Filing system scanner and bar code with identification marker bars

• US 5,485,000 A
• Filed: 04/18/1995
• Issued: 01/16/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Smead Manufacturing Company
• Original Assignee: Wild File, Inc. (Steel Partners Holdings LP)
• Inventors: Schneider, Eric D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shepperd, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, MICHAEL GUNYOUNG
• Application Number:
  US08/423,901
• Time in Patent Office: 273 Days
• Field of Search: 235/494, 235/454, 235/456
• US Class Current: 235/494
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations

Abstract

A filing system is provided for locating a particular file contained in a file holder which contains a plurality of files. The apparatus includes a machine-readable code mounted on each of the files, a guide attached to each file holder, a scanner for reading the codes on the files in a file holder, and an indicator for indicating when the particular machine-readable code corresponding to the particular file is located. The apparatus uses an improved bar code in which character boundaries are eliminated and the numbers of ONE'"'"'s and ZERO'"'"'s in a code are variable, resulting in increased data density. The unique numeric values which result from the improved bar code sparsely populate the possible range of values, and therefore a mapping algorithm is provided to map the bar code values to a sequential numeric system for case of use. The improved bar code system uses repeating basic patterns of bars separated by a MARK bar, and a basic pattern can be reconstructed if the scan view includes only one MARK bar surrounded by ONE and ZERO bars. The improved apparatus also utilizes an inventive perpendicular file tab which positions the bar code accurately for the scanner. Border bars are provided to allow the scanner to separate bar codes from each other and to aid in determining if a bar code is defective or damaged.

Claims

1. Apparatus for locating a particular file contained in a file holder which contains a plurality of files, the apparatus comprising:

a machine-readable code mounted on each of said files;

guide means attached to each file holder;

a code-reading means for reading the codes on the files in a file holder, the code reading means being constructed and arranged such that as the code-reading means is directed along the guide means the machine-readable code for each file is read; and

indicator means for receiving the machine-readable codes for each file as they are read and indicating when the particular machine-readable code corresponding to the particular file is located;

wherein the code-reading means is constructed and arranged to read an area of a predetermined size running longitudinally along the top edge of the file and wherein the machine-readable code is comprised of a basic pattern of bars in which the code corresponding to a particular file is comprised of a predetermined width (T) filled with bars, each bar having a width corresponding to either a binary ONE or a binary ZERO, and where the machine-readable bar code includes at least a basic pattern as well as at least a partial basic pattern, each complete basic pattern being separated from each other by a MARK bar, the MARK bar having a width which is different than the width of the bar corresponding to either a ONE or a ZERO.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a program means for reconstructing the basic pattern corresponding to a particular file when the portion of machine-readable code read by the code-reading machine does not include the entire basic pattern to the right of a MARK bar, but includes only bars on either side of a single MARK bar, each complete basic pattern occupying a known distance (T), said program means being configured to:

locate a MARK bar code;

read zero or more bars to the right of the MARK bar until encounter another MARK bar or program means runs out of video signal to process;

compute the total distance (N) occupied by the bars read to the right of the MARK bar;

compute P=T-N;

if P is greater than or equal to the width of the shorter of the ZERO and ONE bars, then read zero or more bars to the left of the MARK bar, for each bar read compute the distance it occupies and subtract that distance from P, until P is less than the physical width of the shorter of the ZERO and ONE bar codes,

wherein the entire basic pattern which identify a file may be reconstructed from partial sets on either side of a MARK bar.

3. Apparatus for locating a particular file contained in a file holder which contains a plurality of files, the apparatus comprising:

a machine-readable code mounted on each of said files;

guide means attached to each file holder;

a code-reading means for reading the codes on the files in a file holder, the code reading means being constructed and arranged such that as the code-reading means is directed along the guide means the machine-readable code for each file is read;

indicator means for receiving the machine-readable codes for each file as they are read and indicating when the particular machine-readable code corresponding to the particular file is located; and

user input means operatively connected to the code-reading means for allowing the user to identify the particular file to locate;

wherein the file holder is a lateral file drawer in a filing cabinet, the lateral file drawer having front and back ends, sides and a bottom, the front end of the lateral filing drawer having a front face, a top edge, side edges and a bottom edge, wherein the guide means is comprised of the front face and top edge of the lateral file drawer and wherein the code-reading means is constructed and arranged to read an area of a predetermined size running longitudinally along the top edge of the file and wherein the machine-readable code is comprised of a basic pattern of bars in which the code corresponding to a particular file is comprised of a predetermined width (T) filled with bars, each bar having a width corresponding to either a binary ONE or a binary ZERO, and where the machine-readable bar code includes at least a basic pattern as well as at least a partial basic pattern, each complete basic pattern being separated from each other by a MARK bar, the MARK bar having a width which is different than the width of the bar corresponding to either a ONE or a ZERO.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 further including a program means for reconstructing the basic pattern corresponding to a particular file when the portion of machine-readable code read by the code-reading machine does not include the entire basic pattern to the right of a MARK bar, but includes only bars on either side of a single MARK bar, each complete basic pattern occupying a known distance (T), said program means being configured to:

locate a MARK bar code;

read zero or more bars to the right of the MARK bar until encounter another MARK bar or program means runs out of video signal to process;

compute the total distance (N) occupied by the bars read to the right of the MARK bar;

compute P=T-N;

if P is greater than or equal to the width of the shorter of the ZERO and one bars, then read zero or more bars to the left of the MARK bar, for each bar read compute the distance it occupies and subtract that distance from P, until P is less than the physical width of the shorter of the ZERO and ONE bar codes,

wherein the entire basic pattern which identify a file may be reconstructed from partial sets on either side of a MARK bar.

5. An improved bar code system for use in identifying a plurality of objects, comprising in combination:

a plurality of objects, each object having a machine readable bar code mounted to it in a predetermined area;

a code-reading means for scanning a predetermined area associated with each object;

wherein the machine readable bar code connected to each object is comprised of a basic pattern of bars in which the code corresponding to a particular file is comprised of a predetermined width (T) filled with bars, each bar having a width corresponding to a ONE or a ZERO, and where the machine-readable bar code includes at least the basic pattern as well as at least a partial basic pattern, each complete basic pattern being separated from each other by a MARK bar, the MARK bar having a width which is different than the width of the bar corresponding to either a ONE or a ZERO.

6. The improved bar code system of claim 5 wherein the objects are files contained in a file holder and wherein the system further comprises:

guide means attached to each file holder, and

wherein the code-reading means is constructed and arranged such that as the code-reading means is directed along the guide means the machine-readable code for each file is read, and

indicator means for receiving the machine-readable codes for each file as they are read by the code-reading means and indicating when the particular machine-readable code corresponding to the particular file is located.

7. The improved bar code system of claim 6 wherein the machine-readable code is carried by a tab, the tab comprising:

tab support means for supporting a tab carrying information, the tab support means being substantially planar and having front and back sides;

a substantially planar tab attached to and carried by the tab support means, the tab being perpendicular to the tab support means, the tab carrying information, and

adhesive means attached to the back side of the tab support means for attaching the tab to an object.

8. An improved bar code system for use in identifying a plurality of objects, comprising in combination:

a plurality of objects, each object having a machine readable bar code mounted to it in a predetermined area;

a code-reading means for scanning a predetermined area associated with each object;

wherein the machine readable bar code connected to each object is comprised of a basic pattern of bars in which the code corresponding to a particular file is comprised of a predetermined width (T) filled with bars, each bar having a width corresponding to a ONE or a ZERO, and wherein the combinations of ONE'"'"'s or ZERO'"'"'s making up a bar code set does not convert to a sequential numeric based system, but where the direct translation from bar code set to numeric values converts to unique discrete values contained in the possible range of total values, where substantially fewer discrete values exist than total possible values, and further including program means for mapping the unique discrete values contained in the possible range into a sequential binary range.

9. An improved bar code system, for use in connection with a plurality of bar codes, each carried on an object, the objects aligned such that the plurality of bar codes are scanned by a scanner in one quick pass, the improved bar code system comprising:

a bar code comprised of a plurality of bars corresponding to ONE and/or ZERO data values, and

at least one border of more easily identifiable width, which is wider than the ZERO or ONE bars and which is positional relative to each bar code such that during the scan, the scanner can separate one bar code from another and can determined if a particular bar code scanned is defective.

10. A bar code system of the type having a bar representing a 0, having a first predetermined width, and having a bar representing a 1, having a second predetermined width, the ONE and/or ZERO bars being separated by a fixed space having a third predetermined width, the bar code system comprising;

a bar code (B) which identifies an object wherein the bar code (B) occupies a predetermined distance (T), and where the predetermined distance (T) is filled with ONE and/or ZERO bars, each ONE and/or ZERO bar being separated by a third predetermined width;

a MARK bar, the MARK bars having a fourth predetermined width which is different that either the ZERO or ONE bar widths;

a machine-readable code which consists of at least one bar code (B) and one MARK bar.

11. A bar code system of the type having a bar representing a 0, having a first predetermined width, and having a bar representing a 1, having a second predetermined width, the ONE and/or ZERO bars being separated by a fixed space having a third predetermined width, the bar code system comprising:

a bar code (B) which identifies an object wherein the bar code (B) occupies a predetermined distance (T), and where the predetermined distance (T) is filled with ONE and/or ZERO bar codes, each ONE and/or ZERO bar code being separated by a third predetermined width;

a MARK bar, the MARK bars having a fourth predetermined width which is different than either the ZERO or ONE bar widths;

an object carrying a machine-readable code comprised of at least one bar code (B) followed by a MARK bar and further followed by at least a partial set of bars (P) which is a subset of the bars comprising the bar code (B);

a scanner constructed and arranged to have a predetermined scan area for scanning the machine-readable codes carried by objects;

the scanner including a program means which is configured to;

locate a MARK bar;

read zero or more bars to the right of the MARK bar until encounter another MARK bar or program means runs out of video signal to process;

compute the total distance (N) occupied by the bars read to the right of the MARK bar;

compute P=T-N;

if P is greater than or equal to the width of the shorter of the ZERO and ONE bars, then read zero or more bars to the left of the MARK bar, for each bar read compute the distance it occupies and subtract that distance from P, until P is less than the physical width of the shorter of the ZERO and ONE bar codes,

wherein the entire basic pattern which identify an object may be reconstructed from partial sets on either side of a MARK bar.