Ation carriers mechanical reading and recognition of information displayed on inform

Claim 2

In a method of reading and recognizing code patterns having a plurality of code signs therein forming a plurality of information codes and separating codes with said codes consisting of no more than n identical code signs, the steps of receiving an impulse sequence corresponding to a read code pattern within a storage means; monitoring said impulse sequence to detect a succession of more than n identical code signs within said read code pattern; and erasing said impulse sequence from the storage means in response to the detection of a succession of more than n identical code signs within said read code pattern.

Claim 3

In a method as set forth in claim 1 wherein n equals three (3).

Claim 4

In a method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said information codes each have at most n - 1 immediately consecutive code signs for containing information to be displayed, and said separating codes each have at most n identical immediately consecutive code signs, each said separating code being disposed between two adjacent information codes.

Claim 5

In a method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said code pattern includes two recognition features at the ends thereof and which further comprises the steps of monitoring said impulse sequence to detect an absence of at least one of said recognition features therefrom and of erasing said impulse sequence from the storage means in response to the detection of the absence of said one recognition feature in said read code pattern.

Claim 6

In a method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said impulse sequence is received in a timing pulse rhythm within the storage means.

Claim 7

In a method as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least the first n + 1 code sign positions of said impulse pattern are monitored in said step of monitoring to detect a succession of n + 1 identical values for erasing said impulse pattern from said storage means.

Claim 8

In a method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the value of a separating code sign of at least one separating code is different from the value of at least one adjacent code sign of an information code, the further steps of monitoring said impulse pattern to detect the absence of a difference between said separating code sign and said adjacent information code sign and of erasing said impulse pattern from the storage means in response to the detection of the absence of a said difference.

Claim 9

In a metHod as set forth in claim 7 wherein said adjacent information code sign is a preceding code sign relative to said separating code sign.

Claim 10

In a method as set forth in claim 7 wherein said adjacent information code sign is a following code sign relative to said separating code sign.

Claim 11

Apparatus for reading and recognizing code patterns having a plurality of code signs forming a plurality of information codes and separating codes with said codes consisting of no more than n identical code signs, comprising means for reading a code pattern and for producing an electrical impulse sequence corresponding to said code pattern; a storage means for receiving said impulse sequence; and monitoring means connected to said storage means for monitoring said received impulse pattern to detect a succession of more than n identical code signs with said read code pattern and for emitting a signal to said storage means in response to the detection of a succession of more than n identical code signs within said read code pattern to erase said impulse sequence from said storage means.

Claim 12

Apparatus for reading and recognizing code patterns having a plurality of code signs forming a plurality of information codes and separating codes with said codes consisting of no more than n identical code signs, comprising means for reading a code pattern and for producing an electrical impulse sequence corresponding to said code pattern; a storage means for receiving said impulse sequence; and monitoring means connected to said storage means for monitoring said received impulse pattern to detect a succession of more than n identical code signs with said read code pattern and for emitting a signal to said storage means in response to the detection of a succession of more than n identical code signs within said read code pattern to erase said impulse sequence from said storage means.

Claim 13

Apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein said storage means is a shift register having a plurality of stages to receive said impulse sequence and an erasing input connected to said monitoring means and wherein said monitoring means emits said signal to said erasing input in response to the storage of identical values in a succession of more than n stages of said register.

Claim 14

Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said erasing input is connected to all of said stages except the first stage.

Claim 15

Apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein said code pattern includes two recognition features at the ends thereof and which further comprises a second monitoring means connected to said storage means for monitoring said received impulse pattern to detect an absence of at least one of said recognition features therefrom and for emitting a signal to said storage means in response to a said absence to erase said impulse sequence from said storage means.

Claim 16

Apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein said second monitoring means is a code recognition logic.

Claim 17

Apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein said monitoring means is an n-bit monitoring unit connected to said storage means to monitor the first n + 1 code signs received in said storage means to detect a succession of n + 1 identical values for erasing said impulse pattern from said storage means.

Claim 18

Apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein the value of a separating code sign of at least one separating code is different from the value of at least one adjacent code sign of an information code, further comprising a third monitoring means connected to said storage means for monitoring said received impulse pattern to detect the absence of a difference between said separating code sign and said adjacent information code sign and for emitting a signal to said storage means in response to a said absence to erase said impulse pattern from said storage means.

Claim 19

Apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein said third monitoring means is a comparator.

Claim 20

Apparatus for reading and recognizing code patterns having a plurality of code signs forming a plurality of information codes and separating codes and a pair of recognition codes at the ends of a said pattern, said information codes and said separating codes consisting of no more than n identical code signs, comprising means for reading a code pattern and for producing an electrical impulse sequence corresponding to said code pattern; a storage means for receiving said impulse sequence; a first monitoring means connected to said storage means for monitoring said received impulse pattern to detect a succession of more than n identical code signs within said read code pattern and for emitting a first signal to said storage means in response to the detection of a succession of more than n Identical code signs within said read code pattern to erase said impulse sequence from said storage means; and a second monitoring means connected to said storage means for monitoring said received impulse pattern to detect an absence of at least one of said recognition features therefrom and for emitting a second signal to said storage means in response to a said absence to erase said impulse sequence from said storage means.

Claim 21

Apparatus for reading and recognizing code patterns having a plurality of code signs forming a plurality of information codes and separating codes and a pair of recognition codes at the ends of a said pattern, said information codes and said separating codes consisting of no more than n identical code signs, comprising means for reading a code pattern and for producing an electrical impulse sequence corresponding to said code pattern; a storage means for receiving said impulse sequence; a first monitoring means connected to said storage means for monitoring said received impulse pattern to detect a succession of more than n identical code signs within said read code pattern and for emitting a first signal to said storage means in response to the detection of a succession of more than n Identical code signs within said read code pattern to erase said impulse sequence from said storage means; and a second monitoring means connected to said storage means for monitoring said received impulse pattern to detect an absence of at least one of said recognition features therefrom and for emitting a second signal to said storage means in response to a said absence to erase said impulse sequence from said storage means.

Claim 22

Apparatus as set forth in claim 18 wherein the value of a separating code sign of at least one separating code is different from the value of at least one adjacent code sign of an information code, further comprising a third monitoring means connected to said storage means for monitoring said received impulse pattern to detect the absence of a difference between said separating code sign and said adjacent information code sign and for emitting a signal to said storage means in response to a said absence to erase said impulse pattern from said storage means.

Claim 23

Apparatus as set forth in claim 19 wherein said storage means is a shift register, said first monitoring means is an n-bit monitoring unit, said second monitoring means is a code recognition logic and said third monitoring means is a comparator.