Abstract: By automatically adjusting the object detection mechanism of a bar code scanner from a long range mode of operation to a short range mode of operation, the scanner will remain capable of detecting and decoding bar codes even if the object detection mechanism repeatedly detects the presence of a background object. The techniques of the present invention commence when the bar code scanner is placed in a position such that the scanner's object detection mechanism repeatedly detects a background object such as a counter top or conveyer belt. The object detection mechanism is set to the long range mode of operation if it is not already so set. In the case of a stand-mounted scanner, a test is performed to ascertain whether or not the scanner is in its stand, and the method will only proceed once the scanner is resting in the stand.

Abstract: A fully automated package identification and measuring system in which an omni-directional holographic scanning tunnel is used to read bar codes on packages entering the tunnel, while a package dimensioning subsystem is used to capture information about the package prior to entry into the tunnel. Mathematical models are created on a real-time basis for the geometry of the package and the position of the laser scanning beam used to read the bar code symbol hereon. The mathematical models area analyzed to determine if collected and queued package identification data is spatially and/or temporally correlated with package measurement data using vector-based ray-tracing methods, homogenous transformations, and object-oriented decision logic so as to enable simultaneous tracking of multiple packages being transported through the scanning tunnel.

Abstract: Disclosed is an automatically-activated code symbol reading system comprising a code symbol reading mechanism contained within a hand-supportable housing having a manually-actuatable data transmission switch. The symbol reading mechanism automatically generates a visible laser scanning pattern for repeatedly reading one or more code symbols on an object during each symbol reading cycle, and automatically generating a new symbol character data string in response to each read symbol. The user visually aligns the laser scanning pattern with a code symbol on an object. Each time the scanned symbol is successfully read in a cyclical manner, a new symbol character string is produced, and an indicator light is actively driven. During the symbol reading cycle, the user actuates the data transmission switch producing a data transmission control activation signal and enabling a subsequently produced symbol character data string to be automatically selected and transmitted to the host system.

Abstract: An automatic bar code symbol reading system having an automatic laser scanning device which can be used at a point-of-sale (POS) station as either a portable hand-supported laser scanner when operated in its automatic hands-on mode of operation, or as a stationary laser projection scanner when operated in its automatic hands-free mode of operation. The bar code symbol reading system provides a collimated scanning pattern projected from the hand-supportable device about a projection axis. The collimated scanning pattern intersects the projection axis within a narrowly confined scanning volume so that bar code symbols disposed within this scanning volume can be read omnidirectionally, while inadvertent scanning of bar code symbols outside of the scanning volume is prevented.

Abstract: Disclosed is an automatically-activated body-wearable code symbol reading system comprising a bar code symbol reading mechanism contained within a body-wearable housing having a manually-activatable data transmission switch. During symbol reading operations, the bar code symbol reading mechanism automatically generates a visible laser scanning pattern for repeatedly reading one or more bar code symbols on an object during a bar code symbol reading cycle, and automatically generating a new symbol character data string in response to each bar code symbol read thereby. During system operation, the user visually aligns the visible laser scanning pattern with a particular bar code symbol on an object (e.g. product, bar code menu, etc.) so that the bar code symbol is scanned, detected and decoded in a cyclical manner.

Abstract: An automatic bar code symbol reading system provides a hand-supportable laser bar code reading device which can be used in either an automatic hands-on mode of operation, or in an automatic hands-free mode of operation. The system includes a scanner support frame for supporting the hand-supportable device in a user-selected mounting position, and permits complete gripping of its handle portion for use in the hands-on mode of operation. In general, the hand-supportable bar code reading device has long-range and short-range modes of object detection, bar code presence detection and bar code symbol reading. Pursuant to one illustrative embodiment, the long-range mode is automatically selected when the hand-supportable bar code reading device is placed within the scanner support stand during the automatic hands-free mode of operation.

Abstract: A novel electronic-commerce enabling method and system are disclosed, wherein an electronic-commerce enabling Java-Applet is embedded within an HTML-encoded document stored in an HTTP server at predetermined URL. When a code symbol (e.g., magstripe or bar code) encoded with the URL is read using a code symbol reader interfaced with a Java-enabled Internet terminal, the corresponding HTTP document is automatically accessed and displayed at the terminal, and the electronic-commerce enabling Java-Applet initiated for execution so that the customer, consumer or client desiring to conduct an electronic-commerce transaction can simply and conveniently conduct electronic-commerce over the Internet. The electronic-commerce enabling Internet terminal can be in the form of an Internet kiosk installed in a public location, in the manner as conventional ATMs.

Abstract: A novel system and method for programming one or more functional parameters of programmable bar code symbol readers and scanners, while avoiding the need to connect a data communication port of a computer system to a bar code symbol reader that is to be programmed. In a first illustrative embodiment, the function-encoded parameters of a master bar code symbol reader are determined using a computer-based-function-parameter device and subsequently buffered in memory buffer contained therein; the buffered function-encoded parameters are used to produce a list of function-encoded bar code symbols which are printed in a specified reading sequence; and the list of printed-function encoded bar code symbols are read in the specified reading sequence so as to configure the bar code symbol reader with the same set of function-encoded parameters that were programmed in the master bar code symbol reader.

Abstract: A fully automated package identification and measuring system, in which an omni-directional holographic scanning tunnel is used to read bar codes on packages entering the tunnel, while a package dimensioning subsystem is used to capture information about the package prior to entry into the tunnel. Mathematical models are created on a real-time basis for the geometry of the package and the position of the laser scanning beam used to read the bar code symbol thereon. The mathematical models are analyzed to determine if collected and queued package identification data is spatially and/or temporally correlated with package measurement data using vector-based ray-tracing methods, homogeneous transformations, and object-oriented decision logic so as to enable simultaneous tracking of multiple packages being transported through the scanning tunnel.

Abstract: A fully automated package identification and measuring system, in which an omni-directional holographic scanning tunnel is used to read bar codes on packages entering the tunnel, while a package dimensioning subsystem is used to capture information about the package prior to entry into the tunnel. Mathematical models are created on a real-time basis for the geometry of the package and the position of the laser scanning beam used to read the bar code symbol thereon. The mathematical models are analyzed to determine if collected and queued package identification data is spatially and/or temporally correlated with package measurement data using vector-based ray-tracing methods, homogeneous transformations, and object-oriented decision logic so as to enable simultaneous tracking of multiple packages being transported through the scanning tunnel.

Abstract: A bar code symbol information driven system for accessing information on the Internet. The system includes a programmed bar code symbol reader having a hand-supportable housing, and an Internet browser program operably connectable to an Internet terminal. The programmed bar code symbol reader has an optical scanning device for optically scanning a bar code symbol encoded with an Uniform Resource Locator (URL) pointing to an information resource on the Internet, and a scan data processor for producing words of digital scan data representative of the width of the bars and spaces of the code symbol. A programmable decoder module is provided within the hand-supportable housing for processing the words of digital scan data and producing symbol character data representative of the decoded bar code symbol.

Abstract: A body-wearable bar code symbol driven system for accessing information resources from information servers connected to communication networks, including the Internet. The body-wearable system includes a hand-mounted bar code symbol reader for reading bar code symbols encoded with information representative of information resources stored in information servers connected to the Internet and supporting the TCP/IP standard. A computing platform, worn on the body of the operator, is provided for supporting an Internet browser. A telecommunication modem is operably connected to the computing platform in order to establish a two-way telecommunication link between the Internet browser and an Internet service provider (ISP) connected to the Internet. In response to reading bar code symbols, the Internet browser automatically accesses information resources from Internet information servers using the information encoded in bar code symbols read by the bar code symbol reader.

Abstract: Disclosed is a fully automatic bar code symbol reading system having an hand-supportable laser bar code reading device which can be used in either an automatic hands-on mode of operation, or in an automatic hands-free mode of operation. The system includes a scanner support frame for supporting the hand-supportable device in a user-selected mounting position, and permits complete gripping of its handle portion prior to its use in the hands-on mode of operation. In general, the hand-supportable bar code reading device has long-range and short-range modes of object detection, bar code presence detection and bar code symbol reading. In the illustrative embodiment, the long-range mode is automatically selected when the hand-supportable bar code reading device is placed within the scanner support stand during the automatic hands-free mode of operation.

Abstract: A wireless hand-supportable Internet-enabled transaction-enabling terminal for enablign a user to information-related transaction. An HTML-encoded document, and code associated with a transaction-enabling Applet, are created and stored in an http information server for use in enabling the predetermined information-related transaction. The transaction-enabling Applet is encoded within a bar code symbol. When the Applet-encoded bar code symbol is read using the wireless hand-supportable Internet-enabled transaction-enabling terminal of the present invention, the corresponding code is automatically accessed from the HTTP server, the HTML-encoded document is displayed at the terminal, and the transaction-enabling Applet is initiated for execution so that the customer, consumer or client desiring the transaction can simply and conveniently conduct the information-related transaction over the Internet.

Abstract: A code symbol reading device includes a portable housing that contains a light source. Light from the light source is projected into a scan field external to the housing and onto a code symbol on an object located within the scan field. The light reflected off the code symbol is detected within the housing to produce scan data that is indicative of the detected light intensity. The scan data is processed to detect and decode the code symbol and to produce symbol character data that are representative of the decoded code symbol. A data packet utilizing the symbol character data is synthesized and modulated onto a carrier signal that is transmitted to a base unit where the carrier signal is demodulated and the data packet recovered. The received data packet is analyzed to recover the symbol character data, and an acknowledgment signal is produced to acknowledge the receipt of the symbol character data at the base unit.

Abstract: A code symbol driven system and method are disclosed for producing graphical user interfaces which enable prespecified information-related transactions over the Internet. In the illustrative embodiment, the code symbol reader is integrated with a Java-enabled Internet terminal. The code symbol reader is used to read a code symbol (e.g., magstripe or bar code) encoded with information related to or specifying a predetermined Uniform Resource Locator (URL). The predetermined URL specifies the location of a HTML-encoded document that is stored in an HTTP server and contains one or more transaction-enabling Java-Applets. When the code symbol is read using the code symbol reader, and data representative of the URL is provided to a Java-enabled browser program, the corresponding HTTP document is automatically accessed and displayed at the terminal.

Abstract: An Internet-based system and method is provided for routing, tracking and delivering packages. Bar code symbols encoded with URLs and ZIP-CODE information are applied to packages to be routed and tracked within the system. At different points in the system, these URL/ZIP-CODE encoded bar code symbols are read to automatically route and track packages.

Abstract: A novel transaction method and system, wherein a transaction Java-Applet is embedded within an HTML-encoded document stored in an HTTP server at predetermined URL. When a code symbol (8) encoded with the URL is read using a code symbol reader (7, 7A) interfaced with a Java-enabled Internet terminal, the corresponding HTML document is automatically accessed and displayed at the terminal, and the transaction Java-Applet initiated for execution so that the customer, consumer or client desiring the transaction can simply and conveniently conduct the information-related transaction over the Internet. The transaction-enabling Internet terminal (3) can be in the form of an Internet kiosk installed in a public location, in the manner as conventional ATMs.

Abstract: A universal transaction machine (UTM) is disclosed, wherein a code symbol reader is integrated with a Java-enabled Internet terminal to enable the reading of a code symbol (e.g. magstripe or bar code) encoded with information related to a predetermined Uniform Resource Locator (URL). The predetermined URL specifies the location of a HTML-encoded document stored in an HTTP server and contains one or more transaction-enabling Java-Applets. When the URL-encoded symbol is read using the code symbol reader and provided to the Java-enabled browser program, the corresponding HTTP document is automatically accessed and displayed at the terminal. Preferably, the transaction-enabling Java-Applets are executed in order to produce a graphical user interface on the display screen of the terminal, thereby enabling the user to carry out data read and entry operations related to the prespecified information-related transaction.

Abstract: A novel system and method for programming one or more functional parameters of programmable bar code symbol readers and scanners, while avoiding the need to connect a data communication port of a computer system to a bar code symbol reader that is to be programmed. In a first illustrative embodiment, the function-encoded parameters of a master bar code symbol reader are determined using a computer-based-function-parameter device and subsequently buffered in memory buffer contained therein; the buffered function-encoded parameters are used to produce a list of function-encoded bar code symbols which are printed in a specified reading sequence; and the list of printed-function encoded bar code symbols are read in the specified reading sequence so as to configure the bar code symbol reader with the same set of function-encoded parameters that were programmed in the master bar code symbol reader.