Method and apparatus for optically reading digital data inscribed in an arcuate pattern on a data carrier
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for reading a data record on which the data is inscribed in an arcuate pattern of equal-radii circular segment spaced lines on a data carrier, comprising:
- a data carrier support for receiving and holding a data carrier;
a light source operable to emit a beam of light;
beam directing means for receiving and directing the beam of light toward the supported data carrier, including sweep means for repetitively sweeping the light beam across the data carrier in an arc corresponding to a line of the arcuate pattern;
a carriage mounting said data carrier support for movement radially of the arcuate pattern;
incrementing means connected to said carriage and operable between sweeps of the light beam to step said support a distance equal to the line spacing so that the light beam scans one line after another; and
receiving means mounted to receive the light beam after the same strikes the data carrier.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Data recorded in non-parallel arcuate paths on a data carrier are read with a laser beam which rotates relative to the data record.
77 Citations
76 Claims
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1. Apparatus for reading a data record on which the data is inscribed in an arcuate pattern of equal-radii circular segment spaced lines on a data carrier, comprising:
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a data carrier support for receiving and holding a data carrier; a light source operable to emit a beam of light; beam directing means for receiving and directing the beam of light toward the supported data carrier, including sweep means for repetitively sweeping the light beam across the data carrier in an arc corresponding to a line of the arcuate pattern; a carriage mounting said data carrier support for movement radially of the arcuate pattern; incrementing means connected to said carriage and operable between sweeps of the light beam to step said support a distance equal to the line spacing so that the light beam scans one line after another; and receiving means mounted to receive the light beam after the same strikes the data carrier. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. Apparatus for reading digital data which is inscribed in an arcuate pattern on a data carrier, comprising:
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a source of light operable to emit a beam of light; mounting means mounting said light source and the data carrier for movement one relative to the other such that the beam of light impinges on the data carrier in accordance with the arcuate pattern and the data correspondingly modulates the beam of light, said mounting means comprising; a frame; a carriage for holding the data carrier, said carriage mounted on said frame for movement radially of the arcuate pattern; and light beam directing means mounted on said frame for rotation to rotate the light beam for arcuate scanning of the data carrier; light receiving means mounted to receive the modulated light beam and convert the same into electrical signals corresponding to the data carried by the light beam; and means connected to said mounting means and operable to move the same to compensate for manufacturing tolerances of the data carrier and for size changes due to ambient temperature. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. Apparatus for optically reading a data record having data inscribed on a data carrier in an arcuate pattern of non-parallel spaced-apart arcuate data paths, comprising:
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a frame structure including a base plate and a rotatably mounted member mounted for rotation parallel to said base plate, and drive means for rotating said member; light beam generating means mounted on said frame structure and operable to emit a light beam; a carriage to carry the data record mounted on said frame structure for movement radially of the arcuate pattern of the data; carriage drive means mounted on said frame structure and connected to and operable to move said carriage in increments each equal to at least an equal division of the incremental distance between the data paths; beam directing means mounted on said rotatably mounted member to rotate therewith for directing the light beam along arcuate paths, including beam adjustment means; and light beam receiving means mounted on said frame structure for receiving the light beam after the same strikes and is modulated by the data record. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. Apparatus for reading a data record on which the data is recorded on a data carrier in a plurality of spaced non-parallel arcuate data paths, comprising:
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a frame including a base plate and a top plate secured together, spaced apart, and substantially parallel to one another, and a wheel rotatably mounted between said base and top plates; a wheel drive motor coupled to said wheel for rotating the same; carriage means mounted on said base plate for linear movement radially with respect to the arcuate data paths, including data record support means for supporting a data record; skew correction means coupled to said data record support means, and operable to correct skew of the data record with respect to the linear movement thereof; beam generating means mounted on said wheel for rotation therewith, said beam generating means including a laser device operable to emit a coherent light beam; beam directing means mounted on said wheel for rotation therewith, said beam directing means including lens means for directing a light beam in an arc towards and across the supported data record, beam deflecting means for receiving and deflecting the light beam from said beam generating means to said lens means, and radius correction means including means movably mounting said lens means and operable to move the same to correct the difference between the axes of rotation of said arcuate data paths and said wheel; beam receiving means for receiving the light beam after the same strikes and is modulated by the data record and converting the same into electrical signals representing the scanned data; and control means connected to said carriage means for incrementing said carriage means, to said skew correction means for controlling skew correction, to said radius correction means for controlling radius correction, and to said beam receiving means for receiving and outputting said electrical signals. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41)
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42. Apparatus for reading digital data from a data record on which the data is recorded in a plurality of non-parallel spaced data rows, comprising:
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a light source operable to emit a light beam; beam directing means mounted to receive the light beam and cyclically sweep the beam over a path including a section corresponding to the extent of a data row; said beam directing means comprising a rotatable member and beam deflecting members carried on said rotatable member; said light source comprising a laser device mounted on and rotating with said rotatable member; a movably mounted carriage for supporting the data record in the area of the beam sweep path; control means connected to said carriage and operable to incrementally move said carriage between beam sweeps of said segment; and light receiving and conversion means mounted to receive the light beam after the same strikes the data record and is modulated by the data and operable to convert the modulated light beam into electrical signals corresponding to the data.
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43. A method of reading data from a data record which has data inscribed on a data carrier in non-parallel spaced data rows, comprising the steps of:
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mounting the data record on a carriage; incrementally moved the carriage corresponding to the spacing of the data rows; generating a light beam; cyclically sweeping the light beam over the data record along the row path to modulate the light beam with the inscribed data, including adjusting the radius of sweep so that the light beam corresponds with the row path; and receiving and converting the modulated light beam into electrical signals representing the data. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A method of reading data from a data record which has data recorded on a data carrier in non-parallel spaced arcuate data rows, comprising the steps of:
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incrementally moving the data record transversely of the data rows; projecting a light beam in a plane generally parallel to the plane in which the data record moves; rotating a deflection structure in the plane of the light beam to deflect the light beam to travel substantially perpendicular to and be swept arcuately across the data record whereupon the data modulates the light beam; adjusting skew of the data record so that the light beam traverses an arc equal to the arc of a data row; and receiving and converting the modulated light beam into electrical signals. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52)
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53. Apparatus for reading digital data which is inscribed in an arcuate pattern on a data carrier, comprising:
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a source of light operable to emit a beam of light; mounting means mounting said light source and the data carrier for movement one relative to the other such that the beam of light impinges on the data carrier in accordance with the arcuate pattern and the data correspondingly modulates the beam of light, including means for correcting skew of the data carrier so that the light beam traverses an arc equal to that of the arcuate pattern, said mounting means comprising; a frame; a carriage for holding the data carrier, said carrier mounted on said frame for movement radially of the arcuate pattern; and light beam directing means mounted on said frame for rotation to rotate the light beam for arcuate scanning of the data carrier; and light receiving means mounted to receive the modulated light beam and convert the same into electrical signals corresponding to the data carried by the light beam. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
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60. Apparatus for reading digital data which is inscribed in an arcuate pattern on a data carrier, comprising:
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a source of light operable to emit a beam of light; mounting means mounting said light source and the data carrier for movement one relative to the other such that the beam of light impinges on the data carrier in accordance with the arcuate pattern and the data correspondingly modulates the beam of light; and light receiving means mounted to receive the modulated light beam and convert the same into electrical signals corresponding to the data carried by the light beam, said mounting means comprising a frame, a carriage for holding the data carrier, said carriage mounted on said frame for movement radially of the arcuate pattern, and light beam directing means mounted on said frame for rotation to rotate the light beam for arcuate scanning of the data carrier, said carriage including a pivotally mounted data carrier support; first motor means connected to said carriage for moving the same in the radial direction of the arcuate pattern; and second motor means connected to said support for pivoting the same to correct for skew.
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61. Apparatus for reading digital data which is inscribed in an arcuate pattern on a data carrier, comprising:
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a source of light operable to emit a beam of light; mounting means mounting said light source and the data carrier for movement one relative to the other such that the beam of light impinges on the data carrier in accordance with the arcuate pattern and the data correspondingly modulates the beam of light; and light receiving means mounted to receive the modulated light beam and convert the same into electrical signals corresponding to the data carried by the light beam, said mounting means comprising a frame, a carriage for holding the data carrier, said carriage mounted on said frame for movement radially of the arcuate pattern, and light beam directing means mounted on said frame for rotation to rotate the light beam for arcuate scanning of the data carrier; said light beam directing means comprising a member mounted on said frame for rotation, and an optical system for receiving the light beam and directing the same along a path toward and which follows the arcuate pattern of the data carrier; said light beam directing means comprising a light directing member in said optical system mounted on said rotatable member for movement in the radial direction with respect to the axis of rotation, and motor means connected to said light directing member and operable to move the same to compensate for manufacturing tolerances of the data carrier and for size changes due to ambient temperature. - View Dependent Claims (62, 63)
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64. A method of reading data from a data record which has data inscribed on a data carrier in nonparallel spaced data rows, comprising the steps of:
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mounting the data record on a carriage; incrementally moving the carriage corresponding to the spacing of the data rows; generating a light beam; cyclically sweeping the light beam over the data record along the row path to modulate the light beam with the inscribed data, including adjusting skew of the data record so that the light beam traverses an arc equal to that of the row path; and receiving and converting the modulated light beam into electrical signals representing the data. - View Dependent Claims (65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70)
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71. A method of reading data from a data record which has data inscribed on a data carrier in nonparallel spaced data rows and in which the data record has a predetermined dimension in the direction of incremental movement, comprising the steps of:
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mounting the data record on a carriage; incrementally moving the carriage corresponding to the spacing of the data rows; generating a light beam; cyclically sweeping the light beam over the data record along the row path to modulate the light beam with the inscribed data; receiving and converting the modulated light beam into electrical signals representing the data; sensing changes in the predetermined dimension; and
changing the length of the light beam path to compensate for dimensions differing from said predetermined dimension.
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72. A method of reading data from a data record which has data inscribed on a data carrier in nonparallel spaced data rows and in which the data record is to be incrementally moved with a predetermined orientation of the data rows, comprising the steps of:
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mounting the data record on a carriage; incrementally moving the carriage corresponding to the spacing of the data rows; generating a light beam; cyclically sweeping the light beam over the data record along the row path to modulate the light beam with the inscribed data; receiving and converting the modulated light beam into electrical signals representing the data; sensing the orientation of the data rows; and changing and correcting the orientation in response to sensing skew from said predetermined orientation.
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73. A method of reading data from a data record which has data recorded on a data carrier in nonparallel spaced arcuate data rows, comprising the steps of:
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incrementally moving the data record transversely of the data rows; projecting a light beam in a plane generally parallel to the plane in which the data record moves; rotating a deflection structure in the plane of the light beam to deflect the light beam to travel substantially perpendicular to and be swept arcuately across the data record whereupon the data modulates the light beam; receiving and converting the modulated light beam into electrical signals; and sensing and correcting skew of the data record so that the light beam traverses the same arc as that of the data rows. - View Dependent Claims (74, 75)
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76. In an apparatus for reading data inscribed in equal-radii arcuate rows on a data carrier carried on a support element in which a light source projects a light beam along a path via a deflection system which includes an optical element which scans the light beam across the data carrier in an arc corresponding to the arc of the rows to modulate the light beam with the data, and in which the modulated light beam is received and converted into electrical signals, the improvement therein comprising:
first means connected to receive electrical signals and operable to produce a control signal when and for as long as the light beam scans portions of more than one row during a scan; and
second means connected to said first means and coupled to the data carrier, and operable in response to said control signal to correct the orientation of the data carrier until said control signal disappears.
Specification