Including Count Or Time To Binary Conversion (e.g., Wide=1, Narrow=0) Patents (Class 235/462.19)
  • Patent number: 9916581
    Abstract: A method of reconstructing a packet that includes financial card information from a mobile device uses a card reader. The card reader has a read head, a slot for swiping a magnetic stripe of a card and device electronics that includes a microcontroller with logic resources with code. The card reader has a unique identifier and associated cryptographic key. The same code is used to produce an encrypted and signed signal. The encrypted and signed signal, that includes the card reader identifier, is sent to the mobile device. The mobile device sends an encrypted and signed packet to a back end of a payment system. A cryptographic key is used to decrypt and verify the contents of the packet at the back end. Non-encrypted financial card information is sent to a payment gateway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: SQUARE, INC.
    Inventors: Jack Dorsey, Nathan P. McCauley, Justin Phillip Cummins, Diogo Monica, Oliver Samuel Curran Quigley, James M. McKelvey
  • Patent number: 9076157
    Abstract: A computer-implemented process for a customer to scan items for purchase and proceed to a rapid checkout can be operated within a processor of a portable computerized device. The process includes monitoring a scan of an item to be purchased, the scan comprising an image captured by a camera device of the portable computerized device, commanding deactivation of the camera device after execution of the scan, monitoring an indication by a user of the portable computerized device that an item is to be scanned, and commanding activation of the camera device based upon the monitored activation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Richard Neil Cancro, Douglas James Pedley, Joel Bennett Acker, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8668149
    Abstract: Misreads in decodable indicia by terminals such as bar code scanners (e.g., laser, image sensors) can occur. Solutions can include increasing redundancy or screening out erroneous data. Embodiments of screening error reduction circuits, terminals, and/or methods for processing decodable indicia data are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Metrologic Instruments, Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy Good
  • Publication number: 20110220721
    Abstract: Provided is a method and an apparatus for reading barcode information; the method and apparatus being able to read barcode information correctly without being influenced by the environmental conditions at the time of reading the barcode information. When a reading method according to a prescribed rule could not read a character, each element width is judged again to be either thin or thick according to structural characteristics of characters to convert again an element width matrix into a bit pattern, and then a character corresponding to the bit pattern as a result of the re-conversion is determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Inventor: Hiroshi NAKAMURA
  • Patent number: 7748629
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for reading a target object having areas of differing light reflectivity on the target such as a handheld bar code reader having a first illumination pattern, a detector for measuring a distance from the reader to a target object, a system threshold, and a comparator for evaluating the measured distance against the threshold. Should the reader's internal circuitry and/or software determine that the measured distance is greater than the threshold, a second illumination pattern is activated that has power effective illumination for increasing the operable reading distance between the reader and the target object. The second illumination pattern can be generated from a secondary illumination source or through a lens internal to the reader.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher Brock
  • Patent number: 7677457
    Abstract: Described is a method and system for barcode decoding. The method comprises receiving an input signal corresponding to a reflection of light from a bar code. The input signal is divided into a predetermined number of segments. Each segment includes a plurality of samples. Each of the segments is represented using at least one of the samples therefrom. At least one sample from each segment is analyzed to determine a location the bar code within the input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Dariusz Madej
  • Patent number: 7422155
    Abstract: An image printing method and apparatus which can detect the edge of a printing medium on which a barcode is written while reading the barcode using one sensor unit. The apparatus for printing an image on a printing medium on which a barcode is written includes a sensor unit sensing the barcode and generating a sensing signal. A first counting unit counts the sensing signal to generate a first count value when the value of the sensing signal is changed from a high value to a low value. A second counting unit counts the sensing signal of the barcode simultaneously with the first counting unit to generate a second count value which is initialized whenever the value of the sensing signal is changed. A detecting unit detects the edge of the printing medium based on the first and second count values of the first counting unit and the second counting unit. A reading unit reads the barcode based on the second count value of the second counting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jin-Tae Chung
  • Patent number: 7380721
    Abstract: A barcode sensor package has an optical emitter circuit and an optical detector circuit which are formed as one or more integrated optical circuits disposed in a housing which has a reading surface and one or more apertures located between the optical emitter and detector circuits. The optical emitter circuit has an emitter die, such as a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL), for emitting a light beam and a diffraction optical element disposed on the emitter die for focusing the light beam to a bar code. The optical detector circuit has a photodetector die, such as a phototransistor, for detecting reflective light and another diffraction optical element disposed on the photodetector die for guiding light reflected from the bar code to the detector. The diffraction optical elements are fabricated by patterning optical layers, deposited on respective emitter and detector dies, using photolithograph or a direct write process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Wenwei Zhang
  • Patent number: 7299985
    Abstract: A system and method for encoding scanner signal strength and timing information provided, possibly on multiple signal lines, from a digitizer circuit into a signal that can be transmitted on a single line to a modified decoder. A multiplexing device multiplexes the multiple signals, which can be multi-bit or dual-DBP signals, into a single signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Costanzo di Fazio, James R. Giebel, Gary Schneider, Frederick Schuessler
  • Patent number: 7273177
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to decoding encoded barcode information from a series of camera-captured images by generating binarized sequences from the series of camera-captured images and decoding the encoded barcode information from the binarized sequences. A series of preprocessed images is generated from the series of camera-captured images by removing non-uniform illumination, reducing noise, and enhancing contrast between bars and spaces of the series of camera-captured images. Barcode-image orientations are estimated for the series of preprocessed images. The series of preprocessed images are projected along their respective barcode-image orientations to generate a series of gray-sequence images that represent barcode information in one dimension. The binarized sequences, each of which contains partial barcode information, are connected into a concatenated sequence according to computed shift information of neighboring binarized sequences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2007
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Jian Wang, Chunhui Zhang
  • Patent number: 7137558
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus described herein form barcode characters by determining a number of pixels associated with forming a first bar and a second bar of a first barcode character. A separation width value associated with the first bar and the second bar is determined based on the number of pixels. A second separation width value is then generated based on the at least one separation width value. A barcode character is then formed based on the second separation width value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company
    Inventor: Charlie Aigeldinger
  • Patent number: 7133791
    Abstract: N-sample level-crossing estimator methods and devices are provided that extract more information from given time samples than the current two-sample approach and that are more resistant to interference from noises. The two-mean level-crossing time-interval estimation method extracts more information from given time samples than existing methods, advantageously estimates a level-crossing time interval with a limited number of time samples and is quieter than current noisy estimation techniques. The two-mean level crossing time-interval estimation method for N-sample estimation uses all N time samples by calculating the mean value of the first N/2 time samples and subtracting it by the second N/2 time sample to average out the noises in time samples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Wei Su
  • Patent number: 7124945
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a reading unit and a marking card for optical mark reader. The reading unit comprises a plurality of optical sensing devices (R1, R2, R3, R4 . . . ) corresponding to a plurality of marks (M1, M2, M3, M4 . . . ); and a plurality of counters (CT1, CT2, CT3, CT4 . . . ) for converting output signals to output values corresponding to an amount of light sensed, and for sending the output values to a central processing unit (CPU). The CPU performs an answer checking process by a logical calculation based on the output values from the counters (CT1, CT2, CT3, CT4 . . . ).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Easy Test Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Taek-Jin Kim
  • Patent number: 7077322
    Abstract: An extractor extracts a part that is apparently a bar-code signal from a signal that is subjected to opto-electric conversion. A narrow-band differential processor forms a waveform of an edge by differentiating by using a module frequency. The module point extractor extracts the module point from the waveform. The maximum likelihood judgment processor 5f performs ternarizing based on a maximum likelihood method by using broader information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignees: Fujitsu Limited, Fujitsu Frontech Limited
    Inventors: Hideo Miyazawa, Isao Iwaguchi, Mitsuo Watanabe, Kozo Yamazaki, Masanori Ohkawa
  • Patent number: 7021545
    Abstract: In an optical bar-code reader, an optical scanner optically scans a bar code to obtain optical power of light reflected from white bars and black bars of the bar code, a differentiation unit calculates a differential of the optical power to obtain a differential waveform, a dividing unit divides the differential waveform into a positive waveform and a negative waveform, a bar-code correcting unit calculates correct widths of black bars in the bar code from the positive waveform and the negative waveform to create corrected bar-code data, and a converter converts the corrected bar-code data into character data that is an array of numerals and alphabets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignees: Fujitsu Limited, Fujitsu Frontech Limited
    Inventors: Isao Iwaguchi, Hideo Miyazawa, Mitsuo Watanabe, Kozo Yamazaki, Masanori Ohkawa
  • Patent number: 6978937
    Abstract: A method of reading information which makes it possible to suppress the size of hardware and a price thereof and to improve an S/N ratio of a reading signal and reading resolution, wherein even if depth of field for reading is enlarged or a concave/convex portion or a blurred portion is left on the reading face, reading precision can be improved. The method includes steps of acquiring from a medium 1, a signal containing binary digit information having a predetermined information length and a one-dimensional arrangement, extracting information concerning an elemental unit length of the information length of the binary digit information from the acquired signal, and reading a ratio of the binary digit information to the information length based on the extracted elemental unit length information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Isao Iwaguchi, Takashi Kaku, Hiroyasu Murata, Kozo Yamazaki, Masanori Ohkawa, Mitsuo Watanabe, Hideo Miyazawa
  • Patent number: 6945462
    Abstract: An optical information reading apparatus applies light to an object to be read such as a bar code symbol, photoelectrically converts by a photodetector element a light image formed by the reflection light, and processes the obtained electric signal to output code data. Among the portions performing the signal processing, at least a data converter (13) for converting a photoelectrically converted electric signal into a digital signal, a digital signal calculation unit (17) for calculating the digital signal and generating code data indicating information of an object to be read, an input accumulation unit (20) for accumulating the code data, and a timing control unit (12) for controlling operation timings of these components are arranged on a single substrate as a multipurpose processing circuit block (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Optoelectronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sachio Tsukuda, Susumu Nakano
  • Patent number: 6761314
    Abstract: A bar code symbology derived from form a set of patterns of bar and spaces in which each character spans a distance of m module widths and is represented by n bars and p interleaved spaces; and the largest single bar or space is limited to k modules in width, having a predetermined start pattern; a predetermined stop pattern; and providing the exclusion from the set of valid patterns those patterns such that the predetermined start pattern is only at one end of a valid symbol, and the predetermined stop pattern is only at the other end of a valid symbol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Frederick Schuessler
  • Patent number: 6502750
    Abstract: A scanning system and method reads information symbols, such as optical mark recognition (“OMR”) symbols. Each OMR symbol typically includes a predetermined number of cells, with each cell containing a bar or a space. An object detector detects the presence of an object having an affixed OMR symbol and generates a trigger signal indicating an object has been detected. The object is typically moving past the scanning system and the trigger signal provides timing information for the system so the objects are scanned at the proper times. In response to the trigger signal, a scanner, such as a laser scanning device, scans and decodes the OMR symbol. The laser scanner includes an optical transmitter that generates a scanning laser beam that scans each OMR symbol when the symbol is within a scan window. An optical detector in the scanner is positioned to receive optical energy reflected from each OMR symbol responsive to the scanning laser beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2003
    Assignee: Microscan Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Danny S. Barnes, Matthew E. Allen
  • Patent number: 6478224
    Abstract: Systems (apparatus and methods) for reading bar code data detect light reflected and/or refracted from a target. The detected light is converted into an electrical signal containing width values that are indicative of widths of light areas and dark areas of the target. Systems for pre-screening data read by a bar code reader determine whether sequences of width values are consistent with potential bar code data by comparing the relative widths of subsequences of light areas and dark areas. If the relative widths are consistent with bar code data, the width values of the sequence being pre-screened are output to a decoder, which attempts to read the sequence of width values. If the relative width values are inconsistent with bar code data, the sequence of width values is not output to the decoder, thereby decreasing the amount of processing the decoder would otherwise be required to perform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2002
    Assignee: PSC Scanning, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas P. Gettys
  • Patent number: 6360948
    Abstract: A method of reading information out of a two-dimensional code made up of a matrix of cells having a given optical pattern is provided. The two-dimensional code has location symbols used to locate the two-dimensional code and alignment symbols used to locate the cells. The method first calculates a central position of each of the alignment symbols in an image of the two-dimensional code using a predetermined positional relation to the location symbols and selects one of reference patterns which matches up with an optical pattern formed with a pixel lying at the calculated central position of the alignment symbol and surrounding pixels. The method specifies an actual central position of each of the alignment symbols in the image of the two-dimensional code using the matched reference pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Xuhua Yang, Hisashi Shigekusa
  • Patent number: 6357660
    Abstract: A bar code reading apparatus including a reader for reading a bar code expressing a plurality of characters, and a CPU for decoding the characters according to a result of reading by the reader. A ratio between a character length Cy of an already decoded character E2 and a length Cz of a character E7 to be decoded is calculated. When this ratio is greater than a threshold value, the black bar width B1 and black bar width B2 are corrected according to a reference black bar width X. The CPU decodes the character E7 to be decoded according to the corrected black bar width B1 and black bar width B3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2002
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Mitsuo Watanabe, Isao Iwaguchi, Hiroaki Kawai
  • Patent number: 6328212
    Abstract: A system for reading data stored on a target in two different viewing planes includes a laser light source for generating a laser light beam and mirrors for focusing the laser beam on the two spaced apart viewing planes. Sensors detect the light reflected from each of the two viewing planes and generates an electrical signal indicative of the detected light. A signal processor, processes and decodes the data associated with the viewing plane on which the beam is in focus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Boris Metlitasky, Jerome Swartz, Edward Barkan
  • Patent number: 6299064
    Abstract: An apparatus for correcting a bar width comprises a detecting section calculating a reference bar width serving as a reference of bar widths, a first calculation section calculating an average value of a plurality of reference bar widths, a second calculation section calculating an error value between a bar width of a bar to be corrected and the reference bar width calculated by the detecting section, and a correcting section correcting the bar width of the bar to be corrected by using the calculated average value when the calculated error value is not less than a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Mitsuo Watanabe, Motohiko Itoh, Hiroaki Kawai, Isao Iwaguchi
  • Publication number: 20010015378
    Abstract: An apparatus for correcting a bar width comprises a detecting section calculating a reference bar width serving as a reference of bar widths, a first calculation section calculating an average value of a plurality of reference bar widths, a second calculation section calculating an error value between a bar width of a bar to be corrected and the reference bar width calculated by the detecting section, and a correcting section correcting the bar width of the bar to be corrected by using the calculated average value when the calculated error value is not less than a predetermined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2001
    Publication date: August 23, 2001
    Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Mitsuo Watanabe, Motohiko Itoh, Hiroaki Kawai, Isao Iwaguchi