Aiming indicia for a bar code and method of use
First Claim
1. An aiming indicia for a bar code comprising a sequence of code bars and intervening code spaces disposed along a longitudinal code axis in accordance with a predefined standard and which bar code is operable to be interfaced with a hand scanner that is operable to require that, prior to scanning the first code bar therein, the scanner must have a predetermined acceleration along the longitudinal axis of the bar code, the aiming indicia comprising:
- a non-encoded graphic element disposed on the longitudinal code axis adjacent the bar code at the beginning thereof relative to the encoded sequence and spaced apart from the nearest code bars by a distance measured in a predetermined number of widths for the code bars and indicating that it is the beginning for a scan operation by the scanner.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An aiming indicia is provided for a bar code comprising a sequence of parallel code bars and intervening code spaces disposed along a longitudinal code axis in accordance with a predefined standard. The aiming indicia comprises a non-encoded graphic element disposed on the longitudinal code axis adjacent the bar code and spaced apart from the nearest code bars by a distance of at least 10 times a minimum unit width for the code bars.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An aiming indicia for a bar code comprising a sequence of code bars and intervening code spaces disposed along a longitudinal code axis in accordance with a predefined standard and which bar code is operable to be interfaced with a hand scanner that is operable to require that, prior to scanning the first code bar therein, the scanner must have a predetermined acceleration along the longitudinal axis of the bar code, the aiming indicia comprising:
a non-encoded graphic element disposed on the longitudinal code axis adjacent the bar code at the beginning thereof relative to the encoded sequence and spaced apart from the nearest code bars by a distance measured in a predetermined number of widths for the code bars and indicating that it is the beginning for a scan operation by the scanner. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for facilitating a reading of a bar code using a manual optical reader, the bar code comprising a sequence of code bars and intervening code spaces disposed along a scanning longitudinal code axis, the optical reader having an optical axis defining a target region sensible by the optical reader and which bar code is operable to be interfaced with a manual optical reader that is operable to require that, prior to scanning the first code bar therein, the manual optical reader have a predetermined acceleration along the longitudinal axis of the bar code, the method comprising the following steps:
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providing a non-encoded aiming indicia disposed along the longitudinal code axis adjacent the bar code at the beginning thereof relative to the encoded sequence and spaced apart from the nearest code bars by a distance measured in a predetermined number of widths for the code bars; and inducing users of optical readers to first direct the optical axis of the optical reader such that the target region is centered on the aiming indicia at the beginning of the encoded sequence and then to direct the optical axis of the optical reader such that the target region sweeps along the longitudinal code axis from the aiming indicia across the bar code. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. An enhanced bar code for encoding information in machine-readable form, comprising:
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an encoded character string including a plurality of encoded characters disposed along a longitudinal code axis, each character being formed by a sequence of code bars and intervening code spaces, the code bars being parallel to one another and to a line defining a bar axis which intersects the longitudinal code axis, each character having a definition in accordance with a predefined standard and which bar code is operable to be interfaced with a hand scanner that is operable to require that, prior to scanning the first code bar therein, the scanner must have a predetermined acceleration along the longitudinal axis of the bar code; and a non-encoded aiming indicia disposed on the longitudinal code axis adjacent the encoded character string at the beginning thereof relative to the encoded sequence and spaced apart from the nearest code bars by a distance measured in a predetermined number of widths for the code bars. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification