System and method to automatically discriminate between different data types

• US 8,196,842 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2011
• Issued: 06/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Wang, Ynjiun P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Haupt, Kristy A
• Application Number:
  US13/083,825
• Publication Number:
  US 20110188752A1
• Time in Patent Office: 428 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.01, 235/494, 382/123, 382/264
• US Class Current: 235/494
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06028 using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0004 Hybrid readers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10 by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation
• 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 7/1413 1D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/22 by selection of a specific region containing or referencing a pattern; Locating or processing of specific regions to guide the detection or recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/413 Classification of content, e.g. text, photographs or tables
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/30 Writer recognition; Reading and verifying signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/41 with means for the generation of identity documents
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/257 electronically G07C9/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/26 using a biometric sensor integrated in the pass
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence

Abstract

There is described a system and method for automatically discriminating between different types of data with an image reader. In brief overview of one embodiment, the automatic discrimination feature of the present image reader allows a human operator to aim a hand-held image reader at a target that can contain a dataform and actuate the image reader. An autodiscrimination module in the image reader in one embodiment analyzes image data representative of the target and determines a type of data represented in the image data.

Claims

1. A method for automatically discriminating between a dataform and a signature utilizing a hand held image reader, the hand held image reader having a two-dimensional image sensor, the method comprising:

collecting image data from an object utilizing the two-dimensional image sensor;

analyzing the image data to automatically discriminate between a dataform and a signature, the analyzing the image data including testing the image data for characteristics indicative of a signature, the testing the image data for characteristics indicative of a signature including testing the image data for a presence of curved elements; and

outputting processed image data.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein outputting processed image data comprises outputting decoded barcode data.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein outputting processed image data comprises outputting signature data.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein analyzing the image data to automatically discriminate between a barcode and a signature comprises:

attempting to decode the image data as dataform data; and

testing the image data for characteristics indicative of a signature, if the attempt to decode the image data as dataform data fails.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein the attempt to decode the image data as dataform data comprises an attempt to decode the image data as a one dimensional bar code.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein the one dimensional bar code is a UPC bar code.

7. The method according to claim 4 wherein testing the image data for characteristics indicative of a signature includes at least testing the image data for the presence of curved elements.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein analyzing the image data and

outputting processed image data comprise:

attempting to decode the image data as dataform data;

testing the image data for characteristics indicative of a signature;

outputting decoded dataform data if the attempt to decode the image data as dataform data is successful; and

outputting signature data if the test for characteristics indicative of a signature is successful.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the testing the image data for the presence of curved elements includes utilizing a curvelet detector map.