US 5,473,148 AGranted

Barcode symbol reading system capable of shortening time for reading and decoding

AssigneeOlympus Optical Co., Ltd.

InventorsHisakatsu Tanaka, Kazunori Shionoya

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Abstract

In a barcode symbol reading apparatus which can execute high-speed processing even when a one-dimensional image pickup device is used, a pulse width count circuit counts the number of widths of bars and spaces of a barcode symbol from an image pickup signal from a 1DCCD array, and stores the count result in a FIFO memory. A data processing circuit fetches a width data string for each scan from the FIFO memory, and when the data processing circuit detects the sizes in the row and column directions and security level from the fetched width data string using a row indicator, the data processing circuit counts the number of times of appearance of an identical row indicator to obtain the number of scan times per row, which indicates the relative moving speed between the 1DCCD array and the barcode symbol. Thereafter, the data processing circuit processes the width data string read out from the FIFO memory while skipping scans corresponding to the number of scan times per row.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A barcode symbol reading apparatus comprising:

scan means for scanning a barcode symbol to be read, which is formed on a medium inserted in a predetermined direction at an arbitrary insertion speed, in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction so as to output a reading signal corresponding to the barcode symbol;
scan time detection means for detecting the number of times of scans which are performed by said scan means substantially in correspondence with the insertion speed of the medium on a predetermined portion of the barcode symbol on the basis of the reading signal output from said scan means;
skip time determination means for determining a number of times of skipping of data prior to execution of a scanning operation by said scan means, said skip time determination means including means for, when the number of times of scans on the predetermined portion of the barcode symbol, which is detected by said scan time detection means is larger than a predetermined number of times of scans, determining the number of times of skipping of the reading signal output from said scan means;
skip means for skipping the reading signal output from said scan means in accordance with the number of times of skipping determined by said skip time determination means so as to decrease a data amount of the reading signal output from said scan means;
and
decode means for decoding the barcode symbol to be read on the basis of the reading signal whose data amount is decreased by said skip means.

3 more elements

A barcode symbol reading apparatus, comprising:

scan means for scanning a barcode symbol to be read, which is formed on a medium inserted in a predetermined direction at an arbitrary insertion speed, in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction so as to output a reading signal corresponding to the barcode symbol;
scan time detection means for detecting the number of times of scans which are performed by said scan means substantially in correspondence with the insertion speed of the medium on a predetermined portion of the barcode symbol on the basis of the reading signal output from said scan means;
skip time determination means for, when the number of times of scans on the predetermined portion of the barcode symbol, which is detected by said scan time detection means is larger than a predetermined number of times of scans, determining the number of times of skipping of the reading signal output from said scan means;
skip means for skipping the reading signal output from said scan means in accordance with the number of times of skipping determined by said skip time determination means so as to decrease a data amount of the reading signal output from said scan means;
and
decode means for decoding the barcode symbol to be read on the basis of the reading signal whose data amount is decreased by said skip means;
and
wherein said skip time determination means includes means for determining the number of times of skipping of the reading signal in correspondence with a relative moving speed between the barcode symbol to be read and said scan means, which relative moving speed is detected on the basis of the reading signal output from said scan means.

5 more elements

A barcode symbol reading apparatus comprising:

image pickup means for scanning a barcode symbol to be read, which is formed on a medium inserted in a predetermined direction at an arbitrary insertion speed, in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction so as to output a reading signal corresponding to the barcode symbol;
binarization means for binarizing the reading signal output from said image pickup means and for outputting a pulse signal;
pulse width count means for counting widths of bars and spaces of the barcode symbol, which are included in the pulse signal output from said binarization means;
memory means for storing width information of the bars and spaces of the barcode symbol, which are counted by said pulse width count means;
and
data processing means for detecting the number of times of scans which are performed by said image pickup means substantially in correspondence with the insertion speed of the medium on a predetermined portion of the barcode symbol on the basis of the width information of the bars and spaces of the barcode symbol, which are stored in said memory means, for, when the detected number of times of scans on the predetermined portion of the barcode symbol is larger than a predetermined number of times of scans, determining the number of times of skipping of the reading signal output from said image pickup means, for skipping the reading signal output from said image pickup means in accordance with the determined number of times of skipping so as to decrease a data amount of the reading signal output from said image pickup means, and for decoding the barcode symbol to be read on the basis of the reading signal whose data amount is decreased.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.