SYSTEM HAVING AN IMPROVED USER INTERFACE FOR READING CODE SYMBOLS

• US 20150178523A1
• Filed: 03/10/2015
• Published: 06/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Gelay, Geoffrey, Hussey, Robert Michael, Thakkar, Bhishma
• Granted Patent: US 9,235,737 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/015 Aligning or centering of the sensing device with respect to the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10821 further details of bar or optical code scanning devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1095 the scanner comprising adaptations for scanning a record carrier that is displayed on a display-screen or the like
• 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 7/1439 including a method step for retrieval of the optical code

Abstract

A system for reading code symbols includes a camera, a user interface system, and a processor communicatively coupled to the camera and the user interface system. The user interface system includes a visual display. The processor is configured for (i) capturing an image including a code symbol, (ii) displaying the image on the visual display, (iii) determining whether the code symbol in the image is readable by the processor, and (iv) displaying on the visual display a positive indicator overlaying the code symbol in the image when the processor determines that the code symbol in the image is readable by the processor. The processor is further configured for reading the code symbol in the image in response to a selection input received from the user interface system.

Claims

1. A system for reading code symbols, comprising:

a camera;

a user interface system comprising a visual display; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the camera and the user interface system, the processor being configured for;

capturing from the camera an image depicting a code symbol;

displaying the image on the visual display;

determining whether the code symbol in the image is readable by the processor; and

displaying on the visual display a visual indicator overlaying the code symbol in the image when the processor determines that the code symbol in the image is readable by the processor.

2. The system for reading code symbols of claim 1, wherein the code symbol comprises a barcode symbol.

3. The system for reading code symbols of claim 1, wherein the visual indicator comprises a circle.

4. The system for reading code symbols of claim 1, wherein the visual indicator comprises a line drawn substantially along the perimeter of said code symbol.

5. The system for reading code symbols of claim 1, wherein the visual indicator comprises a color highlight of the code symbol.

6. The system for reading code symbols of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured for displaying on the visual display a negative indicator overlaying the code symbol in the image when the processor determines that the code symbol in the image is not readable by the processor.

7. A method of reading a code symbol with a system, comprising:

providing a system having a camera, a user interface system having a visual display, and a processor communicatively coupled to the camera and the user interface system;

capturing with the camera an image including a code symbol;

displaying the image on the visual display;

determining with the processor whether the code symbol is readable by the processor; and

displaying on the visual display a visual indicator overlaying the code symbol when the processor determines that the code symbol is readable by the processor.

8. The method of claim 7, comprising:

reading the code symbol with the processor in response to a selection input from the user interface system.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the visual display comprises a touchscreen and the selection input is initiated by a user'"'"'s tactile command selecting the code symbol in the image appearing on the touchscreen.

10. The method of claim 7, comprising:

displaying on the visual display a negative indicator overlaying the code symbol when the processor determines that the code symbol is not readable by the processor.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the code symbol comprises a barcode symbol.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the visual indicator comprises a circle.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the visual indicator comprises a line drawn substantially along the perimeter of the code symbol.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein the visual indicator comprises a color highlight of the code symbol.

15. A system for reading code symbols, comprising:

a camera;

a user interface system comprising a touchscreen; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the camera and the user interface system, the processor being configured for;

capturing from the camera an image depicting a code symbol;

displaying the image on the touchscreen;

determining whether the code symbol in the image is readable by the processor;

displaying on the touchscreen a visual indicator overlaying the code symbol in the image when the processor determines that the code symbol in the image is readable by the processor; and

reading the code symbol in the image in response to a selection input received from the user interface system.

16. The system for reading code symbols of claim 15, wherein the selection input is initiated by a user'"'"'s tactile command selection of the code symbol in the image appearing on the touchscreen.

17. The system for reading code symbols of claim 16, wherein the tactile command comprises touching the code symbol on the touchscreen with the user'"'"'s finger.

18. The system for reading code symbols of claim 16, wherein the tactile command comprises pointing at the code symbol on the touchscreen.

19. The system for reading code symbols of claim 16, wherein the tactile command comprises touching the code symbol on the touchscreen with a stylus.

20. The system for reading code symbols of claim 16, wherein the tactile command comprises looking at the code symbol on the touchscreen for a predetermined period of time.