OCR and bar code reader with optimized sensor

• US 4,542,528 A
• Filed: 11/06/1984
• Issued: 09/17/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Siemens Nixdorf Information Systems, Inc. (Siemens Nixdorf)
• Original Assignee: Recognition Equipment Incorporated
• Inventors: Sanner, Medford D., McWaters, Lynn D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Boudreau, Leo H.
• Application Number:
  US06/669,049
• Time in Patent Office: 315 Days
• Field of Search: 382/59, 382/62, 382/68, 235/440, 235/454, 235/462, 235/463, 235/470, 235/472, 235/494, 250/566, 250/568-570, 250/578
• US Class Current: 382/318
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1093 sensing, after transfer of the image of the data-field to an intermediate store, e.g. storage with cathode ray tube
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/147 Details of sensors, e.g. sensor lenses fingerprint or palmprint sensors G06V40/13; vascular sensors G06V40/145; eye sensors G06V40/19
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 235/901 Bar code reader specialized to read code on a highly reflective surface

Abstract

In an optical reader for reading alphanumeric and bar code characters, an area array for scanning alphanumeric data and a single photo sensor for scanning bar code data is formed on the same semiconductor chip. Separate processors are connected to the array and to the single photosensor wherein the single photosensor is reading bar codes and the area array is used for reading alphanumeric data.

Claims

1. A hand held optical reader for scanning and reading alphanumeric and bar code data and distinguishing between each and utilizing a common lens and illumination system for reading both alphanumeric and bar code data, comprising:

an optical area array of photosensors having a plurality of columns of photosensors disposed on a substrate for scanning one face of a document and for producing electrical signals representative of data scanned from the document;

a single rectangular photosensor disposed on said substrate, adjacent to and spaced apart from said optical area array of photosensors at a site outside said optical area array for scanning one face of the document and for producing electrical signals representative of data scanned from the document;

a first processor connected to said area array of photosensors for receiving said electrical signals from said area array of photosensors and producing an output representative of any alphanumeric data scanned;

a second processor connected to said single rectangular photosensor for receiving said electrical signals from said single rectangular photosensor and producing an output representative of any bar code data scanned; and

an output selector means connected to said first processor and to said second processor for outputting data from either the output of said first processor or the output of said second processor, but not both.

2. The hand held optical reader of claim 1 wherein said single rectangular photosensor includes an optical filter coating for providing said single rectangular photosensor an optical response different from the optical response of said optical area array of photosensors.

3. The hand held optical reader of claim 2 wherein said optical area array of photosensors responds to the near infrared spectrum and said single rectangular photosensor responds to the red portion of the visible spectrum.