US5861618A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System and method of improving the signal to noise ratio of bar code and indicia scanners that utilize fluorescent inks
Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc
•
Filing: 1995-10-23
•
Granted: 1999-01-19
•
Expires: 2015-10-23
Abstract
Abstract A bar code and/or indicia scanning method that is able to determine what light was emitted from an upper layer invisible bar code and/or upper layer invisible indicia and what light was reflected back to the detector from a visible lower layer bar code and/or visible lower layer indicia. The detecting is "blind" to the spectra of the excitation source. Rather than differentiate between the exciter and emitter in the spectral domain, this invention differentiates between the exciter and the emitter in the time domain. The latency and persistence of the phosphorescent pigments of the invisible ink are used so that the detected signal is only the signal emitted by the upper layer invisible ink after the light source is turned off. Illumination and detection are synchronized to reduce the effects of reflection to zero so that the detector need not be chosen to be blind to the exciter. The foregoing is particularly suited to LED and laser illumination where the light source may be easily turned on and off.
Inventors
- 👤 William Berson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 17:35
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K7/00; G06K7/10; G06K7/12; G06V; G06V20/00; G06V20/80
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
135 words
A method for differentiating between signals radiated or emitted by one or more inks that are affixed to or are printed on an object in order to supply information to an observer and appear to the human eye to be a single image, said method includes the steps of: a) supplying light to one or more inks, wherein at least one of the inks is phosphorescent and is invisible to the human eye; b) removing the light supplied in step a); c) synchronizing the detection of the light emitted or radiated by the ink with the removal of the light emitted or radiated from the inks; and d) detecting each of the signals emitted or radiated by the inks during different time intervals resulting from the latency and persistence of phosphorescent materials in the inks.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
135 words
A method for differentiating between signals radiated or emitted by one or more inks that are affixed to or are printed on an object in order to supply information to an observer and appear to the human eye to be a single image, said method includes the steps of: a) supplying light to one or more inks, wherein at least one of the inks is phosphorescent and is invisible to the human eye; b) removing the light supplied in step a); c) synchronizing the detection of the light emitted or radiated by the ink with the removal of the light emitted or radiated from the inks; and d) detecting each of the signals emitted or radiated by the inks during different time intervals resulting from the latency and persistence of phosphorescent materials in the inks.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the lighting step further includes: lighting matter produced by a fluorescent ink; and lighting matter produced by the phosphorescent ink.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 2, wherein the lighting step further includes: lighting matter produced by a normal ink.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the lighting step further includes: lighting matter produced by a normal ink; and lighting matter produced by the phosphorescent ink.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 4, wherein the lighting step further includes: lighting matter produced by a fluorescent ink.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the lighting step further includes: lighting matter produced by a normal ink; and lighting matter produced by a fluorescent ink.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 6, wherein the lighting step further includes: lighting matter produced by the phosphorescent ink.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1, further including the step of: decoding the emitted and/or radiated signal in order to determine what information is being supplied by the inks.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
100 words
A method for detecting a code and/or indicia that are affixed to or are printed on an object in order to supply information to an observer, said method includes the steps of: turning on a light source to illuminate a code and/or indicia; turning off the light source that illuminated the code and/or indicia; synchronizing the turning off of the light source with the detection of the light emitted or radiated by the code and or indicia with the removal of the light; and detecting the code and/or indicia resulting from the latency and persistence of the code and/or indicia.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
100 words
A method for detecting a code and/or indicia that are affixed to or are printed on an object in order to supply information to an observer, said method includes the steps of: turning on a light source to illuminate a code and/or indicia; turning off the light source that illuminated the code and/or indicia; synchronizing the turning off of the light source with the detection of the light emitted or radiated by the code and or indicia with the removal of the light; and detecting the code and/or indicia resulting from the latency and persistence of the code and/or indicia.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 9, further including the step of: printing the code and/or indicia with a phosphorescent ink.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 9, further including the step of: printing a portion of the code and/or indicia with a phosphorescent ink.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 9, further including the step of: printing a portion of the code and/or indicia with a phosphorescent ink; and printing a portion of the code and/or indicia with a phosphorescent ink, normal visible ink, a invisible fluorescent ink, and a invisible phosphorescent.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 9, further including the step of: printing a upper level code over a lower level code.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 9, further including the step of: printing a upper level indicia over a lower level indicia.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 9, further including the step of: printing a upper level code over a lower level indicia.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 9, further including the step of: printing a upper level indicia over a lower level code.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4480177A
Cited
US5367148A
Cited
US4983817A
Cited
GB2232926A
Cited
US5109153A
Cited
US5331140A
Cited
JPH06149578A
Cited
US5514860A
Cited
US5502304A
Cited
US5525798A
Cited
US5542971A
Cited
US5554842A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-01-18 | 2002-07-20 | 2003-01-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-01-18 | 2006-07-20 | 2007-01-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-01-18 | 2010-07-20 | 2011-01-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |