Cluster computing of bar code data

• US 9,111,166 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2011
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Cunningham, Charles Joseph IV
• Primary Examiner(s): Mikels, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US13/222,046
• Publication Number:
  US 20130048726A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,448 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1465 using several successive scans of the optical code
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1491 the method including a reconstruction step, e.g. stitching two pieces of bar code together to derive the full bar code

Abstract

A reading system including: a primary reader for reading an information bearing device (IBD) having encoded IBD data provided therein for packetizing the encoded data and processing a first data packet of the packetized encoded data and transmitting a second data packet of the packetized encoded data; at least one auxiliary reader for receiving and processing the second data packet and the transmitting the processed second data packet; and wherein the processed first and second data packets are combined to produce decoded IBD data.

Claims

1. A method of operating a reading system comprising the steps of:

reading an information bearing device (IBD) having encoded IBD data provided therein with a primary reader, wherein the primary reader;

packetizes the encoded data and processes a first data packet of the packetized encoded data; and

transmits a second data packet of the packetized encoded data to an auxiliary reader, wherein the auxiliary reader processes the second data packet;

transmitting the processed second data packet to the primary reader; and

combining the processed first and second data packets to produce decoded IBD data.

2. A method of operating a reading system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the primary reader comprises a bi-optic scanner.

3. A method of operating a reading system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one auxiliary reader comprises a hand held reader.

4. A method of operating a reading system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the primary reader comprises a bi-optic scanner and the at least one auxiliary reader is internal to the bi-optic scanner.

5. A method of operating a reading system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the primary reader comprises a bi-optic scanner and the at least one auxiliary reader is external to the bi-optic scanner.

6. A method of operating a reading system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the primary and auxiliary readers process first and second data sets simultaneously.

7. A reading system comprising:

a primary reader for reading an information bearing device (IBD) having encoded IBD data provided therein for packetizing the encoded data and processing a first data packet of the packetized encoded data and transmitting a second data packet of the packetized encoded data;

at least one auxiliary reader for receiving and processing the second data packet and the transmitting the processed second data packet; and

wherein the processed first and second data packets are combined to produce decoded IBD data.

8. A reading system according to claim 7, wherein the primary reader comprises a bi-optic scanner.

9. A reading system according to claim 7, wherein the at least one auxiliary reader comprises a hand held scanner.

10. A reading system according to claim 7, wherein the primary reader comprises a bi-optic scanner and the at least one auxiliary reader is internal to the bi-optic scanner.

11. A reading system according to claim 7, wherein the primary reader comprises a bi-optic scanner and the at least one auxiliary reader is external to the bi-optic scanner.

12. A reading system according to claim 7, wherein the primary and auxiliary readers process first and second data sets simultaneously.

13. A method of operating a reading system comprising the steps of:

reading an information bearing device (IBD) having encoded IBD data provided therein with an first reader, transmitting the IBD data to a second reader;

wherein the second reader;

packetizes the encoded IBD data and processes a first data packet of the packetized encoded data; and

transmits a second data packet of the packetized encoded data to another reader, wherein the other reader processes the second data packet; and

combining the processed first and second data packets to produce decoded IBD data.

14. A method of operating a reading system in accordance with claim 13, wherein the first reader comprises a primary reader.

15. A method of operating a reading system in accordance with claim 13, wherein the first reader comprises an auxiliary reader.

16. A method of operating a reading system in accordance with claim 13, wherein the first reader comprises a bi-optic scanner.

17. A method of operating a reading system in accordance with claim 13, wherein the first reader comprises a hand held reader.

18. A method of operating a reading system in accordance with claim 13, wherein the first reader comprises a hand held reader that is an auxiliary reader.