Device for identifying an object using an omnidirectional bar code

• US 5,415,553 A
• Filed: 11/15/1993
• Issued: 05/16/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Andrew Szmidla
• Original Assignee: Andrew Szmidla
• Inventors: Szmidla, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Manahan, Todd E.
• Application Number:
  US08/152,018
• Time in Patent Office: 547 Days
• Field of Search: 434/312, 434/313, 434/112, 434/116, 434/311, 434/308, 434/309, 434/310, 434/317, 434/318, 235/494
• US Class Current: 434/309
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06018 one-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2019/06243 concentric-code
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/062 Combinations of audio and printed presentations, e.g. magnetically striped cards, talking books, magnetic tapes with printed texts thereon

Abstract

A device for identifying an object includes a graphic representation of an object and an omnidirectional bar code representing information relative to the object. The bar code is made up of a sequence of light and dark lines arranged as closed concentric curves. The shape of the curves corresponds to the outline of the object. Using a bar code reader connected to a transducer for converting the bar code into humanly detectable signals, the user can scan the bar code in any direction to learn the name of the object or other information about the object.

Claims

1. A device for identifying an object comprising:

a graphic representation of an object; and

an omnidirectional bar code representing information relative to said object, said bar code comprising a sequence of light and dark lines arranged as closed concentric curves having a shape corresponding to an outline of said object.

2. The device according to claim 1 wherein said omnidirectional bar code is invisible.

3. The device according to claim 1 further comprising graphic representations of components of said object, information relative to each of said components being represented by a respective omnidirectional bar code comprising a sequence of light and dark lines arranged as closed concentric curves having a shape corresponding to an outline of the component.

4. The device according to claim 3 wherein the respective omnidirectional bar codes are non-intersecting and positioned inside the bar code representing information relative to the object.

5. The device according to claim 3 wherein said object comprises a car and said components comprise a car door and a car door handle.

6. The device according to claim 1 further comprising

means for reading said omnidirectional bar code to obtain information relative to said object;

and

a transducer for converting an output of said bar code reading means into a humanly detectable signal.

7. The device according to claim 6 wherein the transducer comprises a microprocessor including means for comparing the output of the bar code reading means with stored data relating to said object.

8. The device according to claim 6 wherein the transducer comprises an LCD display device and the humanly detectable signal comprises a visual display.

9. The device according to claim 6 wherein the transducer comprises a speech synthesizer and the humanly detectable signal comprises an audible sound.