APPARATUS FOR MACHINE READING RANDOMLY POSITIONED AND ORIENTED INFORMATION

• US 3,600,556 A
• Filed: 04/21/1969
• Issued: 08/17/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Inge Scholze
• Original Assignee: Norbert K. Acker
• Inventors: Acker, Norbert K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Robinson, Thomas A.
• Application Number:
  US04/817,680
• Time in Patent Office: 848 Days
• Field of Search: 235/61.115 250/236,217CR,219DD,219R 315/10
• US Class Current: 235/454
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10871 randomly oriented data-fields, code-marks therefore, e.g. concentric circles-code
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/245 by locating a pattern; Special marks for positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/10 mechanically operated

Abstract

A device is disclosed in which an area through which data in a data field may pass, is imaged onto detectors of an image position detection device. The area image rotates and a data image therein is centered as soon as detected to rotate about its own center. Fine-position control maintains the rotating data in particular relation to readout detectors, scanning circular image tracks in the vicinity of at least one of the image position detectors.

Claims

1. Apparatus for reading information in a data field having random position in a particular area, comprising:

first means disposed to provide a laterally displaceable image of the particular area including a data field when in the particular area said data field being capable of displacement along first and second directions;

second means including a first detector and connected to the first means to cause moving of the data field image in a first direction when detecting the data field image, and in the opposite direction in the absence of detecting the data field image;

third means including a second detector connected to the first means to cause moving of the data field image in a second direction when detecting the data field image and in the opposite direction in the absence of detecting the data field image;

fourth means including additional detection means connected to the first means to cause a particular image portion of the data field image to be maintained in a particular image field region independently from image distortions and overriding the control as provided by at least one of the fist and second detectors; and

means positioned to read data from the data field when its image is tangent to the additional detector means and at least one of the first and second detector means.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, the data field having a contrasting boundary in the confines of which are contained the data proper, the data field read means positioned in particular relation to an image of the boundary when the data field image has the particular position.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2, the first means including means for providing rotation of the data field image.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3, the data read means disposed for variable position relation between the center of rotation of the data field image.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2, the data field having a central marker for fine control of the center of the data field image, the additional detector means responsive to the image of the central marker controlling the first means so that the central marker image remains tangent to the additional detector means.

6. In combination for reading, from a data carrier, information in a data field selectively identifying the data carrier and having random position and orientation and where the data field is identified by a first marking defining a loop of a particular contour and a second marking disposed within the loop and where the data field is disposed along the loop:

first means defining an optical path and including identifying means, the optical path extending between the identifying means and a particular area in which the carrier may appear at random times to optically relate the area to the identifying means, there being contour distortions of a loop in the particular area as related to the identifying means, the identifying means for reading the information selectively disposed in the data field on the data carrier, first and second recognition means included in the optical path and respectively responsive to the first and second markings for producing signals in accordance with the disposition of the respective markings relative to the recognition means, means responsive to the signals produced by the first and second recognition means for providing for an adjustment of the optical relation between the markings and the first means in accordance with the relative characteristics of the signals produced on the recognition means by the recognition markings to produce a particular relationship between the recognition means and the markings, and means responsive to the particular relationship between the recognition means and the markings for moving the recognition means relative to the markings as optically related to maintain the particular relationship between the recognition means and the markings even at distorted contour of the first recognition marking during reading of the information by the identifying means.

7. The combination set forth in claim 6, wherein the first recognition means include at least a pair of recognition elements and the second recognition means constitutes an additional recognition element and wherein the adjusting means are responsive to the signals produced by one of the recognition elements in the pair and the additional recognition element for providing for an adjustment in the disposition of the recognition means relative to the recognition marking along a first one of a pair of transverse axes and are responsive to the other one of the recognition elements in the pair for providing for an adjustment in the disposition of the recognition means relative to the recognition markings along the other one of the pair of transverse axes.

8. The combination set forth in claim 6 wherein means are responsive to the signals from the identifying means to adjust the disposition of the identifying means relative to the selective information in the data field to maintain a particular relationship between the identifying means and the selective information.

9. In combination for reading, from a data carrier, information in a data field selectively identifying the data carrier appearing at random times in a particular area in random position and orientation and where the data field is identified by a particular contrasting contour and where the selective information is disposed adjacent the particular contour of the recognition marking:

means disposed for reading the selective information in a data field, first means defining an optical path of variable direction as between the reading means and the particular area through which a data field may pass, for optically relating the area to the reading means, recognition means included in the optical path and responsive to the contrasting contour for providing for an adjustment of the optical relation between the contour and the first means to a particular relationship in accordance with the relative characteristics of the signals produced on the recognition means by the recognition marking, means responsive to the particular relationship between the recognition means and the contour for producing a movement of the recognition means relative to and toward the contour as optically related by the first means to detect and to follow the particular contour of the recognition marking, and means responsive to the signals produced by the recognition means during the relative movement of the recognition means along the particular contour for maintaining the recognition means in the particular relationship to the contour during such movement, thereby maintaining a particular relationship between the means for reading and the data field as optically related thereto by operation of the first means.

10. The combination set forth in claim 9, wherein an additional recognition marking is provided and wherein additional recognition means are included in the optical path and are responsible to the optically related recognition marking for providing additional controls to maintain the particular relationship between the recognition means and the optically related recognition markings.

11. The combination set forth in claim 9 wherein means are responsive to the signals produced by the identifying means for adjusting the disposition of the identifying means relative to the selected information in the data field to maintain a particular relationship between the identifying means and the selected information.

12. In combination for reading, from a data carrier movable along a conveyor line, information in a data field selectively identifying the data carrier where the data field is identified by a recognition marking:

means for identifying information selectively disposed in said data field, first means defining an optical path between the identifying means and a particular area along the conveyor line to optically relate the area, including said data field when in the area, to the identifying means, recognition means included in the optical path and responsive to the recognition marking for providing for an adjustment of the optical relation between the recognition marking and the first means along a pair of transverse axes in accordance with the relative characteristics of the signals produced on the recognitioN means by the recognition marking, second means responsive to the characteristics of the signals produced by the recognition means for adjusting the optical relation between the recognition marking and the first means to produce a particular disposition between the recognition marking and the recognition means disposed in the data field on the data carrier, the identifying means being disposed on one side of the recognition marking as optically related by the first means, and the recognition means being disposed on the opposite side of the recognition marking as optically related by the first means in the particular disposition of the recognition marking as optically related by the first means and relative to the recognition means, third responsive to the adjustment between the recognition marking and the recognition means to the particular disposition for obtaining a movement of the recognition means relative to the recognition marking, fourth means responsive to the adjustment of the optical relation between the recognition marking and the first means to the particular disposition and responsive to the signals from the recognition means for obtaining the particular disposition between the recognition means and the recognition marking during the operation of the third means, to maintain the recognition marking between the recognition means and the identifying means, and fifth means responsive to the adjustment of the optical relation between the recognition marking and the first means to the particular disposition for obtaining an operation of the identifying means in identifying the information selectively disposed in the data field on the data carrier.

13. The combination set forth in claim 12 wherein the marking is circular and wherein the recognition means constitute at least a pair of elements disposed exterior to the marking in the particular disposition of the recognition marking relative to the recognition means and the identifying means constitute at least a pair of elements disposed within the recognition marking,

14. The combination set forth in claim 13 wherein the adjusting means are responsive to the signals produced by the pair of recognition means to adjust the position of the recognition means relative to the recognition marking along a pair of transverse axes.

15. The combination set forth in claim 13 wherein the identifying means are independently adjustable relative to the selective information to maintain a particular relationship between the identifying means and the selective information even during the relative movement between the recognition means and the recognition marking.

16. The combination set forth in claim 13 wherein at least an additional recognition marking is displaced from the first recognition marking and wherein additional recognition means are responsive to the additional recognition marking to operation in conjunction with the first recognition means in controlling the operation of the fourth means.

17. Apparatus for reading information from a data field, the location of the information being identified by marking having a particular contour, comprising:

first means for producing a laterally displaceable image of the particular area including an image of a data field when in the particular area, the image of the contour marking being subject to distortion in dependence upon the position of the data field in the particular area at any instant;

second means disposed to be responsive to the image of the contour marking and coupled to the first means to shift and to move the image of the recognition marking along a particular position so that the portion of the image of the contour marking in the vicinity of the particular position remains independent from the distortion; and

third means disposed to be responsive to the portion of an image of the information contained in the imaged data field in the vicinity of the particular portion of the image of the contour marking that is in tHe particular position.

18. Apparatus as set forth in claim 17, the second means including means (a) responsive to the overall position of the image of the recognition marking and means (b) responsive to distortions of the image of the recognition marking for controlling the first means.

19. Apparatus as set forth in claim 17, the recognition marking having circular contour, the first means including means providing rotation of the image of the data field when in the particular position and about the center of the image of the circular contour, and means included in the apparatus responsive to elliptical distortions of the image of the recognition marking, to control the first means so as to prevent radial displacements of the image of the boundary marking where passing a particular point, the third means disposed, particularly in relation to the particular point.

20. Apparatus as set forth in claim 17, the recognition marking having circular contour, the first means including means providing rotation of the image of the data field when in the particular position and about the center of the image of the circular contour, and means included in the apparatus responsive to elliptical distortions of the image of the recognition marking to provide radial shift between the data field image and the third means counteracting the radial displacement of the rotating information image resulting from the elliptical distortion.

21. A device for reading information established by data markings in a data field on a carrier, the carrier having random position and random orientation in a particular area and appearing at random times within that area, the data field position identified by particular contour marking having particular spatial orientation to the disposition of the data markings in the data field, the combination comprising:

first means disposed in relation to the particular area and having particular configuration and characteristics for reading information and providing signals representative thereof;

second means defining an optical path between the particular area and the first means and providing an image of the area and of a data field with its data markings when in the area, the second means including adjusting means in the optical path for displacing the image relative to the first means, the adjusting means including means (a) for laterally shifting the image in two transversely oriented directions relative to the first means, and means (b) for rotating the image relative to the first means;

detector means including a plurality of individual detectors disposed on the optical path as provided by the second means to be responsive to an image of the particular contour marking of a data field when in the area and providing control signals having characteristics representative of the relative position of the image of the contour marking in representation of the disposition of the image of the data markings of the data field relative to the first means;

first control means connected to the detector means to be responsive to the characteristics of the control signals of detector when representing absence of an image of the particular contour marking by the detector means, to particularly operate the adjusting means for causing the image of the area to sweep in periodic progression across the detector means; and

second control means connected to the detector means to be responsive to the control signals for operating the adjusting means upon detection of an image of a particular contour marking when in the area, to laterally shift and to rotate the data field image relative to the first means to obtain passage of the image of the data markings of data field whose contour marker has been detected by the detector means, progressively past the first means to obtain data readout.

22. A device as in claim 21, the second control means causing the image of the contour to move in direction of the contour, the data markings arranged iN tracks along the contour, the first means providing signals in representation of serial readout of the tracks.

23. A device as in claim 21, the data field outlined by a closed contour marking, the data markings disposed along at least a part of that contour, the detector means including a detector providing a control signal causing the adjusting means to maintain the contour image tangent to the detector, the adjusting means further operating to move the image of the contour periodically along the detector, the first means disposed in the vicinity of the detector for reading the data marking image during the moving and essentially undistorted.

24. A device as in claim 21, the data markings disposed along the contour, of the particular marking, the first means including at least one read detector, the detector means including a first detector, arranged on an axis with the read detector and in vicinity thereof, the detector means including at least one additional detector, the first and the additional detector providing control signals to the second control means for causing the adjusting means to orient the contour image to align transversely so that axis, tangent to the first detector, and to move the data field image transverse to said axis.

25. In a combination for reading, from a data carrier information in a data field selectively identifying the data carrier where the location of the data field is identified by a particular marking having particular relation to the data contained in the data field, the carrier appearing at random times and at random position within a particular area:

first means disposed in relation to the particular area to provide a rotating image of the particular area, a data field in the area being normally excentrical to the axis of rotation as projected to the object side;

a plurality of individual recognition detectors disposed in the plane of the image and having a particular disposition relative to each other and responsive to the image of a particular marking for providing signals representing the relative position of the data field in the image plane;

second means responsive to the relative characteristics of the signals as produced by the detectors of the plurality for laterally shifting the image of the data field as rotated in two transverse directions, so that the rotated data field image has a particular lateral disposition; and

data reading means disposed in relation to the particular disposition of the laterally shifted data field image to read the data in the data field.

26. The combination as in claim 25, the first means providing continuous rotation to obtain a periodic search sweep, the plurality of detectors causing the second means to provide lateral adjustment as soon as one of the recognition detectors detects image of a particular marking, to place the rotating data field image into the range of the reading means.

27. The combination as in claim 25, wherein the data field is identified by a circular marking disposed around the data field having data in circular tracks;

the reading means for identifying information in a data field having plural detectors arranged along a first axis;

the second means providing for an adjustment to shift the image so that the data field image rotates about a point on the first axis as center.

28. The combination set forth in claim 27 wherein means are independently responsive to the disposition of the reading means relative to the selective information for independently adjusting the reading means to maintain a particular relationship between the reading means and the image of the data field.

29. The combination set forth in claim 25, wherein two recognition detectors are disposed at spaced positions along a segment of a circle.

30. The combination set forth in claim 29 wherein the data read means are disposed in the vicinity of one of the recognition detectors, and wherein means are provided for adjusting the position of the rotatinG data field image for the particular marking image to remain tangent to one of the recognition detector.

31. The combination set forth in claim 25 wherein the plurality of detectors include at least a pair of spaced elements for respectively controlling the disposition of the image of the particular image of the marking individually along a pair of transverse axes and wherein the reading means constitute at least a pair of spaced elements.

32. The combination set forth in claim 31, wherein an additional marking is provided within a circular data field and wherein additional detector means are responsive to the additional marking and operate in conjunction with the pair of spaced elements to maintain a particular relationship between at least one of the element means and the image of that particular marking.

33. Apparatus for reading information from a data field having data markings and contrasting marking defining a particular contour, the markings arranged along that contour, the contour marking defining the location of the data field, the data field having random position and random orientation in a particular area, comprising:

first means disposed in relation to the particular area for imaging the particular area including providing an image of the recognition marking and an image of the data markings of a data field when in the particular area;

second means disposed in relation to the first means and including reading means for detecting the image of the data markings when passing through a particular location and providing a signal train representative thereof;

the second means further including a plurality of data field detector means for individually and separately detecting the relative position of the image of the contour marking in the area and providing control signals representative thereof and including at least one particular detector means for detecting the relative position of the image of the contour as representing the disposition of the image of the data markings relative to the reading means;

third means operatively connected for providing relative adjustment between the images as provided by the first means and the second means, without displacement of the data field itself, and including means (a for providing rotational variation of the relative orientation of data field image and the second means, further including means (b) for laterally adjusting the data field image relative to the second means; and

fourth means connecting the second means to the third means for obtaining operation of the third means to rotate and to shift the data field image for dispositioning the contour image relative to the particular detector means and causing motion of the contour image relative to the particular detector means in the direction of extension of the contour image in the vicinity of the latter, for the data marking images to pass along the reading means, to obtain progressive readout of the data field by the read means.

34. Apparatus for reading information from a data field having random position in a particular area, as in claim 33, the first means providing an image of the particular area including an image of the data field in a particular plane;

the detector means in the second means including a pair of detectors disposed in the plane of the image in spaced apart relationship and providing signals for the fourth means for controlling lateral position of the image of a data field in the image plane to be tangent at its periphery to two particular peripheral points respectively of the detectors of the pair; and

the data read means disposed in relation to the data field image if tangent to the particular points for reading the data contained in the data field.

35. Apparatus as set forth in claim 34 the data field having contrast producing outer boundary for defining recognition marking contour, the second and third means operating to maintain the image of the marking contour tangent to the two particular points, the data field further having a central, contrasting marking, there being at least one additional detector disposed to be at least approximately tangent to an image of the central marking when the image of the outer boundary marking is tangent to the detectors of the pair, and means connected to the additional detector to override control as provided by at least one detector of the pair as to data field image position to control the second means so that image of the central marking is maintained tangent to the additional detector.

36. Apparatus as set forth in claim 35, there being two additional detectors fine-controlling the position of the data field image after having been coarsely positioned by operation of the detectors of the pair and the second means.

37. Apparatus as set forth in claim 34, the data field having a peripheral contrast producing boundary ring, the image thereof being maintained tangent to the particular points by operation of the second means, the data read means including at least one element disposed adjacent to one of the detectors so that the boundary image extends between the element and the one detector.

38. Apparatus as in claim 33, the particular detector means including a detector having position relative to the read means, equivalent to the spacing between the contour image and the arrangement of the data marking images, the second and third means operating to maintain the contour image tangent to the detector means.

39. Apparatus as set forth in claim 33, the data field having circular data tracks and the contour being contour disposed circular contour disposed around a common center, the second means including detectors positioned in particular radial relation to the image of the center of the data field when in the particular position, respectively to detect the contour image and to read the data tracks and providing signals representative thereof, as the data field image rotates about the image of its center by operation of the means (b).

40. Apparatus as set forth in claim 39, the data field having a circular central marking, the detector means including detector means (i) disposed to be responsive to the rotating image of the central marking for providing additional control signals processed in the fourth means to control the third means so as to maintain the read detectors of the second means above the image of the data tracks.

41. Apparatus as set forth in claim 33, the data field having a circular boundary outlined by a recognition marking with circular contour, and extending around a center, the detector means of the second means including a pair of detectors disposed in particular radial position to the center of the data field image when in a particular position and being responsive to the disposition of the possibly distorted contour image for causing the fourth means to operate the third means to maintain the contour image in particular relation to the pair of detectors.

42. Apparatus as set forth in claim 41, the read means disposed in the vicinity of one of the detectors.

43. Apparatus as set forth in claim 41, the detector pair disposed on different sides of a line between said center and the image of the rotational center of the particular area in the absence of a data field therein.

44. Apparatus as in claim 33, wherein the means (a) is included in the first means to provide a rotating data field image, and the means (b) is disposed for laterally shifting the rotating image.

45. Apparatus for reading information established by data markings in a data field on a carrier, having random position and orientation in a particular area and appearing therein at random times, the data field position identified by a contrasting contour marking having particular spatial orientation to the disposition of the data markings in the data field, the combination comprising:

a plurality of detectors disposed in relation to the particular area, at least one detectoR provided for reading information;

first means disposed between the particular area and the detectors of the plurality for imaging the area and a data field when in the area onto the detectors, at least some of the detectors providing signals respectively in response to detection of an image of a contrasting marking by the detectors;

second means disposed for providing relative displacement between an image as produced by the first means and the detectors and including means (a) for providing lateral displacement in two transversely oriented directions and means (b) for providing angular displacement;

first control means connected to at least some detectors of the plurality and responsive to signals provided by them in response to absence of a data field in the particular area, to control the adjusting means for obtaining continuous periodic search displacement of the imaged area across the detectors;

second control means, connected to the detectors of the plurality, to provide particular control signals respectively in particular response to the first-in-time of the detectors to detect an image of the contour marking, and connected to change control of the second means in dependence upon the respective particular control signal as produced, to provide relative displacement is response thereto, to change the relative position of the image of the detected data field and the reading detector to obtain a reading position.

46. Apparatus as in claim 45, wherein the second means provides lateral and rotating displacement of the data field image, the second control means operating the second means, to obtain lateral, relative shift in a first direction in first-in-time response by a first one of the detectors, and lateral relative shift in a traverse direction in first-in-time response by a second one of the detectors.

47. Apparatus as in claim 46 the second control means operating to place the data field image tangent to at least one of the detectors that is not the reading detector but having spatial relation to the reading detector corresponding to the spatial relation between the images of contour marking and data markings, there being additional control means included to cause the data field image to progressively move past the reading detection in tangent disposition to the latter one detector.