Bar-code reading apparatus

• US 5,245,167 A
• Filed: 07/02/1991
• Issued: 09/14/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Takenaka, Shinya
• Primary Examiner(s): PITTS, HAROLD I
• Application Number:
  US07/724,923
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462, 235/463, 235/467, 235/472
• US Class Current: 235/462.18
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1491 the method including a reconstruction step, e.g. stitching two pieces of bar code together to derive the full bar code

Abstract

A bar-code reading apparatus in which a bar-code is scanned and processed for recognition of the bar-code on the basis of the scanning comprises scanning signal storage means for storing scanning signals which are obtained by scanning the bar-code and which correspond to bars and/or spaces scanned in at least two successive scannings. A counter counts the number of bars and/or spaces scanned in each scanning, while a number-of-bars storage means stores count values of the counter means in at least two successive scannings. A first comparison means compares the respective count values of the counter means in the last two scannings stored in the number-of-bars storage means with each other and generates an enabling signal when the count value in the last scanning is not larger than that in the preceding scanning. Finally, a recognition means responds to the enabling signal and operates to read the scanning signal preceding the last signal stored in the scanning signal storage means, thereby performing a process for recognizing the bar-code.

Claims

1. A bar-code reading device by which a bar-code having bars and spaces is scanned and processed for recognition of said bar-code on the basis of the scanning, said reading device comprising:

scanning signal storage means for storing scanning signals which are obtained by scanning said bar-code and which correspond to at least one of said bars and spaces scanned in at least two successive scannings;

counter means for counting the number of at least one of said bars and spaces scanned in each scanning;

number-of-bars storage means for storing count values of said counter means in said at least two successive scannings;

first comparison means for comparing the respective count values of said counter means for successive scannings stored in said number-of-bars storage means with each other and for generating an enabling signal when the count value of any scanning is not larger than that of the preceding scanning; and

recognition means responsive to said enabling signal, said recognition means operating to read the scanning signal stored in said scanning signal storage means corresponding to said preceding scanning, thereby performing a process processing for recognizing said bar-code.

2. A bar-code reading apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second comparison means for comparing the count value of said counter means with a predetermined reference value and for producing an enabling signal for allowing said first comparison means and said recognition means to operate when said count value exceeds said reference value.