Double field code reading system

Claim 1

A code reading system for reading a coded medium having placed thereon along a given path a first and a second series of detectable coded indicia which are separated from one another along said given path by an area of greater distance than the width of the widest one of said indicia of said first series along said given path, said first series of coded indicia having a size code associated therewith conveying a number related to the number of indicia in said first series, said system comprising: detecting means for detecting each of said coded indicia and said area between said first and second series; determining means, in response to said size code, for providing a determining means signal during the time when said detecting means is detecting said area; and switchable counter means for determining the amount of time said detecting means detects each indicium of said first series and said area, and for providing an error signal in the event said amount of time is greater than a switchable predetermined amount of time, said predetermined amount of time being switched from a shorter amount of time to a longer amount of time in response to said determining means signal during the time said area is being detected.

Claim 7

A system for reading a coded medium which is capable of having placed along a path thereon either a single field of coded matter or two fields of coded matter, each field including first areas of first, second and third colors contiguously arranged such that a transition from an area of one color to an area of another color represents a defined binary digit, there being a second area of said first color, which is larger than said first area along said path, separating the two fields in the event said medium has two fields placed thereon, each of said fields including at least one identification bit which identifies that field as being the only field on the medium, or as being one of two fields on the medium, each of said fields further including a plurality of bits forming a size code which manifests a number relating to the number of binary digits defined by each field, said system including optical-electric means for being scanned across each of the colored areas and for providing one of a first, a second or a third signal which respectively indicate which of the first, the second or the third color is then being scanned, said system further including logic which comprises: decoding means for providing a size code signal manifesting said size code and for further providing an identification signal manifesting said identification bit; switching signal providing means responsive to said size code and identification signals for counting each bit defined by said provided first, second and third signals and, in the event said medium has two fields thereon, for providing a switching signal after the last binary digit of the first field is defined; and switchable timing means for providing an error signal in the event one of said first, second or third signals is provided for more than a first amount of time, as long as said switching signal has not been provided, and, for providing said error signal in the event one of said first, second or third signals is provided for more than a second amount of time, as long as said switching signal is being provided, said second amount of time being longer than said first amount of time.

Claim 8

A system for reading a coded medium which is capable of having placed along a path thereon either a single field of coded matter or two fields of coded matter, each field including first areas of first, second and third colors contiguously arranged such that a transition from an area of one color to an area of another color represents a defined binary digit, there being a second area of said first color, which is larger than said first area along said path, separating the two fields in the event said medium has two fields placed thereon, each of said fields including at least one identification bit which identifies that field as being the only field on the medium, or as being one of two fields on the medium, each of said fields further including a plurality of bits forming a size code which manifests a number relating to the number of binary digits defined by each field, said system including optical-electric means for being scanned across each of the colored areas and for providing one of a first, a second or a third signal which respectively indicate which of the first, the second or the third color is then being scanned, said system further including logic which comprises: decoding means for providing a size code signal manifesting said size code and for further providing an identification signal manifesting said identification bit; switching signal providing means responsive to said size code and identification signals for counting each bit defined by said provided first, second and third signals and, in the event said medium has two fields thereon, for providing a switching signal after the last binary digit of the first field is defined; and switchable timing means for providing an error signal in the event one of said first, second or third signals is provided for more than a first amount of time, as long as said switching signal has not been provided, and, for providing said error signal in the event one of said first, second or third signals is provided for more than a second amount of time, as long as said switching signal is being provided, said second amount of time being longer than said first amount of time.