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Method and apparatus for improving the throughput of a CCD bar code scanner/decoder

  • US 5,196,684 A
  • Filed: 03/25/1991
  • Issued: 03/23/1993
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/25/1991
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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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:

  • (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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