US5124538A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Scanner
Assignee: Accu Sort Systems Inc
•
Filing: 1990-09-21
•
Granted: 1992-06-23
•
Expires: 2010-09-21
Abstract
Abstract A scanner can read machine-readable code on an object. A scanner has a scanning device, a data device, and a registration device. The scanning device can repetitively scan the code and provide a scan signal repetitively corresponding to at least fragments of the code. The data device is coupled to the scanning device and responds to its scan signal for repetitively storing it. The registration device is coupled to the data device for reconstructing the code from at least two of the fragments of the code by relatively shifting the code fragments until they are in registration.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles Lapinski
- 👤 Charles Eckert
- 👤 Richard Skokowski
- 👤 James Cox
- 👤 William Scott
- 👤 Edward Chaleff
- 👤 Jeffrey G. Sharpe
- 👤 David A. Wurz
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 16:09
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K7/00; G06K7/10; G06K7/10544; G06K7/10821; G06K7/10861; G06K7/10871; G06K7/01; G06K7/016; G06K7/0166; G06K7/14; G06K7/1404; G06K7/146; G06K7/1491
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 62
Claim 1
Independent Claim
107 words
A scanner for reading machine-readable code on an object, comprising: scanning means for repetitively scanning said code and for providing a scan signal repetitively corresponding to at least fragments of said code; data means coupled to said scanning means and responsive to its scan signal for repetitively storing said scan signal; and registration means coupled to said data means for reconstructing at least a portion of said code from at least two of said fragments of said code including means for identifying matching portions of said two fragments, and means for shifting said two fragments relative to one another until said matching portions are identified in registration.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
107 words
A scanner for reading machine-readable code on an object, comprising: scanning means for repetitively scanning said code and for providing a scan signal repetitively corresponding to at least fragments of said code; data means coupled to said scanning means and responsive to its scan signal for repetitively storing said scan signal; and registration means coupled to said data means for reconstructing at least a portion of said code from at least two of said fragments of said code including means for identifying matching portions of said two fragments, and means for shifting said two fragments relative to one another until said matching portions are identified in registration.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
A scanner according to claim 1 wherein said code comprises a plurality of data bits and wherein said data means is operable to store one of said fragments of said code, provided its length exceeds a predetermined number of data bits.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
A scanner according to claim 2 wherein said scanning means comprises: a source for producing a beam of light; and deflecting means for tracing said beam across said object in an "X" shaped pattern.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
A scanner according to claim 3 wherein said "X" shaped pattern is traced at staggered repetitive positions.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
A scanner according to claim 4 wherein the staggered repetitive positions of said "X" pattern are centered on the vertices of a triangle.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
74 words
A scanner according to claim 2 wherein said data means includes: common memory means having dual independent ports for transferring data, one of said ports being coupled to said scanning means for receiving and storing data bits in response to said scan signal, the other one of said ports being coupled to said registration means, said registration means being freed from the task of repetitively storing said scan signal in said common memory means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
77 words
A scanner according to claim 6 wherein said code comprises a plurality of intervals including bars and spaces each having either a narrow or wide interval width, and wherein said data means comprises: narrow means coupled to said scanning means for measuring said narrow interval width and storing it as a narrow width value, said registration means being operable to shift and compare said fragments of said code, provided each has about the same narrow width value.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
68 words
A scanner according to claim 7 wherein said data means comprises: position means coupled to said scanning means for measuring within a scan of said code the position of the last valid one of said intervals and storing that position as a scan position value, said registration means being operable to shift and compare said fragments of said code, provided each has about the same scan position value.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
115 words
A scanner according to claim 6 wherein said data means comprises: register means coupled to said scanning means for sequentially storing said data bits in response to said scan signal; address means coupled to said common memory means for pointing to a location in said common memory means for storing said data bits; and state means coupled to said address means for indexing it and changing the location to which it points, said state means being operable after a predetermined number of said data bits are validly stored in said register means to transfer said data bits in said register means to said common memory means at the location to which the address means points.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
174 words
A scanner according to claim 9 wherein said code comprises a plurality of intervals including bars and spaces each having either a narrow or wide interval width, and wherein said data means comprises: narrow means coupled to said scanning means for measuring said narrow interval width and storing it as a narrow width value; and position means coupled to said scanning means for measuring within a scan of said code the position of the last valid one of said intervals and storing that position as a scan position value, said state means being coupled to said narrow means and said position means for transferring said scan position value and said narrow width value to said common memory means at the location to which the address means points in response to the ending of a succession of valid data bits arriving at said register means, said registration means being operable to shift and compare said fragments of said code, provided each has about the same scan position value and about the same narrow width value.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
74 words
A scanner according to claim 1 wherein said code comprises a plurality of intervals including bars and spaces of either narrow or wide interval widths, and wherein said data means comprises: quantizing means for measuring the interval widths of said intervals and providing a discrete ratio signal signifying whether the ratio of the last measured one of said interval widths to a prior one of said interval widths is about one, one-half or two.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
107 words
A scanner according to claim 11 wherein said quantizing means comprises: look-up means for providing three pairs of limit values corresponding to predetermined tolerances on said last measured one of said interval widths with respect to three nominal values centered around one (unity), one-half and two times said prior one of said interval widths; and comparison means coupled to said look-up means for providing said discrete ratio signal at a discrete value corresponding to one of said three nominal values in response to the last measured one of said interval widths being within one of the three predetermined tolerances signified by said three pairs of limit values.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
97 words
A scanner according to claim 12 wherein said data means comprises: pattern means coupled to said comparison means and responsive to its discrete ratio signal, said pattern means having two pluralities of states, each of said two pluralities corresponding to a bit pattern starting with a different binary value, said pattern means being operable to select one of said two pluralities in response to said discrete ratio signal providing a non-unity value; and register means for storing said bit pattern with an initial binary value determined by which one of said two pluralities of states is selected.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
38 words
A scanner according to claim 13 wherein said pattern means is operable to end said bit pattern in response to the last non-unity value of said discrete ratio signal being the same as the immediately preceding non-unity value.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
47 words
A scanner according to claim 14 wherein said data means comprises: scan means for counting the number of scans of said scanning means and storing that number as a scan number, said registration means being coupled to said scan means and operable to read said scan number.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
57 words
A scanner according to claim 15 wherein said data means comprises: empty means for counting the number of scans of said scanning means that fail to produce a valid code fragment and storing that number as a bad scan number, said registration means being coupled to said empty means and operable to read said bad scan number.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
95 words
A scanner according to claim 11 wherein said data means comprises: a first, second and third register coupled together to shift data from said first and second register to said second and third register, respectively, the first register being coupled to said scanning means for storing in response to said scan signal a value corresponding to the interval width of the last one of said intervals, said quantizing means being coupled to at least said first and third register to provide said discrete ratio signal by comparing the states of said first and third register.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
43 words
A scanner according to claim 17 wherein said quantizing means is initially operable for each scan of the scanning means to compare the states of said first and second register before said discrete ratio signal is first validly provided by the quantizing means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
34 words
