System and method for monitoring barcode label quality
AssigneeNCR Corporation
InventorCraig E. Maddox
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for monitoring barcode label quality at a point of sale which alerts an operator of a defective label and stores the number of defective labels for each manufacturer. The system includes an optical scanner, including a controller and a memory, a quality indicator, and a point-of-service terminal. The system may additionally include a central host computer. The method of the present invention puts the scanner in predetermined operating modes which activate the quality monitoring functions listed above.
Claims15
A system for monitoring barcode label quality during a transaction comprising:
- an optical scanner for reading barcode labels during the transaction;
- means within the optical scanner for sensing a defective barcode label during a scanning operation;
- means for indicating the presence of the defective barcode label to an operator;
- means within the optical scanner for making readable a predetermined number of types of defective barcode labels;
- means within the optical scanner for tallying the number of barcodes read and the number of defective barcode labels during the transaction;
- and
- means within the optical scanner for identifying manufacturers which marked their products with the defective barcode labels.
A system for monitoring barcode label quality comprising:
- an optical scanner for reading barcode labels;
- means within the optical scanner for sensing a defective barcode label during a scanning operation;
- means for indicating the presence of the defective barcode label to an operator;
- means within the optical scanner for making readable a predetermined number of types of defective barcode labels;
- means within the optical scanner for tallying the number of barcode labels read and the number of defective barcode labels by type;
- memory means within the optical scanner for storing the number of barcode labels read and the number of defective barcode labels by type;
- and
- a point-of-service terminal coupled between the optical scanner and the indicating means.
A method of monitoring barcode label quality comprising the steps of:
- causing a barcode label to be scanned by an optical scanner;
- reading the barcode label if it is non-defective;
- alerting an operator if the barcode label is defective;
- making readable a predetermined number of types of defective barcode labels;
- and
- storing the number of barcodes read and the number of defective barcode labels by type.
A method for monitoring barcode label quality comprising the steps of:
- causing a barcode label to be scanned by an optical scanner;
- reading the barcode label if it is nondefective;
- alerting an operator if the barcode label is defective;
- making readable a predetermined number of types of defective barcode labels;
- storing the number of barcodes read and the number of defective barcode labels by type, each type of barcode label being associated with a predetermined manufacturer;
- and
- identifying a manufacturer which marks its products with defective barcode labels.
A system for monitoring barcode label quality during a transaction comprising:
- an optical scanner for reading barcode labels during the transaction;
- means within the optical scanner for sensing a defective barcode label during a scanning operation;
- and
- means within the optical scanner for identifying a manufacturer associated with the defective barcode label.
A method of monitoring barcode label quality during a transaction comprising the steps of:
- causing a barcode label to be scanned by an optical scanner during the transaction;
- if the barcode label is decodable, decoding the barcode label;
- and
- if the barcode label is defective, identifying a manufacturer associated with the defective barcode label.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.