Method and apparatus for remotely reading and decoding bar codes
First Claim
1. A remote continuous bar code reading apparatus comprising:
- a non-coherent light means for continuously illuminating a bar code, said bar code being remotely disposed with respect to said camera;
a light-sensitive image sensor;
an optical means havinga rectangular aperture for focusing light reflected from said bar code onto said image sensor;
a data loading means connected to said image sensor;
a data decoding means; and
a random access memory connected to said data loading means and to said decoding means and being timeshared by said data loading means and said decoding means such that data from said image sensor is initially loaded into said random access memory, said data being utilized by said decoding means for decoding said bar code, and said random access memory subsequently functioning as a working memory for said decoding means.
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Abstract
A remote bar code reading camera for detecting dark and light areas of a bar code carried on an object disposed at a distance from the camera has a substantially continuously operating non-coherent light source for illuminating the bar code, an optical arrangement with a rectangular aperture for directing the reflected light from the bar code onto an image sensor, the optical arrangement having a depth of field such that reflections from remote objects are accurately transmitted to the image sensor, and a processing circuit for shaping and analyzing the signals from the image sensor. The processing circuit includes an external random access memory which, during a first portion of a signal processing cycle is used with loading circuitry to store digital information corresponding to the scanned bar code, and during a second portion of a processing cycle is utilized as the working memory for a microcomputer for decoding the information. The camera has an interface means for transferring the decoded data to an external device.
156 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A remote continuous bar code reading apparatus comprising:
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a non-coherent light means for continuously illuminating a bar code, said bar code being remotely disposed with respect to said camera; a light-sensitive image sensor; an optical means havinga rectangular aperture for focusing light reflected from said bar code onto said image sensor; a data loading means connected to said image sensor; a data decoding means; and a random access memory connected to said data loading means and to said decoding means and being timeshared by said data loading means and said decoding means such that data from said image sensor is initially loaded into said random access memory, said data being utilized by said decoding means for decoding said bar code, and said random access memory subsequently functioning as a working memory for said decoding means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for operating a continuous bar code reader having a field of view for decoding a bar code remotely disposed with respect to said reader comprising the steps of:
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continually moving a plurality of different bar codes through the field of view of said reader; continuously illuminating said field of view of said reader with non-coherent light; focusing light reflected from said bar code onto an image sensor through a rectangular aperture; cyclicly continuously scanning said bar codes with said image sensor; deriving a binary signal from the output of said image sensor; loading an external random access memory with information corresponding to the time between successive level transitions of said binary signal during a first stage of a scanning cycle; and utilizing said random access memory during a second stage of said scanning cycle as a working memory for a microcomputer for decoding the data stored in said random access memory during said first stage of said scanning cycle. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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Specification