A scanner according to claim 1 wherein said scanning means comprises: a source for producing a beam of light; and deflecting means for tracing said beam across said object in an "X" shaped pattern.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
35 words
A scanner according to claim 19 wherein said scanning means comprises: a rotating mirror; and a primary pair of non-coplanar mirrors, said non-coplanar mirrors being angularly adjacent from the optical perspective of said rotating mirror.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
44 words
A scanner according to claim 20 wherein said scanning means comprises: a secondary and tertiary pair of non-coplanar mirrors angularly spaced from said primary pair, said non-coplanar mirrors of each pair of mirrors being angularly adjacent from the optical perspective of said rotating mirror.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
34 words
A scanner according to claim 20 wherein said primary pair of non-coplanar mirrors comprises: first and second contiguous mirrors positioned to form an obtuse angle as measured on the side facing said rotating mirror.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
45 words
A scanner according to claim 19 comprising: zone means for measuring the distance between an object and said source and for providing a zone signal signifying said distance; and focussing means optically coupled to said source for focussing it in response to said zone signal.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
57 words
A scanner according to claim 1 wherein said data means comprises: counting means coupled to said scanning means for developing pluralities of counts responsive to transitions of said scan signal; and means coupled to said counting means for compressing each of said pluralities of counts to defined states for storing and for reconstructing by said registration means.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
57 words
A scanner according to claim 24 wherein said registration means comprises: means for digitally processing said stored scan signal so that one of said fragments provides a first portion of a digital code and another of said fragments provides a second portion of said digital code, both portions providing a registered middle portion of said digital code.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
21 words
A scanner according to claim 25 which further comprises: means coupled to said registration means for decoding a reconstructed digital code.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
39 words
A scanner according to claim 1 wherein said data means comprises: counting means coupled to said scanning means for developing pluralities of counts responsive to transitions of said scan signal for storing and for reconstructing by said registration means.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
54 words
A scanner according to claim 27 wherein said registration means comprises: means for numerically processing said stored scan signal so that one of said fragments provides a first portion of said code and another of said fragments provides a second portion of said code, both portions providing a registered middle portion of said code.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
43 words
A scanner according to claim 28 which further comprises: means coupled to said registration means for compressing said registered pluralities of counts to defined states, providing a reconstructed digital code; and means coupled to said compressing means for decoding said reconstructed digital code.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
54 words
A scanner according to claim 1 wherein said code includes start portions at a beginning of said code, stop portions at an end of said code, and data-containing portions between said start portions and said stop portions, and wherein at least one of said fragments of said code is comprised of said data-containing portions.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 30 wherein said scan signal includes additional fragments of said code which are comprised of said data-containing portions.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
20 words
A scanner according to claim 30 wherein both of said at least two fragments are comprised of said data-containing portions.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
21 words
A scanner according to claim 32 wherein both of said at least two fragments are comprised only of said data-containing portions.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
18 words
A scanner according to claim 1 wherein said registration means further includes means for combining registered code fragments.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
34 words
A scanner according to claim 34 which further includes means for reconstructing additional portions of said code from at least two fragments, wherein one of said fragments corresponds to said combined registered code fragments.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
71 words
A method for reading machine-readable code on an object, comprising the steps of: repetitively scanning said code and obtaining at least fragments of said code; repetitively recording said fragments of said code; and reconstructing said code from at least two of said fragments of said code by identifying matching portions of said two fragments, and shifting said two fragments relative to one another until said matching portions are identified in registration.
Claim 38
Independent Claim
71 words
A method for reading machine-readable code on an object, comprising the steps of: repetitively scanning said code and obtaining at least fragments of said code; repetitively recording said fragments of said code; and reconstructing said code from at least two of said fragments of said code by identifying matching portions of said two fragments, and shifting said two fragments relative to one another until said matching portions are identified in registration.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method according to claim 36 wherein said scanning of said code is performed by: repetitively tracing across said object in an "X" shaped pattern at staggered repetitive positions.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
66 words
A method according to claim 37 wherein said code comprises a plurality of intervals including bars and spaces each having either a narrow or wide interval width, said method comprising the step of: measuring said narrow interval width and recording it as a narrow width value, the step of restoring said code being performed among fragments of said code having about the same narrow width value.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
56 words
A method according to claim 38 comprising the step of: measuring within a scan of said code the position of the last valid one of said intervals and recording that position as a scan position value, the step of reconstructing said code being performed among fragments of said code having about the same scan position value.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
72 words
A method according to claim 36 wherein said code comprises a plurality of intervals including bars and spaces of either narrow or wide interval widths, said method comprising the step of: quantizing the interval widths of said intervals when they are within predetermined ranges such that the ratio of the last measured one of said interval widths to a prior one of said interval widths is about one (unity), one-half or two.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
92 words
A scanner according to claim 40 wherein the step of quantizing comprises: correlating three pairs of limit values corresponding to predetermined tolerances on said last measured one of said interval widths with respect to three nominal values centered around one (unity), one-half and two times said prior one of said interval widths; and declaring a discrete value corresponding to one of said three nominal values in response to the last measured one of said interval widths being within one of the three predetermined tolerances signified by said three pairs of limit values.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
50 words
A method according to claim 41 comprising the steps of: selecting one of two binary values in response to said discrete value providing either non-unity value; and recording a bit pattern with its initial binary value determined by the first non-unity value occurring in a valid succession of discrete values.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method according to claim 42 wherein said recording of said bit pattern ends in response to the last non-unity value occurring in a valid succession of discrete values being the same as the immediately preceding non-unity value.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
47 words
A method according to claim 40 wherein said method comprises the step of: recording values corresponding to the interval width of the last three valid ones of said intervals, the step of quantizing being performed by comparing the last and third to last one of said intervals.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method according to claim 44 wherein the step of quantizing is initially performed for each scan by comparing the last and next to last one of said intervals before a third valid one of said intervals is recorded in the step of recording values.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
62 words
A method according to claim 36 wherein the step of repetitively recording the fragments of said code comprises the steps of: sequentially recording data bits corresponding to the sequence of said code; indexing and pointing to an address for recording said data bits; and rerecording said data bits at the address after a predetermined number of said data bits are validly recorded.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method according to claim 36 wherein said repetitive recording of said fragments of said code comprises: developing pluralities of counts responsive to transitions of said repetitive scans of said code; and compressing each of said pluralities of counts to defined states for storing and reconstructing.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
56 words
A method according to claim 47 wherein said reconstructing is performed by: digitally processing said compressed pluralities of counts so that one of said fragments provides a first portion of digital code and another of said fragments provides a second portion of said digital code, both portions providing a registered middle portion of said digital code.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to claim 48 comprising the step of: decoding a reconstructed digital code.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method according to claim 36 wherein said repetitive recording of said fragments of said code comprises: developing pluralities of counts responsive to said repetitive scans of said code for storing and transitions of reconstructing.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
53 words
A method according to claim 50 wherein said reconstructing is performed by: numerically processing said pluralities of counts so that one of said fragments provides a first portion of said code and another of said fragments provides a second portion of said code, both portions providing a registered middle portion of said code.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method according to claim 51 which comprises the step of: repetitively processing said pluralities of counts so that additional fragments are combined with said first and second portions of said code.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method according to claim 52 wherein said repetitive processing comprises the step of: adding fragments to said first and second portions of said code until said code includes a beginning and an ending portion, providing a reconstructed code.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method according to claim 51 which comprises the steps of: compressing a reconstructed code to defined states, providing a reconstructed digital code; and decoding said reconstructed digital code.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
54 words
A method according to claim 36 wherein said code includes start portions at a beginning of said code, stop portions at an end of said code, and data-containing portions between said start portions and said stop portions, and wherein at least one of said fragments of said code is comprised of said data-containing portions.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 55 wherein said scan signal includes additional fragments of said code which are comprised of said data-containing portions.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 55 wherein both of said at least two fragments are comprised of said data-containing portions.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 57 wherein both of said at least two fragments are comprised only of said data-containing portions.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to claim 36 wherein said reconstructing further includes the step of combining registered code fragments.
Claim 62
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method according to claim 59 wherein said reconstructing further includes the step of reconstructing additional portions of said code from at least two fragments, wherein one of said fragments corresponds to said combined registered code fragments.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-06-23 | 1995-12-23 | 1996-06-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-06-23 | 1999-12-23 | 2000-06-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-06-23 | 2003-12-23 | 2004-06-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |