Synthesis decoding and methods of use thereof

• US 20060213999A1
• Filed: 03/24/2005
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Longacre, Andrew Jr., Wang, Ynjiun P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,416,125 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/462.250
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1093 sensing, after transfer of the image of the data-field to an intermediate store, e.g. storage with cathode ray tube

Abstract

Systems and methods for successfully decoding optical images of objects of interest when such objects are situated outside a conventional working range of an imaging system, or when such objects are degraded. The systems and methods are based upon a comparison of computed signals corresponding to distorted images that would be obtained from known objects, such as barcodes, when viewed outside a working range, or when degraded, with actual signals obtained from the object of interest. The computed signals in one embodiment are recorded in a lookup table. An advantage of the systems and methods disclosed is that there results a smooth, monotonic probability of correctly decoding the image of interest, even beyond the working distance. A handheld or portable apparatus useful for practicing the invention is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A bar code reading apparatus for decoding a degraded encoded symbol character, comprising:

a detector that detects light intensity corresponding to illumination reflected from said degraded encoded symbol character and that generates an electrical signal from said detected light intensity, said degraded encoded symbol character failing to represent a valid encoded symbol character of a symbology lacking error correction coding at an encoded symbol character level; and

a signal processor that recovers from said generated electrical signal a value representative of a valid encoded symbol character of said symbology.

2. The bar code reading apparatus for decoding a degraded encoded symbol character of claim 1, comprising:

a detector that detects light intensity corresponding to illumination reflected from said degraded encoded symbol character and that generates an electrical signal from said detected light intensity, said degraded encoded symbol character failing to represent a valid encoded symbol character of a symbology lacking error correction coding at an encoded symbol character level; and

a signal processor that recovers from said generated electrical signal a value representative of valid encoded symbol character of said symbology;

wherein said signal processor comprises a microprocessor, a memory, and instructions recorded on a machine-readable medium for controlling the operation of said microprocessor.

3. The bar code reading apparatus for decoding a degraded encoded symbol character of claim 1, comprising:

a detector that detects light intensity corresponding to illumination reflected from said degraded encoded symbol character and that generates an electrical signal from said detected light intensity, said degraded encoded symbol character failing to represent a valid encoded symbol character of element of a symbology lacking error correction coding at an encoded symbol character level; and

a signal processor that recovers from said generated electrical signal a value representative of valid encoded symbol character of said symbology;

wherein said valid encoded symbol character corresponds to a value represented by said degraded encoded symbol character at a time prior to it being degraded.

4. The bar code reading apparatus for decoding a degraded encoded symbol character of claim 1, comprising:

a detector that detects light intensity corresponding to illumination reflected from said degraded encoded symbol character and that generates an electrical signal from said detected light intensity, said degraded encoded symbol character failing to represent a valid encoded symbol character of a symbology lacking error correction coding at an encoded symbol character level; and

a signal processor that recovers from said generated electrical signal a value representative of valid encoded symbol character of said symbology;

wherein said detector comprises an imager device having a plurality of pixel elements.

5. The bar code reading apparatus for decoding a degraded encoded symbol character of claim 1, comprising:

a detector that detects light intensity corresponding to illumination reflected from said degraded encoded symbol character and that generates an electrical signal from said detected light intensity, said degraded encoded symbol character failing to represent a valid encoded symbol character of a symbology lacking error correction coding at an encoded symbol character level; and

a signal processor that recovers from said generated electrical signal a value representative of valid encoded symbol character of said symbology;

wherein said detector comprises a laser scanner apparatus.

6. The bar code reading apparatus for decoding a degraded encoded symbol character of claim 1, comprising:

a detector that detects light intensity corresponding to illumination reflected from said degraded encoded symbol character and that generates an electrical signal from said detected light intensity, said degraded encoded symbol character_ failing to represent a valid encoded symbol character of a symbology lacking error correction coding at an encoded symbol character level; and

a signal processor that recovers from said generated electrical signal a value representative of valid encoded symbol character of said symbology;

wherein said bar code reading apparatus is of a format compact enough to be operated while being supported by a hand of a user.

