Optical reading apparatus

Claim 2

An optical reading apparatus for use with an article to which a light reflective symbol is affixed, comprising: a plurality of symbol reading means, facing a path through which said article is moved, for reading said symbol by emitting light to scan the article and detecting light reflected from the symbol affixed to said article to respectively generate symbol signals corresponding to data represented by said symbol, wherein all of said plurality of symbol reading means respectively scan primarily different parts of said article when said article is located at a predetermined position along said path; and circuit means responsive to signals related to said symbol signals for selecting only one symbol reading means from among a group of said plurality of symbol reading means which have succeeded in reading said symbol to output the symbol signal generated by said one selected symbol reading means.

Claim 3

An optical reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of symbol reading means are arranged laterally of said path for emitting said light in a direction substantially perpendicular to said path.

Claim 4

An optical reading apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said plurality of symbol reading means include a first symbol reading means placed under said path and a second symbol reading means placed on a side of said path.

Claim 5

An optical reading apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said plurality of symbol reading means further include a third symbol reading means placed above said path.

Claim 6

An optical reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of symbol reading means are arranged sequentially and along a direction substantially parallel to said path.

Claim 7

An optical reading apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said plurality of symbol reading means include first and second symbol reading means placed under said path.

Claim 8

An optical reading apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said plurality of symbol reading means include first and second symbol reading means placed on a side of said path.

Claim 9

An optical reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of symbol reading means includes a reading window through which light is emitted and received, and the reading windows are inclined at different angles with respect to said path such that said primarily different parts of said article are scanned while said article is located at said predetermined position.

Claim 10

An optical reading apparatus for use with an article to which a light reflective symbol is affixed, comprising: a plurality of symbol reading means, facing a path through which said article is moved, for reading said symbol by emitting light to scan the article and detecting light reflected from the symbol affixed to said article to respectively generate symbol signals corresponding to data represented by said symbol, wherein said plurality of symbol reading means respectively scan primarily different parts of said article; and circuit means responsive to signals related to said symbol signals for selecting only one symbol reading means from among said plurality of symbol reading means to output the symbol signal generated by said one selected symbol reading means; wherein said selecting means includes determining means for detecting said one symbol reading means which has succeeded in reading the symbol earlier than any other of said plurality of symbol reading means, and for determining the data represented by said symbol as read by said one symbol reading means to be valid.

Claim 11

An optical reading apparatus for use with an article to which a light reflective symbol is affixed, comprising: a plurality of symbol reading means, facing a path through which said article is moved, for reading said symbol by emitting light to scan the article and detecting light reflected from the symbol affixed to said article to respectively generate symbol signals corresponding to data represented by said symbol, wherein said plurality of symbol reading means respectively scan primarily different parts of said article; and circuit means responsive to signals related to said symbol signals for selecting only one symbol reading means from among said plurality of symbol reading means to output the symbol signal generated by said one selected symbol reading means; wherein said selecting means includes determining means for detecting said one symbol reading means which has succeeded in reading the symbol earlier than any other of said plurality of symbol reading means, and for determining the data represented by said symbol as read by said one symbol reading means to be valid.

Claim 12

An optical reading apparatus according to claim 9, wherein each of said plurality of symbol reading means includes output means for generating to the selecting means a request signal for transmission of the symbol signal, and for transmitting the symbol signal upon receipt of an acknowledge signal from said selecting means.

Claim 13

An optical reading apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said determining means includes control means for (a) detecting said one symbol reading means the output means of which has generated said request signal earlier than that of any of said other symbol reading means, (b) generating said acknowledge signal to be supplied to the output means of said one symbol reading means, and (c) rejecting request signals subsequently generated from the output means of said other symbol reading means.

Claim 14

An optical reading apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said output means includes means for checking whether the data represented by said symbol as read by the associated symbol reading means is correct or not, and for disabling generation of said request signal from such symbol reading means when such data is not correct.

Claim 15

An optical reading apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said control means includes a timer means for defining a period of time after selecting said one symbol reading means during which said subsequently generated request signals are rejected.

Claim 16

An optical reading apparatus for use with an article to which a light reflective symbol is affixed, comprising: a plurality of symbol reading means, facing a path through which said article is moved, for reading said symbol by emitting light to scan the article and detecting light reflected from the symbol affixed to said article to respectively generate symbol signals corresponding to data represented by said symbol, wherein said plurality of symbol reading means respectively scan primarily different parts of said article; means for verifying whether each of said plurality of symbol reading means has succeeded in reading said symbol; and circuit means responsive to signals related to said symbol signals for comparing with each other the symbol signals supplied from a group of symbol reading means which have succeeded in reading said symbol, and for determining data corresponding to one of said symbol signals to be valid if it coincides with at least one other of said symbol signals.

Claim 17

An optical reading apparatus for use with an article to which a light reflective symbol is affixed, comprising: a plurality of symbol reading means, facing a path through which said article is moved, for reading said symbol by emitting light to scan the article and detecting light reflected from the symbol affixed to said article to respectively generate symbol signals corresponding to data represented by said symbol, wherein said plurality of symbol reading means respectively scan primarily different parts of said article; means for verifying whether each of said plurality of symbol reading means has succeeded in reading said symbol; and circuit means responsive to signals related to said symbol signals for comparing with each other the symbol signals supplied from a group of symbol reading means which have succeeded in reading said symbol, and for determining data corresponding to one of said symbol signals to be valid if it coincides with at least one other of said symbol signals.

Claim 18

An optical reading apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said determining means includes means for checking whether data represented by each symbol signal is correct or not, and excluding symbol signals corresponding to incorrect data from being compared with each other.

Claim 19

An optical reading apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said determining means includes first timer means for defining a period of time during which the symbol signals supplied from each of the plurality of symbol reading means is received, and second timer means for defining a period of time during which the symbol signals supplied from each of the plurality of symbol reading means is rejected.

Claim 20

An optical reading apparatus for use with an article to which a light reflective symbol is affixed, comprising: a plurality of symbol reading means, facing a path through which said article is moved, for reading said symbol by emitting light to scan the article and detecting light reflected from the symbol affixed to said article to respectively generate symbol signals corresponding to data represented by said symbol, wherein all of said plurality of symbol reading means respectively scan primarily different parts of said article substantially simultaneously; and circuit means responsive to signal related to said symbol signals for selecting only one symbol reading means from among a group of said plurality of symbol reading means which have succeeded in reading said symbol to output the symbol signal generated by said one selected symbol reading means.

Claim 21

An optical reading apparatus for use with an article to which a light reflective symbol is affixed, comprising: a plurality of symbol reading means, facing a path through which said article is moved, for reading said symbol by emitting light to scan the article and detecting light reflected from the symbol affixed to said article to respectively generate symbol signals corresponding to data represented by said symbol, wherein all of said plurality of symbol reading means respectively scan primarily different parts of said article substantially simultaneously; and circuit means responsive to signal related to said symbol signals for selecting only one symbol reading means from among a group of said plurality of symbol reading means which have succeeded in reading said symbol to output the symbol signal generated by said one selected symbol reading means.