Abstract: A method and an apparatus for reading a bar code are in which a plurality of types of bar codes which may coexist can be demodulated with higher accuracy and higher speed. A bar code data detector 31 extracts the features of a guard bar and a center bar. This information is searched for by a search section 39a and the features and the bar code types read are identified. The bar code data are demodulated in a bar code demodulator 32 by a method corresponding to the result of identification of the features and the bar code types.

Abstract: A process for reading optical codes includes reading an optical code by irradiating a scan ing beam onto an optical code and detecting a reflected beam of the scanning beam from the optical code. A determination is made if the optical code and an optical code reader are moving relative to each other, and data of the optical code are invalidated if it is determined that the optical code and the optical code reader are moving relative to each other, and data of the optical code are validated if it is determined the optical code and the optical code reader are not moving relative to each other.

Abstract: A proximity sensor receives light beams reflected from a goods. A proximity sensor control unit determines that the goods exists when a light quantity of the reflected light received by the proximity sensor exceeds a determination threshold value. The determination threshold value increases as elapsed time since the bar code was read last time becomes longer, and, as a result, a detection sensitivity decreases. A CPU restores a duty of irradiation of the laser beam back to 100% and resumes rotations of a motor for driving an operation optical system when the proximity sensor control unit determines that the goods exists.

Abstract: A bar-co reader and a bar-code reading method each of which can perform an accurate, quick reading operation. The bar-code reader scans a bar-code with electromagnetic radioactive rays and then extracts data regarding a bar-width thereof based on the reflected rays; demodulates the bar-width data and creates the demodulated data; judges the presence or absence of a bar-code reproducible combination in the demodulated data and judges. the type of combination when the reproducible combination exists; and synthesizes the demodulated data or the character forming the demodulated data according to the type of combination. The bar-code reader and bar-code reading method can be applicable to scanners such as POS systems used in supermarkets, distribution industries, and the like.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus having a plurality of states, and including a detection mechanism for detecting an external light and outputting a detection signal indicative of an intensity of the external light, a transition mechanism for making a state transition from a first state to a second state which is different from the first state and vice versa depending on the detection signal, and a varying mechanism for varying a light detection sensitivity of the detection mechanism depending on the detection signal when the state transition is made by the transition mechanism.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method and apparatus for detecting a tire inflation pressure of a vehicle tire. The apparatus includes a device for producing an oscillating electric signal having a vibration frequency component of the vehicle tire. A wavelet transformer transforms the oscillating electric signal by a wavelet function into a wavelet coefficient. The wavelet function is provided on the basis of a mother wavelet function localized in time, scaled in response to a scale parameter, and shifted in response to a shift parameter indicative of a time localization. Then, an extracting device extracts a resonance frequency from the vibration frequency component of the vehicle tire on the basis of the wavelet coefficient, and an estimating device estimates the tire inflation pressure on the basis of the resonance frequency.

Abstract: A process for reading optical codes includes reading an optical code by irradiating a scanning beam onto an optical code and detecting a reflected beam of the scanning beam from the optical code. A determination is made if the optical code and an optical code reader are moving relative to each other, and data of the optical code are invalidated if it is determined that the optical code and the optical code reader are moving relative to each other, and data of the optical code are validated if it is determined the optical code and the optical code reader are not moving relative to each other.

Abstract: An add-on bar code reading apparatus used in a bar code reader identifies a block of a main-part bar code by detecting start and end guard-bars, determines a right end of the main-part bar code based upon whether all the characters in the block carry even parity, detects the add-on bar code a predetermined interval after the right end, and reads the add-on bar code thus-detected. The apparatus also determines whether a plurality of sets of add-on characters are read which have differing numbers of characters, compares the plurality of sets of add-on characters character-by-character for equality in character code and in parity, and determines whether the number of characters is equal to that of the set having the smallest number of characters. When a match is determined the set of add-on characters having the largest number of characters for the add-on bar code is selected.

Abstract: A device suitable for a laser-type bar code reader used in a POS (point of sales) system in the distribution industry, and more particularly, to a laser lighting control device in a laser scanner device which reads a bar code using a reflection light of a laser beam. A prolonged operational life and an improved reliability of the laser light source build-in device under intermittent light on/off control is achieved by monitoring its lighting time to execute the operational life control thereof. The laser lighting control device includes a laser light source, a drive unit for performing a light on/off drive of the laser light source to control the light on/off thereof, a control unit for outputting a light on/off command to the drive unit for laser light source control, and a timer unit for measuring the total lighting time of the laser light source.

Abstract: A binarizing circuit includes a binary signal generating unit for generating a binary signal from an input signal, supplied from an external unit, in accordance with a processing characteristic, a detecting unit for detecting a state of the input signal, and a control unit for controlling, based on the state of the input signal detected by the detecting unit, the processing characteristic in accordance with which the binary signal generating unit generates the binary signal from the input signal. The bar-code reader includes a reading unit for optically reading an article on which a bar code is formed, the above binarizing circuit, and a decoding unit for decoding the binary signal output from the binarizing circuit so that data represented by the bar code is obtained.

Abstract: A detecting and decoding circuit detects and decodes a multiple-row bar code consisting of n rows, each of which has a left block and a right block. A bar code data editing circuit extracts one bar code data a decoded signal received from the detecting and decoding circuit and performs a modulo 10 check for the bar code data. In addition, a determination circuit receives the edited result of the bar code data editing circuit and determines whether or not the number of each of right block data and left block data is n, whether or not the number of valid data in the modulo 10 check is n, whether or not the number of sequence data is n-1, and whether or not any two data of each of the left block data and the right block data are not the same as each other, and for outputting a reading valid signal when all these conditions are satisfied.

Abstract: A bar code demodulating method, in a first step, determines a number of modules, corresponding to the black bars present within a demodulating character of a bar code to be demodulated, with reference to reference black bars in a previously demodulated character and, in a second step, determines a number of modules corresponding to all white bars present within the demodulating character, based on a corresponding reference white bar in the previously demodulated character and, then, demodulates the demodulating character based on the respective numbers of modules determined in the first and second steps.

Abstract: A bar code demodulating method includes a step of measuring lengths of successive characters of a bar code, a second step of obtaining a ratio of the length of a demodulating character which is to be demodulated and the length of a preceding, demodulated character and a third step of demodulating the demodulating character by mutually different first and second demodulation schemes, selected in accordance with the obtained length ratio falling within respective, and different, first and second predetermined ranges.

Abstract: This invention is intended to contribute to improvements of the reading accuracy of a bar code reader and performance of a POS system or the like. To attain this object, according to the invention, when one of the data blocks constituting a bar code cannot be detected, addresses of the non-detected data block are determined based on a width of the detected data block and addresses of the center bar. The invention is constituted such that data of the previously non-detected data block is detected based on its addresses.

Abstract: An anti-skid control for use in an automotive vehicle is comprised of a brake control device for adjusting braking force of each road-wheel of a vehicle, the brake control device being set to be initiated upon receipt of a condition, a detecting device being set to be initiated upon receipt of a condition, a detecting device for measuring a load applied to the vehicle, and a changing device for less sensitivity of the initiation of the brake control device as the load decreases. Even if an instantaneous decrease of the load occurs due to the vehicle's jumping motion or turning motion, an expected initiation of the brake operation can be prevented.

Abstract: An apparatus for demodulating bar codes is disclosed. In this apparatus of this invention, a distortion quantity calculation unit for calculates a distortion quantity of a bar width of a character to be demodulated by use of bar code data generated by reading the bar codes in which characters are expressed by bar widths. A distortion quantity determining unit determines whether or not a bar width distortion quantity calculated by the distortion quantity calculation unit falls within a range of predetermined values. A first demodulation unit, when determining that the distortion quantity of the bar width falls within the range of the predetermined values, demodulates the character from the bar code data by effecting a first correcting process on the bar width distortion quantity.

Abstract: An anti-skid control system for use in an automotive vehicle comprises a brake detecting device for detecting a braking operation of the vehicle, a deceleration detecting device for detecting an deceleration of a road-wheel during the braking operation, and a control device for controlling the braking operation in order to establish the maximum value of the deceleration. Independent of a surface of a road, the minimum braking distance is obtained.

Abstract: A bar code demodulating method includes a step of measuring lengths of successive characters of a bar code, a step of obtaining a ratio of the length of a demodulating character which is to be demodulated and the length of a previous character which is demodulated prior to the demodulating character, and a step of demodulating the demodulating character by correcting a width of at least one reference bar within the previous character based on the ratio and by obtaining a number of modules within the demodulating character based on the correction.

Abstract: A bar code reader using a high speed scanner, containing: a scanning unit scanning a surface on which a bar code is printed; a bar width detecting unit successively detecting widths of bars; a bar width storing unit storing the widths; an address generating unit generating an address of the bar width storing unit at which each of the widths is to be stored; a fast screening unit determining whether a set of widths successively detected by the bar width detecting unit satisfies a predetermined condition for the set of widths constituting a complete bar code; and a bar code decoding unit reading a set of successive widths from the generated address, and decoding the bar code determined by the complete bar code detecting unit. A type of bar code detecting unit detecting a type of bar code constituted by the detected widths, and an address & type storing unit storing the detected type of bar code, together with information on the generated addresses for the widths of the bar code, may be inserted.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a bar code reading method and a bar code reader applied preferably to POS systems used in the distribution industry. The object of the invention is to achieve an improved reading ratio or a reduced erroneous reading ratio in practical use by evaluating quantitatively the reliability of demodulation data and by performing a coincidence checking plural times only when a large error is recognized. When a reading distortion amount measured is within a predetermined allowable value, data extracted and demodulated from the bar code is judged to be valid, whereby the bar code reading is completed. When a reading distortion amount measured is not within the predetermined allowable value, if the same data from the bar code is extracted and demodulated continuously and at least twice, the same data extracted and demodulated from the bar code is judged to be valid, whereby the bar code reading is completed.