CODE SCANNING SYSTEM

• US 3,735,350 A
• Filed: 07/06/1971
• Issued: 05/22/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1966
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jerome H. Lemelson
• Original Assignee: Jerome H. Lemelson
• Inventors: Lemelson, Jerome H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Robinson, Thomas A.
• Application Number:
  US05/160,007
• Time in Patent Office: 686 Days
• Field of Search: 235/61.11E 250/219D 179/2DP,2R,100.1,1.2S,1.2MI,1.3B,1.3D,1.1VC,1VC,6R,1.1DR 178/18
• US Class Current: 235/472.03
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/18 Devices or arrangements for indicating destination, e.g. by code marks applying data to information carriers G06K1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/08 using markings of different kinds or more than one marking of the same kind in the same record carrier, e.g. one marking being sensed by optical and the other by magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/089 hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10772 Moved readers, e.g. pen, wand
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners

Abstract

An apparatus and method are provided for generating code signals of information for recording or immediately using said information to control a computer, process or machine. In a preferred form of the invention, the apparatus includes a handheld implement which may be selectively positioned and moved across a selected code by manual manipulation to generate said code on an output as one or more electrical signals which are fed immediately to a recorder, computer, electric typewriter, machine or other device for controlling its operation or presetting same. Printed or otherwise recorded codes to be scanned are predeterminately positioned on a record member with respect to respective characters, words, groups of words or groups of characters which provide not only a human readable form of information but also means for indicating the location of respective codes representative of such characters, words or groups of words so that the codes may be selectively reproduced by visually locating the associated characters or words and thereby positioning the hand held implement to reproduce just the codes representative of the selected characters. The codes may be recorded across, beneath or above the characters or words they represent so that positioning the reading implement on, beneath or above the words or characters are properly moving same will result in reproducing codes of information selected to the exclusion of other codes existing immediately adjacent thereto.

Claims

1. Apparatus for generating data as electrical signals representative of characters and the like comprising:

a support operative to be guided by hand, reading means including a transducer secured to said support, an input to said transducer located for scanning recoRded information adjacent said support, said transducer being operative for transducing the information scanned to electrical signals, signal output means connected to said transducer, a record member containing parallel lines of visually readable information in the form of separate units of information with each information unit defined by one or more characters or symbols, a plurality of code recordings representing the information of said information units, said code recordings being provided on a plurality of code tracks each containing codes representative of a plurality of said information units provided on a line adjacent the respective code track, means for visually locating the position of each code recording and its associated unit of visually readable information to permit the selective positioning of said support with respect to said record member to permit said transducer to scan selected code recordings for generating selected information as electrical signals, and a plurality of control signal recordings located along each code track before and after each code recording representative of each of said separate units of information and reproducble by said transducer as it scans the code track, means for receiving and utilizing the selected information signals generated by said transducer, and means responsive to the signals generated when said transducer scans said control signal recordings for communicating the information generated thereby to said receiving means.

2. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, said support comprising an oblong implement holdable between the thumb and forefinger of the hand, said input to said transducer being disposed at one end of said oblong implement permitting scanning of said code recordings by said reading means by manipulating said oblong implement to cause the end thereof to scan selected of said code tracks or portions thereof.

3. An apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said record member has at least one channel formed therein parallel to a code track of said record member, and a portion of said support for said transducer being shaped to ride in and be guided by said channel while said transducer scans said code track as said support is moved along said channel.

4. An apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said record member is a sheet containing printed lines of visually readable information and printed code recordings, and a clear plastic overlay sheet disposed above said printed sheet, there being straight edged guides formed in the clear plastic overlay sheet for guiding said implement across said sheet, said straight edged guides being prepositioned with respect to said code recordings whereby, when said implement is moved by hand along a straight edge guide, its transducer will scan a selected code track of said record member.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said control signal recordings are operable to generate control signals of different frequency than the signals generated in scanning said code recordings and frequency responsive means in the output of said transducer controlled by said control signals generated in scanning said control signal recordings for controlling the transmission of said code signals to said receiving means.

6. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 including switching means in the output of said transducer, first control means operative to close said switching means when activated in response to a control signal generated by said transducer to connect the output of said transducer with said receiving means when scanning commences and means operable after a selected code recording has been scanned, for opening said switching means.

7. Apparatus in accordance with claim 6 wherein said means for opening said switching means comprises a second control means responsive to signals generated after each code unit is scanned to open said switching means.