Reader for decoding two-dimensional optically readable information

• US 7,347,375 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2003
• Issued: 03/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Durbin, Dennis A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim; Ahshik
• Application Number:
  US10/701,199
• Publication Number:
  US 20040089722A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,603 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.01, 235/462.08, 235/462.09, 235/462.11, 235/462.22, 235/462.45, 235/462.2
• US Class Current: 235/462.45
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisious for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2007/10524 Hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1011 Aiming
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00326 with a data reading, recognizing or recording apparatus, e.g. with a bar-code apparatus arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus G11B31/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00334 with an apparatus processing barcodes or the like arrangements for sensing record carriers G06K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/107 with manual scanning
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera

Abstract

An apparatus and method for reading optical information including a photosensitive system oriented to capture optical information. Also included is an optical system focusing optical information onto the photosensitive system, and a display oriented to display optical information captured by the photosensitive system. The apparatus also includes a portable, hand-held housing.

Claims

1. A method for reading two-dimensional optical information, comprising:

directing a reader at optical information to be read, wherein said reader includes;

a housing having a light-transmissive portal;

a photosensitive array, located within said housing to capture two-dimensional optical information;

an optical system, positioned relative to said photosensitive array and said light-transmissive portal so as to focus two-dimensional optical information onto said photosensitive array;

a memory system, coupled with said photosensitive array to store output from said photosensitive anay; and

a display system, coupled with said memory system, to display an image of optical information captured by said photosensitive array;

displaying an image of captured two-dimensional optical information on said display system; and

aiming said reader at a specific two-dimensional optical information indicia to be read at least partially with the aid of information displayed on the display system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said housing is of a size and shape suited for hand-held operation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said photosensitive anay comprises a one-dimensional array.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said reader further comprises a rastering device configured to raster one-dimensional image segments of two-dimensional optical information onto the photosensitive array.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said photosensitive anay comprises a two-dimensional array.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising a zoom system.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising a focusing system configured to variably focus two-dimensional optical information onto the photosensitive anay.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the reader further comprises a photosensitive array control system, coupled with said photosensitive anay.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the reader further comprises a user feedback system to assist reading of two-dimensional optical information.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the reader further comprises:

a pattern recognition system configured to assist a user in recognizing two-dimensional optical information; and

wherein the display system is associated with the housing to display two-dimensional optical information as processed by the pattern recognition system.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the pattern recognition system comprises a neural network.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of removing user hand jitter from two-dimensional information displayed to the user.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the reader further comprises a decoding system configured to decode two-dimensional optical information.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of decoding captured two-dimensional optical information.