Methods and apparatus for enhanced scanner operation employing bar code and bar code fragment time and position of data collection

A position detector for use in a bar code scanner including a laser and an optical assembly, the optical assembly including a rotating portion, the rotating portion being attached to a motor, the laser emitting light through the optical assembly, the optical assembly receiving and directing reflected light, the position detector operating to detect the timing of a scan of a bar code and the position of the rotating portion of optical assembly at the time of the scan of the bar code, the position detector comprising:

• a video transition detector for detecting a video signal produced by reception of reflected light by the optical assembly;
• a pulse generator associated with the motor, the pulse generator producing a reference pulse for each revolution of the motor indicative of the time at which the motor is in a reference position;
• a pulse detector for detecting the pulses produced by the pulse generator;
• a pulse counter for counting pulses detected by the pulse detector;
• a clock for producing an accurate time elapsed count of the time after a first reference pulse;
• time data storage for storing a time count produced by the clock;
• and
• a processor for receiving the accurate time elapsed count and computing the time and position of the motor at the detection of the video transition.

A method of determining timing of a bar code scan and angular position of a rotating portion of an optical assembly at the time of the scan, the angular assembly being attached to and rotated by a motor, the motor having an associated pulse generating device producing a reference pulse each time the motor rotates through a reference position, comprising the steps of:

• monitoring elapsed time since the motor reaches the reference position;
• scanning a bar code;
• capturing for each scan elapsed time data and associating the elapsed time data with the scan;
• and
• processing the elapsed time data to determine the angular position of the motor and the time of the scan.

A method of bar code scanner training comprising the steps of:

• scanning a bar code label as an operator passes a product through the scan field of a scanner;
• determining the time and angle of motor revolution associated with a plurality of scans of the bar code label;
• reconstructing in space and time a probable location of the bar code label as it passes through the scan field of the scanner;
• and
• providing the operator with feedback based upon said reconstruction.

A method of bar code scanner operation comprising the steps of:

• scanning a bar code label;
• collecting bar code label data utilizing at least two different filtering circuits;
• and
• correlating the collected bar code label data.