Dual mode data imaging product

• US 7,000,840 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2004
• Issued: 02/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Reiffel Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: Leonard Reiffel
• Inventors: Reiffel, Leonard
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Diane I.
• Application Number:
  US10/803,284
• Publication Number:
  US 20040188525A1
• Time in Patent Office: 705 Days
• Field of Search: 235/454, 235/462.08, 235/462.12, 235/472.02, 235/462.41, 235/462.11, 235/462.24, 340/825.49, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/572.1, 340/674
• US Class Current: 235/462.41
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/16 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/4709 Command code in form of a sticker
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06018 one-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2019/06225 using wavelength selection, e.g. colour code
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10079 the collision being resolved in the spatial domain, e.g. temporary shields for blindfolding the interrogator in specific directions
• 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: G06K 7/1443 locating of the code in an image

Abstract

An imager (11) has a locate mode (13) which detects light (31A, 31B) having a preset light property from at least one locator (21) in the imager field of view (12); and has a react mode which is caused by the locate mode to select light from a code region (22, 32A, 32B, 33B) over light not from the code region (81) and which outputs a signal (41) representing code in the code region.

Claims

1. A dual mode data imaging product comprising:

an imager,

the imager having a field of view,

the field of view extending in each of three orthogonal directions;

a locator,

the locator being in the field of view;

locate light,

the locate light being from the locator;

a locate light property,

the locate light property having a preset value,

the locate light having the locate light property;

a code region,

the code region corresponding to the locator;

code,

the code being in the code region;

code light,

the code light being in a radio frequency portion of an electromagnetic radiation spectrum,

the code light being from the code region,

the code light representing the code;

a locate mode of the imager,

the locate mode detecting the locate light,

the locate mode detecting the locate light property,

the locate light property and the preset value of the locate light property having been devised so that properties of light not from the locator detected by the locate mode do not match the preset value of the locate light property;

a react mode of the imager comprising a directional antenna,

the react mode being caused by the locate mode to select code light over light not from the code region and to detect the code light when the locate light property detected by the locate mode matches the preset value; and

a code signal,

the code signal being output by the react mode, and

the code signal representing the code.

2. The product of claim 1 wherein the directional antenna is pointed at the code region by spatial movement.

3. The product of claim 1 wherein the directional antenna is pointed at the code region electronically.

4. A dual mode data imaging product comprising:

an imager,

the imager having a field of view,

the field of view extending in each of three orthogonal directions;

a plurality of locators,

each Cth locator from the plurality of locators being in the field of view;

locate light,

the locate light comprising each Cth locate light from each Cth locator from the plurality of locators;

a locate light property,

the locate light property having a preset value,

each Cth locate light having the preset value of the locate light property;

a plurality of code regions,

the plurality of code regions corresponding member-by-member to the plurality of locators;

a plurality of codes,

at least one first code from the plurality of codes being different from at least one second code from the plurality of codes,

each Cth code from the plurality of codes being in the member-by-member corresponding Cth code region;

Cth code light from each Cth code region,

the Cth code light being in a radio frequency portion of an electromagnetic radiation spectrum,

each Cth code light representing the corresponding Cth code;

a locate mode of the imager,

the locate mode detecting the locate light,

the locate mode detecting the locate light property,

the locate light property and the preset value of the locate light property having been devised so that properties of light not from the locator detected by the locate mode do not match the preset value of the locate light property;

a react mode of the imager comprising a directional antenna,

the react mode being caused by the locate mode to select each Cth code light over light not from the Cth code region and to detect each Cth code light when the locate light property of the corresponding Cth locate light detected by the locate mode matches the preset value;

a code signal,

the code signal being output by the react mode,

the code signal representing each Cth code in the plurality of codes.

5. The product of claim 4 wherein the directional antenna is pointed at the Cth code region by spatial movement.

6. The product of claim 4 wherein the directional antenna is pointed at the Cth code region electronically.