Patent ID: 6050489
Filing Date: 2000-04-18
Classification: G06K

Abstract:
A bar code system for a Brownie film roll consisting of a bar code reader of a camera and a bar code provided on an adhesive tape of the Brownie film roll that secures a filmstrip to a light-shielding paper at a leading end of the filmstrip, wherein the bar code comprises alternating black and white bar elements each having a wide width or a narrow width, first three of the bar elements in the order to scan the bar code have a constant total width independent of data represented by the bar code, and wherein the bar code reader comprises:a reflective photo sensor for scanning the bar code while the light-shielding paper and the filmstrip are advanced in the camera;a device for detecting borders between the black bar elements and the white bar elements based on signal level of the photo sensor;a device for measuring widths of the individual bar elements based on the detected borders;a memory for storing data of the measured widths;a device for calculating a reference width from a total of the measured widths of the first three bar elements;a device for discriminating between those bar elements having the wide width and those having the narrow width by comparing the measured widths to the reference width; anda device for decoding the bar code based on a bit pattern of the bar code corresponding to an arrangement of the narrow width and the wide width of the bar elements.