US5481098A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and apparatus for reading multiple bar code formats
Assignee: Datalogic Scanning Inc
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Filing: 1993-11-09
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Granted: 1996-01-02
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Expires: 2013-11-09
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for increasing the speed of scanners reading multiple bar code symbologies by changing the order of priority in which the various symbologies are tested by the decoder. After a particular symbology has been read a given number of times in a row, its priority is increased. A particular symbology will continue to advance in priority the more often it is read until it becomes the highest priority symbology.
Inventors
- 👤 Glen Davis
- 👤 Phillip W. Shepard
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 13:57
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K7/00; G06K7/10; G06K7/14
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 37
Claim 1
Independent Claim
64 words
An apparatus for reading encoded symbols comprising: a scanner for reading an encoded symbol, a table of symbologies ranked in an order of priority, a decoder for identifying a symbology of the encoded symbol from among the symbologies in said table, and a swapper for prioritizing the symbologies in said table based on a symbology of the encoded symbol which has just been read.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
64 words
An apparatus for reading encoded symbols comprising: a scanner for reading an encoded symbol, a table of symbologies ranked in an order of priority, a decoder for identifying a symbology of the encoded symbol from among the symbologies in said table, and a swapper for prioritizing the symbologies in said table based on a symbology of the encoded symbol which has just been read.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said swapper prioritizes the symbologies in said table by swapping the symbology of the encoded symbol most recently read with a symbology of immediately higher priority in said table.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said swapper prioritizes the symbologies in said table by moving a position of the symbology of the encoded symbol most recently read to the highest priority position in said table.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
61 words
An apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising a counter for each symbology to count how often each symbology is read, wherein the counter corresponding to the symbology of the encoded symbol which has just been read is incremented in response to said reading, and wherein said swapper thereafter prioritizes the symbologies in said table based on values in said counters.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein a number of times each symbology is read is recorded and updated upon said reading, and said swapper prioritizes the symbologies in said table only after a given symbology is read a predetermined number of times.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said table of symbologies comprises an array of addresses of subroutines for decoding according to the particular symbology.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the symbologies in said table are selected from among a group of available symbologies.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
70 words
A method for recognizing multiple symbologies comprising the steps of: arranging a plurality of symbologies in an order of priority, reading a symbol, identifying a symbology of said symbol from among the plurality of symbologies by testing said symbol against each of the plurality of symbologies in accordance with said order of priority until the symbology of said symbol is identified, and adjusting the order of priority of said symbologies.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
70 words
A method for recognizing multiple symbologies comprising the steps of: arranging a plurality of symbologies in an order of priority, reading a symbol, identifying a symbology of said symbol from among the plurality of symbologies by testing said symbol against each of the plurality of symbologies in accordance with said order of priority until the symbology of said symbol is identified, and adjusting the order of priority of said symbologies.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method as in claim 8 wherein said step of adjusting the priority of said symbologies comprises swapping the symbology of the read symbol with the symbology of immediately higher priority.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as in claim 8 wherein said step of adjusting the priority of said symbologies comprises changing the priority of the symbology of the symbol most recently read to the highest priority.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
47 words
A method as in claim 8 wherein said step of adjusting the priority of said symbologies further comprises the step of counting how often each symbology is read, wherein the adjustment of priority is based in part on the relative number of times each symbology is read.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as in claim 8 wherein said step of adjusting the priority of said symbologies is done when a symbology is read a predetermined number of times.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method as in claim 8 wherein said step of identifying a symbology of said symbol further comprises the step of executing, in said order of priority, a decoding subroutine for each symbology until the symbology of said symbol is identified.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as in claim 8 wherein said step of arranging a plurality of symbologies further comprises selecting said symbologies from among a group of available symbologies.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as in claim 14 wherein said group of available symbologies is stored in nonvolatile memory.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as in claim 8 wherein said symbol is a bar code label.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
97 words
An apparatus for reading bar code labels comprising: a scanner for reading a bar code label, a table of symbologies ranked in an order of priority, a decoder for identifying a symbology of the bar code label from among the symbologies in said table by cycling through said symbologies in accordance with said order of priority and testing the bar code label against each symbology until the symbology of the bar code label is identified, and a swapper for changing the priority of said symbologies in said table based on the symbology of the bar code label.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
97 words
An apparatus for reading bar code labels comprising: a scanner for reading a bar code label, a table of symbologies ranked in an order of priority, a decoder for identifying a symbology of the bar code label from among the symbologies in said table by cycling through said symbologies in accordance with said order of priority and testing the bar code label against each symbology until the symbology of the bar code label is identified, and a swapper for changing the priority of said symbologies in said table based on the symbology of the bar code label.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus as in claim 17 wherein the priority of the symbology of the bar code label increases to an immediately higher priority upon a successful read.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said decoder executes, in said order of priority, a decoding subroutine for each symbology in said table until the symbology of said symbol is identified.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as in claim 8 wherein the order of priority of said symbologies is adjusted based on the symbology of the read symbol.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
73 words
An apparatus for reading encoded symbols comprising: means for acquiring data representing an encoded symbol, a table of symbologies arranged in an order of priority, a decoder responsive to said data acquiring means, wherein said decoder identifies a symbology of the encoded symbol from among the symbologies in said table, and a priority adjuster responsive to said decoder, whereby said priority adjuster rearranges the order of priority of the symbologies in said table.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
73 words
An apparatus for reading encoded symbols comprising: means for acquiring data representing an encoded symbol, a table of symbologies arranged in an order of priority, a decoder responsive to said data acquiring means, wherein said decoder identifies a symbology of the encoded symbol from among the symbologies in said table, and a priority adjuster responsive to said decoder, whereby said priority adjuster rearranges the order of priority of the symbologies in said table.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
39 words
An apparatus as in claim 21 wherein said priority adjuster rearranges the order of priority of the symbologies by swapping the symbology of the encoded symbol most recently identified with the symbology of immediately higher priority in said table.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
40 words
An apparatus as in claim 21 wherein said priority adjuster rearranges the order of priority of the symbologies by moving a position of the symbology of the encoded symbol most recently identified to a highest priority position in said table.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
41 words
An apparatus as in claim 21 further comprising a plurality of counters for counting how often each symbology is identified, wherein said priority adjuster rearranges the order of priority of the symbologies in said table based on values in said counters.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
33 words
An apparatus as in claim 21 wherein said priority adjuster rearranges the order of priority of the symbologies in said table only after a given symbology is identified a predetermined number of times.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
55 words
An apparatus for reading encoded symbols comprising: data acquisition means for detecting an encoded symbol, a table of symbologies arranged in an order of priority, means for identifying a symbology of the encoded symbol from among the symbologies in said table, and means for rearranging the order of priority of the symbologies in said table.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
55 words
An apparatus for reading encoded symbols comprising: data acquisition means for detecting an encoded symbol, a table of symbologies arranged in an order of priority, means for identifying a symbology of the encoded symbol from among the symbologies in said table, and means for rearranging the order of priority of the symbologies in said table.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
65 words
A method for identifying multiple symbologies comprising the steps of: arranging in an order a plurality of symbol identifiers, each of said symbol identifiers associated with a set of decoding instructions, reading data corresponding to a symbol, attempting to decode said data in accordance with the order of said symbol identifiers, and upon a successful attempt to decode, adjusting said order of said symbol identifiers.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
65 words
A method for identifying multiple symbologies comprising the steps of: arranging in an order a plurality of symbol identifiers, each of said symbol identifiers associated with a set of decoding instructions, reading data corresponding to a symbol, attempting to decode said data in accordance with the order of said symbol identifiers, and upon a successful attempt to decode, adjusting said order of said symbol identifiers.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as in claim 27 wherein the step of reading data comprises periodically scanning during a data acquisition period.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as in claim 27 wherein said symbol comprises a bar code label, and said symbol identifiers correspond to bar code formats.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
65 words
A system for performing automatic bar code discrimination comprising: means for acquiring data associated with a bar code, a decoder which applies in a specified order a series of decoding subroutines to said data, a priority adjuster responsive to said decoder, whereby the order in which said decoder thereafter applies said series of decoding subroutines is adjusted when a format of said data is recognized.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
65 words
A system for performing automatic bar code discrimination comprising: means for acquiring data associated with a bar code, a decoder which applies in a specified order a series of decoding subroutines to said data, a priority adjuster responsive to said decoder, whereby the order in which said decoder thereafter applies said series of decoding subroutines is adjusted when a format of said data is recognized.
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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) | 1999-01-01 | 1999-07-03 | 2000-01-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-01-01 | 2003-07-03 | 2004-01-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-01-01 | 2007-07-03 | 2008-01-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |