Apparatus for displaying bar codes from light emitting display surfaces

• US 9,245,219 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2014
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Van Horn, Erik, Olson, Daniel James
• Primary Examiner(s): Marshall, Christle I
• Application Number:
  US14/460,387
• Publication Number:
  US 20140353373A1
• Time in Patent Office: 529 Days
• Field of Search: 23546201-46215
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06028 using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06112 the marking being simulated using a light source, e.g. a barcode shown on a display or a laser beam with time-varying intensity profile
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3274 using a pictured code, e.g. barcode or QR-code, being displayed on the M-device
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3276 using a pictured code, e.g. barcode or QR-code, being read by the M-device
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates

Abstract

Disclosed is a method of and apparatus for managing and redeeming bar-coded coupons that are displayed from a light emitting display surface of an information storage and display device, such as a cell-phone, a smart-phone, or a data communication device. The linear (1D) bar code symbols, associated with bar-coded store coupons, are displayed on the light emitting display surface using in a pulse code modulation (PCM) format, wherein a substantial portion of the pixels on the light emitting display surface are energized and de-energized to emit red-wavelengths of light energy, at a rate which temporally corresponds to the spatial frequency of the bars and spaces of the linear bar code symbol, so that a laser scanning bar code symbol reading device is capable of reading the PCM formatted bar code symbol displayed from the light emitting display surface.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a wireless communication module for supporting communication over networks;

a computing platform for running an application controlling at least first and second display modes on the device;

a light emitting diode display connected to a computing platform, the display configured for showing a digital image of a barcode symbol and further configured for emitting light pulses through the display;

wherein the first display mode shows the digital image of the barcode symbol on said display;

wherein, in the second display mode, the computing platform converts the barcode symbol to a formatted barcode symbol represented by said light pulses being emitted over the scan duration of the bar code and having a spatial intensity temporally corresponding to the spatial structure of the barcode symbol;

wherein the application is configured to toggle automatically between said first and second display modes until the barcode is successfully decoded.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the computing platform runs an application that captures an image of the barcode symbol from the internet.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is a smart-phone.

4. The device of claim 1, comprising a camera for capturing a digital image of the barcode symbol.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein said first and second display modes utilize respective first and second portions of the display.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein said first and second display modes are displayed simultaneously on said first and second portions of the display.

7. A device, comprising:

a camera for capturing digital images;

a computing platform for running an application controlling at least first and second display modes on the device;

a display connected to the computing platform for emitting light;

wherein the first display mode shows the digital image of the barcode symbol on said display;

wherein, in the second display mode, the computing platform converts a barcode symbol to a formatted barcode symbol, represented by said display emitting light pulses through said second portion of said display, said pulses having a spatial intensity temporally corresponding to the spatial structure of the barcode symbol, and the display emits light pulses at a rate which temporally corresponds to the spatial frequency of the barcode symbol'"'"'s bars and

wherein the application is configured to toggle automatically between said first and second display modes until the barcode symbol has been successfully decoded.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the computing platform runs an application that captures an image of the barcode symbol from the internet.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein the device is a smart-phone.

10. The device of claim 7, wherein the display comprises a liquid crystal display.

11. The device of claim 7, wherein said first and second display modes utilize first and second portions of the display.

12. A device, comprising:

a computing platform for running an application;

a memory connected to the computing platform, wherein the memory is configured to store a digitized version of a bar code and decoded information from the bar code;

a display connected to the computing platform for emitting light through the display;

wherein, when the computing platform runs the application, the computing platform converts a barcode symbol to a formatted barcode symbol represented by said display emitting light pulses through said display, said pulses having a uniform spatial intensity temporally corresponding to the spatial structure of the barcode symbol, and

wherein the light pulses are emitted over the scan duration of the barcode symbol;

wherein the application is configured to toggle automatically between said first and second display modes until the barcode is successfully decoded.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein, when the computing platform runs the application, the display emits light pulses at a rate which temporally corresponds to the spatial frequency of the barcode symbol'"'"'s bars and spaces.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein the computing platform runs an application that captures an image of the barcode symbol from the internet.

15. The device of claim 12, wherein the device is a smart-phone.

16. The device of claim 12, wherein the display comprises an organic light emitting diode display.

17. The device of claim 12, wherein the display comprises a liquid crystal display.

18. The device of claim 12, comprising a camera for capturing a digital image of the barcode symbol.

19. The device of claim 12, comprising a wireless communication module for supporting communication over networks.