US5196684A — Method and apparatus for improving the throughput…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 218 words

A method for scanning and decoding the symbols of a bar code label using a CCD image sensor viewing the bar code, and coupled to a signal processor with memory comprising the steps of: (a) setting a start of scan signal (SOS) to a first signal level from the processor; (b) while the SOS signal is at the first signal level, reading from the CCD sensor a digital data signal representative of the bar code; (c) storing in memory the representative data signal read from the CCD sensor; (d) validating and decoding the stored data signal when the SOS signal is at a second signal level to determine if the representative data is valid or invalid; (e) immediately restarting the SOS first level signal whenever an invalid bar code data signal is decoded to recollect bar code data signals from the CCD sensor viewing the bar code so as to repeat step (a); and (f) following step (d), immediately restarting the SOS first level signal so as to repeat step (a) whenever the data signal is found valid, whereby the CCD data collecting scan rate is maximized by minimizing the duration of the SOS second level signal and immediately restarting the scanning of the bar code whenever a bar code has been found to be valid or invalid.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 218 words

A method for scanning and decoding the symbols of a bar code label using a CCD image sensor viewing the bar code, and coupled to a signal processor with memory comprising the steps of: (a) setting a start of scan signal (SOS) to a first signal level from the processor; (b) while the SOS signal is at the first signal level, reading from the CCD sensor a digital data signal representative of the bar code; (c) storing in memory the representative data signal read from the CCD sensor; (d) validating and decoding the stored data signal when the SOS signal is at a second signal level to determine if the representative data is valid or invalid; (e) immediately restarting the SOS first level signal whenever an invalid bar code data signal is decoded to recollect bar code data signals from the CCD sensor viewing the bar code so as to repeat step (a); and (f) following step (d), immediately restarting the SOS first level signal so as to repeat step (a) whenever the data signal is found valid, whereby the CCD data collecting scan rate is maximized by minimizing the duration of the SOS second level signal and immediately restarting the scanning of the bar code whenever a bar code has been found to be valid or invalid.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 27 words

The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of reading comprises the steps of filtering and digitizing the data signal to produce said representative signal.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method as recited in claim 1, comprising the step of illuminating the bar code using lamp means in response to the SOS signal.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 14 words

The method as recited in claim 3, wherein said lamp means comprises LED lamps.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 70 words

The method as recited in claim 3, additionally comprising the step of examining the stored data signal of step (d) to determine if the image sensor is scanning valid or invalid bar code, successively increasing the flash time to the LED lamps in response to step (e) as the bars and spaces are scanned, resetting the flash time in response to step (f) when a data signal is found valid.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 35 words

The method as recited in claim 5, additionally comprising an LED driver coupling the microcontroller to said LED lamps, said microcontroller increasing the flash time of said LEDs at the start of the SOS signal.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 51 words

The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said CCD image sensor comprises a linear strip of a plurality of light sensitive pixels having an optical resolution greater than any individual bar and space of the bar code label, and a plurality of shift registers coupled to said light sensitive pixels.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 38 words

The method as recited in claim 7, additionally comprising a timing circuit responsive to the output of the microcontroller for restarting the SOS signal, said timing circuit being coupled to the shift registers of said CCD image sensor.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 29 words

The method as recited in claim 8, wherein said timing circuit shifts the collected bar code data from the shift registers of said CCD image sensor to said microcontroller.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method as recited in claim 2, wherein said image sensor comprises lens and mirror means for focusing the bar code labels onto the pixels.

Claim 12

Independent Claim 220 words

An apparatus for scanning and decoding the symbols of a bar code comprising: a microcontroller having a timing circuit for generating a start of scan (SOS) first level signal and a SOS second level signal; a CCD image sensor, coupled to said microcontroller and viewing the bar code, for scanning the bar code in response to the SOS signal; said CCD sensor producing a digital data signal representative of the bar code; memory means coupled to said image sensor for storing in memory the representative data signal read by said CCD signal, said microcontroller validating and decoding the stored data signal in said memory means when the SOS signal is at the second level to determine if the representative data is valid or invalid, and immediately restarting the SOS first level signal whenever an invalid bar code data signal is decoded to recollect bar code data signals from the CCD sensor viewing the bar code; and said microcontroller immediately restarting the SOS first level signal so as to recollect bar code data signals whenever the data signal is found valid, whereby the CCD data collecting scan rate is maximized by minimizing the duration of the SOS second level signal and immediately restarting the scanning of the bar code whenever a bar code has been found to be valid or invalid.

Claim 13

Independent Claim 220 words

An apparatus for scanning and decoding the symbols of a bar code comprising: a microcontroller having a timing circuit for generating a start of scan (SOS) first level signal and a SOS second level signal; a CCD image sensor, coupled to said microcontroller and viewing the bar code, for scanning the bar code in response to the SOS signal; said CCD sensor producing a digital data signal representative of the bar code; memory means coupled to said image sensor for storing in memory the representative data signal read by said CCD signal, said microcontroller validating and decoding the stored data signal in said memory means when the SOS signal is at the second level to determine if the representative data is valid or invalid, and immediately restarting the SOS first level signal whenever an invalid bar code data signal is decoded to recollect bar code data signals from the CCD sensor viewing the bar code; and said microcontroller immediately restarting the SOS first level signal so as to recollect bar code data signals whenever the data signal is found valid, whereby the CCD data collecting scan rate is maximized by minimizing the duration of the SOS second level signal and immediately restarting the scanning of the bar code whenever a bar code has been found to be valid or invalid.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 30 words

The apparatus as recited in claim 11, additionally comprising a filtering and digitizing means for filtering out noise and unwanted signals from the data signal to produce said representative signal.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 58 words

The apparatus as recited in claim 12, additionally comprising an LED driver circuit coupled to said microcontroller and having its output coupled to said LED lamps and means responsive to said SOS signal and said microcontroller for increasing the flash tie of said LEDs between the time the representative data is invalid and the data signal becomes valid.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 62 words

The apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein said means for increasing the flash time comprises increasing the current to the LEDs a first increment above its initial value upon reading the first invalid signal, further increasing the current to said LEDs in increments until a valid bar code is read and resetting the current to the LEDs to its initial value.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 22 words

The apparatus as recited in claim 11, comprising lamp means for illuminating the bar code symbols in response to the SOS signal.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 14 words

The apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein said lamp means comprises LED lamps.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 28 words

The apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein said LED lamps are disposed around the periphery of said lens and mirror means to illuminate the bar code symbols.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 50 words

The apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein said CCD image sensor comprises a linear strip of a plurality of light sensitive pixels having an optical resolution greater than any individual bar and space of the bar code label, and means for serially shifting the data collected from said pixels.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 26 words

The apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein said means for serially shifting the collected data comprises a plurality of shift registers coupled to said pixels.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 26 words

The apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein said image sensor additionally comprises lens and mirror means for focusing the bar code labels onto the pixels.

Claim 23

Independent Claim 151 words

An apparatus for scanning and decoding the symbols of a bar code comprising: a microcontroller having a timing circuit for generating a start of scan (SOS) first level signal and a SOS second level signal; an image sensor, coupled to said microcontroller and viewing the bar code, for scanning the bar code in response to the SOS signal; said image sensor producing a digital data signal representative of the bar code; memory means coupled to said image sensor for storing in memory the representative data signal read by said image sensor; and said microcontroller including means validating and decoding the stored data signal in said memory means when the SOS signal is at the second level for determining whether the representative data is valid and for initiating a new SOS first level signal in response to the decoding of either one of an invalid and a valid bar code data signal.

Claim 24

Independent Claim 151 words

An apparatus for scanning and decoding the symbols of a bar code comprising: a microcontroller having a timing circuit for generating a start of scan (SOS) first level signal and a SOS second level signal; an image sensor, coupled to said microcontroller and viewing the bar code, for scanning the bar code in response to the SOS signal; said image sensor producing a digital data signal representative of the bar code; memory means coupled to said image sensor for storing in memory the representative data signal read by said image sensor; and said microcontroller including means validating and decoding the stored data signal in said memory means when the SOS signal is at the second level for determining whether the representative data is valid and for initiating a new SOS first level signal in response to the decoding of either one of an invalid and a valid bar code data signal.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 19 words

The apparatus as recited in claim 21 wherein said image sensor is a charge coupled device (CCD) image sensor.

Claim 26

Independent Claim 150 words

A method for scanning and decoding the symbols of a bar code label using an image sensor viewing the bar code, and coupled to a signal processor with memory comprising the steps of: (a) setting a start of scan signal (SOS) to a first signal level from the processor; (b) while the SOS signal is at the first signal level, reading from the image sensor a digital data signal representative of the bar code; (c) storing in memory the representative data signal read from the image sensor; (d) validating and decoding the stored data signal when the SOS signal is at a second signal level to determine whether the representative data is valid; and (e) immediately restarting the SOS first level signal whenever an invalid bar code data signal is decoded to re-read bar code data signals from the sensor viewing the bar code so as to repeat step (a).

Claim 27

Independent Claim 150 words

A method for scanning and decoding the symbols of a bar code label using an image sensor viewing the bar code, and coupled to a signal processor with memory comprising the steps of: (a) setting a start of scan signal (SOS) to a first signal level from the processor; (b) while the SOS signal is at the first signal level, reading from the image sensor a digital data signal representative of the bar code; (c) storing in memory the representative data signal read from the image sensor; (d) validating and decoding the stored data signal when the SOS signal is at a second signal level to determine whether the representative data is valid; and (e) immediately restarting the SOS first level signal whenever an invalid bar code data signal is decoded to re-read bar code data signals from the sensor viewing the bar code so as to repeat step (a).

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 72 words

The method of claim 23 further including the step of: immediately restarting the SOS first level signal so as to repeat step (a) whenever the data signal is found valid, whereby the data collecting scan rate is maximized by minimizing the duration of the SOS second level signal and immediately restarting the scanning of the bar code whenever a bar code has been found to be either one of valid and invalid.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 14 words

The method of claim 24 wherein the image sensor is of the CCD type.

Claim 30

Independent Claim 149 words

An apparatus for scanning and decoding the symbols of a bar code comprising: a microcontroller having a timing circuit for generating a start of scan (SOS) first level signal and a SOS second level signal; an image sensor, coupled to said microcontroller and viewing the bar code, for scanning the bar code in response to the SOS signal; said image sensor producing a digital data signal representative of the bar code; memory means coupled to said image sensor for storing in memory the representative data signal read by said image sensor; and said microcontroller including means validating and decoding the stored data signal in said memory means when the SOS signal is at the second level for determining whether the representative data is valid and for controlling the duration the SOS signal is at the second level as a function of the validity of the bar code data signal.

Claim 31

Independent Claim 149 words

An apparatus for scanning and decoding the symbols of a bar code comprising: a microcontroller having a timing circuit for generating a start of scan (SOS) first level signal and a SOS second level signal; an image sensor, coupled to said microcontroller and viewing the bar code, for scanning the bar code in response to the SOS signal; said image sensor producing a digital data signal representative of the bar code; memory means coupled to said image sensor for storing in memory the representative data signal read by said image sensor; and said microcontroller including means validating and decoding the stored data signal in said memory means when the SOS signal is at the second level for determining whether the representative data is valid and for controlling the duration the SOS signal is at the second level as a function of the validity of the bar code data signal.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1996-03-22	1996-09-21	1997-03-23	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2000-03-22	2000-09-21	2001-03-23	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2004-03-22	2004-09-21	2005-03-23	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method and apparatus for improving the throughput of a CCD bar code scanner/decoder

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