US3714397A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Information processing system
Assignee: GTE Sylvania Inc
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Filing: 1970-11-12
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Granted: 1973-01-30
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Expires: 1990-11-12
Abstract
Abstract An optical label-reading system including a gain equalizing arrangement and a variable-gain amplifier circuit for equalizing the amplitudes of electrical signals derived by an optical scanning apparatus from coded retroreflective labels affixed to railway vehicles at varying vertical heights within a wide range of vertical heights.
Inventors
- 👤 F Macey
- 👤 R Reif
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 05:45
CPC Classifications
B; B61; B61L; B61L25/00; B61L25/02; B61L25/04; B61L25/041
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
403 words
A system for processing information relating to an object, comprising: information-sensing means having a predetermined vertical information-sensing range associated therewith, said information-sensing means being adapted to sense information encoded in a label present within the predetermined vertical information-sensing range associated therewith and to produce output signals representative of the information encoded in the label; a radiation reflecting label associated with an object and having information encoded therein relating to the object, said label being within the predetermined vertical information-sensing range associated with the information-sensing means; said information-sensing means being operative to sense the information encoded in the label and to produce output signals representative thereof and comprising scanning means for scanning a beam of electromagnetic radiation through a predetermined vertical scanning range, said beam of electromagnetic radiation intercepting said radiation reflecting label; and receiving means arranged to receive electromagnetic radiation from the radiation-reflecting label and operative in response to electromagnetic radiation received after reflection from the radiation-reflecting label to produce output signals representative of the information encoded in the radiation-reflecting label; and control means operative to receive the output signals produced by the information-sensing means and to amplify said output signals by an amount related to the vertical position of the label within the predetermined vertical information-sensing range associated with the information-sensing means, said control means comprising circuit means coupled to the scanning means and operative during the scanning of the beam of electromagnetic radiation through the predetermined vertical scanning range to produce an output control voltage concurrent with the scanning of the beam of electromagnetic radiation and having an amplitude varying over the duration of the scanning beam of electromagnetic radiation; and variable-gain amplifier circuit means coupled to the receiving means and to the circuit means and having a variable-gain cHaracteristic, said variable-gain amplifier circuit means being adapted to receive the output signals produced by the receiving means representative of the information encoded in the radiation-reflecting label and the amplitude-varying output control voltage produced by the circuit means and operative in response thereto to vary the value of its gain over the duration of the scanning of the beam of electromagnetic radiation through the predetermined vertical scanning range, whereby the output signals produced by the receiving means and representative of the information encoded in the radiation-reflecting label are amplified by the variable-gain amplifier circuit means by an amount dependent on the vertical position of the label within the predetermined vertical scanning range.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
403 words
A system for processing information relating to an object, comprising: information-sensing means having a predetermined vertical information-sensing range associated therewith, said information-sensing means being adapted to sense information encoded in a label present within the predetermined vertical information-sensing range associated therewith and to produce output signals representative of the information encoded in the label; a radiation reflecting label associated with an object and having information encoded therein relating to the object, said label being within the predetermined vertical information-sensing range associated with the information-sensing means; said information-sensing means being operative to sense the information encoded in the label and to produce output signals representative thereof and comprising scanning means for scanning a beam of electromagnetic radiation through a predetermined vertical scanning range, said beam of electromagnetic radiation intercepting said radiation reflecting label; and receiving means arranged to receive electromagnetic radiation from the radiation-reflecting label and operative in response to electromagnetic radiation received after reflection from the radiation-reflecting label to produce output signals representative of the information encoded in the radiation-reflecting label; and control means operative to receive the output signals produced by the information-sensing means and to amplify said output signals by an amount related to the vertical position of the label within the predetermined vertical information-sensing range associated with the information-sensing means, said control means comprising circuit means coupled to the scanning means and operative during the scanning of the beam of electromagnetic radiation through the predetermined vertical scanning range to produce an output control voltage concurrent with the scanning of the beam of electromagnetic radiation and having an amplitude varying over the duration of the scanning beam of electromagnetic radiation; and variable-gain amplifier circuit means coupled to the receiving means and to the circuit means and having a variable-gain cHaracteristic, said variable-gain amplifier circuit means being adapted to receive the output signals produced by the receiving means representative of the information encoded in the radiation-reflecting label and the amplitude-varying output control voltage produced by the circuit means and operative in response thereto to vary the value of its gain over the duration of the scanning of the beam of electromagnetic radiation through the predetermined vertical scanning range, whereby the output signals produced by the receiving means and representative of the information encoded in the radiation-reflecting label are amplified by the variable-gain amplifier circuit means by an amount dependent on the vertical position of the label within the predetermined vertical scanning range.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
403 words
A system for processing information relating to an object, comprising: information-sensing means having a predetermined vertical information-sensing range associated therewith, said information-sensing means being adapted to sense information encoded in a label present within the predetermined vertical information-sensing range associated therewith and to produce output signals representative of the information encoded in the label; a radiation reflecting label associated with an object and having information encoded therein relating to the object, said label being within the predetermined vertical informationsensing range associated with the information-sensing means; said information-sensing means being operative to sense the information encoded in the label and to produce output signals representative thereof and comprising scanning means for scanning a beam of electromagnetic radiation through a predetermined vertical scanning range, said beam of electromagnetic radiation intercepting said radiation reflecting label; and receiving means arranged to receive electromagnetic radiation from the radiation-reflecting label and operative in response to electromagnetic radiation received after reflection from the radiation-reflecting label to produce output signals representative of the information encoded in the radiationreflecting label; and control means operative to receive the output signals produced by the information-sensing means and to amplify said output signals by an amount related to the vertical position of the label within the predetermined vertical information-sensing range associated with the information-sensing means, said control means comprising circuit means coupled to the scanning means and operative during the scanning of the beam of electromagnetic radiation through the predetermined vertical scanning range to produce an output control voltage concurrent with the scanning of the beam of electromagnetic radiation and having an amplitude varying over the duration of the scanning beam of electromagnetic radiation; and variable-gain amplifier circuit means coupled to the receiving means and to the circuit means and having a variable-gain cHaracteristic, said variable-gain amplifier circuit means being adapted to receive the output signals produced by the receiving means representative of the information encoded in the radiation-reflecting label and the amplitude-varying output control voltage produced by the circuit means and operative in response thereto to vary the value of its gain over the duration of the scanning of the beam of electromagnetic radiation through the predetermined vertical scanning range, whereby the output signals produced by the receiving means and representative of the information encoded in the radiation-reflecting label are amplified by the variable-gain amplifier circuit means by an amount dependent on the vertical position of the label within the predetermined vertical scanning range.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
403 words
A system for processing information relating to an object, comprising: information-sensing means having a predetermined vertical information-sensing range associated therewith, said information-sensing means being adapted to sense information encoded in a label present within the predetermined vertical information-sensing range associated therewith and to produce output signals representative of the information encoded in the label; a radiation reflecting label associated with an object and having information encoded therein relating to the object, said label being within the predetermined vertical informationsensing range associated with the information-sensing means; said information-sensing means being operative to sense the information encoded in the label and to produce output signals representative thereof and comprising scanning means for scanning a beam of electromagnetic radiation through a predetermined vertical scanning range, said beam of electromagnetic radiation intercepting said radiation reflecting label; and receiving means arranged to receive electromagnetic radiation from the radiation-reflecting label and operative in response to electromagnetic radiation received after reflection from the radiation-reflecting label to produce output signals representative of the information encoded in the radiationreflecting label; and control means operative to receive the output signals produced by the information-sensing means and to amplify said output signals by an amount related to the vertical position of the label within the predetermined vertical information-sensing range associated with the information-sensing means, said control means comprising circuit means coupled to the scanning means and operative during the scanning of the beam of electromagnetic radiation through the predetermined vertical scanning range to produce an output control voltage concurrent with the scanning of the beam of electromagnetic radiation and having an amplitude varying over the duration of the scanning beam of electromagnetic radiation; and variable-gain amplifier circuit means coupled to the receiving means and to the circuit means and having a variable-gain cHaracteristic, said variable-gain amplifier circuit means being adapted to receive the output signals produced by the receiving means representative of the information encoded in the radiation-reflecting label and the amplitude-varying output control voltage produced by the circuit means and operative in response thereto to vary the value of its gain over the duration of the scanning of the beam of electromagnetic radiation through the predetermined vertical scanning range, whereby the output signals produced by the receiving means and representative of the information encoded in the radiation-reflecting label are amplified by the variable-gain amplifier circuit means by an amount dependent on the vertical position of the label within the predetermined vertical scanning range.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the radiation-reflecting label comprises a plurality of radiation-reflecting elements arranged in a predetermined code format to represent information.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
A system in accordance with claim 2 wherein the radiation-reflecting elements are retroreflective elements and the electromagnetic radiation is visible light.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
188 words
A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein: said circuit means operates during the scanning of the beam of electromagnetic radiation through the predetermined vertical scanning range to produce an output control voltage having an amplitude decreasing from a first value to a second value as the scanning beam moves between a first position and a second position in the predetermined vertical scanning range and then increasing from the second value back to the first value as the scanning beam moves between the second position and a third position in the predetermined vertical scanning range; and said variable-gain amplifier circuit means operates during the scanning of the beam of electromagnetic radiation through the predetermined vertical scanning range to decrease the value of its gain from a first value to a second value as the scanning beam moves between the first position and the second position in the predetermined vertical scanning range and then to increase the value of its gain from the second value back to the first value as the scanning beam moves between the second position and the third position in the predetermined vertical scanning range.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
78 words
A system in accordance with claim 4 wherein: the first, second, and third positions in the predetermined vertical scan range are the lowermost, center, and uppermost positions, respectively, of the predetermined vertical scanning range, whereby output signals produced by the receiving means and representative of information encoded in labels located at varying positions within the predetermined vertical scanning range are amplified by the variable-gain amplifier circuit means to produce amplified signals therefrom having an essentially uniform, constant value.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
102 words
A system in accordance with claim 1 where in the circuit means comprises: pulse generating circuit means coupled to the scanning means an operative to generate an output pulse at the outset of the operation of the scanning means to scan the beam of electromagnetic radiation through the predetermined vertical scanning range; and gain control circuit means operative to receive the output pulse generated by the pulse generating circuit means and in response thereto to produce an output control voltage having an amplitude varying over the duration of the scanning of the beam of electromagnetic radiation through the predetermined vertical scanning range.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
188 words
A system in accordance with claim 6 wherein: the gain control circuit means operates in response to the output pulse produced by the pulse generating circuit means to produce an output control voltage having a value decreasing from a first value to a second value as the scanning beam moves between a first position and a second position in the predetermined vertical scanning range and then increasing from the second value back tO the first value as the scanning beam moves between the second position and a third position in the predetermined vertical scanning range; and the variable-gain amplifier circuit means operates during the scanning of the beam of electromagnetic radiation through the predetermined vertical scanning range to decrease the value of its gain from a first value to a second value as the scanning beam moves between the first position and the second position in the predetermined vertical scanning range and then to increase the value of its gain from the second value back to the first value as the scanning beam moves between the second position and a third position in the predetermined vertical scanning range.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
217 words
A system in accordance with claim 7 wherein: the pulse generating circuit means comprises: radiation-responsive means positioned with respect to the scanning means so as to be exposed to electromagnetic radiation from the scanning means at the outset of the operation of the scanning means to scan the beam of electromagnetic radiation through the predetermined vertical scanning range; and detector circuit means coupled to the radiation-responsive means and operable in response to the radiation-responsive means being exposed to electromagnetic radiation from the scanning means to produce an output pulse; and the gain control circuit means includes: first circuit means operative to receive the output pulse produced by the detector circuit means and in response thereto to produce first and second simultaneous output voltage conditions; push-pull tuned amplifier circuit means operative to receive the first and second output voltage conditions produced by the first circuit means and in response thereto to produce simultaneous positive and negative half-cycles of a sinusoidal voltage; and negative-voltage full-wave rectifier circuit means operative to receive the positive and negative half-cycles of the sinusoidal voltage produced by the push-pull tuned amplifier circuit means and to full wave rectify said positive and negative half-cycles of the sinusoidal voltage to produce a negative half-cycle of a sinusoidal output voltage, said output voltage representing a control voltage.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
A system in accordance with claim 8 wherein the radiation-reflecting label comprises a plurality of radiation-reflecting elements arranged in a predetermined code format to represent information.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
A system in accordance with claim 9 wherein the radiation-reflecting elements are retroreflective elements and the electromagnetic radiation is visible light.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
A system in accordance with claim 10 wherein the object is a vehicle.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
296 words
A system for processing information encoded in a label, comprising: present scanning unit means adapted to scan through a predetermined range of scan angles and operative in response to scanning a coded label present in the scan path thereof to produce output signals representative of the information encoded in the label; and control means operative to receive output signals produced by the scanning unit means representative of information encoded in a label present in the scan path of the scanning unit means and to amplify the output signals by an amount related to the value of the scan angle at which the label is scanned by the scanning unit means, said control means comprising: circuit means coupled to the scanning unit means and operative while the scanning unit means scans through the predetermined range of scan angles to produce an output control voltage concurrent with the scan by the scanning unit means and having an amplitude varying over the duration of the scan by the scanning unit means; and variable-gain amplifier circuit means coupled to the scanning unit means and to the circuit means and having a variable-gain characteristic, said variable-gain amplifier circuit means being adapted to receive the output signals produced by the scanning unit means and representative oF information encoded in a label and the output control voltage produced by the circuit means and operative in response thereto to vary the value of its gain over the duration of the scan by the scanning unit means, whereby output signals produced by the scanning unit means and representative of information encoded in a label present in the scan path of the scanning unit means are amplified by an amount dependent on the scan angle at which the label is scanned by the scanning unit means.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
296 words
A system for processing information encoded in a label, comprising: present scanning unit means adapted to scan through a predetermined range of scan angles and operative in response to scanning a coded label present in the scan path thereof to produce output signals representative of the information encoded in the label; and control means operative to receive output signals produced by the scanning unit means representative of information encoded in a label present in the scan path of the scanning unit means and to amplify the output signals by an amount related to the value of the scan angle at which the label is scanned by the scanning unit means, said control means comprising: circuit means coupled to the scanning unit means and operative while the scanning unit means scans through the predetermined range of scan angles to produce an output control voltage concurrent with the scan by the scanning unit means and having an amplitude varying over the duration of the scan by the scanning unit means; and variable-gain amplifier circuit means coupled to the scanning unit means and to the circuit means and having a variable-gain characteristic, said variable-gain amplifier circuit means being adapted to receive the output signals produced by the scanning unit means and representative oF information encoded in a label and the output control voltage produced by the circuit means and operative in response thereto to vary the value of its gain over the duration of the scan by the scanning unit means, whereby output signals produced by the scanning unit means and representative of information encoded in a label present in the scan path of the scanning unit means are amplified by an amount dependent on the scan angle at which the label is scanned by the scanning unit means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
190 words
A system in accordance with claim 12 wherein: said circuit means operates while the scanning unit means scans through the predetermined range of scan angles to produce an output control voltage concurrent with the scan by the scanning unit means and having an amplitude decreasing from a first value to a second value as the scanning unit means scans through a first portion of the predetermined range of scan angles and then increasing from the second value back to the first value as the scanning unit means operates to scan through a second portion of the predetermined range of scan angles; and said variable-gain amplifier circuit means operates while the scanning unit means scans through the predetermined range of scan angles to decrease the value of its gain from a first value to a second value as the scanning unit means scans through the first portion of the predetermined range of scan angles and then to increase the value of its gain from the second value back to the first value as the scanning unit means operates to scan through the second portion of the predetermined range of scan angles.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
81 words
A system in accordance with claim 13 wherein: the first and second portions of the predetermined range of scan angles are first and second halves, respectively, of the predetermined range of scan angles, whereby output signals produced by the scanning unit means and representative of information encoded in labels located at varying positions in the scan paths of the scanning unit means are amplified by the variable-gain amplifier circuit means to produce amplified signals therefrom having an essentially uniform, constant amplitude.
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) | 1976-01-30 | 1976-07-31 | 1977-01-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-01-30 | 1980-07-31 | 1981-01-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-01-30 | 1984-07-31 | 1985-01-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |