System and method for reading two-dimensional barcodes

A method for reading a two-dimensional barcode symbology, said two-dimensional barcode symbology having a plurality of lines, each of said lines having a plurality of bars and spaces, each of said plurality of bars and spaces, each of said plurality of bars and spaces having a width, said method comprising:

• scanning one of said plurality of lines of said two-dimensional barcode symbology using a CCD optical scanning head to obtain a scanned line;
• receiving said scanned line in a first processor;
• in said first processor, converting said plurality of bars and spaces in said scanned line into a plurality of element time intervals, each of said plurality of element time intervals corresponding to, and representing said width of, one of said plurality of bars and spaces, thereby obtaining a converted line;
• receiving said converted line in a second processor;
• in said second processor, decoding said converted line to obtain a decoded line;
• determining whether a successful decode or an unsuccessful decode of said decoded line has occurred;
• if said successful decode has occurred, outputting from the CCD scanning head to said second processor, for said decoded line, a prefix message, followed by said decoded line, following by a suffix message;
• and
• if said unsuccessful decode has occurred, repeating the scanning step, the converting step, the decoding step, and the determining step.

A system for reading a two-dimensional barcode symbology, said two-dimensional barcode symbology having a plurality of lines, each of said lines having a plurality of bars and spaces, each of said plurality of bars and spaces having a width, said system comprising

• a CCD optical scanning head for scanning one of said plurality of lines of said two-dimensional barcode symbology to obtain a scanned line;
• a first processor for converting said plurality of bars and spaces in said scanned line into a plurality of element time intervals, each of said plurality of element time intervals corresponding to, and representing said width of, one of said plurality of bars and spaces, thereby obtaining a converted line;
• a data port for sending from said CCD optical scanning head to a second processor, for said converted line, a complete line of data, said complete line of data comprising a prefix message, followed by said plurality of element time intervals, followed by a suffix message;
• and
• the second processor for decoding said complete line of data and determining whether a successful scan or an unsuccessful scan of said two-dimensional bar code has occurred, for outputting said complete line of data if the successful scan has occurred, and for generating a repeat scan command to said CCD optical scanning head if the unsuccessful scan occurred.

A system for reading a two-dimensional barcode symbology, said two-dimensional barcode symbology having a plurality of lines, each of said lines having a plurality of bars and spaces, each of said plurality of bars and spaces having a width, said system comprising:

• a CCD optical scanning head for scanning one of said plurality of lines of said two-dimensional barcode symbology to obtain a scanned line;
• a processor for converting said plurality of bars and spaces in said scanned line into a plurality of element time intervals, each of said plurality of element time intervals corresponding to, and representing said width of, one of said plurality of bars and spaces, thereby obtaining a converted line;
• a second processor for decoding the converted line to obtain a decoded line and for determining whether a successful decode or an unsuccessful decode of said decoded line has occurred;
• wherein if said successful decode has occurred, the second processor outputs the complete line of data;
• and
• wherein if said unsuccessful decode has occurred, the CCD optical scanning head, the processor, and the second processor are operated to rescan, reconvert, and redecode the decoded line.