7. The bar code reading apparatus for decoding a degraded encoded symbol character of claim 1, comprising:

a detector that detects light intensity corresponding to illumination reflected from said degraded encoded symbol character and that generates an electrical signal from said detected light intensity, said degraded encoded symbol character failing to represent a valid encoded symbol character of a symbology lacking error correction coding at an encoded symbol character level; and

a signal processor that recovers from said generated electrical signal a value representative of valid encoded symbol character of said symbology;

wherein said symbology is a Universal Product Code (“

UPC”

) symbology.

8. The bar code reading apparatus for decoding a degraded encoded symbol character of claim 1, comprising:

a detector that detects light intensity corresponding to illumination reflected from said degraded encoded symbol character and that generates an electrical signal from said detected light intensity, said degraded encoded symbol character failing to represent a valid encoded symbol character of a symbology lacking error correction coding at an encoded symbol character level; and

a signal processor that recovers from said generated electrical signal a value representative of valid encoded symbol character of said symbology;

wherein said signal processor compares said generated electrical signal to a pre-defined signal.

9. The bar code reading apparatus for decoding a degraded encoded symbol character of claim 1, comprising:

a detector that detects light intensity corresponding to illumination reflected from said degraded encoded symbol character and that generates an electrical signal from said detected light intensity, said degraded encoded symbol character failing to represent a valid encoded symbol character of a symbology lacking error correction coding at an encoded symbol character level; and

a signal processor that recovers from said generated electrical signal a value representative of valid encoded symbol character of said symbology; and

further comprising an analog-to-digital converter for digitizing said generated electrical signal.

10. A hand held bar code reading apparatus for decoding a degraded encoded symbol character, comprising:

a trigger mechanism configured to receive a trigger signal and to generate an initiation signal;

a detector that, responsive to said initiation signal, automatically detects light intensity corresponding to illumination reflected from said degraded encoded symbol character and that generates an electrical signal from said detected light intensity, said degraded encoded symbol character failing to represent a valid encoded symbol character of a symbology lacking error correction coding at an encoded symbol character level; and

a signal processor that, responsive to said initiation signal, automatically recovers from said generated electrical signal a value representative of valid encoded symbol character of said symbology.

11. The hand held bar code reading apparatus for decoding a degraded encoded symbol character of claim 10, comprising:

a trigger mechanism configured to receive a trigger signal and to generate an initiation signal;

a detector that, responsive to said initiation signal, automatically detects light intensity corresponding to illumination reflected from said degraded encoded symbol character and that generates an electrical signal from said detected light intensity, said degraded encoded symbol character failing to represent a valid encoded symbol character of a symbology lacking error correction coding at an encoded symbol character level; and

a signal processor that, responsive to said initiation signal, automatically recovers from said generated electrical signal a value representative of valid encoded symbol character of said symbology;

wherein said signal processor comprises a microprocessor, a memory, and instructions recorded on a machine-readable medium for controlling the operation of said microprocessor.

12. The hand held bar code reading apparatus for decoding a degraded encoded symbol character of claim 10, comprising:

a trigger mechanism configured to receive a trigger signal and to generate an initiation signal;

a detector that, responsive to said initiation signal, automatically detects light intensity corresponding to illumination reflected from said degraded encoded symbol character and that generates an electrical signal from said detected light intensity, said degraded encoded symbol character failing to represent a valid encoded symbol character of a symbology lacking error correction coding at an encoded symbol character level; and

a signal processor that, responsive to said initiation signal, automatically recovers from said generated electrical signal a value representative of valid encoded symbol character of said symbology;

wherein said trigger signal is generated by a selected one of an operation of said trigger mechanism by a user, a sensing by a detector of the presence of an object of interest within a field of view of the reader, and a receipt of a command from a device spaced apart from said reader.