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US 6,199,765 B1Granted
Printer media with bar code identification system
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Company
InventorThomas F Uhling
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bi-directionally scannable bar code pattern having a parallel array of alternating lines and spaces, each having selected widths. Each line has a common series of segments and segment spaces of selected lengths. The length of each segment may be the same as the width of a corresponding line, and the length of each segment space may be the same as the width of a corresponding space between lines. The pattern may be printed on a sheet of printer media, or on a strip attached to such a sheet.
Claims19
A printer media element comprising:
- a rectangular sheet having opposed major faces and four peripheral edges;
- the sheet having an elongated edge surface portion extending parallel to and proximate to a selected peripheral edge of the sheet;
- the edge surface portion being imprinted with a bi-directionally linearly scannable bar code pattern having a plurality of bar code sub-elements, each sub element comprising:
- a parallel array of alternating elongated first portions and second portions;
- each of the first portions having a first optical characteristic, and each of the second portions having a distinct second optical characteristic;
- each of the first portions and each of the second portions having a respective selected width selected from a range of different widths;
- each of the first portions comprising an elongated bar having a common series of alternating first segments and second segments;
- each of the first segments having the first optical characteristic, and each of the second segments having the second optical characteristic;
- each of the first segments and each of the second segments having a selected length;
- the length of each first segment in the series being equal to the width of a corresponding first portion at a corresponding place in the array, and
- the length of each second segment in the series being equal to the width of a corresponding second portion at a corresponding place in the array.
8 more elements
A method of manufacturing a sheet of printer media comprising:
- providing a sheet;
- generating an encoded pattern along an edge portion of the sheet;
- the encoded pattern including a graphic element having an array of alternating linear unprinted portions and printed portions, each of the printed portions and unprinted portions being of a selected width selected from a range of widths;
- the printed portions and unprinted portions of each graphic element being oriented in a parallel array, each printed portion and each unprinted portion oriented perpendicular to the length of the elongated edge surface portion of the sheet;
- each of the printed portions comprising an elongated bar comprising a series of alternating printed segments and unprinted segments;
- and
- each of the printed segments and unprinted segments being of a selected length selected from a range of lengths.
4 more elements
A printer media element comprising:
- a rectangular sheet having opposed major faces and four peripheral edges;
- the sheet having an elongated edge surface portion extending parallel to and proximate to a selected peripheral edge of the sheet;
- the edge surface portion being imprinted with a bi-directionally linearly scannable bar code pattern having a plurality of bar code sub-elements, each sub element comprising:
- a parallel array of alternating elongated first portions and second portions;
- each of the first portions having a first optical characteristic, and each of the second portions having a distinct second optical characteristic;
- each of the first portions and each of the second portions having a respective selected width selected from a range of different widths;
- each of the first portions comprising an elongated bar having a common series of alternating first segments and second segments;
- each of the first segments having the first optical characteristic, and each of the second segments having the second optical characteristic;
- each of the first segments and each of the second segments having a selected length;
- the length of each first segment in the series being equal to the width of a corresponding first portion at a corresponding place in the arrray;
- and
- the length of each second segment in the series being equal to the width of a corresponding second portion at a corresponding place in the array.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.