Method, device and system for scanning optical codes
AssigneeNCR Corporation
InventorSik Piu Kwan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatuses, methods and systems used to reduce the time needed to process images of a bar code or optical code captured by a image bar code scanner. Image bar code scanners read bar codes or optical codes by capturing digital images of the codes using an image capture device and then processing the captured images to decode the optical code or bar code. The processing time is reduced by rotating the images to align the axis of the codes contained in the captured images with the rows of photo detectors in the image capture device.
Claims22
A computer implemented method for use in an image scanner reading an optical code, the method comprising:
- focusing an image onto an image capture device using an image focusing device;
- capturing the image using the image capture device;
- determining if the optical code is present and at an optimal angle in the captured image;
- when the optical code is not present at an optimal angle, rotating the relative angle of the image focused on the image capture device;
- and
- when the optical code is present at an optimal angle, processing the captured image to recover the optical code.
An image scanning apparatus for reading an optical code, the apparatus comprising:
- an image capture device;
- an image focusing device for focusing an image onto the image capture device;
- and
- a processor module configured to read a captured image from the image capture device, determine if the optical code is present at an optimal angle in the captured image and when the optical code is present at the optimal angle, processing the captured image to recover the optical code and when the optical code is not present at an optimal angle, rotating the relative position of the image focused on the image capture device.
An image scanning system for reading and processing an optical code, the system comprising:
- a store server computer;
- a network connected to the store server computer;
- an image scanner comprising:
- an image capture device;
- an image focusing device for focusing an image onto the image capture device;
- and
- a processor module configured to read a captured image from the image capture device, determine if the optical code is present at an optimal angle in the captured image and when the optical code is present at an optimal angle, processing the captured image to recover the information from the optical code sending the information over the network to the store server and when the optical code is not present at an optimal angle, rotating the relative angle of the image focused on the image capture device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.