Bar code transmission and reception system and method

• US 5,216,228 A
• Filed: 08/15/1991
• Issued: 06/01/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hashimoto Corporation
• Original Assignee: Hashimoto Corporation
• Inventors: Hashimoto, Kazuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Shepperd, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHIN, ESTHER
• Application Number:
  US07/746,180
• Time in Patent Office: 656 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/462, 235/472, 358/335, 379/102, 379/104, 379/105, 379/106
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10861 sensing of data fields affixed to objects or articles, e.g. coded labels postal sorting B07C3/14, conveying articles B65G47/48
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2155 Acoustic coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/007 with remote control systems remote control in general G08C

Abstract

A bar code communication system and method uses a bar code reader to scan a bar code to develop an audible signal that is acoustically coupled to a telephone line. The signal on the telephone line is received by a called station, decoded and the content of the bar code reported back to the calling party, using voice synthesis, for confirmation. The received signal may then be used to control a VCR or other external apparatus.

Claims

1. A bar code transmission and reception system, comprising;

means for storing an output signal of a bar code reader which is generated by scanning a series of bar codes;

means for modulating the stored signal into an audible signal within a transmission characteristic of telephone lines and for sending out the audible signal from a loudspeaker;

means for transmitting the loudspeaker signal to a remote location through a mouthpiece of a telephone set;

means for demodulating said audible signal received through the telephone lines to generate a reproduced bar code signal;

means for decoding said reproduced bar code signal to generate alphanumeric data contained therein;

means for detecting a stop bit in said reproduced bar code signal; and

voice synthesizer means for informing a calling party of contents of the bar code after said stop bit of said bar code signal is detected.

2. The system of claim 1, including means responsive to said demodulating means for controlling an external apparatus.

3. A method of transmitting a bar code, comprising the steps of:

scanning a bar code to produce a bar code signal;

modulating the bar code signal into an audible signal within a frequency band suitable for audio transmission over telephone lines;

acoustically coupling said audible signal onto a telephone line;

receiving and demodulating said audible signal coupled on the telephone line to develop a reproduced bar code signal;

decoding said reproduced bar code signal to generate alphanumeric data contents thereof;

detecting an end of said reproduced bar code, and, in response, audibly informing a calling party of said alphanumeric data contents of said reproduced bar code.

4. The method of claim 3, including the step of using said audible signal, demodulated in said receiving and demodulating step, to control an external apparatus.

5. A bar code transmission and reception system, comprising:

memory means for storing an output signal from a bar code reader, said output signal generated by scanning a series of bar codes;

modem means for modulating the stored output signal onto an audio signal and for supplying the modulated audio signal to a telephone line;

receiving means for receiving said modulated audio signal from said telephone line and, in response, supplying a reproduced bar code signal; and

decoding means for generating alphanumeric data contained in said reproduced bar code signal.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising means for detecting a stop bit from said reproduced bar code signal and, in response to detecting said stop bit, providing a voice message over said telephone line indicating detection of said stop bit.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein said receiving means includes a light emitting diode for generating a light signal in response to said reproduced bar code signal.

8. The system of claim 5 further comprising detector means for detecting a ring signal on said telephone line and, in response, providing an off-hook condition on said telephone line and means responsive to the detected ring signal for supplying a voice message signal onto said telephone line.

9. The system of claim 5 further comprising means for decoding said reproduced bar code signal and voice synthesizer means responsive to a resulting decoded reproduced bar code signal for supplying a voice message signal onto said telephone line.

10. A method of transmitting a bar code, comprising the steps of:

scanning a bar code to produce a bar code signal;

modulating said bar code signal with an audio signal to produce a modulated audio signal;

supplying said modulated audio signal to a telephone line;

receiving said modulated audio signal from said telephone line at a remote site;

demodulating said modulated audio signal to recapture said bar code signal;

converting said recaptured bar code signal to binary data;

supplying a light signal in response to the recaptured bar code signal;

detecting an end of the recaptured bar code signal; and

supplying, in response to said detecting step, a voice message signal onto said telephone line.

11. The method of claim 10, further including the steps of detecting a ring signal on said telephone line and, in response, providing an off-hook condition on said telephone line and, responsive to the detected ring signal, supplying a voice message signal onto said telephone line.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of decoding the recaptured bar code signal and, in response, synthesizing a voice message signal for transmission over said telephone line.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of modulating the light signal with said bar code signal.

14. A method of using bar code data to control an apparatus, comprising:

(a) irradiating a bar code to derive a first pulse train;

(b) modulating said first pulse train to an audio frequency signal;

(c) transmitting said audio frequency signal from an originating station over a telephone line;

(d) receiving said audio frequency signal from the telephone line at a remote station;

(e) demodulating said audio frequency signal to derive a second pulse train identical to said first pulse train;

(f) converting said second pulse train directly to infrared radiation; and

(g) applying said infrared radiation to an apparatus to be controlled.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein step (e) further comprises the steps of

storing a portion of said second pulse train;

converting said stored portion of said pulse train to alphanumeric data; and

outputting audio data from said remote station to said originating station in response to content of said alphanumeric data.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said audio data is transmitted as synthesized speech.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said first and second pulse trains have a frequency of 28 KHz.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein said audio frequency signal has a frequency of 2.1 KHz.

19. A system of using bar code data to control a remote apparatus comprising:

bar code reader means for deriving a first pulse train from light reflected from a printed bar code representing bar code data;

modem means for modulating said first pulse train onto an audio signal and for supplying the modulated audio signal to a telephone line;

receiving means for receiving said modulated audio signal from said telephone line;

demodulating means for converting said modulated audio signal to a second pulse train identical to said first pulse train; and

output means for converting said second pulse train directly to infrared radiation, whereby said bar code data is not converted to alphanumeric data.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein said first and second pulse trains have a frequency of 28 KHz.

21. A system for transmitting bar code data to control a remote apparatus comprising:

bar code reader means for deriving a first data sequence from light reflected from a printed bar code, said first data sequence comprising a start field, a stop field and a plurality of information fields;

modem means for modulating said first data sequence onto an audio signal and for supplying the modulated audio signal to a telephone line;

receiving means for receiving said modulated audio signal from said telephone line;

demodulating means for converting said modulated audio signal to a second data sequence identical to said first data sequence, said second data sequence comprising a start field, a stop field and a plurality of information fields;

means for storing said plurality of information fields;

detecting means coupled to said storing means for initiating input of said plurality of information fields to said storing means when said start field is detected and for terminating input of said plurality of information fields to said storing means when said stop field is detected;

voice synthesizer means coupled to said storing means and responsive to each information field outputted from said storing means for generating a voice signal;

shifting means responsive to said voice signal for shifting said plurality of information fields stored in said storing means to output an information field from said storing means;

output optical means for converting said plurality of information fields outputted from said storing means to optical signal for controlling the remote apparatus.