Decodable indicia reading terminal with indicia analysis functionality

• US 8,636,212 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2011
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Nahill, James, Hernandez, Mark, DiVentura, Sergio
• Primary Examiner(s): Hess, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Savusdiphol, Paultep
• Application Number:
  US13/217,104
• Publication Number:
  US 20130048706A1
• Time in Patent Office: 888 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/435, 235/454, 235/455, 235/437, 235/462.01, 235/462.06, 235/462.11
• US Class Current: 235/437
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 5/00 Methods or arrangements for verifying the correctness of markings on a record carrier; Column detection devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10554 Moving beam scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning

Abstract

A decodable indicia reading terminal can comprise a multiple pixel image sensor, an imaging lens configured to focus an image of decodable indicia on the image sensor, an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter configured to convert an analog signal read out of the image sensor into a digital signal, a communication interface, and a microprocessor configured to output decoded message data corresponding to the decodable indicia by processing the digital signal. The decodable indicia reading terminal can be configured, responsive to a triggering event, to transmit via the communication interface a decoding result and an indicia readability rating. The triggering event can be provided by a failure to detect decodable indicia, the indicia readability rating being less than a pre-defined threshold, exceeding a pre-defined time period to decode decodable indicia, a user interface action, and a command received via said communication interface.

Claims

1. A decodable indicia reading terminal comprising:

a multiple pixel image sensor;

an imaging lens configured to focus an image of decodable indicia on said image sensor;

a first analog-to-digital (A/D) converter configured to convert an analog signal read out of said image sensor into a first digital signal;

a microprocessor communicatively coupled to a system bus, said microprocessor configured to output decoded message data corresponding to said decodable indicia by processing said first digital signal;

a communication interface communicatively coupled to said system bus;

wherein said decodable indicia reading terminal is configured, responsive to a triggering event, to transmit via said communication interface a decoding result and an indicia readability rating regarding said decoding result based on at least one of a number of scanning attempts to successfully decode the decodable indicia, and a processing time taken to successfully decode the decodable indicia.

2. The decodable indicia reading terminal of claim 1, wherein said triggering event is selected from the group consisting of:

a failure to detect decodable indicia, said indicia readability rating being less than a pre-defined threshold, exceeding a pre-defined time period to decode decodable indicia, a user interface action, and a command received via said communication interface.

3. The decodable indicia reading terminal of claim 1, wherein said decoding result is selected from the group consisting of:

said decoded message data and an error message.

4. The decodable indicia reading terminal of claim 1, further comprising a laser-based scanner including a laser source configured to emit a laser beam onto a substrate bearing decodable indicia, a photo-detector configured to receive a beam of a variable intensity reflected by said decodable indicia and to output a second analog signal representative of said variable intensity, and a second A/D converter configured to convert said second analog signal into a second digital signal;

wherein said microprocessor is further configured to output decoded message data corresponding to said decodable indicia by processing said second digital signal; and

wherein said triggering event is provided by a failure to detect decodable indicia by said laser-based scanner.

5. The decodable indicia reading terminal of claim 1, wherein said decodable indicia reading terminal is further configured to transmit via said communication interface at least one of:

a timestamp, an image of an item bearing said decodable indicia, the number of scanning attempts, and the processing time taken to decode the decodable indicia.

6. The decodable indicia reading terminal of claim 1 configured to operate in a data collection system, said data collection system including an external server communicatively coupled to said decodable indicia reading terminal;

wherein said decodable indicia reading terminal is further configured to transmit said decoding result and said indicia readability rating to said external server via said communication interface.

7. A decodable indicia reading terminal comprising:

an imager-based scanner, said imager-based scanner including a multiple pixel image sensor, an imaging lens configured to focus an image of decodable indicia on said image sensor, and a first A/D converter configured to convert a first analog signal read out of said image sensor into a first digital signal;

a laser-based scanner, said laser-based scanner including a laser source configured to emit a laser beam onto a substrate bearing decodable indicia, a photo-detector configured to receive a second beam of a variable intensity reflected by said decodable indicia and to output a second analog signal representative of said variable intensity, and a second A/D converter configured to convert said second analog signal into a second digital signal;

a microprocessor configured to output a decoded message data corresponding to said decodable indicia by processing at least one of;

said first digital signal, said second digital signal;

a communication interface communicatively coupled to said system bus;

wherein said decodable indicia reading terminal is configured, responsive to a triggering event, to transmit via said communication interface a decoding result and an indicia readability rating regarding said decoding result based on at least one of a number of scanning attempts to successfully decode the decodable indicia, and a processing time taken to successfully decode the decodable indicia.

8. The decodable indicia reading terminal of claim 7, wherein said triggering event is selected from the group consisting of:

a failure to detect decodable indicia by said laser-based scanner, a failure to detect decodable indicia by said imager-based scanner, said indicia readability rating being less than a pre-defined threshold, exceeding a pre-defined time period to decode decodable indicia, a user interface action, and a command received via said communication interface.

9. The decodable indicia reading terminal of claim 7, wherein said decoding result is selected from the group consisting of:

said decoded message data and an error message.

10. The decodable indicia reading terminal of claim 7, wherein said decodable indicia reading terminal is further configured to transmit via said communication interface at least one of:

a timestamp, an image of an item bearing said decodable indicia, the number of scanning attempts, and the processing time taken to decode the decodable indicia.

11. The decodable indicia reading terminal of claim 7 configured to operate in a data collection system, said data collection system including an external server communicatively coupled to said decodable indicia reading terminal;

wherein said decodable indicia reading terminal is further configured to transmit said decoding result and said indicia readability rating to said external server via said communication interface.

12. A data collection system comprising:

at least one decodable indicia reading terminal comprising a multiple pixel image sensor, an imaging lens configured to focus an image of decodable indicia on said image sensor, an A/D converter configured to convert an analog signal read out of said image sensor into a digital signal, a microprocessor communicatively coupled to a system bus and configured to output decoded message data corresponding to said decodable indicia by processing said digital signal, and a communication interface communicatively coupled to said system bus;

an external server communicatively coupled to said at least one decodable indicia reading terminal;

wherein said decodable indicia reading terminal is configured, responsive to a triggering event, to transmit via said communication interface to said external server a decoding result and an indicia readability rating regarding said decoding result based on at least one of a number of scanning attempts to successfully decode the decodable indicia, and a processing time taken to successfully decode the decodable indicia.

13. The data collection system of claim 12, wherein said triggering event is selected from the group consisting of:

a failure to detect decodable indicia, said indicia readability rating being less than a pre-defined threshold, exceeding a pre-defined time period to decode decodable indicia, a user interface action, and a command received via said communication interface.

14. The data collection system of claim 12, wherein said decoding result is selected from the group consisting of:

said decoded message data and an error message.

15. The data collection system of claim 12, wherein said external server is configured to diagnose at least one of:

a tag printer failure responsive to establishing that a plurality of items bearing tags produced by said tag printer cause an error rate exceeding a first pre-defined threshold rate;

an item-related issue responsive to establishing that a plurality of copies of a same SKU item cause an error rate exceeding a second pre-defined threshold rate; and

a terminal-related issue responsive to establishing that decoding operations performed by said decodable indicia reading terminal has an error rate exceeding a third pre-defined threshold rate.

16. The data collection system of claim 15, wherein said external server is configured to diagnose said tag printer failure, and wherein said first pre-defined threshold rate is calculated by averaging a plurality of indicia readability ratings of tags produced by a specific tag printer, said plurality of indicia readability ratings outputted by two or more decodable indicia reading terminals of said data collection system.

17. The data collection system of claim 15, wherein said external server is configured to diagnose said item-related issue, and wherein said second pre-defined threshold rate is calculated by averaging a plurality of indicia readability ratings of tags attached to a specific SKU item, said plurality of indicia readability ratings outputted by two or more decodable indicia reading terminals of said data collection system.

18. The data collection system of claim 15, wherein said external server is configured to diagnose said terminal-related issue, and wherein said third pre-defined threshold rate is calculated by averaging a plurality of indicia readability ratings outputted by two or more decodable indicia reading terminals of said data collection system.