valid signal of the information stored in said identification sign from a predetermined position of said code portion in said signal, and releasing said valid signal as a signal representative of the information stored in said identification sign for subsequent evaluation.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 44 words

In a method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the information stored in said identification sign is displayed in binary code in the form of lines with the width of each line being equal to the width of a space between adjacent lines.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 55 words

In a method as set forth in claim 2 wherein the lines extend within a sector having an opening angle Alpha selected in accordance with the equation Alpha 180*/n + k n being the number of scanning paths and k an additive constant corresponding to the width of a scanning trace in said scanning path.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 46 words

In a method as set forth in claim 1 which further comprises the steps of storing a first valid signal prior to said step of releasing, and releasing said first valid signal in response to the recognition of a second consecutive signal as a valid signal.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 51 words

In a method as set forth in claim 1 wherein consecutive signals are received from successive scannings of a forward direction and a backward direction which further comprises the step of inverting the signals from backward direction scannings to have said backward direction scanning signals appear as forward direction scanning signals.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 149 words

In a method of identifying an article the steps comprising applying an identification sign having a starting code, an information code containing information of the article and an end code on the article; moving the article through a scanning path of a scanning unit producing a series of scanning traces in said path to pass said identification sign through said pAth in a non-parallel path to said scanning traces; generating an impulse sequence for each said trace corresponding to a portion of said identification sign traversed by each said trace; monitoring each generated impulse sequence with respect to said starting code and said end code to recognize at least one impulse sequence as a valid configuration of the information stored in said identification sign when said starting code and said end code are in a predetermined position; releasing the impulse sequence recognized as a valid configuration for subsequent evaluation.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 149 words

In a method of identifying an article the steps comprising applying an identification sign having a starting code, an information code containing information of the article and an end code on the article; moving the article through a scanning path of a scanning unit producing a series of scanning traces in said path to pass said identification sign through said pAth in a non-parallel path to said scanning traces; generating an impulse sequence for each said trace corresponding to a portion of said identification sign traversed by each said trace; monitoring each generated impulse sequence with respect to said starting code and said end code to recognize at least one impulse sequence as a valid configuration of the information stored in said identification sign when said starting code and said end code are in a predetermined position; releasing the impulse sequence recognized as a valid configuration for subsequent evaluation.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 62 words

In a method as set forth in claim 6 wherein said identification sign is formed of a plurality of lines in binary code and a center point, each line being of a width equal to the space between adjacent lines and equal to a bit length, and said center point being of a width equal to a multiple of said bit length.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 122 words

In an apparatus for identifying an article having an identification sign thereon, a scanning unit for scanning a predetermined path; means for moving an article past said scanning unit with said identification sign thereon passing through said path in non-parallel relation thereto to permit said scanning unit to produce a series of signals corresponding to different portions of the scanned identification sign; a code recognition logic connected to said scanning unit for receiving said signals therefrom to recognize at least one of said signals as a valid configuration of the information contained in said identification sign; and a direction recognition logic connected to said code recognition logic for recognizing the direction of scanning of said scanning unit corresponding to each said signal.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 122 words

In an apparatus for identifying an article having an identification sign thereon, a scanning unit for scanning a predetermined path; means for moving an article past said scanning unit with said identification sign thereon passing through said path in non-parallel relation thereto to permit said scanning unit to produce a series of signals corresponding to different portions of the scanned identification sign; a code recognition logic connected to said scanning unit for receiving said signals therefrom to recognize at least one of said signals as a valid configuration of the information contained in said identification sign; and a direction recognition logic connected to said code recognition logic for recognizing the direction of scanning of said scanning unit corresponding to each said signal.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 79 words

In an apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein said code recognition logic includes a shift register for receiving said signals, said shift register having a plurality of stages therein to receive portions of each said signal, at least a predetermined number of said stages being connected to said direction recognition logic whereby in the presence of a signal of valid configuration in said shift register said predetermined number of stages receive predetermined code portions of said signal.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 104 words

In an apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said identification sign contains a starting code of a bits, an information code of b bits containing the information of the article and an end code of c bits, and wherein said direction recognition logic includes a forward recognition logic and a backward recognition logic; said shift register have a total of a + b + c stages with the first c and the last a stages of said shift register being linked to said forward recognition logic and the first a and the last c stages being linked to said backward recognition logic.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 61 words

In an apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said code recognition logic further includes a timing pulse generator for receiving said signals from said scanning unit and connected to a shift impulse input of said shift register to deliver timing impulses thereto in correspondnece with the impulses of said signal received in said shift register from said scanning unit.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 127 words

In an apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said identification sign contains a plurality of bits said signal is an impulse sequence and said timing pulse generator includes a monostable multi-vibrator for synchronizing by the flanks of a received impulse sequence for an impulse width equal to half the width of a bit, an astable multi-vibrator for synchronizing by the flanks of a received impulse sequence for an impulse width equal to half the width of a bit, an astable multi-vibrator connected to said monostable multi-vibrator for triggering thereby, and a differentiating circuit for producing a timing pulse sequence of a duration equal to the time of a bit with impulses offset in time by half the time of a bit relative to said flanks.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 132 words

An apparatus as set forth in claim 9 further comprising an inversion logic having a plurality of cut-through stages including a pair of input NAND gates and an output NAND gate connected to the output of said pair of input NAND gates, one of said pair of NAND gates of each cut-through stage having a first input connected to the output of a respective stage of said shift register and a second input connected to the output of one of said backward and forward direction logics, said other of said pair of NAND gates having a first input connected to the output of a respective opposite stage of said shift register in cross-wise relation and a second input connected to the output of the other of said backward and forward direction logics.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 133 words

In an apparatus as set forth in claim 8 further comprising a store connected to said code recognition logic for storing a signal of valid configuration, a comparator connected to said code recognition logic and said store for comparing a signal of valid configuration with the signal stored in said store, a comparator logic connected to said comparator to receive a logical signals therefrom corresponding to the comparison of signals of valid configuration in said store and said comparator, and a control logic connected between said comparator logic and said store to receive a signal from said comparator logic in response to the detection of two signals of valid configuration within a predetermined time and to initiate a read-out of signals from said store in response to said signal from said comparator logic.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 29 words

In an apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein said means for moving includes a pair of spaced apart conveyors positioned on opposite sides of said scanning unit.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 42 words

In an apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein said means for moving includes three mutually spaced conveyors with each of a pair of said scanning units positioned between a respective pair of conveyors to provide two of said scanning paths.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 21 words

In an apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein said scanning paths are disposed at right angles to each other.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 81 words

A marking for application to an article to be automatically scanned in a information retrieval system comprising a plurality of lines displaced in binary code to contain information of the articles, each line having a width equal to the spacing between adjacent lines and each line extending within a sector having an opening angle equal to 180*/n + k, where n equals the number of scanning directions and k equals the width of a scanning trace moving in said scanning directions.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 81 words

A marking for application to an article to be automatically scanned in a information retrieval system comprising a plurality of lines displaced in binary code to contain information of the articles, each line having a width equal to the spacing between adjacent lines and each line extending within a sector having an opening angle equal to 180*/n + k, where n equals the number of scanning directions and k equals the width of a scanning trace moving in said scanning directions.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 13 words

A marking as set forth in claim 18 wherein said lines are curved.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 35 words

A marking as set forth in claim 18 further including a center point of a diameter greater than the width of a single one of said lines, said lines being curved about said center point.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 50 words

A marking as set forth in claim 18 wherein a number of the first of said lines is a starting code, and a number of the last of said lines is an end code with the remainder of said lines forming an information code containing the information of the article.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1975-06-20	1975-12-20	1976-06-20	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1979-06-20	1979-12-20	1980-06-20	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1983-06-20	1983-12-20	1984-06-20	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method and apparatus for identifying articles and identification sign therefor

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