Patent ID: 6394351
Filing Date: 2002-05-28
Classification: G06K

Abstract:
A bar code scanner detecting and employing the timing of a scan of a bar code, the bar code scanner including an optical assembly, the optical assembly including a rotating portion, the bar code scanner also determining an angle of the rotating portion of the optical assembly at the time of the scan of the bar code, comprising:a motor connected to the optical assembly; a motor reference position sensor for producing a motor reference position signal indicating when the motor is in a reference position; a timer for accurately measuring the time elapsed from the time the motor is in the reference position; a video system for receiving the bar code information from a bar code scan, the video system being operative to receive motor reference position information and timing information for each video transition produced by the bar code scan and associate the motor reference position information and timing information with each video transition, the video system being operative to produce a video signal including motor reference position information and timing information associated with each video transition; and a processor for receiving the motor reference position information and the timing information, the processor computing the angle of rotation of the motor at the time of each video transition, the processor being further operative to use the angle of rotation of the motor and the timing information to derive location information indicating an approximate location of the bar code with respect to the scanner and to use the approximate location of the bar code to aid in decoding the bar code.