INDICIA READER SAFETY
First Claim
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1. A computer-implemented method for controlling an indicia reader'"'"'s illumination, the method comprising:
- activating a primary light source to illuminate a primary indicia on an item;
scanning the item'"'"'s primary indicia to produce primary-indicia information;
classifying the item based on the primary-indicia information;
comparing the item'"'"'s class to classes stored in a memory;
if the item'"'"'s class matches at least one of the classes stored in the memory, then activating a secondary ultra-violet (UV) light source to illuminate a secondary indicia; and
deactivating the secondary UV light source if;
(i) an exposure risk to the secondary UV light source is detected, or(ii) the secondary indicia is scanned to produce secondary-indicia information.
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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
20 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for controlling an indicia reader'"'"'s illumination, the method comprising:
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activating a primary light source to illuminate a primary indicia on an item; scanning the item'"'"'s primary indicia to produce primary-indicia information; classifying the item based on the primary-indicia information; comparing the item'"'"'s class to classes stored in a memory; if the item'"'"'s class matches at least one of the classes stored in the memory, then activating a secondary ultra-violet (UV) light source to illuminate a secondary indicia; and deactivating the secondary UV light source if; (i) an exposure risk to the secondary UV light source is detected, or (ii) the secondary indicia is scanned to produce secondary-indicia information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A computer-implemented method for limiting ultra-violet (UV) light exposure from an indicia reader configured to read UV sensitive security marks, the method comprising:
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determining that an item has one or more UV-sensitive security marks; activating a UV light source to read the UV-sensitive security marks; and if a UV exposure risk is detected, then deactivating the UV light source. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An imaging 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 to enable primary indicia scanning; a secondary ultra-violet (UV) illumination subsystem for illuminating the field of view to enable UV-sensitive indicia scanning; a memory for storing software and a database, wherein the database comprises information corresponding to items that require UV-sensitive indicia scanning; a processor communicatively coupled to the camera, the primary illumination subsystem, the secondary UV illumination subsystem, and the memory, the processor configured by software to; activate the primary illumination subsystem and the camera when triggered by a user; scan the primary indicia to produce primary indicia information; compare the primary indicia information to the database; activate the secondary UV illumination subsystem if the primary indicia information matches at least a portion of the database; and deactivate the UV illumination subsystem after (i) the UV-sensitive indicia have been scanned, (ii) an exposure risk has been detected, or (iii) a time period, in which no UV-sensitive indicia have been scanned and no exposure risks have been detected, has expired.
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Specification