Abstract: A sheath consists of an elongated member with an internal volume designed to securely and removably receive the end of an elongated cylindrical instrument with a suitable radius, such as a pen or pencil. The sheath can be comprised of an elastomeric material which allows the sheath to expand as the cylindrical instrument is inserted into the internal volume, and thus exert a radial force upon the instrument and restrain any motion of the instrument relative to the sheath. The elastomeric material has a lesser hardness than the screen material so that it will not damage the screen, but a greater hardness than a soft pencil eraser so that it overcomes the problems associated therewith. The sheath can be made with a tip of any shape and sharpness so that it will be compatible with any touch-sensitive screen.

Abstract: A thermal printer is provided with an integrated sensor that detects the printhead position without requiring a custom cable assembly or other sensing components. The thermal printer comprises a rotatable platen and a printhead disposed relative to each other to define a print region therebetween through which a print media is transported. The printhead may be selectively pivoted between a closed position abutting the platen and an open position substantially separated from the platen. The printhead is operable to print information onto the print media as the print media is transported by rotation of the platen when the printhead is pivoted to the closed position. The printhead further comprises a circuit board coupled thereto that is pivotable in cooperation with the printhead. The circuit board is operably coupled to a central controller to receive control signals and provide the control signals to the printhead.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for locating and decoding machine-readable symbols such as Data Matrix symbols begins by storing an image of the symbol. The invention locates an edge point between the quiet zone and a solid boundary of the finder pattern for the symbol. Therefrom, the present invention locates at least portions of first and second solid boundaries, and preferably a solid corner therebetween. Thereafter, the present invention locates at least portions of dashed boundaries extending from the free ends of the solid boundaries. After locating the solid and dashed boundaries of the finder pattern for the symbol, the present invention determines the periphery and version of the symbol, and then applies the appropriate decode routine to decode the image of the symbol.

Abstract: In a label printer having a printhead mounted above a path for printing on labels carried by a backing strip along the path, this invention is apparatus for adjusting the lateral position of the printhead over the labels. A first member is fixedly carried by the printer over the path. A second member carries the printhead while third member connects the second member to the first member for lateral movement relative to the first member. Finally, there is adjusting apparatus for selectively setting a lateral position of the second member relative to the first member.

Abstract: A scanner for scanning a one or two-dimensional bar code symbology is provided that effectively prevents condensation from forming on the protective window. The scanner comprises a housing having an electro-optical element and a window permitting the electro-optical element to collect reflected light therethrough. A heating element is coupled to at least a peripheral portion of the inner surface of the window. Application of an electrical current to the heating element heats the window and precludes condensation from forming on the inner surface of the window. The heating element may further comprise a resistive element having an adhesive layer permitting attachment to the inner surface of the window. The heating element would be further compatible with operation of conventional electro-optical elements, such as a charge coupled device or a laser.

Abstract: This invention relates to printers for printing on and cutting linerless, adhesive-backed, strip media. Described and claimed are methods and apparatus related to--(1) bridges for bridging a platen roller to minimize its exposed surface to the adhesive, (2) a printing station wherein the printhead moves over stationary media, (3) media having non-activated adhesive and a printer which activates the adhesive only after printing on and cutting the media, and (4) media having the adhesive in strips with non-adhesive gaps between and a cutting or tearing station for separating finished labels at the gaps.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for automatically determining the volume of an object. The volume system includes a height sensor and a width sensor positioned in generally orthogonal relationship and each constructed to reflect light from a corresponding surface of the object. The height sensor and the width sensor each include a plurality of charge coupled devices for sensing light reflected from the object. The output from the height sensor and the width sensor are provided to a data processor for evaluating the data to determine a plurality of incremental volume of the object as the object is displayed in relation to the height and width sensors. The plurality of incremental volume are then added to determine the volume of the object.

Abstract: A thermal printhead formed on a substrate. The plurality of thermal print elements in the thermal printhead are formed in a linear array. Each of the plurality of thermal print elements is respectively connected to a plurality of common electrode traces and a plurality of ground electrode traces. The common electrode traces are switchably connected to a single common electrode and the ground electrode traces are connected to a single ground electrode. The common electrode is held at a common voltage and the ground electrode is held at a ground voltage. The electrical circuit includes at least one common remote sense electrode connected to the single common electrode and, optionally, at least one ground remote sense electrode connected to the single ground electrode.

Abstract: A thermal printer is provided which can be easily calibrated by an operator for any selected type of print media. The thermal printer includes a thermal print head and a rotatable platen adapted to draw a print media therebetween. The thermal print head is adapted to selectively activate portions of the print media. To calibrate the printer in order to optimize printer performance for print quality, an operator first identifies a type of print media which is selected for use on the printer. The printer will then print a series of test labels onto the selected type of print media using a parameter of the printer having a unique value for each individual one of the test labels of the series. Identifying information of the unique parameter value is also printed onto each respective test label. By inspecting the series of test labels, the operator can select one of the test labels having a desired level of image quality.

Abstract: A secure communication system is provided for transmitting a country specific frequency allocation in encrypted form between a host processor and a remote device. The secure communication system comprises a host processor and a remote device capable of communicating with the host processor over a communication link. The host processor has a plurality of stored data sets and a predefined encryption algorithm. Each one of the stored data sets comprises a country specific frequency allocation. The remote device has a unique identifier code and also has the predefined encryption algorithm. Responsive to the unique identifier code, the host processor provides a selected one of the plurality of data sets in encrypted form by utilizing the predefined encryption algorithm. The unique identifier code provides an encryption key for the predefined encryption algorithm. The remote device then decrypts the encrypted data set using the predefined encryption algorithm with the identifier code as a decryption key.

Abstract: A label gap detection circuit comprises a photosensor having a light emitting element disposed at a first side of the print media and a light receiving element disposed at a second side of the print media so that light emitted by the light emitting element passes through the print media. The light emitting element provides a signal corresponding to an amount of light emitted therefrom and the light receiving element provides a signal corresponding to an amount of light received thereon. A regulator is coupled to the light emitting element for controlling an amount of light emitted by the light emitting element in response to a sum of the signals from the light emitting element and the light receiving element. An analog-to-digital converter is coupled to the light receiving element to receive the signal therefrom and provide a binary value corresponding to an amount of light received by the light receiving element.

Abstract: A symbology reader employing an area detector and LEDs mounted at various angular orientations on a printed circuit board for illuminating a target object in an object plane. Each of the LEDs is oriented according to a desired beam vector to illuminate a particular area of the object plane so that the sum of the beams produces a desired illumination pattern. In one embodiment, the illumination pattern is selected to be inversely proportional to the sensitivity of the area detector to provide an even response over an entire image area. The individual LEDs are angularly aligned by an alignment board having an alignment aperture for each LED. The LEDs are mounted onto the printed circuit board with their body portions spaced apart from the board and supported by semi-rigid wire leads soldered to the board. Each of the alignment holes of the alignment board is laterally offset slightly from the mounting position of the LED.

Abstract: A method of printing a pre-defined symbology character set as a series of bars separated by spaces in which the bars are formed of horizontal rows of close adjacent dots while preventing ambiguous decoding of similar character pairs in which one character employs wide bars and one character employs narrow bars. The method comprises the steps of, subtracting at least a portion of one dot or more per horizontal row from bars of similar characters employing narrow bars; and, adding at least a portion of one dot or more per horizontal row to bars of similar characters employing wide bars. It is particularly useful in printing U.P.C./EAN symbology with a low-cost demand printer employing thermal printing techniques.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed that can be used to print the U.P.C./EAN symbology in a way that does not suffer poor print quality over a range of ink spread conditions by applying appropriately more or less thermal energy to at least one row of dots on the internal edges of the ambiguous characters. The resultant characters have identical edge-to-edge measurements to those without the compensation; but, the sum of the widths of the bars are beneficially adjusted. The resulting print quality grades and scanning performance are enhanced on thermal printer platforms of moderate to high resolution.

Abstract: A printhead having multiple print lines of conventional design and a printhead control system for using the multiple print lines in a variety of operations. In one embodiment, the printhead control system prints an image by superimposing the printing from multiple print lines. In another embodiment, the image is printed by alternating the energization of one print line so that each print line is used to print only 1/3 of the image lines. As a result, the print lines are allowed a relatively long time to cool, thus allowing the printhead to be operated at a faster speed. In another embodiment, the printing elements of each print line print with a different image density, and images printed by superimposing the printing elements in the print lines with a variety of combinations depending upon the desired magnitude of the image density.

Abstract: A device is provided for reading information from a media containing randomly located encoded data in the form of a one or two-dimensional symbology is provided. The device comprises a housing having a slot capable of receiving the media therein to an axial extent thereof. The media is illuminated by a light source disposed within the housing. The light reflected from the media is received and converted into pixel data that includes data representative of the symbology. Thereafter, the symbology data is discriminated from among the pixel data, and the discriminated symbology data is converted into readable information signals. Alternatively, the device may comprise a housing having a window and a light source disposed within the housing capable of providing illumination through the window onto the media when positioned in proximity to the window.