Indicia reader safety
First Claim
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1. A method comprising:
- activating a primary light source to illuminate a primary indicia;
scanning the primary indicia with the first light source to produce primary-indicia information;
comparing a class associated with the primary-indicia information to one or more classes stored in a memory;
in response to a matching of the class associated with the primary-indicia information with one or more classes stored in the memory, activating a secondary ultra-violet light source to illuminate a secondary indicia.
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Abstract
Indicia readers may be configured with two illumination light sources: a primary light source for illuminating primary indicia (e.g., a barcode) and a secondary ultraviolet (UV) light source for revealing secondary indicia (e.g., UV fluorescent watermarks) that are used to protect against counterfeit and fraud. Ultraviolet light can be harmful. The present invention embraces methods and a device for controlling the secondary UV light source to limit UV exposure. When an exposure risks is detected, the UV light source is deactivated.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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activating a primary light source to illuminate a primary indicia; scanning the primary indicia with the first light source to produce primary-indicia information; comparing a class associated with the primary-indicia information to one or more classes stored in a memory; in response to a matching of the class associated with the primary-indicia information with one or more classes stored in the memory, activating a secondary ultra-violet light source to illuminate a secondary indicia. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method comprising:
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scanning an item with a primary light source of an indicia reader to obtain indicia information pertaining to an item; determining at least in part from the indicia information that the item has one or more ultra-violet-sensitive indicia; activating an ultra-violet light source of the indicia reader to read the ultra-violet-sensitive indicia; and deactivating the ultra-violet light source in response to at least one of; detection of an exposure risk by the ultra-violet light source; scanning of the ultra-violet-sensitive indicia with the ultra-violet light source to produce secondary-indicia information; and expiration of a pre-defined time-period. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An indicia scanner, comprising:
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a camera for capturing images of a field of view; a primary illumination subsystem for illuminating the field of view; a secondary ultra-violet illumination subsystem for illuminating the field of view; a memory; a processor communicatively coupled to the camera, the primary illumination subsystem, the secondary ultra-violet illumination subsystem, and the memory, wherein the processor is configured to; activate the primary illumination subsystem and the camera upon receiving an input; scan a primary indicia with the primary illumination subsystem to produce primary-indicia information; in response to a matching of the primary-indicia information with an indicia bearing information stored in the memory, activate the secondary ultra-violet illumination subsystem and the camera; and deactivate the secondary ultra-violet illumination subsystem in response to at least one of; scanning of the ultra-violet-sensitive indicia; detection of an exposure risk; and expiration of a pre-defined time period. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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Specification