Optical reader having solid-state image sensor

• US 20040262394A1
• Filed: 02/25/2004
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/1994
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Andrew Longacre Jr, James A. Parker, Michael A. Ehrhart, Robert M. Hussey, Thomas J. Koziol
• Original Assignee: Andrew Longacre Jr, James A. Parker, Michael A. Ehrhart, Robert M. Hussey, Thomas J. Koziol
• Inventors: Longacre, Andrew Jr., Hussey, Robert M., Ehrhart, Michael A., Koziol, Thomas J., Parker, James A.
• Application Number:
  US10/786,808
• Publication Number:
  US 20040262394A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/462.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisious for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10851 Circuits for pulse shaping, amplifying, eliminating noise signals, checking the function of the sensing device basic electronic circuitry H03
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1473 error correction
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1491 the method including a reconstruction step, e.g. stitching two pieces of bar code together to derive the full bar code

Abstract

A bar code reading device processing two-dimensional electronic representations in the decoding of bar code symbols, which can automatically discriminate between code symbologies such as PDF 417 code symbology and UPC code symbology. The bar code reading device may further have improved reprogramming features and improved menuing features.

Claims

1. In a reading apparatus for scanning and decoding image data encoded in one of a plurality of types of optically encoded indicia, said apparatus being of the type including a read-write random access memory space (RAMS) and at least one erasable read only memory space (EROMS), in combination:

scanning circuit including a solid-state image sensor for scanning and storing in said RAMS image data for said optically encoded indicia;

decoding circuit for applying a plurality of decoding programs to image data stored in said RAMS to produce decoded data there from;

a parameter table, stored in at least one of said memory spaces, for storing a plurality of parameters which specify the permitted operating modes of said reading apparatus, said parameters including;

(i) a plurality of code parameters for controlling the decoding programs that may be used by said decoding circuit;

(ii) a plurality of scanning-decoding parameters for controlling the scanning and decoding activities of said scanning circuit and said decoding circuit; and

processing circuit including a menuing program for changing the parameters of said parameter table, and including a reprogramming program responsive to a program command generated by a data source external to said reading apparatus for reprogramming said apparatus;

wherein said menuing program allows a user to modify said parameter table by presenting predetermined menu symbols to said apparatus, and wherein said reprogramming program allows said external data source to control the reprogramming of said apparatus.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said menuing program includes a plurality of menu routines for causing said processing circuit to perform tasks corresponding to menu symbols presented to said apparatus by a user.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 in which said menu routines include at least one menu routine that causes said apparatus to output information relating to said parameter table.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 in which said menu symbols encode menu words of one or two types, a first type including a first op code that calls for changes to said parameter table and a second type including a second op code that calls for the performance of one of said menu routines.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further including an I/O device through which said apparatus may communicate with said external data source, wherein said external data source comprises a local host processor.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further including an I/O device through which said apparatus may communicate with said external data source, wherein said external data source comprises a remote host processor that is coupled to said I/O device through a data transmission link.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said reprogramming includes a loading program for loading an application program from said external data source into said RAMS.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 in which said reprogramming program includes instructions for transferring an application program from said RAMS to said EROM.

9-23. -23. (Cancelled).