Patent US5644408A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5644408A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Apparatus for processing human-readable and machine-readable documents
Assignee: Symbol Technologies LLC
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Filing: 1995-03-31
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Granted: 1997-07-01
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Expires: 2015-03-31
Abstract
Abstract An original document of one or more pages containing human-readable printed information is encoded in one or more two-dimensional bar code symbols and transmitted by facsimile to a remote site where a facsimile of the symbols is machine read, decoded and printed to provide an accurate reproduction of the original document. The facsimile symbol can be facsimile transmitted to another remote site where the facsimile symbol is regenerated, machine read, decoded and printed as another reproduction of the original document. The machine readability of the symbol facilitates computer entry of the original document printed information. The coded symbol may also contain data used at a remote site to control processing and dissemination of the original document printed information.
Inventors
- 👤 Chung-Chi Li
- 👤 Ynjiun P. Wang
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 17:34
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K19/00; G06K19/06; G06K19/06009; G06K19/06037; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/002; G06F8/00; G06F8/60; G06F8/70; G06F8/71; G06K1/00; G06K1/12; G06K1/126; G06K17/00; G06K17/0016; G06K19/06046; G06K7/00; G06K7/10; G06K7/14; G06K7/1404; G06K7/1408; G06K7/1417; G06K7/1439; G06K7/1443; G06K7/1456; G06K7/146; G06K7/1486; G06K7/1491; H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/00127; H04N1/00326; H04N1/00328; H04N1/00334; H04N1/0035; H04N1/00352; H04N1/00355; H04N1/00358; H04N1/00363; H04N1/00368; H04N1/00374; H04N1/00392; H04N1/00962; H04N1/00968; H04N1/32; H04N1/32101; G06K2019/06215; G06K2019/06253; H04N1/00204; H04N2201/00; H04N2201/0008; H04N2201/0065; H04N2201/0067; H04N2201/0068; H04N2201/0077; H04N2201/0081; H04N2201/0082; H04N2201/32; H04N2201/3201; H04N2201/3225; H04N2201/3269; H04N2201/3271; H04N2201/3278
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 45
Claim 1
Independent Claim
63 words
A facsimile transmission apparatus comprising: document input means for inputting human-readable information of an original document to produce document data; means for encoding said document data into a two-dimensional bar code symbol, wherein said two-dimensional bar code symbol has a format which is error-correctable; and facsimile transmission means for transmitting a facsimile image of the two-dimensional bar code symbol to a remote location.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
63 words
A facsimile transmission apparatus comprising: document input means for inputting human-readable information of an original document to produce document data; means for encoding said document data into a two-dimensional bar code symbol, wherein said two-dimensional bar code symbol has a format which is error-correctable; and facsimile transmission means for transmitting a facsimile image of the two-dimensional bar code symbol to a remote location.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The facsimile transmission apparatus of claim 1 wherein said document input means comprises a computer input device for manual data input by an operator.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
The facsimile transmission apparatus of claim 1 wherein said document input means comprises an optical scanning device.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
The facsimile transmission apparatus of claim 3 further comprising optical character recognition means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
52 words
The facsimile transmission apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a printer for printing said two-dimensional bar code symbol, and wherein said facsimile transmission means comprises optical scanning means for scanning said printed two-dimensional bar code symbol prior to transmitting a facsimile image of the two-dimensional bar code symbol to a remote location.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The facsimile transmission apparatus of claim 1 wherein said facsimile transmission means transmits a facsimile image of the original document with the two-dimensional bar code symbol to a remote location.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
The facsimile transmission apparatus of claim 1 wherein said facsimile transmission means transmits a plurality of two-dimensional bar code symbols, each of said two-dimensional bar code symbols being encoded with human-readable information content from each of a plurality of corresponding original documents.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
92 words
A facsimile reception apparatus comprising: facsimile reception means for receiving a facsimile image of a two-dimensional bar code symbol, said two-dimensional bar code symbol being encoded with document data representative of an original document, said two-dimensional bar code symbol having a format which is error-correctable; a decoder, coupled to the facsimile reception means, for decoding the received facsimile image of the two-dimensional bar code symbol to reproduce the document data; and an image reproduction unit, coupled with said decoder, for processing the document data to create an image of the original document.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
92 words
A facsimile reception apparatus comprising: facsimile reception means for receiving a facsimile image of a two-dimensional bar code symbol, said two-dimensional bar code symbol being encoded with document data representative of an original document, said two-dimensional bar code symbol having a format which is error-correctable; a decoder, coupled to the facsimile reception means, for decoding the received facsimile image of the two-dimensional bar code symbol to reproduce the document data; and an image reproduction unit, coupled with said decoder, for processing the document data to create an image of the original document.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
The facsimile reception apparatus of claim 8 wherein said image reproduction unit is a display monitor.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
The facsimile reception apparatus of claim 8 wherein said image reproduction unit is a printer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
The facsimile reception apparatus of claim 10 wherein said printer prints a document comprising an image of the original document and said two-dimensional bar code symbol.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
The facsimile reception apparatus of claim 8 further comprising editing means to allow a user to modify said document image and create modified document data representative of said modified document image.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
56 words
The facsimile reception unit of claim 12 further comprising: means for encoding said modified document data into a modified two-dimensional bar code symbol, wherein said modified two-dimensional bar code symbol has a format which is error-correctable; and facsimile transmission means for transmitting a facsimile image of the modified two-dimensional bar code symbol to a remote location.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
43 words
The facsimile reception apparatus of claim 8 wherein said facsimile reception means prints an image of said received two-dimensional bar code, and wherein said apparatus further comprises means for optically scanning said printed image of said two-dimensional bar code symbol prior to decoding.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
156 words
A facsimile system for the transmission of documents, said system comprising: (a) a facsimile transmission apparatus at a first location comprising: document input means for inputting human-readable information of an original document to produce document data; means for encoding said document data into a two-dimensional bar code symbol, wherein said two-dimensional bar code symbol has a format which is error-correctable; facsimile transmission means for transmitting a facsimile image of the two-dimensional bar code symbol to a remote location; (b) a facsimile reception apparatus at a second location located remotely from said first location comprising: facsimile reception means for receiving the transmission of the facsimile image of the two-dimensional bar code symbol; decoder means, coupled to the facsimile reception means, for converting the received facsimile image of the two-dimensional bar code symbol to document data; and an image reproduction unit, coupled with said decoder, for processing the document data to create an image of the original document.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
156 words
A facsimile system for the transmission of documents, said system comprising: (a) a facsimile transmission apparatus at a first location comprising: document input means for inputting human-readable information of an original document to produce document data; means for encoding said document data into a two-dimensional bar code symbol, wherein said two-dimensional bar code symbol has a format which is error-correctable; facsimile transmission means for transmitting a facsimile image of the two-dimensional bar code symbol to a remote location; (b) a facsimile reception apparatus at a second location located remotely from said first location comprising: facsimile reception means for receiving the transmission of the facsimile image of the two-dimensional bar code symbol; decoder means, coupled to the facsimile reception means, for converting the received facsimile image of the two-dimensional bar code symbol to document data; and an image reproduction unit, coupled with said decoder, for processing the document data to create an image of the original document.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
The facsimile system of claim 15 wherein said document input means comprises a computer input device for manual data input by an operator.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
The facsimile system of claim 15 wherein said document input means comprises an optical scanning device.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
17 words
The facsimile system of claim 17 wherein said facsimile transmission apparatus further comprises optical character recognition means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
56 words
The facsimile system of claim 15 wherein said facsimile transmission apparatus further comprises a printer for printing said two-dimensional bar code symbol, and wherein said facsimile transmission means comprises optical scanning means for scanning said printed two-dimensional bar code symbol prior to transmitting a facsimile image of the two-dimensional bar code symbol to a remote location.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
29 words
The facsimile system of claim 15 wherein said facsimile transmission means transmits a facsimile image of the original document with the two-dimensional bar code symbol to a remote location.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
106 words
The facsimile system of claim 15 wherein said facsimile transmission means transmits a plurality of two-dimensional bar code symbols, each of said two-dimensional bar code symbols being encoded with human-readable information content from each of a plurality of corresponding original documents, wherein said facsimile reception means receives a facsimile image of each of said plurality of two-dimensional bar code symbols, wherein said decoder means converts each of said facsimile images of each of said plurality of two-dimensional bar code symbols to corresponding document data, and wherein said image reproduction unit processes the document data to create an image of each of said plurality of original documents.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
15 words
The facsimile system of claim 15 wherein said image reproduction unit is a display monitor.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
14 words
The facsimile system of claim 15 wherein said image reproduction unit is a printer.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
25 words
The facsimile system of claim 23 wherein said printer prints a document comprising an image of the original document and said two-dimensional bar code symbol.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
35 words
The facsimile system of claim 15 wherein said facsimile reception apparatus further comprises editing means to allow a user to modify said document image and create modified document data representative of said modified document image.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
61 words
The facsimile system of claim 25 wherein said facsimile reception apparatus further comprises: means for encoding said modified document data into a modified two-dimensional bar code symbol, wherein said modified two-dimensional bar code symbol has a format which is error-correctable; and second facsimile transmission means for transmitting a facsimile image of the modified two-dimensional bar code symbol to a remote location.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
44 words
The facsimile system of claim 15 wherein said facsimile reception means prints an image of said received two-dimensional bar code, and wherein said facsimile reception apparatus further comprises means for optically scanning said printed image of said two-dimensional bar code symbol prior to decoding.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
172 words
A facsimile apparatus for the independent reception and transmission of documents, said apparatus comprising: document input means for inputting human-readable information of an original transmission document to produce transmission document data; means for encoding said transmission document data into a transmission two-dimensional bar code symbol, wherein said transmission two-dimensional bar code symbol has a format which is error-correctable; facsimile transmission means for transmitting a facsimile image of the transmission two-dimensional bar code symbol to a remote location; facsimile reception means for receiving a transmission of a facsimile image of a reception two-dimensional bar code symbol, wherein said reception two-dimensional bar code symbol is encoded with reception document data representative of human-readable information comprising a reception document and has a format which is error-correctable; decoder means, coupled to the facsimile reception means, for converting the received facsimile image of the reception two-dimensional bar code symbol to reception document data; and an image reproduction unit, coupled with said decoder, for processing the reception document data to create an image of the original reception document.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
172 words
A facsimile apparatus for the independent reception and transmission of documents, said apparatus comprising: document input means for inputting human-readable information of an original transmission document to produce transmission document data; means for encoding said transmission document data into a transmission two-dimensional bar code symbol, wherein said transmission two-dimensional bar code symbol has a format which is error-correctable; facsimile transmission means for transmitting a facsimile image of the transmission two-dimensional bar code symbol to a remote location; facsimile reception means for receiving a transmission of a facsimile image of a reception two-dimensional bar code symbol, wherein said reception two-dimensional bar code symbol is encoded with reception document data representative of human-readable information comprising a reception document and has a format which is error-correctable; decoder means, coupled to the facsimile reception means, for converting the received facsimile image of the reception two-dimensional bar code symbol to reception document data; and an image reproduction unit, coupled with said decoder, for processing the reception document data to create an image of the original reception document.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
23 words
The facsimile apparatus of claim 28 wherein said document input means comprises a computer input device for manual data input by an operator.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
16 words
The facsimile apparatus of claim 28 wherein said document input means comprises an optical scanning device.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
17 words
The facsimile apparatus of claim 30 wherein said facsimile transmission apparatus further comprises optical character recognition means.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
59 words
The facsimile apparatus of claim 28 wherein said facsimile transmission apparatus further comprises a printer for printing said transmission two-dimensional bar code symbol, and wherein said facsimile transmission means comprises optical scanning means for scanning said printed transmission two-dimensional bar code symbol prior to transmitting a facsimile image of the transmission two-dimensional bar code symbol to a remote location.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
31 words
The facsimile apparatus of claim 28 wherein said facsimile transmission means transmits a facsimile image of the original transmission document with the transmission two-dimensional bar code symbol to a remote location.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
44 words
The facsimile apparatus of claim 28 wherein said facsimile transmission means transmits a plurality of transmission two-dimensional bar code symbols, each of said transmission two-dimensional bar code symbols being encoded with human-readable information content from each of a plurality of corresponding original transmission documents.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
76 words
The facsimile apparatus of claim 28 wherein said facsimile reception means receives a facsimile image of each of a plurality of reception two-dimensional bar code symbols, wherein said decoder means converts each of said facsimile images of each of said plurality of reception two-dimensional bar code symbols to corresponding reception document data, and wherein said image reproduction unit processes the reception document data to create an image of each of said plurality of original reception documents.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
15 words
The facsimile apparatus of claim 28 wherein said image reproduction unit is a display monitor.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
14 words
The facsimile apparatus of claim 28 wherein said image reproduction unit is a printer.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
27 words
The facsimile apparatus of claim 37 wherein said printer prints a document comprising an image of the original reception document and said reception two-dimensional bar code symbol.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
33 words
The facsimile apparatus of claim 28 further comprising editing means to allow a user to modify said reception document image and create modified reception document data representative of said modified reception document image.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
60 words
The facsimile apparatus of claim 39 further comprising means for encoding said modified reception document data into a modified reception two-dimensional bar code symbol, wherein said modified reception two-dimensional bar code symbol has a format which is error-correctable and wherein said facsimile transmission means transmits a facsimile image of the modified reception two-dimensional bar code symbol to a remote location.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
44 words
The facsimile apparatus of claim 28 wherein said facsimile reception means prints an image of said reception two-dimensional bar code, and wherein said facsimile apparatus further comprises means for optically scanning said printed image of said reception two-dimensional bar code symbol prior to decoding.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-06-30 | 2000-12-30 | 2001-07-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-06-30 | 2004-12-30 | 2005-07-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-06-30 | 2008-12-30 | 2009-07-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |