Method and apparatus for improving the throughput of a CCD bar code scanner/decoder
First Claim
1. A method for scanning and decoding the symbols of a bar code label using a CCD image sensor viewing the bar code, and coupled to a signal processor with memory comprising the steps of:
- (a) setting a start of scan signal (SOS) to a first signal level from the processor;
(b) while the SOS signal is at the first signal level, reading from the CCD sensor a digital data signal representative of the bar code;
(c) storing in memory the representative data signal read from the CCD sensor;
(d) validating and decoding the stored data signal when the SOS signal is at a second signal level to determine if the representative data is valid or invalid;
(e) immediately restarting the SOS first level signal whenever an invalid bar code data signal is decoded to recollect bar code data signals from the CCD sensor viewing the bar code so as to repeat step (a); and
(f) following step (d), immediately restarting the SOS first level signal so as to repeat step (a) whenever the data signal is found valid, whereby the CCD data collecting scan rate is maximized by minimizing the duration of the SOS second level signal and immediately restarting the scanning of the bar code whenever a bar code has been found to be valid or invalid.
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Abstract
A method for scanning and decoding the symbols of a bar code label using a CCD image sensor viewing the bar code, and coupled to a signal processor and memory, wherein initially a start of scan (SOS) first level signal is sent from the processor to the CCD image sensor, a digital data signal representative of the bar code is read from the CCD sensor, and the representative data signal read from the CCD sensor is stored in memory. When the SOS signal is at a second signal level, the stored data is validated and decoded to determine if the representative data is valid or invalid. The SOS first level signal is immediately restarted in response to an invalid bar code data signal to recollect bar code data signals from the CCD sensor viewing the bar code so that the scanning steps are repeated, or the SOS first level signal is immediately restarted to re-scan the bar code symbols immediately after the data signal is found valid. Thus, the CCD data collecting scan rate is maximized.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method for scanning and decoding the symbols of a bar code label using a CCD image sensor viewing the bar code, and coupled to a signal processor with memory comprising the steps of:
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(a) setting a start of scan signal (SOS) to a first signal level from the processor; (b) while the SOS signal is at the first signal level, reading from the CCD sensor a digital data signal representative of the bar code; (c) storing in memory the representative data signal read from the CCD sensor; (d) validating and decoding the stored data signal when the SOS signal is at a second signal level to determine if the representative data is valid or invalid; (e) immediately restarting the SOS first level signal whenever an invalid bar code data signal is decoded to recollect bar code data signals from the CCD sensor viewing the bar code so as to repeat step (a); and (f) following step (d), immediately restarting the SOS first level signal so as to repeat step (a) whenever the data signal is found valid, whereby the CCD data collecting scan rate is maximized by minimizing the duration of the SOS second level signal and immediately restarting the scanning of the bar code whenever a bar code has been found to be valid or invalid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus for scanning and decoding the symbols of a bar code comprising:
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a microcontroller having a timing circuit for generating a start of scan (SOS) first level signal and a SOS second level signal; a CCD image sensor, coupled to said microcontroller and viewing the bar code, for scanning the bar code in response to the SOS signal; said CCD sensor producing a digital data signal representative of the bar code; memory means coupled to said image sensor for storing in memory the representative data signal read by said CCD signal, said microcontroller validating and decoding the stored data signal in said memory means when the SOS signal is at the second level to determine if the representative data is valid or invalid, and immediately restarting the SOS first level signal whenever an invalid bar code data signal is decoded to recollect bar code data signals from the CCD sensor viewing the bar code; and said microcontroller immediately restarting the SOS first level signal so as to recollect bar code data signals whenever the data signal is found valid, whereby the CCD data collecting scan rate is maximized by minimizing the duration of the SOS second level signal and immediately restarting the scanning of the bar code whenever a bar code has been found to be valid or invalid. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An apparatus for scanning and decoding the symbols of a bar code comprising:
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a microcontroller having a timing circuit for generating a start of scan (SOS) first level signal and a SOS second level signal; an image sensor, coupled to said microcontroller and viewing the bar code, for scanning the bar code in response to the SOS signal; said image sensor producing a digital data signal representative of the bar code; memory means coupled to said image sensor for storing in memory the representative data signal read by said image sensor; and said microcontroller including means validating and decoding the stored data signal in said memory means when the SOS signal is at the second level for determining whether the representative data is valid and for initiating a new SOS first level signal in response to the decoding of either one of an invalid and a valid bar code data signal. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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23. A method for scanning and decoding the symbols of a bar code label using an image sensor viewing the bar code, and coupled to a signal processor with memory comprising the steps of:
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(a) setting a start of scan signal (SOS) to a first signal level from the processor; (b) while the SOS signal is at the first signal level, reading from the image sensor a digital data signal representative of the bar code; (c) storing in memory the representative data signal read from the image sensor; (d) validating and decoding the stored data signal when the SOS signal is at a second signal level to determine whether the representative data is valid; and (e) immediately restarting the SOS first level signal whenever an invalid bar code data signal is decoded to re-read bar code data signals from the sensor viewing the bar code so as to repeat step (a). - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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26. An apparatus for scanning and decoding the symbols of a bar code comprising:
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a microcontroller having a timing circuit for generating a start of scan (SOS) first level signal and a SOS second level signal; an image sensor, coupled to said microcontroller and viewing the bar code, for scanning the bar code in response to the SOS signal; said image sensor producing a digital data signal representative of the bar code; memory means coupled to said image sensor for storing in memory the representative data signal read by said image sensor; and said microcontroller including means validating and decoding the stored data signal in said memory means when the SOS signal is at the second level for determining whether the representative data is valid and for controlling the duration the SOS signal is at the second level as a function of the validity of the bar code data signal.
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Specification