Symbology determination to aid decoding in a bar code scanning system

In a bar code scanning system, a method for enhancing decodability of a label from scans of label data comprising the steps of:

• receiving a scan of label data comprising character information encoded in one of a variety of potential symbology types;
• identifying at least one of a leading and trailing quiet zones of the scan of label data received;
• determining a most likely symbology type encoding the label;
• and
• selecting at least one decoding method to be implemented based upon the symbology type determined to be the most likely symbology type encoding the scan of label data;
• wherein the step of determining a most likely symbology type encoding the label includes using information from the scan of label data received to generate rating values for each of at least one indicator, wherein each indicator provides a relative indication of the likelihood of yielding successful decoding in relation to each of the potential symbology types.

In a bar code scanning system, a method for enhancing decodability of a label from scans of label data comprising the steps of:

• receiving a scan of label data comprising character information encoded in one of a variety of symbology types;
• selecting a decoding method associated with a symbology type;
• and
• enabling the decoding method selected to attempt decoding the scan of label data;
• wherein the step of selecting a decoding method includes the steps of:
• using information from the scan of label data received to generate rating values for each of at least one indicator, wherein each indicator provides a relative indication of the likelihood of yielding successful decoding in relation to each of the potential symbology types;
• and
• ordering the enabled decoding method corresponding to the symbology type having a highest likelihood of yielding successful decoding ranked first and the enabled decoding method corresponding to the symbology type having the lowest likelihood of yielding successful decoding ranked last.