BAR CODE SCANNER AND METHOD
First Claim
1. An improved card scanner for imaging and decoding indica on a side surface of a card, comprising:
- means to communicate electrical power to components of said card scanner;
means to maintain a card bearing indica on at least one side surface, in a defined path into and out of said card scanner;
said defined path having a beginning point and a termination point;
means to capture an electronic image of said indicia as said card travels in said defined path;
means to trigger said means to capture electronic images to capture a first image of said indicia, when said card translates in said defined path from said beginning point toward said termination point;
means to detect said card reaching said termination point;
means to decode said first image when said card reaches said termination point and determine if said first image is in a complete state or in an incomplete state; and
means to communicate said image in said complete state to a remote computing device.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An improved card scanner for imaging and decoding indica such as bar codes on a side surface of an inserted card. The device is electrically powered and features a double scanning method using an electronic imaging element and processor which turns off unnecessary power when not required. This is accomplished through the use of a processor and software to determine if a complete image of the bar code on the inserted card has been captured and allowing immediate removal of the card. Should the image of the bar code be incomplete, a second scan is conducted of the bar code as it is removed and a complete image formed from the two individual scans. The device can also be used to compare photographs scanned from a card with the digital photograph scanned from a two dimensional bar code and to display both photos for viewing.
59 Citations
38 Claims
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1. An improved card scanner for imaging and decoding indica on a side surface of a card, comprising:
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means to communicate electrical power to components of said card scanner;
means to maintain a card bearing indica on at least one side surface, in a defined path into and out of said card scanner;
said defined path having a beginning point and a termination point;
means to capture an electronic image of said indicia as said card travels in said defined path;
means to trigger said means to capture electronic images to capture a first image of said indicia, when said card translates in said defined path from said beginning point toward said termination point;
means to detect said card reaching said termination point;
means to decode said first image when said card reaches said termination point and determine if said first image is in a complete state or in an incomplete state; and
means to communicate said image in said complete state to a remote computing device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of scanning a bar code located on a card using a electrically powered scanner having an electronic imaging component communicating with a processor having memory and software, comprising the steps of:
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taking a first image of a bar code on a card with an electronic imaging component as said card moves along a defined path in a scanner, from an entry point to a termination point;
communicating said first image to a processor having memory and software for determining if a captured image is a complete image;
having said processor determine if said first image is a complete image or incomplete image;
removing said card from said scanner once it reaches said termination point;
if said processor determines said first image is not complete, taking a second image with said electronic imaging component as said card moves from said termination point to said entry position during removal; and
having said processor assemble said complete image from portions of both said first image and said second image. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
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31. An improved card scanner for imaging and decoding indica on a side surface of a card, comprising:
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a body;
a cover dimensioned to cover said body and having a top surface with a slot therein, said slot sized to accommodate a card for insertion therethrough;
a defined path into said body for said card in line with said slot, said defined path starting at said top surface and ending at a termination point;
an electronic imaging component, said electronic imaging component mounted adjacent to said defined path;
a first switching means for activating said electronic imaging component when said card is inserted into said slot and thereby capture a first image of indicia on said card;
a processor communicating with said electronic imaging component, said processor having software therein capable of determining if said first image is a complete image or an incomplete image; and
a second switching means to signal said processor said card has reached said termination point; and
means for activating said electronic imaging component when said card is removed along said defined path if said processor determines said first image is incomplete, whereby said complete image may be achieved by either of said first image or said first and said second image should said first image be incomplete. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification